Every December, I list off the books I read that year to Email Players subscribers.
Excluding the books I read and didn’t think we’re good or books I re-read, of course.
Usually I put this list in that year’s December issue.
But this year, I am posting the list publicly.
Here goes:
* The Circadian Code — if I had to pick ONE book to hand child Ben for health… it’d be this. I was telling Ken McCarthy a few weeks ago how I believe this to be THE most important book for health ever written in a lot of ways. Willis will be required to read it and I will revisit again.
* Pride & Discipline by Jack Lalanne — lots of insights from the guy who all but created modern fitness industry as we know it, and if you’re the lazy type who needs motivation to exercise this book should turn the trick.
* The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien — If you’re Tolkien fan you will love this book. And if you are a Lord of the Rings fan you will get all new insights into those stories not spelled out, but that are there, “beneath the surface” so to speak. He even has a “what if” scenario about what if Gollum had kept the One Ring or Frodo had learned to use it to control minds? And if you can’t be bothered to read The Silmarillion (too dry for me…) he summarizes the entire history of Middle-Earth in one letter. A bit of a downer, though, how he was always hurting for money, yet his idiot grandkids have made out like bandits whoring his IP out to social activists with Rings of Power, etc.
* Kubrick — Robert Kolker’s bio of the filmmaker. If you like Kubrick’s movies you will probably be mesmerized by this book. If you are indifferent to his work, you’ll probably be bored by it.
* Snow Leopard — the Creepy Joe, Obama, political/media establishment-approved examples are overrated, with disingenuous Ryan Holiday “Trust Me I’m Lying” book vibes that did the same thing. But the overall lessons were spot on, with options for thinking differently.
* Conquistador — about Hernán Cortés’ expedition to Mexico where he saw, raked, and scuttled the human child sacrifices, introduced Jesus, and literally created a brand new race. Not bad for a guy in his low to mid 30’s… I even use him as an example of how to approach business in my upcoming Client-less Copywriter program that will launch later this month.
* Be Useful — Dan Kennedy recommended this book by Arnold Schsarxlkjdbtowartttzneggar. It’s technically a self-help book. But is far MORE than mere self-help. In fact, it was one of those “got to read 10 times” books for me. His naive politics aside, it’s extremely, er, useful to anyone in business, copywriting, email, or marketing.
* Last Action Heroes — lets you relive all your favorite action 80’s action movies from behind-the-scenes. I also scooped up a few extremely useful marketing lessons I have been using and likely be teaching in Email Players in 2025.
* If I Really Wanted To Beat Stress I Would… — I first heard about this book from one of the Scuttlebutt Tapes John Carlton produced back in 2002 or 2003 where he interviewed Gary Halbert about prospering in a rotten economy. I had started re-listening to it last December, and caught Gary’s reference at the end to this book. It’s short, bite-sized, and practical advice for lowering stress.
* Make Something Wonderful: Steve Jobs In His Own Words — “back room” conversation-style memos, emails, talks, and communications by Steve Jobs. Even if you think Apple is the devil (an argument can be made) you can pull a lot of profitable advice from this book.
* Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power — Thomas Jefferson’s excellent biography. Probably the #1 lesson I drew from this is there really is nothing new under the sun. The same kind of forces fooking with the American experiment today were happening when Jefferson was President. Same crap, different bung holes…
* Rules For Radicals — When I got this book written by Saul Alinski, I was hoping for more violence, extremism, and cheap tricks & nonsense from Obama’s community organizer hero. But alas… no. If anything, the advice inside is very sound, practical, and non-violent. His advice on persuasion and influence is not at all sexy, but it’s powerful — i.e., it’s just having conversations with people, getting to know them, their problems, etc. I think he missed his calling as a network marketer.
* How To Get Rich — Felix Dennis’ book lots of broke goo-roo fanboys fap to, ironically enough. But excellent info if you are in the publishing (info or otherwise) business especially.
* The Right Way To Do Wrong — Dan Kennedy gifted me this short book from Harry Houdini when we first started corresponding by FAX this year. It’s a quick read, and fascinating. It could also help you not be a victim of theft, too… in some ways, it reminds me of the book Gene Schwartz recommended for financial writers “Barbarians At The Gate”, i.e., books that show you how people got away with it.
* Sargon the Magnificent — literally nothing at all useful for business purposes. Very politically incorrect too, as a lot of books written 100 years ago. And it argues the ancient Babylonian King Sargon of Akkad was the Biblical Cain. It’s not all bid’niz around here… sometimes a guy’s interests in the strange and unusual must also be satisfied.
And that goes with something Gene Schwartz also recommended:
Read everything and anything that interests you.
That has always been great advice for copywriters.
And this goes especially for email copywriters.
As far as email goes, to learn about the paid Email Players newsletter go here:
Ben Settle
