Rating: 
Summary: An absolute must for those lacking compassion!
Review: I wish I read this book a few years ago! Tim describes simple techniques to build, maintain and prosper from co-workers, clients, and even bosses. I immediately started practicing his recommendations and now seeing great results. It's an easy read. One air plane trip from coast to coast and you'll have it finished.
Rating:
Summary: All you need is love
Review: I picked this book up for the first time in the Stanford Bookstore because of its interesting cover design. Orange is the new black, you see...I read it that day in near-entirety, and returned to do so twice more before finally purchasing it. It was [$$$], after all, and I really don't buy books until they come out in paperback... Imagine my surprise when one of Sanders' major points turned out to be "you can afford a few hardcover books." Because, he argues, properly used (as only hardcovers can stand up to), books ARE knowledge, and they can be "your ticket to success" (p.71). The underlying idea here is to share that knowledge. Sanders defines "love" with a quote from Milton Mayeroff, "the selfless promotion of the growth of the other". When viewed that way, love in the business world means sharing your information, knowledge, contacts, and opportunities with those who need them, whether or not you will profit from the transaction. This makes you a "lovecat", one who offers his wisdom freely, gives away their address book to those who want it, and is always human (p.3). The exciting part for me was that this philosophy does not get you fired; it does not run your company into the ground; it does not make people laugh at you. Instead, it leads to profitable relationships, new modes of doing business, and a flexible, adaptive work environment. In many ways this sounded like one of Bob Sutton's Weird Ideas That Work (especially information leakage b/tw companies, p.17; purpose of failing, p.191) Finally, this workview is actually sustainable, and even necessary, in the modern economy. It is providing a service that no business offers (p.153); Look at Southwest Airlines, its flamboyant CEO, Herb Kelleher, and its NYSE symbol "LUV". Look at Google and Sergey Brin's "don't be evil" philosophy. Look at Michael Robertson, the founder of MP3.com, who gave stock options to all his friends (including Sanders, p.204) and watched the price quadruple. This is not stupid--it's the only thing that makes sense. Our economy is increasingly mechanized; our species is rapidly making itself redundant, and the number one form of entertainment for a month this summer was watching a movie that showed a possible outcome of this to us (Matrix). Loving is something a machine cannot do, and something humans are getting worse at. Work on that, Sanders says, and you will develop an outstanding reputation, give people great experiences, get their attention, and gain personal satisfaction.
Rating:
Summary: Big Thoughts
Review: A well written book exploring three basic concepts about being professionally and personally 'good'. 1. Acquire knowledge
2. Share knowldege and always seek opportunities to apply what you learn.
3. Build and share your personal network. This book really has attuned me to listening to people and seeing how I might genuinely help. Being in IT Tim's book made me comprehend the obvious - keep abreast of your industry. Beyond that, I loved his encouragement to annotate what one reads and summarise what one reads. He is - as one would expect - a warm and friendly fellow with great acumen who has written a warm and friendly book.
Rating: 
Summary: Poorly Written
Review: This is the worst book I have ever read. The writing is so poor it makes me think that the book was written by a high-shcool student in need of some writing classes. The message of being a so-called lovecat is so far from the truth in today's tough business climate that it is hard to imagine this book being nothing more than a throw back to the good old days of the Internet era. Finally, being nice to people instead of nasty is common advice that should find its way not in a book that you have to pay for, but among friends and family that are free and more credible.
Rating:
Summary: Showing a Little Love Can Go a Long Way in Business
Review: Yahoo's Tim Sanders describes in Love is the Killer App how he stumbled on a very successful philosophy. Sanders advocates taking a true interest in someone's career or business and trying to help them through introductions and advice with no specific expectation of remuneration. He says that first, you will be perceived as an expert of sorts (for knowing what or who you know) and second that the person will feel somewhat endeared to you for thinking of them. The benefits, he suggests, in the long run will reward you. Sanders also suggests that you read as much as possible, so that you have a little bit of knowledge about any subject that could come up. He stresses that books are far more useful than newspapers/magazines/etc. as they extrapolate on their subject and are able to provide an abundant source of additional information should the need arise (though he does point out that magazines do have particular value in some instances). All-in-all the book does have some valuable suggestions and is definitely worth reading. Some of his suggestions are very specific to sales people for service industries and may be difficult to implement if you work for a product-centric company or are not in sales. Most suggestions, though, are universal. If you want a way to be happier, have more professional acquaintances, and go further in life, this book should be a definite addition to your reading list.
Rating:
Summary: Tim Sanders is the Bomb!
Review: I have just had such an epiphany of a day. I finally picked up 'Love is the Killer App' by Tim Sanders. I have had more affirmation, more 'aha' moments, more just plain joy from this book than I've had from any one publication in years. What a thrill. If you haven't read it, speedclick on through and order it immediately. It is about US, about all the great men, and especially women, who love knowledge, know how to network, and show compassion in all that they do. Those three things make up the killer app, and what validation to realize we already do it. Life is wonderful, and Tim Sanders tells us why. I had the same surreal experience as the reviewer before me....I finished the book in one sitting, then went back and re-read it straight through again, duly making notes this time as so ably advised by Mr. Sanders. The only regret I have is that I've already read it, so can't discover it again. Tell your friends! Tim Sanders is, indeed, The Bomb.
