---
title: The Best & Worst Business Books
image: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1077868681-jpg/blog-files/best_and_worst_business_books.jpg
---

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# The Best & Worst Business Books

 September 11th, 2007

 2 min read

 By [David Meerman Scott](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott)

![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1077868681-jpg/blog-files/best_and_worst_business_books.jpg?width=300&height=109&name=best_and_worst_business_books.jpg)

This morning my Google news & blog alerts lit up with the following headlines: "The Best & Worst Business Books" and "10 Overrated Business Books." I'll admit that I momentarily freaked out about it because I knew that the alerts were triggered by my name or my book title so I immediately linked to [Charles Tan's Bibliophile Stalker blog](http://charles-tan.blogspot.com/2007/09/10-overrated-business-books-and-10.html).

Phew, The New Rules of Marketing & PR was on the "best" side of the list, which was compiled by Geoffrey James at BNET. I'm so excited because the lists aren't just recent business books, but all time business books such as Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People (also on the "best" side). Great company indeed.

[![Best_and_worst_business_books](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1077868681-jpg/blog-files/best_and_worst_business_books.jpg?width=300&height=109&name=best_and_worst_business_books.jpg "Best_and_worst_business_books")](http://freshspot.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/11/best_and_worst_business_books.jpg)

Here's what Geoffrey wrote in the introduction to [the featured article](http://www.bnet.com/2406-13070_23-161115.html): "Your time is limited — but the number of business books aren't — and many of the bestsellers aren't even worth their weight in your carry-on. We've sorted through the fads, pop theories, and half-baked research to find the ones that will actually give you information you can — and should — put to use."

[Ten Overrated Business Books](http://www.bnet.com/2403-13070_23-160571.html)

**BNETs take:** "We think that some of these classics became popular not because they were particularly insightful, but because they reinforced conventional business wisdom."

Read the details for each book to learn why it was chosen.  
*  
 Reengineering the Corporation: A Manifesto for Business Revolution* by Michael Hammer and James Champy

*In Search of Excellence: Lessons from America's Best-Run Companies* by Tom Peters and Robert H. Waterman

*Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun* by Wess Roberts

*Jack Welch & the G.E. Way: Management Insights and Leadership Secrets of the Legendary CEO* by Robert Slater

*Jesus CEO* by Laurie Beth Jones

*The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People* by Steven Covey

*The One Minute Manager* by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson

*Who Moved My Cheese* by Spencer Johnson

*Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work* by Jack Canfield, etc.

*Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids -- That You Can Learn Too* by Robert Kiyosaki

[Ten Underrated Business Books](http://www.bnet.com/2403-13070_23-160572.html)

**BNETs take: **"These 10 books might not tell you want you want to hear, but they will give you information you need to significantly revise your personal and business strategies."

Read the details for each book to learn why it was chosen.

*The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference* by Malcolm Gladwell

*Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything* by Steven D. Devitt and Stephen J. Dubner

*Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America *by Barbara Ehrenreich

*The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More *by Chris Anderson

*The New Rules of Marketing and PR: How to Use News Releases, Blogs, Podcasting,   
 Viral Marketing and Online Media to Reach Buyers Directly* by David Meerman Scott

*Managers Not MBAs: A hard look at the soft practice of managing and management development* by Henry Mintzberg

*The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It *by Michael E. Gerber

*Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion* by Robert B. Cialdini

*How to Win Friends and Influence People *by Dale Carnegie

Wow. Quite amazing company to be in!

[![Pwstar_001_3](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/file-1077868696-jpg/blog-files/pwstar_001_3.jpg?width=10&height=10&name=pwstar_001_3.jpg "Pwstar_001_3")](http://freshspot.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/11/pwstar_001_3.jpg)

Separately, The New Rules of Marketing & PR scored a starred review in Publishers Weekly. Only a few business books gain this honor. [You can see the review on the book's Amazon page.  
](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0470113456/freshspotpubl-20)

<https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott>

[ David Meerman Scott ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott)

David Meerman Scott is a business growth strategist, advisor to clever entrepreneurs who are building emerging companies, and the international bestselling author of a dozen books published in 30 languages. David’s high-energy keynote presentations, masterclasses, and virtual events educate, energize, and inspire.

 Connect: 

<https://www.facebook.com/dmscott> <https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmeermanscott/> <https://twitter.com/dmscott> [mailto:david@freshspot.com](mailto:david@freshspot.com)

 Topics:

[ Book Reviews ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/book-reviews)

[ writing ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/writing)

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