what I'm reading: craft inc business planner

I just received the Craft Inc. Business Planner by Meg Mateo Illasco for my birthday, and I have to say I highly recommend it. Its the practical companion to Meg's book, Craft Inc., which is an invaluable resource for anyone running a crafts business. The business planner includes lots of useful tips and tricks, plus worksheets to help you plan a budget, price your work, or plan a marketing campaign. Not only will I use it as a resource for my business, but also when I'm teaching my students about running a business.

And speaking of teaching, I really do love teaching all aspects of running an art, design, or crafts business. I had a blast earlier this year when I did a professional development workshop at Arizona State and presenting about micro-production at Kent State (where I went to grad school). And I'd love to come speak to your school, group, or guild as well. Just drop me a line at meauman(at)yahoo(dot)com - I'd love to present on any of these business related topics - pricing, marketing and promotion, wholesale and retail shows, web 2.0 and social media, and lots more. So send me an email, I'd love to work with your group in 2010!

the $10 book sale

If you know me at all, you may know that I have a slight addiction to book buying.  (Ok, that's a lie - I have a huge addiction to book buying.)  Well, its time to purge some of my collection to make room for new books. 

I've decided to make some of my books available for sale - all are just $10 (including shipping in the US only).  They are all used, but in very, very good condition.  If you're interested, just email me at meauman(at)yahoo(dot)com and I'll send you a PayPal invoice for your book (or books).

Here's what I have available:

Cutting Your Car Use by Randall Ghent

Creatively Self-Employed by Kristen Fischer

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

The Weblog Handbook by Rebecca Blood

Chi Running by Danny Dreyer

Fast Track by Suzy Favor Hamilton and Jose Antonio

Asphalt Nation by Jane Holtz Kay

Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running by Dagny Scott

Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky

Guidelines for Online Success by Rob Ford

The End of Overeating by David A. Kessler

Buying In by Rob Walker

Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt

If you'd like any of these, or need more info, please email me at meauman(at)yahoo(dot)com.

free FREE

I've been anxiously awaiting the release of Chris Anderson's Free: The Future of a Radical Price for months.  Since it came out on Tuesday, while we were still at the beach, I reserved a copy at the local bookstore so I could be sure to have it right away.

Imagine my surprise when I got home from the beach to find a Free copy waiting for me.  (Ok, I shouldn't have been too surprised, since I did request it.)  The good news for you, my wonderful readers, is that I've now got an extra copy and I'm giving it away!  (Sorry though, I'm keeping the copy signed by the author - blogger's privilege.) 

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post, and on Monday afternoon, I'll pick a winner.  

And in case you're wondering, I'm about 3/4 of the way through the book, and so far, its excellent.  It's really got me thinking about new ways to approach my business.  (I'll post a full review here once I'm done reading.)

Good luck!

what I'm reading: the pine island paradox

After seeing The Pine Island Paradox mentioned on Laura's blog, I promptly added it to my "on the beach" reading list. In the book, author Kathleen Dean Moore writes about her connection to nature, and most importantly what it means to love a place.

For most of my adult life, I've felt more connected to the beach than anywhere else. I worked there for 4 summers during college, and inevitably at some point during the summer, I find myself wishing I was there. But as I sat on the beach reading Moore's description of what it means to love a place, I found myself wishing I was somewhere else - home.

Other than the 7 years I was in college and grad school, I've lived my whole life in a small town in Pennsylvania. And I was never really happy there. Until I started bicycling last year. Suddenly, I was exposed to all the natural beauty that comes with living in a rural place. As I've ridden my bike along the base of the mountains, through rolling farmland, and into sun-drenched valleys, I've realized how lucky I am to live in such a beautiful place.

Today while riding, another rider came up behind me and asked for directions. As we talked, he told me he lived in San Francisco, but had grown up in the area and was thinking of moving back because it was "just so beautiful here." It made me laugh, because on our trips to San Francisco (especially when we were north of the bridge in Marin County), Joe and I marveled at how beautiful it is there, and how we'd like to move. But as I've put more miles on my bike here at home, I've grown so attached to the natural world around me.

Reading The Pine Island Paradox really reminded me of our human need to be connected to nature. It also strengthened my desire to help more people get on bikes. I've lived in this area for 20 years, but I only felt connected to it when I started experiencing it by bike. If more people felt that connection to the natural world around them, imagine what a better world we'd live in.

what I'm reading: business and the buddha

Since I'm thinking more about the kind of business I want to have, and the importance of creating value (and not just making money), I pulled Business and the Buddha from my stack of "to be read" books.  

