Ram Reads Volunteer Reading Program: Fill & Download for Free

Oh, I am already doing what I love.Read on if you want details. I took chances, made choices and found my way to do what I wanted. Brace yourself, fucked up career chart is coming up.12th (PCMB student)(I studied Hindi as an extra subject, for the "fun" of it. I scored average in rest of the subjects but with 96% I was the top scorer in Hindi the CBSE board that year. I also received an award from the Hindi Academy of India. One of the most random things I have ever done that also paid off! ) But then my folks commented "how will this help your career?".Drop a year to prepare for Pre Medical Test.(Enroll in English Hons. from Delhi University's Open school of Learning. Indians prefer to keep a second option to fall back on. I was always interested in literature.)Start volunteering for a child shelter.Fail to clear PMT but got through B.Pharma (close call)Family suggests to drop another year. I said bullshit and decided to graduate in Business instead. I was ridiculed for this.Work at a Cafe Bar to support myself through college (I year)(my fave job so far, least paid too. I was paid 80 INR/hour.)Work in a call center for a Tech Support through summer (II year)(Call center revolution had started in India and the Broadband revolution in UK, I used to solve tech queries, installation and modem issues for Carphone Warehouse. I made an arrangement, I did graveyard shift and cab dropped me directly to college at 10 in morning. I minted money here. Ridiculed for not studying Med.Work in Market Research (II and III year)6-8 hours of college and a 9 hour shift took a toll and I left to work at WNS GS, a firm that did Market Research for UK govt. A four hour shift made life easier. I gave final year English hons. exams too. Ridiculed for not studying Med.Intern at Reliance IndustriesMy hatred for corporate job was born here. Hated every bit of being here.GraduateI was offered a full time job at WNS as a research analyst for GlaxoSmithKline at a package much higher than what my batch-mates landed in campus placements. I didn't accept as neither I was interested in crunching numbers nor being a part of a corporate. (at this time money wasn't a motivation, interesting work was) I was ridiculed for this choice and also for not studying Med.Work as a Marketing professional in TV Today Group.At a salary half than what I was offered at GSK. I was curious about TV. It sucked. I moved on. Ridiculed for not studying Med.Worked in an advertising agencyThe most fulfilling, creative, back breaking and least-paying (just a little better than cafe-bar thing) work ever!Worked at Equifax.I wanted to study more. So I planned to make decent sum of money for college by picking up a job that paid the best. I made credit reports for one of the three credit Bureaus in the US, Equifax. My report determined whether a US citizen would get credit from a bank or not (whoever said that only doctors can feel like God). For that, I had to clear nine rounds of interviews (max I have given so far) and a month long verification that also involved taking drug tests. (phew! all for the most "random" job of my life!)Post graduateI got through London School of Communication but I am unable to get the loan as my dad refuses to be a sponsor and ridicule me a little more for not studying Med. So I settled for Advertising and Public relations at Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Comm. Everything happens for the best and this was the best thing that could happen. I got to study Sociology, Photography, TV and Cinema too! I worked in WNS GS again, to support myself through PG this time.Resident at Auroville, PondicherryTranscendental Meditation, philosophy, youth empowerment, sustainable development. I got to write for youth journals. Ridiculed for not studying Med.Graduate and work in a radio station for a media conglomerate.(I had to leave the volunteer work at the shelter as I was unable to manage time) I handled marketing comm, branding, programming content and CSR for a network for 8 stations. Associate with UNICEF projects. As an extra (I volunteered) I did voice overs, edited shows, learnt to make music logs, took celeb interviews too. I was offered to do a late night English soft rock show but by that time, I had enough of radio. I left after 2 years.Independent UNICEF and CSR campaignsCurrently on a Sabbatical (C'mon, I deserve one!)During which I worked on a start up, it failed. I am working on another one. I am also, studying and thinking about what to do next.I am still ridiculed for not studying Med.EDIT: Quorans who have messaged me asking whether or not I lived through these years. I am an avid traveler and this was the time I have traveled the most. I also love art and theatre and I have watched my fave plays even twice or thrice as much. " I didn't miss anything."Neha Jha's answer to For those in their mid 20s, what makes you happy?EDIT 2: I am currently a research scholar at PGIMER at Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, New Delhi.

