Book Description

Drawing on his forty plus years as a world-class motivated speaker, Ziglar shows precisely how to achieve what people desire most from life -- to be happy, healthy, reasonably prosperous and secure, and to have friends, peace of mind, good family relationships and hope.

Reviews (21)

The best of Zig Ziglar
Zig's popularity didn't really explode until this book was released for the first time in 1993. And most authors choose to refer this book, out of all other ones Zig has written for others to read. Instead of focusing on just pure motivation, Zig teaches the art of living a happy, well-balanced life. The books starts off by raising you out of the trench of depression, then by giving you hope, arming you with a positive attitude and then instructing you with the best goal setting program I have ever read. Some parts of the book in opinion were quite dull and could use more follow up information,
but just the a good orchestra the final product was beautifully composed. If you're looking for a fun, humorous and simple book, I strongly suggest you take a look at Zig's Success for Dummies first, before buying this one. If you have one you do not need the other. The reason I like SFD better is because it combines his books See you at the Top and this one together.

excelent book, more than a must read, it is a must do
This book is based on biblical teachings, therefor the infomation that it contains will change your life forever. If you apply yourself and respond to what Zig Ziglar says, your life will change. How do I know that the information in this book works, well I am seeing the proof in my own life. This book will help you to apply GOD's teachings to your everyday life. This book is easy to understand and is very streight forward. I encourage everyone to not only read this book, but to apply these biblical teachings.

Right on Target Advice!
"In my own life I always pray for guidance as I choose my goals," writes Ziglar. In the margin I dated it and wrote "I do too." This book contains so much rich, practical, doable wisdom, not wonder it's a classic for achievers. Persistence leads to desired results. He quotes Robert Collier in making the point when he noted, "Success is the sum of small efforts--repeated day in and day out."

Ziglar talks about seeing one's self in the mind's eye as a prelude to accomplishment. "I dreamed overy forty years ago that I would be traveling the world, making speeches to every conceivalbe kind of group. I literally saw myself in front of vast audiences making those talks," he tells us.

On feeding success mentally, he reminds us of the necessity to surround ourselves with people who are going to edify us. He adds, "read good books." This is one such good book. Read it!

A message for Andrew Diamond
Dear "Jesus save me from Zig",

Why should the other reviewers have to disclose their faith? That is absolutely ridiculous!!! Christians have the same rights to free speech that other religious groups so freely enjoy without having to put up with that kind of discrimination. If you directed that sort talk to any other group than Christians your review would be considered discriminatory towards the group and potentially racist if the group was predominately of one ethnic background such as muslims or jewish people and in fact it probably wouldn't even get posted. Who do you think you are saying these people have to disclose their religious beliefs? They don't!!! And by the way, it's not as if they are trying to hide it. You make it sound like a right wing conspiracy. Why do you even care? It's obvious this book is written for people who can appreciate motivational speaking and the benefits of a positive mental attitude from a person as successful as Zig Ziglar. I bet your life is just teaming with accomplishments... This book is for people who have the ability to respect other people and their beliefs. I can't even believe that your review got posted!

People like you want free speech as long as it's not from a Christian or conservative point of view. People like you want no discrimination but you discriminate against Christians. People like you want to save whales, spotted owls and bambi but reserve the right to kill an unborn child if it's not convenient to have a child at that point in their life. Do you even realize what a double standard you have? You and your kind want free speech but don't want to hear about anything that goes against your liberal way of life.

Jesus save me from Zig!
I bought this expecting motivational insights a la Earl Nightingale, but instead I get a sermon I could hear in any fundamentalist church. I think the other reviewers should have to state their religious beliefs as part of the review process. I bet all the 5 star reviewers are Born Agains. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Superb! 100% useful
This is the BIBLE for customer focused consultative selling!

If you are a sales professional or manager interested in revving things up and taking your sales team to the next level this is the program to do it! Step by step instructions for detailed account management , opportunity assessment , identification and how to build trust, get the customer to help you understand their needs and then to help you close the deal!