I didn't really find most of the ideas in the book earth shattering (though perhaps they would be if I was the CEO of GM or some other company like that).  Instead, they reinforced what I've already been thinking about.  Author Lloyd Field stresses that the primary goal of any business should be to "Cause No Harm," whether it be to the environment, employees, or customers.  Field then goes through Buddhist principals to help clarify how a business can "Cause No Harm" and "Create a Better Society."

One of the most important ideas I took from the book was my need to create a value statement.  Its clear to me that in my business, my goal isn't just to create profit, but I really need to clarify my values and communicate those to my customers as well.  

what I'm reading: a homemade life

Contrary to popular belief, I do occasionally read for pleasure.  I came across A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from my Kitchen Table while browsing Amazon, and knew it would make the perfect airplane read.  Written by Molly Wizenberg, author of the blog Orangette, A Homemade life is part memoir, part recipe book.

Its a really lovely and enjoyable read, and it didn't even make it to the flight home.  (I couldn't resist reading it while laying by the pool at my hotel.)  The most frustrating part about reading the book while traveling is that you want to run into the kitchen and try the recipes.  Looks like I've got a lot of cooking and baking to do when I get home!

what I'm reading

Normally I like to put the title of the book I'm reading in the title of the post, but The Entrepreneur's Guide to Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, & Licensing seemed a little wordy. Long title aside, this is an excellent book that really highlighted the differences between copyright, trademarks, and patents. If you run any kind of creative business, I highly recommend that you read this book. As I read, I was able to clearly apply the discussions to my own work.

Here's a little summary, and how it applies to my work:

Trademarks

Trademarks cover the source of the product, not the product itself (even though we might call a product by its trademark name). One example is that Twinkie is the source of a snack cake (ie. Twinkie brand snack cake). Coca-Cola is the brand of soda, etc.

It is difficult to trademark a "weak" mark - meaning a trademark that is purely descriptive of a product. The "strongest" marks are those that have no relation to the products being sold. (Such as Apple computers.) Which means I would have a difficult time trademarking cozy/cuff - its really just a descriptive name. If I wanted to trademark cozy/cuff, I'd have to prove secondary meaning - basically, that I've used the name so much that it is now synonymous with only my brand. That takes time to establish, so for now, no trademarking of cozy/cuff.

Copyrights

This is the area where I though I understood the most, but it turns out I still have so much to learn. Did you know that you can't copyright useful things? Copyrights are meant to protect expressive works. However, there is a blurry boundary between creative and useful objects and copyright can cover certain aspects of a useful object.

According to the book, "Copyright is best suited for art that appears on functional objects such as a design or ornamentation that is not part of the physical, functional structure of the object." This really struck me, because one of the ideas I work with is that surface is structure, that the pattern designs become the objects themselves.

I've already filed for a copyright for the cozy/cuff, and ultimately, this should give me some level of protection if someone were to copy my idea directly. But if copyrights don't cover it, then what's left?

Design Patents

The other option is to file for a design patent. "Design patents are best suited for protecting the shape and appearance of useful objects such as perfume bottles bottles, furniture, cars, and appliances, which have designs that have commercial and economic value." This does seem much more applicable to my work. However, while easier to apply for than a traditional patent, design patents are still difficult to obtain and expensive. Based on the costs on the PTO website, it would cost over $600 dollars to apply for a design patent, plus over $3,000 in maintenance fees over the next 12 years. And those are the reduced rates for small businesses!  And you must apply for a design patent within one year of an object being sold or used.

Unfair Competition

After reading most of the book, it did seem like there were still a lot of opportunities to have others steal your ideas or designs. Fortunately, there is one more method of legal recourse - which is unfair competition. This affords some protection for someone who is copying aspects of your design in such a way that (while not covered under copyright, trademark, or patent) that seeks to confuse the public on the identity and source of the product. This should offer some means of protection over someone trying to co-opt your entire brand identity as their own. (At least I hope this is the case).

One last thing I learned from the book is no matter what form of intellectual property law you are covered under, you must constantly police for infringers of your work.

This is just a small snippet of the information covered in this book, and some of the ways I've applied it to my situation. This book is a worthwhile (and easy) read - its not too legal-jargon-y, and really helped me understand the differences between copyright, trademark, and patents.

what I'm reading: made to stick

I'm teaching at Towson again this semester, which means back to the really long commute (at least its not every day).  I've decided to make really good use of my driving time by tackling some books that have been on my list - as audiobooks, of course.

