The book that Inc. says "every entrepreneur should read" and an FT Book of the Month
selection... How did the movie The Shawshank Redemption fail at the box office but go on to
gross more than $100 million as a cult classic? How did The 48 Laws of Power miss the
bestseller lists for more than a decade and still sell more than a million copies? How is Iron
Maiden still filling stadiums worldwide without radio or TV exposure forty years after the band
was founded? Bestselling author and marketer Ryan Holiday calls such works and artists
perennial sellers. How do they endure and thrive while most books movies songs video games
and pieces of art disappear quickly after initial success? How can we create and market
creative works that achieve longevity? Holiday explores this mystery by drawing on his
extensive experience working with businesses and creators such as Google American Apparel and
the author John Grisham as well as his interviews with the minds behind some of the greatest
perennial sellers of our time. His fascinating examples include: • Rick Rubin producer for
Adele Jay-Z and the Red Hot Chili Peppers who teaches his artists to push past short-term
thinking and root their work in long-term inspiration. • Tim Ferriss whose books have sold
millions of copies in part because he rigorously tests every element of his work to see what
generates the strongest response. • Seinfeld which managed to capture both the essence of the
nineties and timeless themes to become a modern classic. • Harper Lee who transformed a
muddled manuscript into To Kill a Mockingbird with the help of the right editor and feedback. •
Winston Churchill Stefan Zweig and Lady Gaga who each learned the essential tenets of
building a platform of loyal dedicated supporters. Holiday reveals that the key to success
for many perennial sellers is that their creators don't distinguish between the making and the
marketing. The product's purpose and audience are in the creator's mind from day one. By
thinking holistically about the relationship between their audience and their work creators of
all kinds improve the chances that their offerings will stand the test of time.
