Important Books

Description:
"Crashing the Gate is a shot across the bow at the political establishment in Washington, DC and a call to re-democratize politics in America. This book lays bare, with passion and precision, how ineffective, incompetent, and antiquated the Democratic Party establishment has become, and how it has failed to adapt and respond to new realities and challenges. The authors save their sharpest knives to go for the jugular in their critique of Republican ideologues who are now running—and ruining—our country. Written by two of the most popular political bloggers in America, the book hails the new movement—of the netroots, the grassroots, the unorthodox labor unions, the maverick big donors—that is the antidote to old-school politics as usual.

Description:
Review: “Although a significant number of readers might herald this latest book on leadership as a godsend for their organization, it is difficult to ignore the fact that Salacuse has provided an immensely action-packed practical prescription. It begins and ends with communications, as Salacuse admits its fundamental power to gain trust and motivate others. Much of his advice is also based on knowledge of others' interests and the concomitant willingness to tailor messages, conversations, and potential outcomes. With these two competencies, leaders seeking to lead others can readily follow the myriad lists, from the principles affecting critical conversations (interactional, personal, and individual) to the seven daily tasks of leadership (direction, integration, mediation, education, motivation, representation, and trust creation).

Description:
Review: “One of the mysteries of contemporary American politics is how, in the wake of triangulating Democrats, a small base of conservative Republicans has steered the country so far to the right. In this book, two political science professors from Yale and Berkeley examine ascendant far-right Republicans and offer a sobering analysis of their strategies, many of which, the authors argue, have weakened the ordinary voter's power to "ensure that American politics remains on center." Closely-argued and very readable, the book never sinks under the weight of its details; the authors use an ironic list of rules like "Don't Just Do Something, Stand There" to give chapter and verse on how the ultra-right "hide their radicalism in a thicket of policy detail" and use poll-driven language to sex-up initiatives lacking popular support.

Description:
Review: “This is not your ordinary marketing manual. With casual humor and a laid-back tone, Wipperfürth, a marketer who helps brands like Dr. Martens and Napster ‘appear like serendipitous accidents,’ advocates the ‘brand hijack,’ a process of allowing customers to shape brand meaning and drive a brand's evolution. Using case studies of products that were embraced by young consumers precisely because they lacked traditional, excessive ad campaigns, like Pabst Blue Ribbon and In-N-Out Burger, Wipperfürth shows that seemingly effortless branding is actually sustained by ‘no-marketing’ techniques.