A couple that might be worth considering:

https://www.amazon.com/22-Immutable-Laws-Branding/dp/0060007...

https://www.amazon.com/Positioning-Battle-Your-Mind-Annivers...

https://www.amazon.com/Differentiate-Die-Survival-Killer-Com...

https://www.amazon.com/What-Sticks-Advertising-Guarantee-Suc...

https://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/14...

"Made to Stick" I found to be a good book on storytelling. It doesn't position it as "storytelling" per se but more generally about how to communicate ideas in a way that captivate audiences, however large or small.

https://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/14...

Here are the reviews of stuff I've been reading:

http://davids-book-reviews.blogspot.com

I'm currently reading "Made to Stick": http://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/140... - which I put off buying for a while, but am actually enjoying quite a bit. It's got real, actionable advice in it.

I also read the transcripts from http://www.startupsfortherestofus.com/ on a regular basis.

I asked myself the same question around 6 months ago, so I talked to the most talented designer I know and asked him for a list of the most influential books he had read whilst developing his skills.

Here is the list, in the order he recommended reading them:

Creative Process: http://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/140...

Design Thinking: http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Rand-A-Designer%60s-Art/dp/030008...

Typography: http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Type-Designers-Critical-Stude...

Spatial Relationships - Grids: http://www.amazon.com/Making-Breaking-Grid-Graphic-Workshop/...

Reduction: http://www.amazon.com/Symbol-Steven-Bateman/dp/1856697274/

Color Theory: http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Color-Subjective- Experience/dp/0471289280/

Branding 101: http://www.amazon.com/Designing-Brand-Identity-Essential-Bra...

I've been making my way through the list, and it is amazing how much my approach to design has changed. Before I was winging it and was never really sure if I was making something that would look good, but now I feel like I have a solid foundation to build on.

About a year ago I starting becoming incredibly interested in making ideas spread. I decided to read books on how to present myself and my ideas in a way that builds my own credibility, trustworthiness, and helps people to take on my ideas.

If you are interested in these things, I highly recommend Made to Stick by the Heath Brothers [1]. It focuses on the SUCCESs framework:

S - Short

U - Unexpected

C - Credible

C - Concrete

E - Emotional

S - Stories

They elaborate in excellent detail on each of these ideas and the acronym that they coined is a perfect example.

In terms of building your own credibility, I suggest reading How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. [2] This book is instrumental in understanding the basic concepts that can have a material impact on your life. I think that Autobiography of Ben Franklin [3] teaches a few key lessons in the use of diffidence that harmonizes well with Carnegie's ideas.

[1] http://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/140...

[2] http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/06...

[3] http://www.classicly.com/download-autobiography-of-benjamin-...

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

http://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/140...

- quite good so far (1/2 way through)

A Room with a View, by E.M. Forster

http://www.amazon.com/Room-View-Bantam-Classics/dp/055321323...

- not sure what I think of it yet (about 1/2 way through). Found some of the writing a bit opaque, where I'm not sure what he's trying to say.

In one of my favorite startup books, Made to Stick (http://amzn.to/ccF7X7), the authors describe the genius of Southwest airlines, which has been, by a long shot, the most successful airline company ever (with something like 37 consecutive years of profit).

The Founder and CEO had an incredibly clear and actionable vision: "we are THE low-cost airline."

This worked like magic both internally and externally. At the company, answers to even the most complex questions could be rendered relatively obvious through the lens of this mantra. Does it increase costs or not? (e.g. Halloween costumes for employees? Sure. Lunch on the Houston to Florida flight? Nope - would raise costs).

And externally, customers know why to fly Southwest: it's cheaper.

If your vision isn't as succinct and actionable as Southwest's, then it's not clear enough: both for employees and for potential customers.

Definitely all three of these...

Plus recently "Made to Stick" has really changed how I think about ideas and sharing them with others. http://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/140...

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die http://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/073...

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

http://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/140...