I’ve been following some online discussions about children’s books that deal with some of life’s more serious issues.  The discussions led me to a book review posted on Amazon.com which concluded by saying “Children have their entire adolescent and adult lives to learn … and should not be subjected to such material before bedtime. Ridiculous.”

Okay.  I have a problem with this.  It perpetuates two problems.  First, that children don’t have the capacity to deal with certain realities of life.  Second, and most important, the review implies that the time to read with your child (or that the only time to read a ‘weighty book’ with your child) is just before you shut off the light for the night.

One of the feelings I get when I read that review is that some parents won’t expose their children to books that can help them understand the world around them and can kick-off real conversations in a controlled environment — anytime, anywhere — and yet they’re likely to plunk their children in front of the television or let them surf the Internet and discover the how inhumane the world can be on their own.

Where and when do you read with your child?

I’m reorganizing my home office and bookcase based on my current responsibilities and interests. This means that I have a collection of books with which to part. Most of the books date from 1998-2003. While it may seem like many are dated, I can assure you the the information is still relevant today.

I figure that $5/each (plus shipping/handling) or $125 for the entire collection (plus shipping/handling) is a fair price. Whatever I don’t sell on my own in this next few days, I’ll put up on Craig’s List or eBay. Email me if you’re interested.

The list of books appears below.

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Authors: Paul Colligan and Alex Mandossian
Published: 2006 Morgan James Publishing
ISBN: 1933596376 Chapters.ca Amazon.com

While some may argue that Podcasting is still too young to merit a “business bible”, the ambitious early adopters have been known to help explain and define the marketplace so the timing of their books will always be in question. Of greater concern is the accuracy of the facts and the nature of the vision.

Paul and Alex definitely have a good view of the Podcast marketplace and they open The Business Podcasting Bible with a solid discussion on what defines Podcasting. From page one they challenge the reader to think holistically about any Podcasting strategy, business or otherwise. In fact, I feel that this book has the strongest philosophical discussion on Podcast production and consumption to date — almost to the point that I questioned if the book’s title was accurate.

The Bible is a great introduction to Podcast-based business and marketing strategies, and definitely inspires exploration and innovation. There is discussion on both direct and indirect models of monetization, and the authors set the stage for further analysis of the use of Podcasts to market organizations and thought leadership. I believe that the “Podosphere” is just too oversaturated to seduce the kinds of sponsorship and advertising dollars that the early adopters had envisioned.

The authors encourage the reader to question the various elements of the decision to Podcast. The most important of these questions is ‘why?’ and ‘when?’, and the book guides you through the thought process.

If I could change one thing about the book it would be to turn the sidepanel discussions (some of which carry on for several pages thus forcing the reader to backtrack) into full-page panels.

Paul and Alex are clearly knowledgeable and excited about the power and flexibility of Podcasting. More importantly, they are very honest about its shortcomings. It is this combination that makes the book a great resource for anyone considering using a Podcast as a business or marketing (business OR personal) tool.