…AND a giveaway of them.

Given that I was just writing about specifically Catholic business books not too long ago, and the fact that I have a bit of geekiness in me about marketing and business, I guess it’s no surprise that I find Robert Sutton’s books, Good Boss, Bad Boss and The No Asshole Rule, intriguing.

I have a set coming to me, and here’s why I’m going to be excited to see them in my reading line-up:

1. I like the titles.

There, I’ve admitted it. I had a moment of hesitation, typing that second one in, but I have to love the bluntness of it. I am also, in my defense, intrigued by the descriptions of the books.

2. They think big.

That’s probably what got them published, the cynical side of me rejoins. But…there’s a part of me that finds the appeal in big-thinking and is curious.

Good Boss, Bad Boss, the newer title, has a big goal. Its goal is, apparently, to answer this question: “If you are a boss who wants to do great work, what can you do about it?” (Read more about it here.)

The No Asshole Rule is “based on the notion, as adapted in hugely successful companies like Google and SAS, that employees with malicious intents or negative attitudes destroyed any sort of productive and pleasant working environment, and would hinder the entire operation’s success.” (Read more about it here.)

3. One of my favorite business mags loved them.

I know, this isn’t exactly thinking for myself. But I don’t read a lot of business anymore. The fact that HBR liked it gets my attention.

(That said, I don’t subscribe to HBR anymore. I couldn’t justify it…I tend to not read magazines in general and my reading time specifically ends up getting devoted to books when it’s crunch time, because books are, really, my first love.)

4. I’m not in business, but business is still in me.

Oh, and my husband works for a company that, quite simply, ROCKS. They apply all the good things I researched in grad school and seem to go a bit further even. Somehow, those things combine to make a reason for reading

5. I love reading about other worlds.

Maybe I’m stretching a bit, but there are days when the business world seems like Mars to me. I have a connection to it through my husband and I guess through working friends, but now that I’m home-based more than I’m not, I find a whole different interest in this genre of reading.

6. Is it just me or are case studies FUN?

I know, as a “writer,” that I should be scoping places out and wanting to write about them. Inevitably, what I end up saying to my husband about businesses I love is that I want to write a case study about them. What I would do with such a case study I have not yet determined (been busy figuring other things out), but there it is. (Probably part of the reason I’m both snoring and scholar, eh?)

7. What’s not to love about a book with a quiz?

Maybe a lot. I’m sure it’s part marketing ploy. But…okay, it DOES make me want to read it.

All of these reasons, I’m sure, only contribute to the “scholar wannabe” part of my URL. For those of you who have been wondering why I’m the “Snoring Scholar” (I’m actually NOT), I did write about it a while back.

Tell me why YOU want to read them in the comments, and next Friday, October 15, I’ll pick someone to win a free set of both books.

Head on over to Jen’s place for the complete round-up of Quick Takes posts. It’s a great Friday tradition that has gotten me off my blogging butt more than once.