I want to bring attention to a new section I have created on this blog. I do a great deal of reading and have accumulated a list of consistently favorite business books I recommend to others.

Under the Pages section on the left, you will see a new category, “Recommended Books”. It includes an Amazon.com mini-bookstore that lists only books that I recommend. I have made it easy for people to click on the book cover and it takes you to the appropriate Amazon.com detail page to order if you so desire. If nothing else, you will get more information on the book being recommended.

I don’t have time to do formal book reviews, so this is the next best thing for me to do is to organically add to this list as I encounter new books or remember older ones.

This list and the Amazon.com mini-bookstore will grow over time, so check back occasionally.

The latest business book I finished reading and really found thought-provoking is Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow’s Big Changes by Mark J. Penn. This book is going to sit with my other business books I will want to revisit and consult. It is really that good.

I have to admit the book also caught my eye with recommendations from a couple of very influential people who don’t normally give recommendations: Bill Gates and Bill Clinton.

“Microtrends” follows in the tradition of other great business books such as The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell, The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business is Selling Less of More by Chris Anderson, and The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas Friedman in that those books really stretched my brain and my paradigms about today’s business.

I know there is a group of people who will not be able to apply the many microtrends identified in this book. That is because they lack the ability to apply new cutting edge principles and ideas. However, for the true entrepreneur, there is a goldmine of insights for new business niches and opportunities.

For years, I have independently identified and followed larger trends which I base my decisions on. However, like most people, I generally do not follow smaller microtrends. But these microtrends do eventually have a huge impact in all our lives. Most people don’t learn about them until it is too late.

For forward-looking entrepreneurs, this book is a great reference for those looking for new niches not known by most people. The thinking business person will truly appreciate the great insights Mark Penn provided.

Without a doubt, I highly recommend Mark J. Penn’s Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow’s Big Changes. It is a great new business book that has left a lasting impression on me.

Thomas Friedman is probably my favorite author when it comes to matters of business globalization. I first enjoyed his The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization written a few years back.

His follow-up, The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century is quite impressive and comprehensive. He correctly includes, outlines, and discusses the major technological advances and milestones that have greatly affected the globalization movement. Coming from a high-tech background, his material resonated strongly with me.

As a whole, I am a proponent of globalization. However, it does come with a price. People who are not prepared to take advantage of it will ultimately become victims and get swept up in its wake. I respect and welcome but also somewhat fear globalization. However, I have come to accept its inevitability.

I enjoy Friedman’s writings because he puts it in language that most people can understand without becoming an economist.

I highly recommend The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century to any entrepreneur and investor today. Make sure to get the 2nd edition for the latest and greatest commentary.

The first time I saw Donald Trump live was in NYC at a Learning Annex event and a couple of years later in Atlanta. Both times, he was introduced by Robert Kiyosaki, best-selling author of “Rich Dad Poor Dad”. Donald is much more potent and powerful in a live speech than anything we see on TV. He can and does use some raw language in a live speech that he could not get away with on TV.

I think Donald Trump is a savvy businessman with an interesting personality and outlook on life. While most of his books are good reading, some are much better than others.

My personal favorite Donald Trump books include:

• Trump: The Art of the Deal
• The Art of the Comeback
• Trump: How to Get Rich
• Surviving at the Top (hard to find)

I did not care as much for Trump: Think Like a Billionaire: Everything You Need to Know About Success, Real Estate, and Life. It had such a great title but severely brought down by its content. It seemed to be dumbed-down for the general public. There were some good nuggets of wisdom but was the least favorite of mine.

Another interesting book to read by Donald Trump is “The America We Deserve”. This book does not get much exposure but it reveals Donald’s political views and inclinations.

Althought not written by Donald himself, No Such Thing as Over-Exposure: Inside the Life and Celebrity of Donald Trump by Robert Slater was a good read.

Every entrepreneur must learn how to market and brand their company and products. Although, I have seen and read many marketing and branding books, there are some that really stick with me.

The books that have made a long-standing impact on me and what I do are the following:

• The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing: Violate Them at Your Own Risk!
• The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding

These 2 books are simple to read and understand. Yet, they are applicable to nearly any business. I have re-read these books repeatedly over the years to get a refresher and reinforce these important lessons.

My other favorite books also by the Ries’ writing team that are also tremendously worth reading are:

• The Origin of Brands: How Product Evolution Creates Endless Possibilities for New Brands
• The Fall of Advertising and the Rise of PR

These 2 books are more involved but give a deeper understand on their ideas of marketing in today’s world.

You can find out more about the Ries Marketing team at http://www.ries.com