The system is like all Miller- Heiman programs- very detailed and filled with examples. This is perfect for helping salespeople who tend to go to one person at a client and not expand into the account- learn about other people and how they can influence decisions. Underlying message is the more your know- the less you hear "NO!"

I first did this program as a salesperson over 10 years ago- since then I have taught the program 4 times- I personally learn each time I do so. Other programs by Miller-Heiman are all built upon this program and its sister program Customer Focused Selling. Their advanced LAMP ( Large Account Management ) program requires this as a pre-requisite.

Clients of Miller-Heiman include big pharmaceutical companies, top automotive manufacturers and suppliers, I took a class in Chicago with the sales team responsible for selling the big 3 transmissions! Telecon companies use Miller-Heiman. Electronics mega-sellers use the system. Can your business benefit from the system designed to maximize the output of every sales call?

Then bid with confidence! Great book to read before your winter sales team meeting.

Don't Get Lost in the Sales Cycle
It would be great if you could develop some new technique for walking into a large corporation and closing a major sale on the first visit, but it rarely, if ever, happens. Chances are, you're in for drawn-out process with lots of players. Most corporate sales professionals meander through this process hoping to "do what it takes" to close the sale. Miller, Heiman finally offer up a way of keeping score -- of knowing where you stand in the process and what you have to do to keep it moving in the right direction. By developing a standard nomenclature to discuss buy types and their relevant position in the sales process, Miller, Heiman allow you to keep track for yourself, but discuss it with your sales management. This is likely the most important book about the strategic side of selling. I can guarantee you this: read this book -- practice the technicques within, and you will never find out you lost a sale after the fact.

A comprehensive sales methodology
_Strategic Selling_ is a valuable book, especially for those of us who are not "salesmen" in the classic sense, but have to operate in the Complex Sales environment. Consultants and Client Relationship Managers will find it especially valuable.

_Strategic Selling_ provides valuable insight into how to set up "Win/Win" situations: it begins by identifying the different kinds of "Buyers" in every sales situation, the roles they play, and what constitutes "Value" to them.

It then provides a mechanism for identifying what you do not "know" about the various Buyers, with the objective of finding out. It is an approach which helps you paint a complete picture of the dynamics at work in a selling situation, so that you can operate effectively within it.

Finally, it provides a mechanism for "keeping the sales funnel full" -- a challenge which most people operating in cyclical industries can identify with.

Following this methodology can help you ensure that you do not blunder around in ignorance in a Complex Sales environment -- you will know at least as much as the next guy, and probably much more. And you will be actively doing something about it.

Rackham's _SPIN Selling_ is a good complementary book to _Strategic Selling_, as it provides a tactical approach -- the "How To" as opposed to the "Why".

_Strategic Selling_ is an interesting -- though not uncomplementary -- contrast to Holden's _Power Base Selling_. Both approaches can provide insight into the inner workings of the Complex Sale; however, _Strategic Selling_ focuses less on manipulating the political forces at work, and may thus be more palatable for some

Excellent system for sales analysis
Strategic Selling is a long time favorite of mine because of the simplicity and structure to the method. Especially for the new salesperson, this book provides the tools to effectively handle complex sales situations. ... Read more

Book Description

The authors have distilled their 40-plus years of marketing expertise to provide the key to today's competitive marketplace, showing you what makes some products inordinately successful while others fall by the wayside.

... Read more

Reviews (72)

'Violate these rules at your own risk!'
A reader of this book said that 'the first law of successful marketing is to read and understand this book'. I agree with that and say that it is a must-read for everyone working in marketing.

I have been working in this field for almost 5 years and I have realised that marketing people tend to have a wide variety of their own ideas about marketing and how to do it. I know that in this field a lot of the success comes from 'the unsual' and 'the uncommon' strategies, but it also comes from certain rules that have to be respected, because a history of more than 25 years proved that they work.

