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I write science fiction, and software. Sometimes one turns into the other.

Back to SXSW Interactive Plus a Book Review

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I’m back at SXSW for the second time, soaking up as much new information and having as many conversations as possible!

No interviews this year, and so far, just adventures and no misadventures! From the Copyblogger.com writer’s party (guest post coming there soon!) to being interviewed by the SXSW Baby Podcast to winning an iPad 2 and a bag of Doritos at the Alcatel Lounge, it just gets better every year.

I’ve been to several sessions and met some incredibly interesting and inspiring people – which is to be expected! The sheer volume of awesome crammed into 5 days in Austin is extraordinary; it will take some time to digest it all once I return.

To add to the awesome, Ysmay of metroseeker.com wrote a very complimentary review of my book, you can read it here. Thanks Ysmay!

 

Book Review: Enchantment, by Guy Kawasaki

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Guy Kawasaki wrote a book, Enchantment (affiliate link), and talked about it at SXSW 2011.

The book spells out in simple terms how to be liked and likable, inside and outside of the business world.

For some, it’s “old news” though it’s not a rehash of Carnegie. For many – especially a certain section of the population that has more conversations with computers than people – it’s eye-opening enlightenment. In several places, the standard accepted wisdom is shattered, for good reasons (for example, see “Dress for a Tie”).

I read it on the trip back from SXSW, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Guy presents his ideas in a way that flows smoothly across topics, building steadily throughout the book.

One section in particular, “How to Enchant Your Boss”, should be no surprise and on the surface seems almost trite: when your boss asks for something, drop everything else and do it immediately. But there’s more to this than meets the eye, and no brief review can do justice to the carefully-crafted buildup that sets the foundation for this one sentence to have a profound impact on your daily life.

The advice applies to your spouse also, not just your boss. Read it and decide for yourself.

Guy lives what he teaches: He consented to an interview for a blog with no readers, and gave me two autographed copies of his book – one of which I will give away to a random commenter, provided the comment is relevant to Guy or the book.

So tell me: why do you want to read the book? Or why do you not want to read the book?