User-9902358067329070481 has a decent reading list on this: http://sivers.org/bookHere's the excerpt if you don't want to jump to the site.The Personal MBA - by Josh KaufmanISBN: 1591843529 READ: 2011-02-16 RATING: 10/10Wow. A masterpiece. This is now the one “START HERE” book I'll be recommending to everybody interested in business. An amazing overview of everything you need to know. Covers all the basics, minus buzz-words and fluff. Look at my notes for an example, but read the whole book. One of the most inspiring things I've read in years. Want proof? I asked the author to be my coach/mentor afterwards. It's that good.The War of Art - by Steven PressfieldISBN: 0446691437 READ: 2012-01-05 RATING: 9/10Have you experienced a vision of the person you might become, the work you could accomplish, the realized being you were meant to be? Are you a writer who doesn’t write, a painter who doesn’t paint, an entrepreneur who never starts a venture? Then you know what “Resistance” is. This book is about that. Read it.Thinking, Fast and Slow - by Daniel KahnemanISBN: 0374275637 READ: 2011-12-08 RATING: 9/10If you liked “Predictably Irrational” or “Stumbling on Happiness” or any of those pop-psychology books, well, this is the Godfather of all of their work. Huge thorough book gives a great overview of much of his work. Read the other quotes on Amazon about it.The Lean Startup - by Eric RiesISBN: 0307887898 READ: 2011-10-23 RATING: 9/10EVERY entrepreneur should read this book! Its methodology is the one I recommend the most. The stuff I preach is like a cute casual intro to the real deal: the Lean Startup methodology. (As an aside: this book is the one that pushed my book out of the #1 slot on Amazon's Entrepreneur charts. Quite an honor.)Power of Full Engagement - by Jim Loehr and Tony SchwartzISBN: 0743226755 READ: 2011-09-03 RATING: 9/10The authors worked with the best athletes and executives for years, and found that the best ones knew how to push themselves, then recuperate, push, recuperate. Take this same approach to your emotional, mental, physical, and even spiritual life, and it's a powerful metaphor. Think of sprints, not marathons. Be fully in whatever you're in, then give time to recuperate. But push futher each time, past your comfort zone, like a good exercise plan.What Got You Here Won't Get You There - by Marshall GoldsmithISBN: 1401301304 READ: 2011-08-22 RATING: 9/10Aimed at already-successful people. The personality traits that brought you to success (personal discipline, saying yes to everything, over-confidence) are the same traits that hold you back from going further! (Where you need to listen to lead, and don't let over-confidence make you over-commit.) Stinging counter-intuitive insights that hit very close to home for me. Great specific suggestions for how to improve.Switch - by Chip Heath and Dan HeathISBN: 0385528752 READ: 2010-05-10 RATING: 9/10Great great great great GREAT psychology book about real ways to make change last - both personal and organizational. So many powerful insights, based on fact not theory. Inspiring counterintuitive stories of huge organizational change against all odds. Highly recommended for everyone.The Investor's Manifesto - by William J. BernsteinISBN: 0470505141 READ: 2009-11-12 RATING: 9/10Absolutely my favorite author and advisor on the subject of investing. Anyone with any money to invest (or already invested) please read this book. Such clear thinking, using only facts, and using numbers not guesses. Modern portfolio theory: use passive indexes of the entire market, no speculation, no stock picking, and avoid the entire fee-sucking financial industry.How We Decide - by Jonah LehrerISBN: 0618620117 READ: 2009-11-10 RATING: 9/10Brilliant book with one clear message: our emotional