This book is meant to eliminate myths and misconceptions someone might have about the marketing process. Companies spend millions of dollars on marketing thinking that they are chosing the best way to promote their products. But no matter how extraordinary those programs are, sometimes they fail and bring no benefit to the product or the service they promote. The result destroys the identity of the brands, market share decreases, and so do sales. Companies lose a lot of money.

The two authors have a lot of experience in this field and their theories are based clear examples. If marketing people would adjust their promotional programs according to these rules, companies would be much more successful.

There are 22 rules in total, applicable to every field, rules that will make you understand why things are the way they are. It will also help you analyse past experience and decide what was wrong and right and avoid doing the same mistakes in the future.

It is not an academic book . The language and style are accessible to everybody. The authors give a lot of examples from companies' life that will give you a very clear picture of what is going on the market.

Did you know that it is better for a brand to be first on the market than it is to be better? Did you know that the most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect's mind?

I recommend this book to everyone who wants to learn more about marketing and become a professional in this field. Together with Kotler's "Marketing Management', the '22 Immutable laws ...' should be the marketing people's Bible to be read every day.
I am sure it will improve your activities and help you achieve more success.

The most easy and interesting book about marketing
In general, the book is easy to read, each law is precise and illustrate with many examples that we are familiar with. Therefore anyone who didn¡¦t studying marketing can also understand.
I learned so much from these 22 laws. For instance, it is better to be the first then it is to be better. It is because the first one always becomes generic name of that category and becomes the leading brand. As a result the prospects can easily recall you since yours product or service almost always the first brand into their mind. And that is the author say ¡§Marketing is a battle of perceptions, not products¡¨.
If anyone who wants to explore more about marketing, I highly recommend reading this book and I am sure you can gain a lot of insight from it.

A QUICK READ AND A GOOD REFERENCE
The perfect companion volume to The 22 Immutable Laws of Branding. However, I found the laws of marketing to overlap somewhat with the laws of branding. But, hey, who ever said the marketing and branding are mutually exclusive sciences? Or sciences at all, for that matter?

The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is an excellent refresher course to overall marketing principles in the form of bite-size sections. A quick read and a good reference.

Law 23: There Are No Immutable Laws Of Marketing
If calling any business rule-of-thumb a "law" is a recipe for disaster, claiming it is "immutable" is the proverbial fuse. In "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing", authors Al Ries and Jack Trout liken successful marketing to a set of "How To's" or "Tips & Tricks". Adding to the somewhat sketchy structure, the authors (wrongly) predict the demise of many organizations - now successful - that have disregarded their advice. And too often, laws are created as exceptions to those already established, exculpating the authors from any contrary opinion. This is a law, except when... or, unless you... is unacceptable.

Consider the claim that there exists "ominous signs of softness in Microsoft's strategy" for pursuing market share in major software applications categories external to the operating system. At the time of their writing, Ries and Trout point to Microsoft's failure to wrestle the spreadsheet and word processing markets from leaders Lotus and WordPerfect (an example of the Law of Line Extension). Or, consider that "USA Today is the first national newspaper, but it is unlikely to succeed". Time has indeed been cruel to the prophecies of Ries and Trout.

Criticism aside, many good ideas are presented throughout the text, however, at an average of only 6 pages per chapter, few get the recognition they deserve. The Law of Focus (read: positioning) is good advice whereby a firm should own a particular word or phrase in the mind of a customer. But, it would follow that extending a product line to include different items not captured under the firm's "buzz word" could be detrimental to either the new product or the whole firm. Yet, we see Microsoft as a modern-day example to the contrary (and, of course, Microsoft has no catchy buzz word anyway). Perhaps the authors would consider Microsoft a candidate for the Law of the Category - an example of a firm competing in a market they have solely created. At this point, however, applying immutable laws to the problem seems as difficult as correctly guessing the perfect conclusion to a "Choose Your Own Adventure" novel.

