I checked out Rework on Amazon and saw some really mixed reviews, now im not sure about getting it. What do you like about it, and do you suggest anything else?
I briefly checked out the first 20 or 30 reviews on Amazon and was not surprised by the comments, but by the ratings. My take on the comments? True: if you are a long time follower of the signal vs. noise blog then you will have seen some of the material before.
True: some of the advice is ambiguous, but necessarily so - this is not a "how to start a web company" step-by-step manual. It is an aid to seeing business from a total non-traditional platform.
True: the book is short on pages and word-count - you can easily read it in an afternoon. Every other page is an illustration (no informational value) of some kind taking away from actual information space - I did feel I was mislead by this.
True: They do use their own company as an example quite a lot which took away credibility. Their biz is the extreme example in a few ways but it is very interesting how they embrace obstacles that others run from i.e. having globally spread employees.
I got over my own negativities when I read the book for the second time three months later. The book is written in such a way that, to me, the message will adapt and be meaningful regardless of the current situation. Kind of like the bookd Who Moved My Cheese is still taught and changes meaning for each reader, each time they read it.
In my opinion it's definitely worth reading - take that for what you will.
Other suggestions? I've got plenty if you want 'em. I read a book or two a week. Here's two more of my fav business-type books.
Seeking Wisdom by Peter Bevelin &
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber - a classic
Here's a short cut to the best reading on business and entrepreneurship - take the following links and cross reference. If a book is on both lists it's usually very good.