brain is faster and usually smarter than our logical brain. Our emotions are trained by years of logic and experience, retaining it all for real wisdom. Many decisions are better made by going with the gut feeling. Gets a little too technical with deep brain/neuro/cortex talk, but brings it back to usable points.Influence - by Robert CialdiniISBN: 006124189X READ: 2009-08-15 RATING: 9/10Classic book on the psychology of persuasion. I read it 15 years ago, thought about it ever since, and re-read it now. How to get a 700% improvement in volunteers. How to sell more by doubling your prices. How to make people feel they made a choice, when really you made it for them.The Time Paradox - by Philip Zimbardo and John BoydISBN: 1416541993 READ: 2009-04-03 RATING: 9/10See my in-depth article about this book at sivers.org/timePersonal Development for Smart People - by Steve PavlinaISBN: 1401922759 READ: 2008-12-27 RATING: 9/10A surprisingly great broad and unflourished look at all different aspects of self-improvement. Really great insights from someone who's read them all.Predictably Irrational - by Dan ArielyISBN: 006135323X READ: 2008-08-11 RATING: 9/10My favorite type of book: pointing out and understanding all of the counter-intuitive things people do.The 4-Hour Work Week - by Tim FerrissISBN: 0307353133 READ: 2008-05-15 RATING: 9/10Brilliant reversal of all of the “how to manage all your crap” books. This one tells you how to say “no” to the crap, set expectations on your terms, and be just as effective in a fraction of the time. This is perfect for musicians with other responsibilities (day jobs) that need more free time to actually make music!The Wisdom of Crowds - by James SurowieckiISBN: 0385721706 READ: 2008-04-16 RATING: 9/10Mind-blowing examples of how groups of diverse people acting independently are smarter than any one person in the group. Has huge implications for management, markets, decision-making, and more.The Paradox of Choice - Why More is Less - by Barry SchwartzISBN: 0060005688 READ: 2007-07-11 RATING: 9/10Faced with many options or decisions in your life? This will change the way you look at them. We feel worse when we have too many options.Made to Stick - by Chip Heath and Dan HeathISBN: 1400064287 READ: 2007-03-12 RATING: 9/10Actually analyzing what makes certain ideas or stories more memorable than others! Fascinating. Apply this wisdom to your songs, bio/story, communication with fans, etc.The Innovator's Solution - by Clayton ChristensenISBN: 1578518520 READ: 2006-09-21 RATING: 9/10Required reading for business-owners and investors. Shows how technology improves faster than people's ability to use it, so when someone says a technology is “not good enough”, add “yet” and prepare for disruption.Small is the New Big - by Seth GodinISBN: 1591841267 READ: 2006-09-08 RATING: 9/10My favorite author, by far. I’m a massive fan and disciple. A collection of his short insightful posts from his blog, all thought-provoking and inspiring for anybody marketing anything, even music. (Seth was a CD Baby client and fan.)The Art of Profitability - by Adrian SlywotzkyISBN: 0446692271 READ: 2005-12-02 RATING: 9/1025 different models of profitability presented in examples you can relate to your own business, making you realize profit-sources you’d never thought of before.E-Myth Revisited - by Michael GerberISBN: 0887307280 READ: 2004-02-26 RATING: 9/10Everything needs to be a system. Think of your business as a franchise prototype. You should be able to hand the “how-to” manual to just anyone, to do it as good as you.The Passionate Programmer - by Chad FowlerISBN: 1934356344 READ: 2012-01-15 RATING: 8/10Wonderful book about the art, craft, and passion of being a great computer programmer. Loved the analogies to being a musician: sight-reading, being the worst member of the band, understanding new styles of music, practicing just for improvement, etc.Willpower - by Roy Baumeister and John TierneyISBN: 1594203075 READ: 2011-09-09 RATING: 8/10You have a finite amount of willpower that becomes depleted as you use it. Two traits that consistently predict “positive outcomes” in life: intelligence and self-control. Most major problems, personal and social, center on failure of self-control. When people were asked about their failings, a lack of self-control was at the top of the list. So let's talk about self-control....Poke the Box - by Seth GodinISBN: 1936719002 