19 November 06
Recently, I’ve been reading quite a lot. Two books in particular have recently have held my attention, both of which have a number of similar themes to them. The first being the fact they’re both online and available to read, so you can check them out. I do recommend both, despite how harsh I may sound.
The first is Getting Real by 37signals, which you can read online, buy as a PDF or buy as a real book. It is an interesting insight to how one of the most popular, if not the most popular ‘Web 2.0’ company works, with tips and tricks that they use to build their well-known products, such as Basecamp and Campfire.
My main problem with the book was the writing style, which they mention in the preface.
If our tone seems too know-it-allish, bear with us. We think it’s better to present ideas in bold strokes than to be wishy-washy about it. If that comes off as cocky or arrogant, so be it. We’d rather be provocative than water everything down with “it depends…”
As much as I did enjoy reading the book, the authors were far too arrogant, almost condensing, about the techniques they use, which comes across as business sloganeering for the web 2.0 generation. Some of the tricks are general common sense that intelligent people would already know. Maybe this is why the writing can come off so patronising in places.
That said, I did enjoy this book, and I did learn useful techniques. I would definitely read it again and probably any other book 37signals will release. I just hope they’re not so arrogant about it next time.
The second book I have read was The Manual (or How To Have A Number One The Easy Way) by 80s art-pop stars, the KLF. Written back in 1988, it’s their “Getting Real” technique of achieving a number one record, which surprisingly has proved it durability.
Despite having nothing to do with the web, which wasn’t even around back then, it offers some interesting insight into why you should go on the dole, listen to pop music compliations and record a #1 single. Even though the message of ‘don’t let other things get in the way’ is an obvious one, the way it’s presented in its self-deprecating, humourous way makes the point a lot more clear and the book more engrossing.
Both books have similar themes running through them, mainly the way to be successful by using non-mainstream methods, and both are interesting and inspiring reads and come highly recommended (once you get through the style of Getting Real). Now, I need to start on my number one hit producing web application…
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