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anetq's review against another edition
2.0
Super pop-version of the science of persuasion, with a strong leaning towards sales - and even though it does emphasize using this knowledge for good, and repeats that you business will suffer in the long run if you burn people, it still pretty much reads like a manual for manipulation for douchey salesmen!
I recommend to rather read [b:Thinking, Fast and Slow|11468377|Thinking, Fast and Slow|Daniel Kahneman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317793965s/11468377.jpg|16402639] , something by [a:Dan Ariely|788461|Dan Ariely|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1270639083p2/788461.jpg] or maybe the real thing: Cialdini's [b:Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion|28815|Influence The Psychology of Persuasion|Robert B. Cialdini|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391026083s/28815.jpg|29303] (I haven't read the last one, as I got this my mistake, but it seems a lot more serious).
Unless off course you ARE a douchey salesperson trying to become even more douchey!
I recommend to rather read [b:Thinking, Fast and Slow|11468377|Thinking, Fast and Slow|Daniel Kahneman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317793965s/11468377.jpg|16402639] , something by [a:Dan Ariely|788461|Dan Ariely|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1270639083p2/788461.jpg] or maybe the real thing: Cialdini's [b:Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion|28815|Influence The Psychology of Persuasion|Robert B. Cialdini|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1391026083s/28815.jpg|29303] (I haven't read the last one, as I got this my mistake, but it seems a lot more serious).
Unless off course you ARE a douchey salesperson trying to become even more douchey!
phire's review
2.0
Not much new here in terms of ideas of concepts, you'd be better off reading Cialdini's Influence. These are essentially 50 fairly facile and surface-level examples of applications of a core 6-7 ideas. I was most struck by the repeated iteration of "these techniques can be used ethically" throughout the book (every other chapter? every third chapter?) not only because the insistence betrays a shaky confidence in the belief, but also because if only 30-50% of the techniques could be used ethically, did that mean there were lots of techniques that were unethical?
The examples themselves were also pretty broad and while I fully believe that there was at least one valid published study behind each example, they were sketched in such vague terms with so little discussion of either methodology or limitations that I found them fairly unconvincing. Plus, there was an anvil-sized hole in the analysis of any sort of power dynamics or intersectional patterns, which made most of the "try this and you'll be persuasive" conclusions laughably naive. Skip this one.
The examples themselves were also pretty broad and while I fully believe that there was at least one valid published study behind each example, they were sketched in such vague terms with so little discussion of either methodology or limitations that I found them fairly unconvincing. Plus, there was an anvil-sized hole in the analysis of any sort of power dynamics or intersectional patterns, which made most of the "try this and you'll be persuasive" conclusions laughably naive. Skip this one.
readerturnedwriter's review
4.0
I found this to be a very useful and interesting read. I would recommend Cialdini's book Influence over this one, but this one was great as well. It was organized and presented in a way that was both entertaining and easy to use, and while the information is most useful from a business aspect, I would recommend it to anyone who works with people.
annamjohnson16's review
3.0
I think the authors have a lot of interesting points to make and things to say. The “ways to be persuasive” are dated, at best, however, and the disconnect with modern society slightly distracted me while reading the descriptions of each experiment. I read this for my job and it’s given me some fresh new ideas, though I can’t ever see myself swearing by any of the methods detailed.
anna_tbanana's review against another edition
3.0
You are inquisitive and love to read. You may like this book.
I really enjoyed this book. I definitely preferred the 50 short sections to the longer sections at the end. I also really enjoyed how businesses had taken the advice in the last section of the book.
The aspects concerning advertising were the most interesting to me.
I really enjoyed this book. I definitely preferred the 50 short sections to the longer sections at the end. I also really enjoyed how businesses had taken the advice in the last section of the book.
The aspects concerning advertising were the most interesting to me.
rachsed's review against another edition
2.0
I came into this book hoping to pick up some tips for persuasion in my professional life, but came away with next to nothing that is applicable in my work. This book is most definitely geared towards those working in sales and marketing, with parents being the next group for whom this might be applicable. I am neither of those things, so much of the information here (much of which was a bit repetitive) was not useful for me.
mickymac's review against another edition
4.0
Intriguing and interesting investigation of how to persuade people ethically. Makes you think!
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