Today I am recommending a book that everybody can use. If you are alive, you need water. If you communicate, you need this book.

Whether you are a teacher, a parent, an employee, or the CEO of a corporation, you need to read this book.

Of the 42 books I’ve read so far this year, Made to Stick is the most useful. My copy has several dog-eared corners, and a bunch of purple Post-It notes sticking out of the top.

I bet you try to peel

First, the cover of the book. I defy you NOT to try and remove the tape. It looks and feels like there really is a piece of duct tape on the jacket. Whenever I set this book down on the table, one of my kids starts playing with it. It’s the Pat the Bunny of business books.

So do you want to know what it’s about?

What makes ideas “sticky”? Why do we all know the story about the man who woke up in a hotel bathtub filled with ice to find out that his kidney had been stolen? How do you get people to go along with your ideas? The Heaths describe the 6 traits that you can use to help people grasp what you want them to know or to do what you want them to do.

Use it on your kids

You’ll probably find this in the business section of your bookstore. While there are immediate applications for people who do presentations and write papers, I see a lot of value in this book for parents and teachers. It’s prescriptive — there are specific things that you can do immediately to implement the ideas in this book. When I help my daughter with her homework, I am often struggling for ways to explain a concept that she doesn’t understand. Now that I’ve read this book, I think I have the ammunition to better help her. I plan to use the ideas in this book to make “you must clean your room” into a sticky idea. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Did I mention that it’s fun and entertaining?

I know, you think business books are dull and boring. I used to think that, too. But lately there has been a movement to publish business books that people will actually want to read — think Freakonomics, The Tipping Point, anything by Seth Godin. And to that end, I am happy to say that Made to Stick can be placed on that list. I even curled up with this book at bedtime — it’s that engaging.

What I want you to do

I want you to read this book. (Chip and Dan say that concreteness helps to make an idea sticky).

If you still feel that you need more information, visit the book’s website to learn more about the authors, read their blog, and see what other people have said about it.

Then, go to your bookstore, get it from your library, borrow it from a friend. Read it. Then tell someone else about it. And see if you can do it in a way that is sticky.

If you’ve already read it, or have anything to add, please leave a comment here. I’d love to know what you think.

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Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath, Random House hardcover, $25.00, ISBN 9781400064281

(all information is the U.S. editions)