READ: 2011-03-15 RATING: 8/10Awesome short manifesto about getting into the habit of starting things. Inspiring as hell. Go go go!Hackers & Painters - by Paul GrahamISBN: 1449389554 READ: 2010-08-20 RATING: 8/10A collection of essays from one of the best. Loosely about intelligence, entrepreneurship, programming, and questioning norms. Many brilliant ideas and insights.Confessions of a Public Speaker - by Scott BerkunISBN: 0596801998 READ: 2010-06-28 RATING: 8/10Best book on public speaking. A must-read if you do this at all. Great concrete advice and personal tales.The Talent Code - by Daniel CoyleISBN: 055380684X READ: 2009-08-22 RATING: 8/10A great book showing that deep practice - (struggling in certain targeted ways - operating at the edges of your ability, where you make mistakes - experiences where you're forced to slow down, make errors, and correct them) - is what really makes you improve at anything.Ignore Everybody - by Hugh MacLeodISBN: 159184259X READ: 2009-06-28 RATING: 8/10Brilliant succinct wisdom on creativity from an artist. Seth Godin says, "Hugh harangues and encourages and pushes and won't sit still until you, like him, are unwilling to settle." I highly recommend this to all musicians, artists, and entrepreneurs. Even those that prefer not to read much. :-)What Would Google Do? - by Jeff JarvisISBN: 0061709719 READ: 2009-03-05 RATING: 8/10Great think-piece about lessons learned from Google's approach to things, and how they might approach different industries like airlines, real estate, education, etc.CrowdSourcing - by Jeff HoweISBN: 0307396207 READ: 2008-08-27 RATING: 8/10Great look at a different way of getting a project done: not outsourcing it to a person, but developing a system where thousands of people can contribute a little bit.Meatball Sundae - by Seth GodinISBN: 1591841747 READ: 2007-12-30 RATING: 8/10Instead of asking how to use the new internet tools to support your existing business, ask how you can change your business to take best advantage of the new tools.Execution - by Larry Bossidy and Ram CharanISBN: 0609610570 READ: 2007-02-12 RATING: 8/10Great in-depth look at the dirty discipline of getting things done in a large organization.Getting Things Done - by David AllenISBN: 0142000280 READ: 2005-04-30 RATING: 8/10Classic book with near-cult following. How to manage every last itty bitty tiny thing in your life. Keep your inbox empty.The 48 Laws of Power - by Robert Greene and Joost ElffersISBN: 0140280197 READ: 2003-05-06 RATING: 8/10Warning: some think this book is pure evil. But power exists, so it can only help to understand it better, even if you choose not to wield it.The Power of Habit - by Charles DuhiggISBN: 1400069289 READ: 2012-03-01 RATING: 7/10Great dissection and analysis of what creates habits, and the power of changing just one of three steps in the habit loop.You Are Not So Smart - by David McRaneyISBN: 1592406599 READ: 2011-11-15 RATING: 7/10Great summary of 46 cognitive biases. Much of it covered in other books like Predictably Irrational, but if you haven't read those, this is a great starting book. Otherwise, just a good reminder, and worth reading.Practicing Mind - by Thomas SternerISBN: 0977657205 READ: 2011-05-27 RATING: 7/10Great simple philosophy: Life itself is one long practice session. Everything in life worth achieving requires practice. Practice is not just for artistic or athletic skill, but practicing patience, practicing communication, practicing anything you do in life. The process/practice itself is the real goal, not the outcome.Mindset - by Carol DweckISBN: 0345472322 READ: 2010-11-27 RATING: 7/10Crucial distinction: People in a “fixed” mindset believe that you *are* great or flawed. People in a “growth” mindset believe your greatness (or flaws) are because of your actions. The fixed mindset is very harmful in every area of life (work, art, relationships, business, etc.) We get our initial mindset from our environment. When parents say, “You are great,” instead of ”You did great work,” they accidently create the “fixed” mindset.Start Small, Stay Small - by Rob Walling and Mike TaberISBN: 0615373968 READ: 2010-11-16 RATING: 7/10Great how-to guide about being a micropreneur: an entrepreneur running many small but profitable businesses.Making a Good Brain Great - by Daniel G. AmenISBN: 1400082099 READ: 2010-07-28 RATING: 7/10About the care of the physical brain - the goo in your skull - from a doctor who scans brains and has linked specific behavior to brain chemistry.I Will Teach You To Be Rich - by Ramit SethiISBN: 0761147489 READ: 2010-03-23 RATING: 7/10An amazing book about consumer finance and a healthy approach to managing your money. If you are age 18-35, this is a must-read! My notes are scarce, so get the book. Even if over 35, you might find some good tips on lowering your fees on various services, and a good reminder of good savings practices.Business Stripped Bare - by Richard BransonISBN: 1905264429 READ: 2010-02-17 RATING: 7/10A real and specific description of the inner workings of the Virgin companies. Every entrepreneur, investor, and manager should appreciate this detailed account of practices, philosophies and stories from the core.Talent Is Overrated - by Geoff ColvinISBN: 1591842247 READ: 2009-11-16 RATING: 7/10Talent is not innate - it comes from thousands of hours of deliberate practice: focused improving of your shortcomings. That's it. If you can get past the first 20% of the book that just asks questions, the next 60% is quite good.Never Eat Alone - by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl RazISBN: 0385512058 READ: 2009-07-26 RATING: 7/10A good book that's mostly about networking, but also some general business smarts. Definitely read if you need more work being social.Reality Check - by Guy KawasakiISBN: 1591842239 READ: 2009-03-08 RATING: 7/10Great collection of essays about entrepreneurship from his blog at blog.guykawasaki.comYou, Inc - The Art of Selling Yourself - by Harry BeckwithISBN: 0446578215 READ: 2008-07-26 RATING: 7/10One of my favorite authors, and a massive inspiration for my e-book. This is his newest, but read anything he’s done. It’s all top-notch insights on making life easier by being more considerate, whether you call that marketing or just life.The Ultimate Sales Machine - by Chet HolmesISBN: 1591842158 READ: 2008-06-12 RATING: 7/10After reading E-Myth Revisited, this is the best book I’ve seen on how to turn it into real results, step-by-step. Not ambiguous. Very “do it like this”.The Art of Learning - by Josh WaitzkinISBN: 0743277457 READ: 2008-05-30 RATING: 7/10Chess master becomes Tai Chi master, realizes his real genius is learning, and shares his insights and stories.Here Comes Everybody - by Clay ShirkyISBN: 1594201536 READ: 2008-04-06 RATING: 7/10Like Wikinomics and Crowdsourcing, required reading if interested in harnessing the collective power of people online.Maximum Achievement - by Brian TracyISBN: 0684803313 READ: 2006-11-12 RATING: 7/10A classic self-help book. Exactly what you'd expect. But very good.Linchpin - by Seth GodinISBN: 1591843162 READ: 2010-12-11 RATING: 6/10For someone who has a job at a company, I would call this essential reading with my highest recommendation. Since I haven't had a job since 1992, I couldn't apply many of his great points to my life. Still I loved his reminder of the value of the brilliant workers instead of systemized workers. The opposite of E-Myth (another book reviewed here).Cognitive Surplus - by Clay ShirkyISBN: 1594202532 READ: 2010-12-10 RATING: 6/10I always love Clay Shirky's insights into the internet culture. This is about how all the spare time people are using to add to Wikipedia, create YouTube videos or LOLCats, is previously time they were passively watching TV. Perhaps passive watching was a temporary habit that lasted 80 years, and now we're going back to a more participatory culture?Art and Fear - by David Bayles and Ted OrlandISBN: 0961454733 READ: 2010-11-23 RATING: 6/10For artists and musicians only: beautiful insights into the creative process.Nudge - by Richard Thaler and Cass SunsteinISBN: 014311526X READ: 2010-08-15 RATING: 6/10Introducing the idea of Libertarian Paternalism: influencing people's behavior for their own benefit, without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives.Being Logical: A Guide to Good Thinking - by D.Q. McInernyISBN: 0812971159 READ: 2010-03-15 RATING: 6/10World getting too fuzzy an unreasonable? Watching too much TV? A good book on logic is a great antidote. I'd never read one before, so I don't know how to compare it to others, but I really loved the clear thinking and deep insights here.Pomodoro Technique Illustrated - by Staffan NötebergISBN: 1934356506 READ: 2010-01-11 RATING: 6/10Pretty cool technique of working in 25-minute chunks. Better to start with a simple