First up, Made to Stick.  By studying everything from urban legends to advertising, authors Chip and Dan Heath (they're brothers) figured out that there are common factors in ideas that endure over time.  They've boiled these ideas down, allowing anyone to apply these principles to make their ideas more memorable.

Sticky ideas, according the the authors, are Simple, Unexpected, Concrete, Credible, Emotional, and Stories.  (Remembered as SUCCES.)  That in and of itself stuck with me, because I'm now able to recite this checklist without referring to the book.

This book is such a fabulous tool!  As I was listening, my brain was churning, thinking of ways to apply these principles to my business, my teaching, and my bike advocacy.  

One of my favorites quotes from the book was from Mother Teresa, "If I look at the mass, I will never act.  If I look at one, I will."  This might be my new mantra.  Every time I feel frustrated by a seemingly daunting task in front of me, I will remember this quote, and try to think of one little person or thing to move forward with.  That way, I can continue moving forward.

The authors used this quote as part of the chapter on Emotional, and yes, I'm totally using it out of context, but hey, it stuck with me.  What can you do?

Regardless, I highly recommend this book.  There is so much information, that I know I didn't absorb it all the first time around.  This is definitely worth repeated listenings.  I might even put it on while I sleep, just to give something else the chance to stick.

what I’m reading: the art of innovation

For a long time, I always thought that if there was one company that I would absolutely love to work for, it would be Pixar. (Lately I’ve been obsessed with watching the behind the scenes footage on all my Pixar DVDs.) But after reading The Art of Innovation by Tom Kelley, I’ve changed my mind. The company I’d most love to work for is IDEO.

Truth is, my goal is actually to run my own company, but fortunately for me, The Art of Innovation gives you insights how you can incorporate the IDEO methodology into your own business.

It’s also wonderfully insightful for anyone who designs objects that are used by people. One of the best chapters was the one on direct observation, which really resonated last week at the gift fair as I watched people interact with my products. Sometimes as designers, we become so familiar with our own products that we forget to consider how newcomers will respond to them. Utilizing IDEO’s observation strategies, its easier to consider the needs of our potential customers.

The chapter on hot teams made me dream of the day when I can afford to hire fabulous employees and surround myself with good people. Which reminds me of one of the concepts in Good to Great – first who, then what – meaning that the people you have in a company are more important than the products you’re making. (Actually, a lot of the ideas in The Art of Innovation paralleled the concepts in Good to Great – which only solidifies IDEO’s ability to understand what it takes to create a great company.)

And after reading the chapter on creating a workplace that facilitates innovation, I can’t wait to go home and reorganize my workspace. Plus, I’ve now got grand plans to steal space in my parents barn to set up a big space to play and test out new ideas.

The book is easy to read and full of inspiring ideas and useful action items. I’d highly recommend it.

what I'm reading: outliers

I just finished reading Outliers: The Story of Success - the newest book by Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell.  It was one of about a dozen books I got for Christmas, and I chose to start with it because I knew it would be an easier, enjoyable read.  Just as with the Tipping Point, Gladwell looks at the world around us and comes up with new reasons for why things happen the way they do.

In Outliers, he argues that success is not so much a product of personal achievement, but occurs by a combination of circumstance, opportunities, and culture.  It is often factors beyond our control that create the opportunities for some people to be enormously successful.  While its difficult to disagree with Gladwell's arguments, I find them a bit frustrating.  It really seems like so much of success happens by chance, and while Gladwell gives examples of how society's can increase their peoples chances of success, there doesn't seem to be a lot you can do on an individual level.

The most interesting concept for me was the idea that it takes 10,000 hours to truly become proficient at something.  Gladwell sites examples ranging from professional Canadian hockey players, to Bill Gates, to the Beatles - all of whom had opportunities to get in 10,000 hours before their peers, thereby making them more successful.

The 10,000 hours concept makes me curious about the students I teach.  Every semester that I teach beginning jewelry/metals, I always have one or two students who seem to have a natural affinity for the material - an innate set of hand skills.  After reading Outliers, I wonder if this is actually the case.  I'd love to know more about the childhoods of my students.  Did the ones with the "natural ability" spend more time building and making things and just using their hands as children?  Were they already closer to 10,000 hours of manual dexterity than their peers?  Is there a way to predict which students will be the most talented metalsmiths based on their childhood experiences?  