For a laugh, the keen reader will notice the four pages of praise that preface the actual content. On five occasions, different individuals make the exact same generic statement, "The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing is the best book on marketing I've ever read". If there was a Law of Repetition, this book would nail it down (but, there isn't). Whether an amazing coincidence or publisher error, this sets the tone for the rest of the book. If you can't nail the details or correctly predict the application of your laws in practice, don't expect your readers to buy into the theory.

Although two of the greatest modern marketing minds, Ries and Trout have written a tale destined only for the lowest-common denominator. Many of their other works, most notably, "Positioning", are far more comprehensive in their attention to detail and ability to effectively persuade. Too many unfulfilled (or simply wrong) prophecies make this book an "immutable" candidate for the half-off shelf at your local bookstore.

Joshua A. Gerlick

Excellent thought-piece coffee table stuff, but some caveats
After 10 years, this still remains a classic work in the marketing field, and perhaps a must-read for anyone in business. And no, unlike many reviewers I do not believe that Ries and Trout have ever managed to redo the glory of this book in their Laws of Branding, Laws of Internet Branding etc.

Don't expect an excruciating marketing treatise with elaborate case studies and What-If scenarios. Expect instead 22 capsules of business wisdom, or "laws" of common sense marketing with some brilliant examples from the real world to prove them. In this, the book excels and is to date the briefest and best argued work I have come across.

However, given the passion with which some reviewers comment about this book I am inclined to offer a caveat -- please don't base your career around it. Although I love thin, in-your-face books such as this (great reading, great examples to bounce off) they also have a fundamental flaw: the fact that they attempt to shove "laws" on to the ever-morphing scaffold of the business of marketing that does not lend itself easily to codification, much less of an "immutable" nature.

It would be a cinch to come up with examples that go against each law in the book if you really wanted.

For instance,

(1) Law of Leadership (better to be first than to be best) can be argued against with the theory of disruptions and how first-mover advantages do not always materialize. Why is WebCrawler not more popular than Google? Because Google is (way) better.

(2) The Law of Sacrifice (that talks about focus, as do a couple of other similar if not redundant laws, including, well, the Law of Focus) would not hold much fizz in the case of many very successful conglomerates, especially in Asian countries. Imagine a company selling everything from oil to fruit juice to IT services, and still being a top brand in a country. Examples abound in China, Hong Kong, India, Japan.

(3) The Law of the Opposite that advocates the definition of your strategy by considering the leader's (also redundant with the Law of the Ladder, which essentially says the same thing) can be argued by giving umpteen examples of companies that shot from being No.2 to being No.1, some times because No.1 filed for Chapter 11. In such cases, emulating the leader could have in fact been detrimental.

Etc.

Anyway, despite redundancies across the laws, and the possiblity of counter-argument against most of them, this is a ripper of a read for the business intent that it was written for, and 10 years after its publication still as charming as it first was.

Highly recommended reading, but keep your discerning senses about you. Noteworthy: Law of Perception (also Law of the Mind), and Law of the Category. ... Read more

Book Description

Access Your Genius Potential

The world's foremost producer of personal development and motivational audio programs now gives you the inside look at techniques to improve the way you learn.

Science has suggested that the human mind has an almost infinite potential for learning and processing information. The problem has always been in accessing this incredible power. Accelerated Learning Techniques tells you how. Based on Nobel Prize-winning research, the cutting-edge methods revealed here can make a dramatic difference to you and your family, virtually guaranteeing success at work and school. For this is the ideal learning program, enabling you to identify and use your own unique way of learning, unleashing the power of your whole brain.

In Accelerated Learning Techniques, best-selling author, Brian Tracy and internationally renowned learning expert Colin Rose reveal, step-by-step, how to:

• Make the most of your natural abilities

• Convert theoretical data into useful knowledge

• Improve your memory

• Turn speed reading into power reading

• Write and communicate on paper more effectively

Unleash the power of better learning within you -- listen to Accelerated Learning Techniques today. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Clear and persuasive
I own and have listened to the tape twice.

