Weekly Bookmarks –
170th Edition – December 3, 2024
You don’t start getting old until you stop learning. Every book teaches me something new or helps me see things differently.
Bill Gates
1. How Many Books Did You Read in 2024?
A Washington Post article states, “A less-than-ideal 46 percent finished zero books last year, and 5 percent read just one. So, if you read more than two books in 2023, congratulations! You’re in the top half of U.S. adults.”
Here are some more stats:
- 5 books put you in the top 33%
- 10 books put you in the top 21%
- 50 books or more place you in the top 1%
Here are the top 5 genres:
- History
- Mystery and Crime
- Fantasy
- Historical Fiction
- Biographies and Memoirs
Business books do not crack this list, according to the article.
2. A Small Business Is Not a Little Big Business
I have a big heart for small businesses, and while I like HBR, most of their content is geared toward larger businesses.
I’ve found about 25 articles that you might find in Inc. magazine, and I reread them periodically. One of those articles is my favorite: A Small Business Is Not a Little Big Business.
The owner-manager needs to have the broad thinking of a generalist and be able to tolerate disorder, endure switching from role to role, and stick to fundamentals. In big business management, the direction appears to be toward ever-increasing sophistication. For owner-managers, the direction must be just the opposite, back to basics.
HBR, July 1981
3. Infinite Banking Sounds Good on Paper, But Does it Work?
I have always been intrigued by Infinite Banking. I don’t think the concept is a scam, but I don’t view it as a magical elixir either. The definitive guide on this concept is a paper by R. Nelson Nash, and you can read Becoming Your Own Banker for free.
When looking for a good filter on too-good-to-be-true personal finance concepts, I always check out what the community has to say at The Whitecoat Investor. No, this fantastic site is not just for medical professionals. It’s for anyone wanting to improve their personal finance skills and capabilities.
The article “Problems With Infinite Banking & Bank on Yourself Concepts” interestingly examines their take on infinite banking. What do you think?
4. Looking for Gift Ideas?
Finding a gift for a business person who seemingly has everything can seem impossible. Here’s a recipe that will work, and I promise the person receiving the gift will love it.
- Find the birth year for the person you are getting the gift for.
- Go to eBay, enter the year, and include ‘annual report’ in the text string.
- Scroll through the list until you find a report that looks eye-appealing. A well-known company is a plus. Order it.
- Find a store like Hobby Lobby or Michaels that will mat and frame the annual report for you.
You will be a rockstar for this gift.
5. A Cool 2025 Reading Suggestion
Before the beginning of a new calendar year, I like to pick a theme that I want to focus on and read 5+7 titles in that category of thinking I’ve selected.
That’s not the only thing I like to do. I also want to find a good book published during the year I was born and read it.
Head to Goodreads on this page, select your birth year, start scrolling, and pick a few engaging titles.
Random Bookmarks: 110 | 94 | 42
Thank You
Thank you for reading. If you like the content above and the posts at CFO Bookshelf, may I ask a favor? Feel free to share this with other readers and comment on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook.
Take care, and have a great week. Always be learning.