article about it, then read the book after if you love it. I do, so far.Pragmatic Thinking and Learning - by Andy HuntISBN: 1934356050 READ: 2009-11-03 RATING: 6/10A great curated collection of facts about how to learn effectively and think clearly. Since it's written by a programmer, it makes many computer analogies that fellow programmers will appreciate. Non-programmers might feel a little left out.Why Smart People Make Big Money Mistakes - Gilovich and BelskyISBN: 0684859386 READ: 2009-10-19 RATING: 6/10My favorite genre of book lately: clear examples of bugs in our brain: where our intuition is wrong. But this one focuses just on money issues. Loss aversion. Sunk cost fallacy. Confirmation bias. Anchoring. Etc. I love this stuff.Outliers: The Story of Success - by Malcolm GladwellISBN: 0316017922 READ: 2009-04-23 RATING: 6/10Deep study of why some people are so much more successful. Often due to circumstances and early opportunities, but really comes down to the fact that it takes about 10,000 hours of hard work to master something.Lucky Or Smart? - by Bo PeabodyISBN: 1439210101 READ: 2009-04-23 RATING: 6/10Tiny book by an incredibly successful serial entrepreneur telling his tales and lessons learned.The Power of Less - by Leo BabutaISBN: 1401309704 READ: 2009-01-21 RATING: 6/10Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest. Set limitations. Become incredibly effective. Written by someone who's been successfully living this way for years.Tribes - by Seth GodinISBN: 1591842336 READ: 2008-11-17 RATING: 6/10Inspiring look at what it takes to organize and mobilize groups of people.How to Talk to Anyone - by Leil LowndesISBN: 007141858X READ: 2008-09-12 RATING: 6/10Wonderful considerate book about conversational people skills.Brain Rules - by John MedinaISBN: 0979777704 READ: 2008-08-26 RATING: 6/10New scientific insights into why our brains work this way, and how to use what we now know to learn or work better.Cut to the Chase - by Stuart LevineISBN: 0385516207 READ: 2008-07-26 RATING: 6/10Tips on more effective communication.The Magic of Thinking Big - by David SchwartzISBN: 0671646788 READ: 2008-07-26 RATING: 6/10A classic self-help book. Exactly what you'd expect. But very good.How to Get Rich - by Felix DennisISBN: 1591842050 READ: 2008-06-18 RATING: 6/10Shockingly honest thoughts from a filthy rich bastard.The Culting of Brands - by Douglas AtkinISBN: 1591840961 READ: 2008-02-08 RATING: 6/10Unique fascinating dissection of cults and why they work. Then how to apply those lessons to marketing your business.Don't Make Me Think - by Steve KrugISBN: 0321344758 READ: 2007-08-08 RATING: 6/10The classic book of web usability. Required reading for anyone who makes websites.Know-How - by Ram Charan with Geri WilliganISBN: 0307341518 READ: 2007-02-12 RATING: 6/10Acquired expertise in big business. Subtitle: 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't.The Art of Project Management - Scott BerkunISBN: 0596007868 READ: 2006-11-19 RATING: 6/10The best book on how to oversee projects to completion.Little Bets - by Peter SimsISBN: 1439170428 READ: 2011-05-10 RATING: 5/10Examples of the fact that much success or creativity comes from trying many things, failing fast, getting feedback, trying more things, and deliberate practice. Stories from Pixar, Chris Rock, Silicon Valley, Frank Gehry.Focus - by Leo BabautaISBN: 1434103072 READ: 2011-01-17 RATING: 5/10Nice short reminder of the importance of solitude and focus. Single-tasking. Only doing your most important things, and let the rest go.The Upside of Irrationality - by Dan ArielyISBN: 0061995037 READ: 2010-07-05 RATING: 5/10First read his amazing book “Predictably Irrational.” But if you read and loved it, then this is a continuation with some more examples - mostly organizational. He also catharticly details his own painful injuries in every chapter.The Profit Zone - by Adrian SlywotzkyISBN: 0812933044 READ: 2009-10-14 RATING: 5/10Dryer but deeper prequel to the great “Art of Profitability” book, also recommended here. Start with that one. Only read this if that one fascinated you.Overachievement - by John EliotISBN: 1591841313 READ: 2009-07-04 RATING: 5/10Performance coach, with a bent towards sports, surgery, and executive performance, gives his thoughts on being a top performer. The key is the "Trusting Mindset": like a squirrel runs across a telephone wire. Just doing it, without thought, because