To me, the key benefits are:
* The learning system is comprehensive.
* Brian's voice is attractive, the approach is straightforward and easy to listen to.
* The materials are clear and persuasive.
* The music between each piece of recording is stimulating and entertaining (hence easy to absorb the materials).

By the way, I am wondering what Brian will do for young children to guide them towards success and happiness. I am a parent of two and would like to hear something from Brian. Thank you.

Thumbs Down
Though there are a few interesting tips, the tape is boring and useless. I would not buy it again.

Powerful and practical steps to help you learn
This book gives you practical steps to help you: really learn and master a topic, thoroughly memorize information, speed read while retaining the content, etc.

I had never heard of a some of the techniques such as mapping.

I am going to teach this to my wife and eventually to my children (when they start reading).

Solid entry level overview
I have listened to Brian Tracy's tapes and read his books many times over the past years and this tape set is a useful addition to his set.

It covers many of the topics touched on in some of his other works but this brings it all together in one spot with the addition of a number of new good practices.

A useful addition to my 4 wheeled university.

Excellent resource
The audiotape provides a good overview of accelrated learning techniques. Students and professionals alike will benefit. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great self-esteem booster
This is a great collection of tips and stories to help alter the way we think of ourselves. These tapes give my self-esteem a boost and make the world a better place. The formula of Experience + Response = Outcome is just one of the great ways this tape influences posative thinking. The only down side is that this product isn't sold as a CD.

Jack Canfield is my motivational role model
Jack Canfield is my motivational role model and for good reason. Jack is a warm and lovable fellow who believes in people--to do better and be better. I love to listen to these tapes over and over again. They are really motivating. And by the way he's funny too! Zev Saftlas, Author of Motivation That Works

Fantastic Self-Help Tapes
I first bought this set of tapes several years ago at an education seminar and it was a valuable investment. Jack Canfield is caring, understanding, knowledgeable and has a great sense of humor. He comes across as a 'real' person who uses teaching examples from his own life and degrees of self-disclosure that help create a 'trust' atmosphere for the listener. He has a speaking manner that puts you at ease and makes you want to listen to everything he has to say. Self-esteem, self-confidence and relating to other people is who we are every day and he helps improve this with techniques for developing and strengthening our 'inner selves'. I've listened to these tapes every 6 months for the last 7 yrs. and I listen to them whenever I am going through a really stressful time. They are uplifting and healing.

Excellent Introduction to Books on Tape
This was the first cassette purchase I made, and I was so impressed, I have begun to keep my eyes open for more books on tape. Jack Canfield, well known for his uplifting "Chicken Soup" series, is just as uplifting in voice. The series is very practical, with Jack outlining simple exercises you can do with minimal time, that will improve your outlook. It is true that repetitive listening makes a difference, though I've only gotten through it 4 times completely. He spices his tips up with stories of success, and the fact that it's a taped live seminar, makes it sound like you are really there listening to him in person. The only thing I could do without were the questions at the end, and the section of affirmations did not strike my imagination too strongly, though both of these would be welcomed by other listeners I'm sures.

Scrolls of Life's Sea
Going through the tape of Jack Canfield, I found many good tips on how to become more positive and the good thing is his voice reflects the kindness that some other positive thinkers lack. It raises above the average in that respect, even though in the field of the ideas, it is similar to the others. It definitely has its value listening though. I would recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

The world's foremost producer of personal development and motivational audio programs offers an inside look at the thinking that leads to great achievement. Drawing on the work of leading psychologists and behavioral researchers, Brian Tracy -- America's "success mentor" -- demonstrates the attitude, deep self-knowledge and pin-pointed goals that are important factors in achieving great success. He'll help you identify your own "area of excellence" and master the tools that make each achiever tick, including:

• How to sharpen your natural intuition
• How to increase your brain power
• How to change thoughts from negative to positive
• How to break bad habits quickly and painlessly

Reviews (12)

Words to live by!
This is an exceptional Self Growth tool. Mr Tracy approaches achievement in concise, clear steps. I listen to the tapes every chance I get. I have heard this tape no less than 8 times and each time I find another application to my life. I strongly recommend this eye opening material for anyone who wants to better his or her life !