Rating: 
Summary: a decent read
Review: what a pop, self-help book should be: stylish, relevant and a decent read. This guy is multitalented and approaches the success-in-life motif in a refreshingly enlightened way. If you are going the self-help route, stick with this guy or Laura Lewis.
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Summary: Here Comes Lovey Dovey... Run!!!
Review: The book's message can get swallowed up in the hammering away of the importance of showing love to everyone you meet. Typically, when you meet a person who goes overboard to be nice and.. takes it as far as giving you a good, close chest throbbing hug, your seriously uncomfortable. Sanders expresses that physical expression of love ie. two handed hand shakes and hugging should be determined on a case by case basis. Maybe I'm new to the love movement, but I found that and the idea of telling people that you "love them" and inserting positive statements, such as "I'm dedicated to the success of your business" as somewhat artificial. Funny thing.. after finishing the book, I visited Tim's site looking for a email address. The message? "I loved your book." Go figure. Overall.. the thought he expresses is tried and true: creating and maintaining a network of biz friends is essential to success and best accomplished by creating value through authentic connections.
What I got from it was pretty basic. I had always found marking and underlining passages in my books unsightly, but Tim convinced me that it's the best way to recall quotes and ideas. I now summarize my books with The Big Thought on the opening pages. It's probably a common practice.. but you have to learn it some day. The Big Thought.. Invest in knowledge. Read books and understand the contents. Share the knowledge with others to benefit them & potentially yourself. The #1 quote.. "Business education without execution is just entertainment."
Rating:
Summary: What's a Killer App?
Review: In "Love is the Killer App" Tim Sanders, high tech new economist, marketer, and author, evangelizes his big thought (term from the book for a one sentence summary; see also "elevator speech") that nice guys and gals can finish first if they effectively and enthusiastically use their intangibles: Knowledge, Network, and Compassion. His key points include: studying books vs. just reading them, and making notes so that a book's insights are readily available later (Notes on the front inside cover; Quotes on the back). Sanders' also explains that every person we meet is a potential node in our network, and successful folks seek beneficial connections for the people within their network just for the sake of helping as opposed to personal gain. Sanders also explains that compassion can and should be extended to business relationships. Encouraging others, listening and demonstrating you care for those you come in contact with is an end in itself, and you will soon find the encouragement and caring coming back to you. I rated this book 4 instead of 5 stars because being super-nice in a business context taken to an extreme can get you creamed. What could possibly be nicer than giving your goods and services away? Sound ridiculous? It does, but just check out the feedback from your customer contact folks when you announce a necessary price increase. Sander's addresses the doormat syndrome by saying that Lovecats (the title Sander's confers on those who maximize their intangibles) are not Dumbcats. He encourages us to be nice and smart, but I found his explanation in this area vague. Where does nice stop and smart start? I suppose somewhere near the dividing line between cost and profit. I wish the author had given us a little more here. Also, Sanders stresses touch in expressing our compassion. While among techie's, like Sanders, there seems to enough room to hug your customers and coworkers, there remains a few pockets of the old school here and there (I'm a Commercial Banker and we still wear ties most days) where I remain doubtful that physical affection is right tool for the job. This book caries a positive message and got me thinking and doing. In fact, I decided to write this review based on Sanders' recommendation in the knowledge section of the book. I am now writing notes in books I read, rethinking my network and it's possibilities, and I feel encouraged in my belief that respect for others and good business are not mutually exclusive. I left this book with the notion that Sanders' is an excellent marketer, and that his excellence in this area may slightly exceed his ability to generate content. But I intend to test his ideas anyway, and I already have. Just the other day, and even before I got to the "evangelize new ideas you gain from books" section, I was at lunch with 4 coworkers, one of whom was quite senior. This fella was describing his desire to see more mutual concern and respect (Sanders' Bizlove) in our extended work group. The ideas sounded so familiar that I assumed he had read Sanders' book or one similar, and I just had to blurt out "Love is the Killer App". My ill-timed insertion stopped the, till then lively, lunch conversation cold, and I found 3 strange looks staring back at me. None of the 3 had ever heard the slang term "Killer App" much less about the book. Needless to say this book has an audience but it is not all encompassing, and applying Sanders' insights requires that you know your audience. GG
Rating: 
Summary: Solid Ideas; Laboriously Told
Review: Certainly encouraging the sharing of knowledge, networks, and compassion within the business world are great ideas; ideas and practices that I agree with the author should be more prevalent in the workplace. Tim Sanders rational, presentation, and description of how to achieve "lovecat" status in his book Love is the Killer App is in my opinion meandering and loosely structured. Very few references are made to any serious business or academic research to back up claims made in this book. One of his suggestions is to leave the cover on books you read so people will ask you about them. In my experience find that as a career building strategy to be a bit off. Rarely does Sanders go outside his high-tech - dot com world to provide the reader with insights and examples of the benefits to be gained from converting to a "lovecat." Only at the end of the book does Sanders describe how to deal with set backs in trying to achieve "lovecat" status and he provides little detail on how to work the politics and personality types in organizations. Best thing about this book was its brevity.
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