Summer Reading

Tue, Jun. 23 2015

Hooked is a fascinating read.

From time to time I'll order a "business" book but I rarely find time to read them and when I do, it usually feels like work. I picked up Hooked on the recommendation of Oceanhouse Media’s President, Michel Kripilani, straight from his razor sharp AppCamp talk (a must see for kids app developers), and I literally could not put it down.

At its heart, Hooked is a psychology book, and that is something I can get into. Sure, Hooked will help you to understand how to build products that keep users coming back. But I also found the book to be incredibly illuminating in examining the products that I have come to rely on, and the hooks those products have embedded in me (I’m looking at you, Twitter). While reading the book, I actually had a moment one morning when I woke without the alarm clock and realized I was visualizing the perfect tweet for the day. So, yeah, I really need to detox and replace my Twitter cravings with something more productive and impactful. In a strange way, I found Hooked to be an incredible self help book.

So pick up Hooked, go find a comfy chair, and make yourself (and your products) better.

And yes, I promise I will use my new-found powers for good.