Whatcha Gonna Do with That Duck?: And Other Provocations, 2006-2012 Paperback – May 14, 2024

The intentional use of older, often obsolete cultural artifacts may be regarded as anachronistic according to Wikipedia. What are you going to do with those ducks? by Seth Godin is just that. A three-inch thick compendium of Godin's blog posts seems like a duck out of water in a digital world. But it works really well and although it is not the most portable format. The book is highly recommended.Most blogs, mine included, are topical and timely but also short lived. However, the selection and organization of Godin's blog entries makes for an easily accessible, inspirational and thought provoking book. By putting these all together, in short order and organized, the book creates food for thought rather than being a chronological recitation of past work.Godin's credentials as an innovator, observer, and antagonist for change are well established. This collection of posts lets you see into Godin's mind a little bit better through their topic, repetition of terms, and direction. The combination does more than have you chuckle at a good turn of phrase or witty observation. It gets you to think and hopefully to act.While I saw someone reading this book on an airplane, the books physical heft makes travelling with it difficult. I am reading the book at home, in little snippets as I have a break during the day and at night before going to bed. Here the short format and engaging style are very effective. Reading it in short spurts also helps avoid a `mental twitching' that jumping from subject area to subject area can produce.Godin's advice and insight throughout the blog-book are aimed at getting you to realize and activate your own talents, motivation, interests and engage in the world. Most of his posts conclude with a specific call to action that a point out the time to start is NOW!Godin's work proves that the blog can be as legitimate a form of writing as the poem, short story or other narrative forms. Highly recommended and thoroughly enjoyed.

Great book - you will want to take notes. I learn more every time I read it. The level of clarity and depth in the book is fantastic.It provides great industry-specific advice, as well as timeless concepts. It is quite the enjoyable read.Mr. Godin crams a great deal of high-quality content into this book. I am quite happy with my purchase.

His approach to Marketing, leadership, innovation and creativity is so refreshing, and to me very exciting. These days, it is not business as usual. I could not put it down! So much to learn from his insights. So many issues addressed... very interesting perceptions... it will keep you thinking and smiling. I will use it for a reference book. If your looking for fresh ways to take your business to to heights... you will find many thoughts as to how you might achieve that. One idea from this book will more than pay for itself... It's a true eye opener to hundreds of great innovative thoughts and taking action on those thoughts.

Since this is a string of blogs each snipped can stand alone though there are tranches all on the same theme. A worthwhile read indeed

Accessible writing, with broad spectrum of topics. Thought provoking, but better yet a writing that makes a reader want to go do things, learn more, produce more and better. Not a read for the complacent, but a challenge to the status-quo. Fast, fun, often irreverent, with words and ideas like cannon balls. Enjoyable, educational in best sense, time well spent.

If you are a fan of Godin's blog posts, you should love this book; however, if you are not a fan of collecting all of his blog posts into one volume to read straight through, this may get tiring. There are many excellent posts in here, so long as you are willing to get past the ones that are okay.

Star LadinWhatcha You Gonna Do With That Duck is go to book for inspiration in business and life. I give 5 stars to Seth Godin and this book too. A brilliant teacher. He seamlessly incorporates spiritual lessons in practical business application.When i am feeling uninspired i go to the book and open it to a random page. I always get what I need. A little slice of life. Always left feeling inspired and renewed, as if i sidestepped the the hard knocks of the life lesson and when straight to the wisdom.Thanks Seth keep writing and ill keep learning:)

This book had me at the introduction which was from a post written in 2004 where Seth Godin predicts the future, nails it and asks the question, "What then?"What if one book gave you everything you needed to ask yourself the right questions?What if one book could teach you about caring more than the competition and why that matters?What if one book helped you to understand where the world of business and marketing is headed?What if one reading one book and taking action on it meant you had first mover advantage?What if one book gave you the courage to start?This is that book.Open it at any page and be inspired to do your best work and understand how to share that work with the world.

I don’t really know what’s the point of this book. In my opinion it’s not worth buying

Highly recommended

First Small is the new Big and now Whatcha Gonna Do With That Duck?Two books that are so essential for anyone in business. Full of gems that are so succinctly put and backed up with reasoned arguments and interesting examples. Crammed full of his blog posts over the last few years it gives the reader a feeling of empowerment and the ability to make a difference.Seth Godin is one of the most insightful business writers and these two books show him at his best.

Really nice and easy to read. and the condition was good as well! +1

I've always appreciated Seth Godin's direct conversational style. Reading his books (or his famous blog) is like being gently slapped in the face. He reads human psychology and understands the nature of a crowd better than any business author I've yet come across. However, this is more than just a business book for entrepreneurs; it's a shake-up-and-shake-down on all fronts, of all the typical excuses that we dream up to explain away our standard inaction and firmly in-the-box thinking. He's very tuned in to modern communication platforms and how they have truly transformed how we can and should do business. His wise words about the state of western education remind me of Michael Ellsburg's book "The Education of Millionaires". His passages are incisive and wonderfully analytical, and they make you think a bit differently about the daily grind. I may just start standing up during meetings.But Seth is certainly no engineer, and I can tell by the very rosy tint of his glasses that he doesn't work for a massive, worldwide, multi billion dollar, century-plus-old manufacturing and engineering concern. Of course, if he did, he'd likely just quit and make triple the money coming back to it as a consultant. Um, wait...it doesn't work exactly that way. If the top ten employing companies are all retailers (or close enough to it), selling stuff made in China, and we live in an infrastructure-heavy society where no one is actually manufacturing anything anymore, and the government uses bread and circuses to distract everyone from the fact that that the economy is feeding off itself, then it follows that no one can afford to hire all the wonderful artistes and linchpins he always talks about. There is no such thing as a perpetual-motion machine.Amusing bonuses: Seth includes a fascinating explanation of the origin of the word "cliche" (courtesy of Wikipedia, which is exactly his style). Unfortunately, for someone so obviously sharp, witty and discerning, it's quite surprising that he seems to have swallowed the man-made climate change religious dogma hook, line and sinker. Ahem.