The Man With An Insatiable Appetite For Books

Reading Into The Life of Chris Ross

I’m not going to lie — I know very little about Chris Ross outside of the fact that we chat from time to time on LinkedIn. But what I find cool about him are his book interests and how they seem to cover a wide swatch of themes and topics.   

Curious, I reached out to him to see if he would share a few thoughts about his reading prowess with “Great Books, Great Minds.” Here’s what he unleashed: 

Please share a little about you and the impact that books have had on your personal and professional life journey

I have always loved reading and remember winning a contest in the 4th Grade for reading the most books and raising the most money for the local MS Society. After graduating from college, a few of my co-workers and friends created an acronym for a nickname, UKLBMM. The UK part stood for Ultimate Knowledge which reflects the fact that I was always reading books, mostly non-fiction. It seems like my entire life I’ve always had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. 

When I began my sales career in 1999 one of the training sessions I had was with Jim Meisenheimer. He told the class that if we aren't studying our craft and reading books about Sales, and Professional Development, much like a professional athlete practices, then we would not last long in this industry.

I joined LinkedIn in 2005 and after reading something in Selling Power Magazine. I then made a conscious decision, probably around 2010, that I wanted to be known on LinkedIn for posting about the books I was reading. That’s when I began posting book reviews and linking them to Goodreads. I have learned so much from books. In fact many of my clients have commented to me that they look forward to my posts to see what I have been reading.

What book genres do you most resonate with? 

I mostly read non-fiction in areas like sales/selling and professional. Books like "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman; "Tuned In" by Craig Stull, Phil Myers and David Meerman Scott; "Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath; and "Brand Real" by Laurence Vincen, Joe Geoffrey, et. al. and by Jeffrey Gitomer all appeal to me.

Are there any others? 

I also like combat books, particularly involving wars in Afghanistan & Iraq along with Middle Eastern & Afghan culture. Then there’s the 9/11 Commission report which I read cover to cover, including all of the footnotes. That started me down a rabbit hole where I have now branched into WWI, WWII, The Korean War, and The VietNam War now too. Then there are current event and political books that I tend to not always post my reviews on LinkedIn because I don’t necessarily want to divulge my beliefs or personal views. 

Memoirs?

Yes, particularly those related to combat and about personal struggle and overcoming adversity. 

And what about Fiction? 

Yes again. My favorite books in this genre are Atlas Shrugged, The Art of Racing in the Rain, and Where the Red Fern Grows. 

Do you prefer taking in a hardcover/paperback, digital, or audio book?

I don't really care if the book I'm reading is hardback or paperback. And you’ll often find me listening to an audiobook at the same time. I’ve discovered that I don't enjoy reading books as much on an iPad or Kindle. In fact, I no longer own an iPad and have never owned a Kindle. I once owned a Sony reader though.

You recently mentioned having read “The Rise and Reign of Vladimir Putin,” your 24th book of 2023. Would you be kind enough to share a little bit about the book and what you took away from it?

I took away from this book some of the history of the Soviet Union and Russia since its collapse before the turn of the century.  Russia is such a vast country with centers of power in Moscow and St. Petersburg. I learned that Vladimir Putin is just a normal, simple man who lived an unremarkable life until he became President. He then figured out how to stay in power by controlling the media, the military and the Russian oligarchs. I also learned that Putin values loyalty probably above anything else and that if you betray him or the Russian people then you may be assassinated by Plutonium poisoning, nerve agent poisoning, being shot in the head or pushed out of a window.  All of this was mentioned in this book by various people who crossed paths with Putin. 

So what did you find most interesting about that book? 

The fact that Putin doesn't seem to mind corruption among the oligarchs and people in government as long as it does not inconvenience or cost the Russian people. He seems to not understand that the corruption ultimately leads to the very things he thinks it doesn't, costing the country more and inconveniencing the Russian people.

How many books are you aiming to read in 2023? 

My goal is to read/listen to 51 books in 2023.

What is your primary source of new book recommendations? 

I get many recommendations from books I’ve already read or at the end of audiobooks. You’ll also find me observing and asking what others are reading in airports when I travel. And of course LinkedIn posts like yours Michael and the books you read. 

Are there other factors for you that go into your selection of a particular book? 

The title and book cover have a great influence on whether I add a book to my reading list. Other factors are reviews from Goodreads and whether someone I know has read or is reading the book and recommends it.

Approximately how many books are housed on your book shelves at home? And do you keep all of the books that you’ve finished reading? 

I probably have about 150 books on my bookshelf in my office. I have recently started donating books from my shelf that I have read and don't want to keep or did not enjoy to make room for more books. Just this year I started collecting autographed book copies and also made a decision to only collect autographed books about the military.

Any special collection books? 

Years ago I won an autographed copy of "The Way of the Seal: Think Like an Elite Warrior to Lead and Succeed" by Mark Divine from a Goodreads book club. I now have autographed copies of "An Officer, Not a Gentleman: The Inspirational Journey of a Pioneering Female Fighter Pilot" by Mandy Hickson and "Flying in the Face of Fear" A Fighter Pilot's Lessons on Leading With Courage" by Kim "KC" Campbell. I purchased both of these directly from the authors. These are books I plan to pass on to my daughters. I have also been hoping to get an autographed copy of "The Art of Clear Thinking" by Hasard Lee though he hasn't responded to my requests to purchase one from him.

For someone visiting Salt Lake City, what local bookstores would you recommend? And if a group of people were involved in a search and rescue mission for you at a bookstore, what two sections would they likely find you in?

The book stores in Salt Lake City that I'm most aware of are Weller Book Works and Ken Sanders Rare Books. That being said,  I don't visit many book stores or shops. I tend to visit my local library or airport book sections more than my local bookstores. You would most likely find me in the Military History or Business Books section.

In what ways do you believe that books can help foster a world of community, connection, belongingness, and a greater civil society? 

I believe books give readers knowledge and new perspectives about cultures different from their own. Many years ago before BLM became popular I read a book called "Picking Cotton" about a man from North Carolina who was falsely accused and imprisoned for a rape he did not commit. What’s interesting about this book is that he then became friends with his accuser years later. In the end it was DNA evidence that set him free along with help from a legal justice/innocence organization. This taught me that there are likely many people in prison that may very well be innocent.  So in the end I believe that knowledge and education is the rising tide that lifts all boats and will help improve civil society.

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