Category Archives: Monthly Reading

Reading List: October 2013 – Isaacson, Sullivan and Pamuk

As always, I’ve got a mixed bag of recommendations on the reading list for you this month. We’ve got a biography of a recognised genius, a book of general copywriting advice and a detective novel set in Istanbul. See what I mean about a mixed bag? Hopefully you’ll choose to read one or two. Unless, […]

Ten (not so typical) books every copywriter should read

*Sigh* A list of books? Really? I know the feeling. Almost every time you see one it’s the usual suspects. Ogilvy on Advertising. Influence by Ciladini. A bit of Hemingway to prove you’re cultured. Don’t get me wrong. All those books and authors are great and you should read them. But there is absolutely no need for me to outline my thoughts on them. Instead, […]

Five books to buy a copywriter for Christmas

If you’re a copywriter wondering which books you should ask for this Christmas, or if you’re searching for the best books for copywriters… Help is at hand. Here you’ll find five recommendations that will help inspire and influence anyone who writes to sell. In fact, influence is actually the title of the first pick… Influence by Robert Cialdini Most copywriters will […]

Reading List: November 2013 – Camilleri, Jones and Le Carré

A somewhat crime-heavy reading list this month! But that’s the thing with many crime novels: they’re often such easy reads that when you read one, you want to read another. It’s for this very reason that I think it’s worth dipping into the genre every now and again to look at what makes them so […]

Reading List: September 2013 – Kurkov, Marais and Ariely

A slightly European feel to this month’s copywriter reading list… Though, that said, we do end on an Israeli American Psychologist! So, without further ado… Here are my picks for this month: The Gardener of Ochakov by Andrey Kurkov I really like this guy’s books. In fact, I’ve been reading him ever since his first book […]

Reading List: August 2013 – Altucher, Lethem and Kafka

Weirdly, the book I’ve spent most time with recently isn’t on my copywriter reading list for this month. It’s a book called Skippy Dies by Paul Murray. So, how come it hasn’t made it? Well, the first two thirds are great. A really noisy, messy novel that’s full of life. But I’ve really struggled with the last part of […]

Reading List: July 2013 – Vargas Llosa, Coetzee and Fisher

Apologies to those who missed the June reading list. Due to me travelling so much last month, I wasn’t able to put one together. But I’ve taken this opportunity to slightly change the angle of my reading lists. Whereas before I was telling you what I’ll be reading over the next month, from now on […]

Reading List: May 2013 – Auster & Coetzee, Berger and Roth

We’re already into May and I’m already well into my first recommendation for this month. First though, let’s just recap on last month’s suggestions… We had What is the What by Dave Eggers and I must say it was an excellent book. If you haven’t read it yet, make time for it. I’m not sure it’s directly […]

Reading List: April 2013 – Eggers, Cialdini and Mayle

Following my guest post in John Forde’s excellent Copywriter’s Roundtable, I received an email from a fellow copywriter called Tony. He was interested in my idea of fuelling your brain by reading books that aren’t typically associated with copywriting. Don’t get me wrong, each month I make sure I read at least one book that touches […]