In a month's time I'll be announcing my top five books about (or useful for) public relations published this year.
I produced similar lists in 2008 and 2009.
Here's the shortlist of ten [update: twelve] I'm currently selecting from.
This allows time for others to alert me to any important books I should read before I announce the final list.
PR books 2010 shortlist
- Anne Gregory, Planning and Managing Public Relations Campaigns: A Strategic Approach (3rd edition) Kogan Page
- Brian Solis, Engage: The Complete Guide for Brand and Businesses to Build, Cultivate, and Measure Success in the New Web, Wiley
- Clay Shirky, Cognitive Surplus, Allen Lane
- Dave Stewart and Mark Simmons, The Business Playground, FT Prentice Hall
- David Meerman Scott, The New Rules of Marketing and PR (2nd edition) Wiley
- Jim Macnamara, The 21st Century Media (R)evolution, Peter Lang
- Julia Hobsbawm, Where the Truth Lies (2nd edition) Atlantic Books
- Lucy Laville and Neil Richardson, Develop Your PR Skills, Kogan Page
- [Update] Chris Barr et al, The Yahoo! Style Guide, Macmillan
- Timothy Coombs and Sherry Holladay, PR Strategy and Application, Wiley-Blackwell
- [Update] Robert McCrum, Globish, Viking
- [Update] Dan Gillmor, Mediactive, Lulu / Kindle
PR Studies 
I look forward to your verdict, Richard. There are certainly some useful titles here, but of those I have read, my first impression is that none is outstanding.
Is Hobsbawm significantly updated from the first edition?
It’s so subjective of course, but I’m not excited this year like I was in 2008 (Here Comes Everybody) or 2009 (Cluetrain Tenth Anniversary Edition; Online Public Relations).
You’re right about Hobsbawm. The only all-new contribution is by Robert Phillips. It’s good (but available free online…).
Thanks. My point was very much about ‘excitement’ – would I buy this book for enjoyment? Does it make me have to rethink a whole module, or even just a lecture, or am I just going to do some updating?
When I read your list I went to my shelves to see what you had missed… and the best I could come up with was Oliver, PR Strategy 3rd ed and Danny Moss and Melanie Powells’ Public Relations Cases 2nd ed.
I like lists so I will keep thinking!
Too many second and third editions on my shortlist already!
But I am looking forward to this from Moss and de Santo (to be published next year) – Public Relations: A Managerial Perspective.
Hi Richard!
Have you considered “Real time marketing and PR” by David Meerman Scott? I haven’t read it myself yet, but I loved his previous book “The New Rules of Marketing & PR”.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0470645954?ie=UTF8&tag=heicoh-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0470645954
Looking forward to seeing your final list!
🙂 Jesper
Thank you Jesper.
I suspect that “Real time marketing and PR” might be very similar to “The new rules of marketing and PR (second edition)” which is already on my shortlist.
Perhaps this would have been a better choice: I’ve bought several second and third editions this year that haven’t added much to their earlier versions.
Richard – I have just treated myself to the 2nd edition of Robert Heath’s Handbook of Public Relations. It arrived this morning (lovely Amazon as I ordered it only on Sunday). The list of chapters is very enticing and very different to the 2001 edition (which itself is a must read). There appears to be much less influence of the dominant paradigm (you know who I mean!) and the potential for some thought provoking pieces.
Sadly as the paperback is not yet out (despite promises on various websites), the hardback was a chunky outlay. I’m sure it is in various Uni libraries (or should be), but there’s nothing quite like having your own copy of something that looks like it could be another bible for our times in PR.
Love to hear what anyone else thinks.
Good call, Heather. But at £85.50 from Amazon UK I’d say it’s one for the library rather than one for my bookshelf.
I do agree with you on the importance of this collection of academic essays and am glad to have been made aware of the availability of a second edition.
Publishing story of 2010 so far: a year of revised editions.
Thanks for listing my book, ‘The 21st Century Media (R)evolution’ Richard in your top 10. I’m honored. Best wishes.