The Labor Day weekend is upon us and that means that it’s soon time to pack up the Summer Shorts in favor of something more seasonably appropriate. But for now, the shorts are out….er I mean on, and here are some quick posts, ideas and links for some quality long weekend and fall reading.

—

For a great series (in process) on identifying, understanding and overcoming the limits that we set for ourselves, check out “The Stories We Tell Ourselves,” by Mary Jo Asmus at Intentional Leadership.

Mary Jo has quickly become “must read” content for me with her always thoughtful and thought-provoking posts.

—

I truly enjoy reading books by Jim Collins and his latest, How the Mighty Fall (and why some companies never give in) is well worth your time investment. Jim’s research and even his connecting of some of the dots between formerly Good to Great and now DOA companies is fascinating.

The case studies, examples and researched based approach mixed with Jim’s great ability to make business come alive, creates a fascinating, albeit brief read. My only gripe for Jim is, where’s the kindle version?

—

My wife and kids have long since accused me of being odd…something that I readily confess to. The particular oddity in play here is that I read seasonal content only in season. This extends to literature, where I can only read Dickens from November through February and Hemingway in the spring and summer.

In this case, it’s football season (yeah!) and I’ve got two that are on my seasonal waiting list:

My son gave me Tony Dungy’s “Quiet Strength: The Principles, Practices and Priorities of a Winning Life,” last Christmas, and although the book is more than football, it is now in season for me. Stay tuned for my lessons learned from this gentleman of a leader.

The other is pure football…it’s, “A Few Seconds of Panic: A Sportswriter Plays in the NFL,” by Stefan Fastis. This is the modern day version of George Plimpton’s Paper Lion (which is arguably the greatest football book ever). I listened to Fastis being interviewed last year on NPR and for anyone that has ever wondered what it is like for a mere mortal to try and hang with the pros and get a few plays in, this sounds fascinating.

Oh, and for my favorite Packer detractor out there, (she knows who she is), if you’re reading, I believe that a new release of Jerry Kramer’s classic, Instant Replay, is available!

The Bottom Line:

Have fun, enjoy the weekend and feel free to drop a note here and tell the rest of us what your seasonal reading habits include! I’m hoping that I’m not the only one with this quirky habit.

-Art