Book Tag (2005)

Originally published on my blog on June 8, 2005. Lightly edited for clarity.

2026 edit: A blog meme from twenty years ago. The format is dated, but the books aren’t—The Goal led directly to what I’m building now, and Jonathan Livingston Seagull still sits on my shelf. Libraries remain one of the best ways to encounter ideas you didn’t know you were looking for.

The book-tag virus has hit me as well. I just came across it a few days back and now it’s my turn — got it from Surya. I tried to search for the origin of this meme but haven’t had much success.

Total number of books I own: Currently around 150-200 books. It’s what I have left from the past four years or so. I’m sure I have a few hundred more back home in Kerala. I buy quite a bit of fiction too, but I never keep them. I do like to keep my non-fiction collection, though I’m not too held up on ownership. In fact, my favourite book — which I guess I need to write about later — I’ve ended up buying multiple copies because I always give it to someone to read and it never comes back. Most of the non-fiction I have is either management-related, biographies, or popular science titles.

Another reason I have a limited number of books is that I use libraries extensively. I find them a great way to discover unexpected books — books on subjects I never knew existed. Most of the biographies I’ve read came from random look-up binges at various libraries. Some memorable libraries I’ve spent time in include the central library at Cochin University of Science and Technology; British Library at Thiruvananthapuram, New Delhi, and Paris; The American Center Library at New Delhi and Paris; Bibliothèque François Mitterrand in Paris; Zentralbibliothek and the ETH library in Zurich.

One amazing thing about Switzerland is the combined online catalogue of almost all academic libraries, available to everyone residing here. We can browse the entire collection and borrow up to 20 titles at any time — for free. They’ll send books by post if needed, or you can pick them up from your local library. The book is brought from wherever it’s located in Switzerland. This is an amazing service I use often, along with Amazon (search for titles on Amazon, then get the book from NEBIS with the ISBN).

The last book I bought: Leonardo on Painting, edited by Martin Kemp. It’s based on many writings of Leonardo da Vinci on the topic of painting. This book gives a rather interesting insight into one of the world’s foremost innovators — his keen observations and elaborate detailing of various aspects related to a subject.

The last book I received as a gift: The Road to Reality by Roger Penrose — a gift from three great friends here in Switzerland. It’s a big book, some 1,100 pages. It’s by far the most comprehensive mathematical explanation of our universe yet published. Penrose claims this book is written with the layman in mind, but I think it makes more sense for someone with background in science and mathematics.

The last book I read: Bad Thoughts: A Guide to Clear Thinking by Jamie Whyte. An interesting book for today’s world where spin doctors present everything with shocking statistics. Whyte lists out common fallacies and lack of logic in explanations given by leaders and media. I’ve been outraged by the incredible stupidity of some who take center stage and make credible-looking claims. One interesting use I found: some of the ideas work remarkably well in negotiations.

My unfinished book: Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt. This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was given to me by a friend who highly recommended it. I’ve started reading it several times but never managed to get beyond the first couple of chapters.

Books that mean a lot to me

Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. One of my all-time favourites. This is also the book I’ve bought multiple times because I keep giving it away. I like to think this book has influenced my thinking quite a bit.

The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt. If there is one book that has helped me most in deciding my career, it is this one. While doing my MBA, like most who do it right after their degree, I was a bit lost about where I should focus. One hears how cool working for consulting firms is, or how highly paid financial analysts are. But after I read The Goal, I knew what my calling was.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig. One of the best books written on the philosophy of quality in a world still obsessed with quantity. This book presents a compelling story and leads the reader to think about how not to get alienated in the endless race we’re in today.

Hands-On Systematic Innovation for Business and Management by Darrell Mann. A rather new book that I started working through in April this year. I already find it helping me crystallize my thoughts on the concept of innovation. I feel this will have quite some impact in my way of working in the next few years.