Book Review: Made to Stick

Something a little different than yesterday’s beach read for my book review week.

Book Review for: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
By: Chip Heath and Dan Heath

I’ve mentioned this book before due to its thought-provoking tidbits (See Core Ideas and Intent). This nonfiction book is a gem in how to make ideas stick. It doesn’t matter if you are a writer trying to create a story that will be deep and meaningful, a mother trying to get it through your child’s thick head about looking both ways before crossing the street, a marketer, a teacher teaching math, or a supervisor trying to convince your minions that your way is indeed the way to go, this book is for you.

Made to Stick is simple, easy-to-read with an entertaining approach. They make it easy to figure out what your core idea/intent of your message is as well as provide simple step-by-step approaches on how to convey your idea, make it meaningful, and of course, make it stick. It could be a simple message for your family, or it could be something complex and of national security. Not convinced? They break down a nice little urban legend many of us have heard of and explain why it sticks. Have you heard of the urban legend about kidney heists? (You wake up in a bathtub of ice to find someone has stolen your kidneys.) Memorable isn’t it? Why? Because it is meaningful, simple, unexpected, emotional, credible (it happened to a friend of a friend, doncha know?), and it is all wrapped up in a little story. They’ll teach you how to do that.

You think there were a lot of urban legends before? Just wait until I’ve applied this book to my imagination. Mwa-ha-ha!

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