I'm already interested in understanding the growing lack of hand skills among my students.  Now, I'd like to apply the theories in Outliers to see if there really is a way to predict which students might be the most successful metalsmiths and if there is a way to help all my students become more successful.

what I'm (re)reading: writing to learn

Its no secret that I wish I was a writer.  (Partly because then I could devote more time a day to reading.)  I have a few favorite books about writing that I like to re-read from time to time, and anything by William Zinsser tops the list.  If you want a classic guide on clear and precise writing, I highly recommend Zinsser's On Writing Well.  (I own two copies.)  Currently I'm reading Writing to Learn.

In Writing to Learn, Zinsser explores the idea that any subject can be made accessible through good writing, and that those with a fear of writing can be taught to overcome that fear by writing about subjects they love.  This certainly makes the book a must read for any teacher.

What I love most about Zinsser is that he clearly loves to read, and Writing to Learn is filled with examples by excellent authors.  I added many of these authors to my holiday book wish list, including John Muir and Rachel Carson.  In fact, my favorite chapter in the book wasn't the one on art, rather it was Earth, Sea, and Sky - the chapter on the environment and ecology. 

Which got me thinking, I'll happily read a book on any subject if the author is good.  I would count Sarah Vowell among my favorite authors.  Even though I don't have any particular interest in Presidential assassinations or Puritan society, I know I'm going to enjoy the story.  The same goes for Michael Pollan, Barbara Kingsolver, or Annie Dillard.  (Or, of course, William Zinsser.)

Sadly, I often find myself ordering books because the topic is interesting to me (such as craft theory or alternative transportation) only to find myself struggling to get through the book.  In Writing to Learn, Zinsser is heavily against jargon and academic speak, and the craft theory books I've been reading lately are some of the worst offenders.  As is the case with many craft academics, there's a strong desire to show just how smart you are.  Yawn.  I wish someone would read Writing to Learn before setting out to write the next craft theory book.

Hmmm, maybe that someone could be me...

the wordy shipmates

I finished listening to Sarah Vowell's The Wordy Shipmates on Friday, and just want to say, I highly recommend it. Even if you have no interest in 17th Century Puritan America, Sarah Vowell tells a great story and makes it relevant for today. And funny to boot. I would really recommend the audio book as well, there's nothing like listening to the author telling the story herself.

And for your enjoyment, here's a little clip of Sarah Vowell on the Daily Show. I was still laughing ten minutes later.



On a side note, when I searched Amazon.com for Sarah Vowell to find a link for the book, the first thing that came up was a book about Sarah Palin. I'm sure Sarah Vowell would love that.

something new to listen to!

I'm so excited because Sarah Vowell's new book, The Wordy Shipmates, comes out today! Some of my studio-mates in grad school turned me on to Sarah Vowell, and her previous books are some of my favorite studio listening. After fighting with my computer, I finally managed to download The Wordy Shipmates from iTunes. I've got to leave for a cross country meet shortly, but I can't wait to head back out to the studio when I get home so I can start listening!

what I'm reading: good to great

Lately, it seems like I've been reading a lot of bicycling related books, so I decided to switch things up and read something business related. I'd been thinking about reading Good to Great by Jim Collins for a while, and since my business hasn't been going as well as I'd like, now seemed like the perfect time.

As I began reading, I had a hard time visualizing how a book about major corporations such as Gillette and Walgreens would apply to my little, one woman show. But it didn't take long for me to start applying the lessons in the book to my own business. In fact, I found this to be one of the most relevant books I've read in a long time. So I've decided to break the book down step by step and examine how it relates to me and my business. (I won't do this all in one post, it would overwhelm everyone!)

But first, a little introduction. The initial premise of the book is that "Good is the enemy of great." There are so many good companies around that very few invest the time and energy to become great companies. By studying eleven companies they identified as "great", Collins and his research team came up with a series of characteristics that set these companies apart. And these are the concepts that can be applied to companies, organizations, teams, and most any other group of people looking to make the leap from good to great. These concepts are:
-Level 5 Leadership
-First Who... Then What
-Confront the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith)
-The Hedgehog Concept
-A Culture of Discipline
-Technology Accelerators
-The Flywheel and the Doom Loop
I'll be using these concepts to examine myself and my business. Hopefully those of you running your own businesses will find some use in this exercise as well. (In fact, I recommend anyone running their own business run out and grab a copy of this book. You won't be disappointed.)