NOBODY DOES IT BETTER THAN BRIAN TRACY
Brian Tracy is a master motivator & sales and persoal development trainer. I repeat the top line, NOBODY DOES IT BETTER THAN BRIAN TRACY. This program and "Pyschology of Selling" were my first Brian Tracy programs. My confidence soared and my sales flew. This program will help you in every area of your life. You'll make lasting changes.

The most complete personal develpment program
This abridged tape set is good enough to give you powerful information. You will learn many of Brian Tracy's powerful strategies for success. Play it in your car. I recommend the book Maximum Achievement on which this tape program is based and the unabridged 6 audio tape set by Nightingale-Conant which is more complete.

Nice... just nice
Well, I like to listen to educational and motivational audio tapes while I'm driving. Keep that in mind when you hear me say that this tape is a nice one. I think it's nice because it educated me about psychology, however my life didn't change and I still make my lousy monthly salary as I did before I bought this tape! LOL The worst part about it (I guess) is that the speaker (also the author) sounded at some points like a salesman... or in other words, insincere... but that's just my opinion. Anyway, it's not a waste of time, and considering the price I think that it's not a bad decision to get it :)

May be the best ($) you can spend on yourself
I came upon hard times and was looking for a way to improve my mindset. Didn't have the energy to read, so found this Title used through Amazon and thought while I drive it would be better to listen to this than mindless music.

It has been a transforming experience. As I listened, I realized how I was self-defeating myself and how badly I needed to change my attitude. The tape goes into detail with examples and the narrator's voice comes across with knowledge and a real feeling of wanting to share his insights from a great deal of research.

I have since made some amazing changes to my life such as lose 52 pounds and run in the NY City Marathon, and I never, ever dreamed I could.

This tape has lead to me to purchase many other tapes to listen to as I drive. It's great, it an education while sitting in traffic and you don't mind the traffic nearly as much. I will say that I have listened to many tapes now, but this one really has been the most valuable. It is ashame it may get lost among the thousands of tapes and books out there on Self-Improvement. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

The power of questions
My success got on the fast track as soon as I harnessed the power of questions. Ia sked am questions and pm questions. Stuff works.

I have to admit, I wasn't too excited about my life at first but once I started asking myself, "What could I be excited about" I found reasons to be excited and that led to taking action.

I also enjoyed the interview with Barbara DeAngelis. Great stuff!

For Barbara De Angeles fans and people who want LOVE!
I really enjoyed this tape set because of the process of learning how to create better questions and asking them.

What would it be like if you created a set of

POWER QUESTIONS that could instantly change your life?

The interview with De Angeles will provide the listener with an insight into her drive as a relationship expert.

Excellent
I think what Tony does is spectacular. He has helped me so much and I would recommend his books and tapes to everyone, and I have. I need help though, if any one out there knows of an address to where I could write him please let me know. I want to know the steps he took,career wise, to get where he is today because I would love to do what he does. If anyone could help me I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you. Rebecca Hartmann. E-Mail address is edhar@Bellsouth.net. Thanks again.

mind power
This book realy helped me understaind that the mind organizes it's expectations by past experiences , and expectations are what shape your world. this can be counterd by finding new refrances, and remembering past succeses ... Read more

Book Description

Six Cassettes, 9 hrs.

Read by Rick Adamson

FAST FOOD NATION - the groundbreaking work of investigation and cultural history that has changed the way America thinks about the way it eats - and spent nearly four months on the New York Times bestseller list - now available on cassette!

