Big day, and very special day, around Surprise Central, as the book that changed everything is being re-released in a revised and updated version...25 years later.
Faithful FOPs know my admiration for Roger von Oech and his groundbreaking creativity primer "A Whack on the Side of the Head." As I've mentioned here before, when I was in University, my buddy Sheldon Davis and I were disciples of Roger's. He was a Surprise marketer's dream (yes, I was a budding one even back then) and as students, we eschewed the boring texts our profs assigned us and read Roger's stuff instead. I've been influenced by the man ever since.
I've read 'em all since, folks, and I've re-read this one over the weekend and a quarter-century later (!!!), it doesn't just stand the test of time, it is even MORE relevant today.
What's more, I passed along a copy to my son Aidan who, at 20, is about the same age as I was when I first picked this up. And guess what...even that Gen-Y-er digs it big-time.
This is like the Bible of Business Books...well, at least the "How To Win Friends and Influence People." A Whack has already sold over a million copies around the world in 17 languages. If you haven't read it yet, do yourself the favor. Rarely is such profound advice this much fun.
Congrats, Roger. What an accomplishment. Let's meet up here 25 years from now for your golden anni...and Pow!'s silver.