I'll be back tomorrow to take a look at Level 5 Leadership.

what I'm reading: the dip

I know what you're thinking, I just did a "what I'm reading" post yesterday, but Ivan from Patina Gallery recommended this book to me, so I ran out to get it. (Plus, its only 80 pages and doesn't take very long to read.)

I've been feeling really stuck, and a little disappointed with the way my business is going. The Dip really gave me a new perspective to focus on. The premise is pretty basic, and by the end I kept thinking "ok, I get it," but this book was exactly what I needed right now.

Verdict: If you're feeling stuck at all (particularly with your business), run to the bookstore and read this book tonight.

what I'm reading: here comes everybody

After I read about Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing Without Organizations by Clay Shirky on WorldChanging, I immediately put it on my must read list. A book about social media and organizations seemed right up my alley. The books on web 2.0 that I've been reading have been really business based, but this book examines the phenomenon from a socio-political perspective.

While reading this book, I found myself thinking a lot about SNAG. SNAG is in trouble (mostly financial), but I think that trouble stems from a problem with relevance. One of the principles that Shirky looks at is mass amateurization, which is fueled by social media. He looks at the the idea of the "professional" journalist, but applies the problem to many professions. This is one of SNAG's fundamental problems. The idea of a "professional" metalsmith/jeweler is such a tenuous one to begin with, that many in SNAG feel the need to hold onto that label for dear life by clinging to ideas of "training", while rejecting things like Etsy, which blurs the line between professional and amateur. In doing so, SNAG alienates what could potentially be a huge contingent of new members.

The other idea that Shirky brings up is that new social tools have greatly reduced the transaction costs of group forming. So much so, that many groups don't even self-identify as groups. For instance, the group of friends I've formed around blogging. Its amazing to me that when I write a post, people are willing to comment, to give me support and feedback. This lower transaction cost is trouble for organizations like SNAG, which has a huge overhead and the need to control the collective action of the group. Not only that, if I can get support from my peers on a daily basis through this blog, why would I need to rely on an organization that can only provide that once a year at a very expensive conference.

I don't believe that SNAG is completely useless, but SNAG needs to reexamine its mission and structure if it wants to continue. Reading Here Comes Everybody would be a good place to start.

Verdict: If you're at all interested in how group forming works in the post web 2.0 world, then this is a worthwhile read.

what I'm reading: buying in

I just finished Rob Walker's book Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are. Walker writes the column Consumed for the New York Times Magazine, as well as a the blog murketing. The beginning of the book details the transition for tradition marketing to murketing (murky marketing), a term coined by Walker to define marketing attempts that exist outside the traditional realm. If you've been paying attention at all since the turn of the century, this isn't really anything new. As TIVO and the internet divert peoples' attention away from traditional mass-market advertising, companies have had to develop new strategies to market their products. Not really new information.

It wasn't until chapter eleven, then, that I sat up and payed attention. Walker profiles Aaron Bodaroff, who set out to answer the question, "How do I turn my lifestyle into a business?" This struck me for two reasons. One I've been asking myself a similar question lately. Namely, how do I take the things I really want to do, and make them into a business? But more so, it is actually the opposite question around which I've attempted to build my business, "How do I turn my business into my lifestyle?" Or more so, "How do I turn myself into my own brand?"

In building my brand, I've (hopefully) communicated a brand with a strong aesthetic based around graphic, modern, organic designs and a black, white, and gray color palette. By virtue of the fact that jewelry is one of the few art forms you can advertise by wearing, it seems as though my aesthetic (and therefore my brand) has infiltrated its way into my daily appearance. I was becoming my own brand. Which, according to Walker, my generation sees as a "legitimate form of creative expression."

But defining myself in such a narrow way (through the lens of my business/brand), may be what has contributed to my recent boredom and my desire to more fully explore other interests. My desire to be more than just a business contributing to an endless stream of consumption has led me to consider other problems such as sustainability, environmentalism, and business ethics. Fortunately for me, Walker addresses these as well. And if chapter eleven made me sit up and take note, chapter twelve resonated with me in terms of a usable business/marketing model.

Or perhaps I should say, an unusable marketing model. According to recent polls, a majority of consumers are increasingly interested in making ethical purchasing choices. (I'm paraphrasing here.) Yet, according to Walker, this majority does not translate to the marketplace. While socially-conscious purchases are on the rise, they in no way reflect the majority of respondents who claim interest in ethical purchasing. Ethically-minded purchasing (whether green, fair-trade, organic, etc.) remains a niche-market. Case in point, American Apparel. Even though the company's philosophy is based on ethical business practices, they chose a broader, mass market ad campaign based on sex-appeal.

