Employees of Galaxy Group of Companies share a list of books on their desks. What books have they read in the last few months, what books are they currently reading, and what has impressed them the most this year?
Tatev Kamalyan
Chief Financial Officer, TI’ME (Armenia, Georgia, Belarus)
I always try to read books. For example, I always have my Kindle with me when I go to work or stand in line. If you do not have time to read a book, I would suggest to start reading before going to bed for 15-20 minutes.
I just got the fourth book of “The Adventures of Erast Fandorin” series, by Boris Akunin.
From time to time I enjoy re-reading J. K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” and Roger Zelazny’s “The Amber Chronicles”. My absolute favorite author is Gabriel Garcia Marquez with the masterpiece “One Hundred Years of Solitude”.
Ruzanna Minasyan
Senior Import Specialist, Megafood
Some of the most notable books I have read recently include: “The Gadfly” by Ethel Lilian Voynich and “Quo Vadis” by Henryk Sienkiewicz.
They were very influential.
Right now it is very difficult to find time to read after my kid is born, but I am trying.
Mariam Miridjanyan
Outbound Calls Specialist of Customer Relations Department, UCOM
I just finished reading Mikhail Saidov’s “Conversations That Change Lives”, which is about the art of coaching. Readers are presented with the very interesting approach that can be applied both personally and practically in all areas of life.
I am currently reading “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand. It is considered an anti-utopian work, but I have another opinion about it.
A very fascinating revelation of Fanny Flagg’s work has had a great impact on my life. It conveys familiarity and a great flow of emotion. I love Saint-Exupéry’s “The Little Prince”, and Mariam Petrosian’s “The House Where…” work is my world, where I often escape to.
Anush Mkhitaryan
Head of HR, Galaxy Group
I have been re-reading Armenian fiction and history a couple of times recently. The same book is perceived differently by different ages.
In parallel, I am reading modern fiction and professional books at the same time, and one copy can always be found in my bag.
For the past few months I have been reading Agatha Christie “Peril at End House”, “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett, “The Night in Lisbon” by Erich Maria Remarque, “Three Daughters of Eve” by Elif Safak, “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” by Thomas Hardy, and “The Silence of the White City” by Eva García Sáenz.
Each of these books has found its own place on my bookshelf, but I can name one that impressed me the most: “Flower for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes. As a result of many important social issues, readers are forced to reflect, think, feel, and even rethink their attitudes and actions. This book deals with the most significant and vital points.
Elena Lazarkova
Head of HR Department, TI’ME Belarus
I read a lot of business literature, especially on human resources, sales, and service. I recently noticed a book on the manager’s desk called “Financial Management and Control for Managers and Entrepreneurs.” I decided to become familiar with the analysis of financial indicators, as any processes should ultimately lead to financial results.
Speaking of fiction, a wonderful book by Sergei Dovlatov “Foreigner” appeared in the company’s library, where employees share their personal books. I read it with great pleasure. Eventually, humor will save the world.
One of the most influential books I have read is Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Very Effective People”. This book has taught me to develop a systematic approach to goal setting and prioritization.
Mikayel Kostanyan
Senior IT engineer, UCOM
We live in an innovative age where technology develops at cosmic speed, so we need to keep our knowledge up to date with the latest professional literature and apply it to our work. Ucom’s online library is very helpful in this regard.
I recently found a book on child psychology there and was instantly captivated by Shimi Kang’s “The Dolphin Way”. An expert in child mental health and a mother of three – the author describes two extreme ways to raise children and offers her method, called the “Dolphin Way”, which could help to raise children to have healthy, harmonious, and at the same time truly prosperous future.
During spring, I came across a book, called “Kindergarten is too late” by Masaru Ibuka, one of the founders of SONY. The author shows that children can learn anything, and the best age for this is up to 3 years old, when a child’s brain is like a clean sheet of paper. It can recognize and grasp new knowledge more easily, than in older ages. This book sparked my interest in books about child psychology and child-rearing, as a father of children over 3 years old.
Shake Chatinyan
Marketing Specialist, Yerevan Mall
There was a time when I said over and over: no time to read, no time, I am tired! Then I realized that it was not necessary to find time, I just need to use my spare time properly.
Now reading a book is a way to start the day productively. Read a few pages instead of browsing the web. This is a great way to start the day feeling like a “winner”. In the last few months, I’ve read “R.E.D. Marketing” by Greg Creed and Ken Muench, “The Man from Zara: The Story of the Genius Behind” by Covadonga O’Shea, and “The Cafe on the Edge of the World” by John Strelecky.
One of my favorite books is Darren Hardy’s “The Compound Effect”. In this book, the author explains and proves with very specific examples that goal attainment and success in general, has their own distinct formula. You just need to remember the formula and use it.
Anna Grigoryan
Head of Marketing Department, Megafood
I usually read a book in the morning, I get up half an hour early for this ritual.
The book “Clients for Life” is one of the superb works I have read recently.
I currently have a book on my desk called “Marketing Warfare” by Elle Rice and Jack Trout.
I cannot fail to mention “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari”, one of the most influential books about the human value system that everyone seems to ignore.
Gayane Kroyan
Chief Marketing & Research Officer, Galaxy Group
I am currently re-reading Hrant Matevosyan, Narine Abgaryan and Nodar Dumbadze. The styles of these three writers are very similar, and the content is simple and profound about ordinary human lives, characters, and types.
We often hear people say they don’t have time to read fiction because they don’t want to waste their time. I think it’s fiction that helps us maintain our values and emotions.
I was heavily influenced by Daniel Keyes “Flowers for Algernon”. I read it in one day.
Armine Papoyan
Financial Director, Chronograph
Reading is nourishment for the brain. In today’s fast-paced life, reading gives us the opportunity to stop and ask questions, learn from the experiences of others, and see the world from a different perspective.
Jean-Paul Sartre’s “Nausea”, Angelo D’Arrigo’s “L’Homme Oiseau”, Thomas Mann’s “ The Magic Mountain”, and Daron Achemoglu’s “Why States Fail” are one of the most impressive books I have read in recent times.
I would like to highlight the work “L’Homme Oiseau”, as this seminal work is a wonderful autobiography about a unique story of determination of being inspired by nature, learning from nature, and giving back to nature. Angelo was a multiple world champion in various disciplines of light aviation. After he left the competition, he decided to follow his dream of flying over Everest without an engine, learn the secrets of bird free flight, and return this knowledge to birds bred outside of their natural habitat. He was the founder and participant of several scientific projects, accompanied endangered birds on hang gliders, flew in front of them during the breeding season, showed them the way to their wintering grounds, and contributed to the conservation of many endangered species. This book is a beautiful documentary for achieving the impossible, showing the will and not giving up.