Are we what we eat?To a degree both engrossing and alarming, the story of fast food is the story of postwar America.Though created by a handful of mavericks, the fast food industry has triggered the homogenization of our society.Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelling the juggernaut of American cultural imperialism abroad.That's a lengthy list of charges, but Eric Schlosser makes them stick with an artful mix of first-rate reportage, wry wit, and careful reasoning.

Schlosser's myth-shattering survey stretches from the California subdivisions where the business was born to the industrial corridor along the New Jersey Turnpike where many of fast food's flavors are concocted.Along the way, he unearths a trove of fascinating, unsettling truths - from the unholy alliance between fast food and Hollywood to the seismic changes the industry has wrought in food production, popular culture, even real estate.He also uncovers the fast food chains' efforts to reel in the youngest, most susceptible consumers even while they hone their institutionalized exploitation of teenagers and minorities.Schlosser then turns a critical eye toward the hot topic of globalization - a phenomenon launched by fast food. ... Read more

Reviews (1014)

McInteresting Look at Fast Food
I read this book knowing I was not going to learn any new and cheery anecdotes about how Ronald McDonald got his start..... instead I read this to solidify the notion that fast food was not a healthy choice. And boy, did this book give you reasons it is not, and I'm not just talking nutritional value here.

I found this book fascinating for the detail was great, well researched, and given to the reader straight. It was an eye opening book. Who knew that due to the meat industry being run just by a few corporations, essentially we are eating the same meat from the same feedlots and slaughter houses whether we buy it at a fast food chain or the local supermarket, and perhaps even the nicer restaurants. I also found some of the content appalling. Cattle are fed cats, dogs, other cows, even old newspaper! If this doesn't outrage you enough, just wait to you get to how these same meat conglomerates treat the low paid, low skilled employees of the slaughterhouses.

This book is insightful and unbelievable, and will make you question how the fast food giants sleep at night.

I'm Supporting What?
I've been trying to write a review for this book and end up not being able to grasp the profound effect it has had on me. I'm left will a feeling of being too small to actually do anything about the "wool" being pulled over America's eyes. From basic human rights to our nation's safety (e.coli, salmonella, etc.), the fast food industry has been able to break laws, cover up incidents and some how flourish, making billions of dollars a year.

I devoured this book, it is easy to read, accurate and eye opening. The contents in this book is something that every American should be familiar. Fast food customers need to be informed of what goes on to deliver that "happy" meal on to that plastic tray from beginning to end. I'd like to thank Eric Schlosser for writing this book, his research has caused me to take a look at what I'm supporting and risking by consuming meat. I for one will not support these arrogant corporate giants and have chosen to stay away from fast food. I have seen the light and it's not from the glowing golden arches down the street!

Appalling. Read it and weep.
Since many other reviewers cover the more repulsive details of Schlosser's book, I will stick to pointing out something I think deserves even more attention: one of the themes of the book is that the fast food industry has its tentacles in EVERY aspect of Americans' lives. Changing this goes far, far beyond bypassing a Big Mac...boycotting fast food is not the same thing as boycotting the fast food industry, when industry practices have made the USDA powerless against meatpackers, advertisers target children as consumers, and schools are taking money for corporate sponsorship.

This a fantastic book and it touches on a lot of areas that I don't normally think of relating to fast food, such as the plight of abused migrant workers in the slaughterhouses and the economics of teen labor. Everybody should read it, even if you never eat fast food, because you're affected too.