As I read this, I kept thinking this could be a problem for the indie-craft field, whose main marketing ploy is an ethical choice - support independent artists and handmade objects rather than mass-produced items and big business. Gabriel's post last week on Conceptual Metalsmithing, titled "The Green, The Organic, and The Handmade," examines this further. Gabriel draws parallels between green and organic impulses and the desire to buy handmade, which I agree with. Gabriel argues that we as craftspeople should draw on the same ethical shopping desires motivating people to buy green or buy organic. But if you expand on Walker's argument, by positioning craft in a niche market of ethical consumerism, we may never have relevance to a larger market of consumers.

In the next chapter, Walker actually goes on to talk about the DIY movement, including Etsy and the Austin Craft Mafia. Walker describes the DIY movement as a political movement grounded in consumption and marketing. One of the comments that struck me most details the awkward growth that the indie-craft movement is starting to face. We can all only make so much by hand, and at some point we either have to accept that we have hit our maximum level, or consider outsourcing, hiring help, etc. This can lead crafters to, as Walker describes, "the Courtney Love syndrome: too weird for the main stream, but successful enough to be seen as a sellout by 'the underground that once loved you.'" Which is how I'm starting to feel about my business. Not that I'm that successful, but rather I'm learning that to truly have a sustainable (in the financial sense) business, I might have to let go of some of the handmade idealism that helped me get started in the first place.

Verdict: While the beginning seems a little obvious, there aren't many books that actually discuss the DIY craft movement. But even if it didn't, Buying In would still be a worthwhile read for indie craft artists who are trying to understand how they fit into the contemporary marketplace.

what I'm reading: going public

One of the books I'm reading in my quest to improve bike and pedestrian safety is Going Public: An Organizer's Guide to Citizen Action. In the book, Michael Gecan details his work with various organizations who worked to improve life in inner cities. While the first sections of the book seem like mostly storytelling, you can get an idea of how ordinary citizens subverted power to accomplish positive change in their neighborhoods. The end of the book gives more pragmatic advice for how you can implement positive change in your own organizations. While most of the groups in the book were fighting serious social issues like poverty, crime, and corruption, its clear that the techniques can be used for a myriad of scenarios.

Verdict: The stories in the first part of the book were compelling enough to hold my interest, but if you want more pragmatic advice, skip to the last few chapters. It will definitely make you rethink the way you approach citizen organizations (and thanks to one of my favorite sections, the way you think about the market and bureaucracy as well.)

Oh, and speaking of organizations, I'm totally jonesing to get my hands on this book. Its been mentioned twice now on Worldchanging, and I can't wait to read it. Social media and organizations, I'm so there. I wonder if they would have it in the bookstore here at the beach...

what I'm reading: the one-hour activist

Generally, I have an aversion to anything that sounds like a quick fix. If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. (And don't even get me started on The 4-Hour Workweek.) Which is why I was a little skeptical of The One-Hour Activist.

But I have to say this is a really useful book. It outlines a series of actions you can take to advance causes that are important to you.

Verdict: This should be required reading for every high school civics class and for anyone who wants to take a more active role in government.

what I'm reading: asphalt nation

If you read Asphalt Nation at roughly the same time you're listening to The Omnivore's Dilemma, you may start to think that American is doomed. Asphalt Nation looks at all the ways the car is ruining America, the historical precedents for favoring the car over other modes of transportation, and some suggested solutions.

The other thing that happens when reading any book while listening to The Omnivore's Dilemma is that you start to compare the two. And Jane Holtz Kay is no Michael Pollan. While the information is good (and sometimes scary) the delivery is a little bit dry. Plus, the book is a little dated at this point. (It was published in 1998.)

Honestly, I agree with everything Kay says. I think we need to take steps as a society to become less car centered. I also agree that its going to be a long, slow battle that we can never completely win but should keep fighting anyway. But at this point, the solutions aren't anything new (walk more, bike more, expand mass transit, etc.) and the overall story could be told in a much more interesting way.

Verdict: Most of the information and statistics can be gleaned from bike and walking advocacy websites. Hold off until Michael Pollan decides to dabble in the car-free lifestyle. (A Natural History of Four Modes of Transportation, anyone?)