you've trained yourself plenty until that point.The Culture Code - by Clotaire RapailleISBN: 0767920570 READ: 2008-11-01 RATING: 5/10Weird look at how different cultures (mostly Europe versus U.S. in this book) see things differently. Example: British luxury is about detachment whereas U.S. luxury is about rank.Richard Branson - Losing My VirginityISBN: 0812932293 READ: 2008-06-01 RATING: 5/10Autobiography of his life from childhood through 2004. Interesting how he was always over-leveraged and how that drove him forward. Amazing how he negotiated Necker Island from £3 million down to £180k.The Checklist Manifesto - by Atul GawandeISBN: 0312430000 READ: 2011-12-25 RATING: 4/10Like Malcom Gladwell, a book that could and should have been an article, but puffed up with 200 pages of supporting stories, mostly great detailed tales of his surgeon experiences where a checklist would have come in handy. Here's the book in one sentence: You should make checklists for any complex procedures or decisions.Hiring Smart - by Pierre MornellISBN: 1580085148 READ: 2011-08-07 RATING: 4/10Good advice on hiring. No big surprises, but some useful tips.Discover Your Inner Economist - by Tyler CowenISBN: 0452289637 READ: 2009-10-19 RATING: 4/10The book title is misleading. It ends up being mostly the author's recommendations for the transactions of life. When to give to charity, what restaurants to choose, what insurance to buy, etc. He makes a rational case for these, that is often very interesting, but still feels like just his opinion.Causing a Scene - by Charlie ToddISBN: 006170363X READ: 2009-08-18 RATING: 4/10Fun tales from the guy that invented Improv Everywhere. Not really educational as much as just fun, and I'm a huge fan of their “missions”.Enough - by John BogleISBN: 0470398515 READ: 2009-04-23 RATING: 4/10Legendary investor, now 80, looks back with long-view wisdom on investing, living, and giving.How to be a Billionaire - by Martin FridsonISBN: 0471416177 READ: 2009-04-23 RATING: 4/10Biographical look at billionaires from the last 200 years, and lessons learned from how they did it. Some lessons aren't really applicable to the rest of us, like changing government laws to protect your monopoly. But some are.Management of the Absurd - by Richard FarsonISBN: 0684830442 READ: 2009-04-14 RATING: 4/10Counter-intuitive lessons about management. Highly recommended for managers and leaders, but also teachers and parents.The Obsolete Employee - by Michael RusserISBN: 0966248465 READ: 2007-10-01 RATING: 4/10How to run a company without employees, but with a loose network of work-from-home freelance agents. Very instructive, but also good perspective like how until the industrial revolution, there were no employees: everyone was freelance.Secrets of the Millionaire Mind - by T. Harv EckerISBN: 0060763280 READ: 2007-06-12 RATING: 4/10If you suspect that your mindset is holding you back from making more money, read this. Identifies and dissolves the mental baggage we've built up that believes money is evil and those who have it are greedy.One Simple Idea - by Stephen KeyISBN: 0071756159 READ: 2011-04-29 RATING: 3/10Good introduction into the world of licensing your ideas to companies that manufacture products.Hire With Your Head - by Lou AdlerISBN: 0470128356 READ: 2010-12-15 RATING: 3/10Great advice on hiring, but insanely repetitive. Maybe this was an editing mistake - that the exact same points are made over and over and over and over - often with the exact same words, sentences, even paragraphs. But those key points are great.What the Dog Saw - by Malcolm GladwellISBN: 0316075841 READ: 2009-12-05 RATING: 3/10A pretty-good collection of his articles from the past few years. While most are somewhat interesting, it felt a little like surfing the net or TV. Lots of “huh”, but no lasting insights. More entertainment than education.The Great Formula - by Mark JoynerISBN: 0471778230 READ: 2009-06-06 RATING: 3/10Create an irresistable offer. Present it to people who need it. Sell them more afterwards. Lots of examples of this.Program or Be Programmed - by Douglas Rushkoff and Leland PurvisISBN: 1935928155 READ: 2011-07-20 RATING: 2/10Maybe I'm just too immersed in this, but everything said here seems to be the most conventional wisdom - nothing I haven't heard. Shame, because I thought it was going to be about teaching the lay-person the importance of programming.The Four Filters