'Into the Heart of Meetings: Basic Principles of Meeting Design' by Eric de Groot and Mike van der Vijver
"This provides a wonderful introduction to meeting design," says Adrian Segar of Vermont's Conferences That Work. "Unlike the many books on the profession that emphasize logistics, Eric and Mike's book delves into core questions about meeting design, such as uncovering desired outcomes, working with meeting owners, and what to do to create truly innovative meetings that deliver results. In addition, the wealth of real-life examples included make this a fascinating and thought-provoking read."
Photo: Courtesy of MindMeeting.org
'Marketing Your Event Planning Business: A Creative Approach to Gaining the Competitive Edge' by Judy Allen
"I enjoyed reading this book by Judy Allen," says Eva Gouldbourne, a wedding and event planner at Chicago's Diamond Events. "This book has many specific examples of how to get the kind of business you want and avoid doing things that will make you stand out negatively."
Photo: Courtesy of John Wiley & Sons Canada Ltd
'The Wedding Book: The Big Book for Your Big Day' by Mindy Weiss
Susan Berg Gladstone, director of the Miami Wine and Food Festival, says: "I am not even a social event planner. But this book covers numerous crucial elements of event planning for any type of event."
Photo: Courtesy of Workman Publishing Company
'How To Think Like Leonardo da Vinci: Seven Steps to Genius Every Day' by Michael Gelb
Tahira Endean, the director of creative and production at Cantrav Services Inc. in Vancouver, says that all of Michael Gelb's books are must-reads, including this one about Leonardo da Vinci, which "includes a great story about catering in that century." Gelb, she says "truly is a Renaissance man, and I am always inspired by these books. I've read each more than once, and I've given them out to friends between 14 and 70 years of age. I consider these mandatory reading if you want to consider how to live and create better."
Photo: Courtesy of Dell
'The Wiley Event Management Series' Special Events: A New Generation and the Next Frontier' by Joe Goldblatt
Julie Ramirez, a production intern at Jonny Stax Presents in Chicago, recommends this title for her peers just getting started in the industry. "The author takes you step-by-step through every process of event managing," she says. "I found this book so helpful when I took my first classes for event management during college, and I still use it as reference from time to time."
Photo: Courtesy of Wiley
'The Accidental Creative: How to be Brilliant at a Moment's Notice' by Todd Henry
The book "provides guidance on how to make adjustments in your daily routines to facilitate and increase your creativity, which is a vital asset when your profession requires creativity on demand," says Christina Mihalek, corporate events and meeting planner at Western & Southern Financial Group in Cincinnati.
Photo: Courtesy of Portfolio Hardcover
'Meeting Architecture, a Manifesto (Volume 1)' by Maarten Vanneste
"This is where meeting planning is headed, I believe," says Dan Cormany, a faculty member at Florida International University. "I use it in my graduate class on convention management.
Photo: Courtesy of Meeting Support Institute
'Reflections of a Successful Wallflower: Lessons in Business; Lessons in Life' by Andrea Michaels
"You probably know who she is, but just in case, Michaels is a legendary event producer who's won too many awards to even start on, and she was the first inductee into the Event Industry Hall of Fame," says Sandy Allen, executive producer at the Water Coolers in New York. "Her book takes the tone of a tell-all and covers both personal and professional experiences and perspectives on the industry. I think it's a gem."Â
Photo: Courtesy of Outskirts Press
'Boring Meetings Suck: Get More Out of Your Meetings, Or Get Out of More Meetings' by Jon Petz
Rosemary Vaughan, senior national account manager at Event Technology Services in Ottawa, says that the lighthearted tome "is a very engaging book and reads like it preaches: not boring! It totally resonates with anyone who has ever attended a conference or meeting, and it is quite funny in places. It might compare to Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Little Prince in writing and content style."
Photo: Courtesy of Wiley
Photos: Courtesy of Rizzoli (Bailey), Marianne Lozano Photography (Zaratsian)
