10:49am
Saint Paul
When I sent you the year-end Persuasion Play Podcast episode with David Newman…
Well, something didn’t work in the email. There wasn’t a link to the episode nor an embedded YouTube video.
So unless you followed the link to the playlist of all episodes, you probably didn’t see David and I mix it up.
Thanks, technology, for trying to be smart.
You can find PPP Episode 18 with David Newman here:
https://goldmine.marketing/become-a-category-of-one-with-david-newman-persuasion-play-podcast-018/
How was your Christmas break and New Year?
We spent a lot of time with family and friends.
Kids went sledding nearly every day and only had one accident.
We booked a Spring Break trip to México.
And I finished reading two books over break––Journey to Ixtlan, fiction by Carlos Castaneda, and Setting Free the Actor by Ann Brebner (about removing creative blocks… which also had a lot of ideas I can apply to parenting)––and then I ordered 3 new books… plus a 4th today.
But before I get to ANY of those, I am re-reading Overdeliver by Boardroom marketer Brian Kurtz. Always something new in there.
In 2025, I tried to track a bit better the books I’ve read.
While I’m sure I missed a few, here they are, in case you’re looking for something new:
A Technique for Producing Ideas, James Webb Young. Short. To the point. Useful.
Magic and Showmanship, by Henning Nelms. Details how to turn a cheap “trick” into a mind-blowing illusion. Hint: it’s all about the presentation––or for a marketer, the positioning.
This Feels like Cheating, by Dr. Hypnosis. Nothing groundbreaking here if you’ve read about hypnosis or haave been reading my emails for some time.
Quiet Persuasion, by Mercure. About crafting persuasive, long-form sales copy. I have #26 of only 200 printed books, and I read it 3x.
Sleepless, by Annabel Abbs-Streets. Interesting book about the way our bodies adapt to and change during the night and darkness.
Breakthrough Advertising, by Eugene Schwartz. Again. It’s one to read over and over, to get all of Eugene’s copywriting insights and wisdom.
Confessions of a Gold Bug, by James U Blanchard. This guy was the driving force behind the reversal of laws that once made owning precious metals illegal in the USA. Fascinating look at what persistence can get you.
Brand Mysticism, by Steven Grasse. This guy invented booze brands you’d think have been around for centuries.
Loving What Is, by Byron Katie. Game changer towards happier, healthier relationships.
Market Eminence, by David Newman. Here’s the pod where David and I chat about this book and how it can impact your career.
Architecture of Persuasion, by Michael Masterson.
A Tan and Sandy Silence, by John MacDonald. Detective novel by an author recommended by Gary Halbert.
Walking on Water, by Anthony De Mello. FANTASTIC look at the impact and importance of detachment.
Great Leads, Ford and Masterson. Probably my 5th read since I picked it up in 2019.
Tell the Machine Goodnight, by Katie Williams. A novel where the characters follow AI’s advice on how to be happy. Book didn’t really go anywhere tho.
Origins, Dan Brown. Another book mixing Dan Brown’s take on history and the future, like Da Vinci Code. This one’s about AI.
Troubled, by Robert Henderson. Crazy and difficult life. He identifies what he calls Luxury Beliefs, held by people who see their destructive ideas as morally superior. Unexpectedly good and highly recommended.
10 Commandments of Con Men, Pickup Artists, Magicians, Door-to-Door Salesmen, Hypnotists, Copywriters, Negotiators, Political Propagandists, Stand Up Comedians, and Oscar-Winning Screenwriters, by my man John Bejakovic. Eye-opening and fun.
Persuasion: The Subtle Art of Getting What you Want, by Mark Morgan Ford.
The Bible is a Catholic Book, by Jimmy Akin. Fascinating history about the work (and cost!) that went into reproducing the Bible to spread the Good News.
And as I mentioned, Journey to Ixtlan by Carlos Castaneda and Setting Free the Actor by Ann Brebner.
Plus I read, re-typed, and am re-publishing:
The Secrets of Emotional, Hot-Button Copywriting, by Denny Hatch and Paul Bobnak. Coming soon!
On another note, this year’s going to be big, for you and for me. I’m all in, are you?
Jeffrey G Thomas
Direct Response Copywriter
PS. Got any book suggestions to add to my Unread pile? I’m always on the hunt…