Invention of Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger - by Bud LabitanISBN: 0615241298 READ: 2011-01-21 RATING: 2/10Another overview of the investment approach of Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger.Confessions of a Serial Entrepreneur - by Stuart SkormanISBN: 0787987328 READ: 2010-12-24 RATING: 2/10Personal tales, almost an autobiography, of someone who created a wide range of businesses, both successful and not. Some insights along the way, but not many surprising ones. I'd recommend “How to Get Rich” by Felix Dennis instead, also reviewed on this website.Life Without Lawyers - by Philip K. HowardISBN: 0393065669 READ: 2010-04-24 RATING: 2/10I really liked his TED talk (search ted.com), and this book elaborates on the idea. Makes a good point, but should just be a long article - not a whole book.The Productive Programmer - by Neal FordISBN: 0596519788 READ: 2009-11-01 RATING: 2/10I thought it was going to be more general or philosophical tips, but seemed to be more about IDE-specific tips instead. Then it crashed my Kindle (and stillFounders at Work - by Jessica LivingstonISBN: 1430210788 READ: 2008-02-12 RATING: 2/10Long in-depth interviews with company founders, telling their tales of how they started. Lots of stories with a few usable gems.Conspiracy of the Rich - Robert KiyosakiISBN: 0446559806 READ: 2009-11-24 RATING: 0/10Yet another Rich Dad book shat out for the usual audience of those who don't read. Often so bad it hurts, but with the occasional useful sentence. He always seems to go out of his way to avoid giving any usable info - only generalities. Does he care? Is he trying to write great books? Are these things just machine-generated or something?The Think Big Manifesto - by Michael Port and Mina SamuelsISBN: 0470432373 READ: 2009-05-12 RATING: 0/10One of the few books I've actively disliked. Ever read the introduction to a book? Where they say “what you hold in your hands here is something that could change the world”, and blah blah blah? I kept reading, wondering when the introduction was going to be over. Over halfway through the book, I realized this was it: just broad general encouraging unuseful nothings for the entire book.

Data Science is a vast and complex field, it is not a field of study or domain of expertise. Since you are from computer science background, i am expecting that you have fundamental knowledge of programming languages and databases, If you do not have then start building your fundamental strengths.Once you have some of those fundamental skills there are a few options:Pursue internship opportunities in data science.Look for data analysis volunteer opportunities.Compete in data science competitions, at a minimum this will give you access to large data sets to play with. Some Data Science Competitions: Competitions | Kaggle Data mining & machine learning data sets, algorithms, challenges Crowdsourced analytics for life sciences and professional services Innovation Management | Crowdsourcing | Challenges | Competitions DrivenDataLearn Big Data and Hadoop. Learn Big Data | Hadoop Tutorial | Learn Big Data Analytics using Top YouTube Videos, TED Talks & other resourcesUnderstand Hadoop-related projects. Welcome to Apache Pig! | Apache HBase - Apache HBase™ Home | Apache Hive TM |Learn machine learning algorithms. Basic machine learning algorithms: Data Mining with Open Source Machine Learning Software in Java | Algorithms presentation | Algorithms and DataFusion | Apache ZooKeeper - Home .Learn Apache Spark. Documentation | Apache Spark | Spark Streaming | Apache Spark | Spark SQL & DataFramesLearn some visualizations graphs. Famous data vidualization tools: Zeppelin | Tableau Server | Interactive Data Visualization BI ToolsLearn about Analytics [Text/Predictive]. Get Started in Text Analytics | Predictive Analytics WorldSo before making yourself ready for a job, the first and foremost task you need to do is to get a clear thought of all the roles and responsibilities of the particular job profile.You can read my other answers as a follow-up:Ram Kishor Tak's answer to What is the future scope of data science with Python in India?Ram Kishor Tak's answer to Is Data Science a risky business?Ram Kishor Tak's answer to Till now I don't have knowledge on Hadoop, can I get a job on Hadoop within 3 months if I learn it from now?If you have any other questions, feel free to post a comment.Keep Learning.