Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Since How to Spot a Liar, I have avidly read each of Hartley's and Karinch's books, and continue to be pleased with the material included. It is dark, certainly (as the authors mention in the first two paragraphs of the book--don't say you weren't warned), and takes a decidedly biological, psychological, and evolutionary approach to humanity as a whole. This is not to say it does not allow for individuality; it is clear to the astute reader, through both subtleties and context clues, that the authors do believe each person has unique characteristics, and the reader is continually warned against using anything within the text as a rule that can be applied wholesale to the entirety of our race.
With that said, however, our hardware is the same, and thus our basic physiological function--thus, each person has the same basic "hardware". This book takes the reader step by step through the basics of understanding why it is we do what we do, and then, with that understanding, how to insert stimulus that will glean the desired reaction or result. It is not a "how to" guide in the traditional sense, such as a car manual. It is much more subtle and requires time and practice, and it is also a self-defense guide as well as an instruction manual (because people just might be using these tricks on you, whether they know it or not, whether they have terms for it or not). However, even just after reading the book, it immediately opens your eyes to the way people interact, the very nature of our drives, and even if you gain nothing else, that understanding and realization gives you a valuable tool in a world largely blinded by the veils of ritual, habit, and cultural norms.
The authors don't intend to give the impression that as soon as you close the cover you will instantly be an unrivaled manipulator, akin to the Jedi. Rather, they seek to give you an understanding of who we are, where we come from, the motives behind our actions (both psychological and biological), and thus come to a greater realization of what we can do to utilize this information, these motives and drives and habits, to get ahead in what is a very dog-eat-dog world.
The nature of that world is dark. However, even if you are morally opposed to manipulating others, I strongly recommend the book as a guide to yourself. The concepts apply to you as well, and though you might be above such tricks, others aren't--and you should have every defense you can get against them. Half of that is knowing the tricks in their repertoire, and half is knowing yourself. This book can help with both.
Jeff Gohlke
Click Here to see more reviews about: Get People to Do What You Want: How to Use Body Language and Words to Attract People You Like and Avoid the Ones You Don't
In business, school, romance, or your neighborhood, it is valuable to know what attracts people, what repels them, and what makes them tick. How do people see you? And how do you see others?In the new book, Get People to Do What You Want, you'll find the practical answers to these questions and in the process, discover how to win people over. You will gain an upper hand in your interaction with others that translates into higher starting salaries, greater productivity, and better relationships in which you are never the victim.You'll learn about: * One-on-one interaction.* Group dynamics.* The projection of leadership.* Instinctual trust and mistrust of others.* Other elements of human behavior that must be understood to win people over for more than a few moments.Get People to Do What You Want is the perfect, modern complement to Dale Carnegie's 1937 classic work on the topic. In fact, you might think of them as the Old and New Testaments of interpersonal skills.Interrogation is about getting people who do not like you (the enemy) to side with you long enough to get your desired outcome. It means motivating human behavior to create a bond that allows someone who may dislike you to feel obliged to cooperate with you. This book teaches you skills honed in years of interrogation and expanded by use in the business world. By combining these skills with your unique background, you will easily attract the people you want and get rid of the ones you don't.