Disturbing... Will never eat fast food again!
I must warn the reader that you'll never want to eat fast food again after you read this book. I've never been a big fast food junkie, though I've eaten it if there isn't anything else around, but I won't again take a bite of the same even if I'm starving during a road trip and the only food available is a drive-thru burger joint. Eric Schlosser's book is an impressive, albeit disturbing dissection of the fast food industry in the United States, one that examines each aspect of said industry with unflinching, well-researched facts. The result is an unflattering picture of an industry that has changed US business and eating habits in an almost secretive fashion. The book is a fascinating look into the business and talks about the process of hiring, franchising, purchasing and other practices. The most fascinating and disturbing chapters concern, however, the beef served at fast food restaurants and how it gets there. I warn you that it is not a pretty picture. If you care about the food you eat, these chapters will sicken you. You must read this book (unless you never eat fast food at all). The quality of the food aside, this book is extremely critical of the fast food industry and I believe that if you are a fast food lover, this book will disturb and upset you. As I said above, the picture Schlosser paints isn't pretty, nothing is sugarcoated. This is well-researched and well-written book and I highly recommend it.

KNOW WHAT YOU EAT AND SUPPORT
SCHLOSSER SAYS THE EASIEST WAY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY FAST FOOD/MEAT PACKING COMPANIES CONDUCT FRADULENT BUSINESS TACTICS IS TO "NOT EAT IT". THIS BOOK IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE CONSUMERS MUST KNOW WHAT WE ARE EATING, SUPPORTING, AND CONTRIBUTING TO. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK WITH MUCH RESEARCH. ... Read more

Book Description

The Oakland Athletics have a secret: a winning baseball team is made, not bought.

I wrote this book because I fell in love with a story. The story concerned a small group of undervalued professional baseball players and executives, many of whom had been rejected as unfit for the big leagues, who had turned themselves into one of the most successful franchises in Major League Baseball. But the idea for the book came well before I had good reason to write it—before I had a story to fall in love with. It began, really, with an innocent question: how did one of the poorest teams in baseball, the Oakland Athletics, win so many games?

With these words Michael Lewis launches us into the funniest, smartest, and most contrarian book since, well, since Liar's Poker. Moneyball is a quest for something as elusive as the Holy Grail, something that money apparently can't buy: the secret of success in baseball. The logical places to look would be the front offices of major league teams, and the dugouts, perhaps even in the minds of the players themselves. Lewis mines all these possibilities—his intimate and original portraits of big league ballplayers are alone worth the price of admission—but the real jackpot is a cache of numbers—numbers!—collected over the years by a strange brotherhood of amateur baseball enthusiasts: software engineers, statisticians, Wall Street analysts, lawyers and physics professors.

What these geek numbers show—no, prove—is that the traditional yardsticks of success for players and teams are fatally flawed. Even the box score misleads us by ignoring the crucial importance of the humble base-on-balls. This information has been around for years, and nobody inside Major League Baseball paid it any mind. And then came Billy Beane, General Manager of the Oakland Athletics.

Billy paid attention to those numbers —with the second lowest payroll in baseball at his disposal he had to—and this book records his astonishing experiment in finding and fielding a team that nobody else wanted. Moneyball is a roller coaster ride: before the 2002 season opens, Oakland must relinquish its three most prominent (and expensive) players, is written off by just about everyone, and then comes roaring back to challenge the American League record for consecutive wins.

In a narrative full of fabulous characters and brilliant excursions into the unexpected, Michael Lewis shows us how and why the new baseball knowledge works. He also sets up a sly and hilarious morality tale: Big Money, like Goliath, is always supposed to win...how can we not cheer for David? ... Read more

Reviews (209)

major eye opener onto the field of baseball
This book is about the power of critical thinking. It traces the moves made by a general manager--Billy Beane--who, with the help of statistical geeks, was able to find undervalued players and dish off overvalued players. The author points out that players are commonly misappraised because their value is generally tied to things like "looks" and statistics like "batting average" and "rbis" and "saves" and "fielding percentage" which do not adequately reflect the extent to which a player's performance contributes to value to his team. For example, Mr. Lewis describes formulas which have been derived that accurately predict the number of runs a team will score over the course of a season, and these formulas do not depend on some very commonly used (or misused! stats) After you read this book you will get the point that on-base percentage is 3X more valuable than slugging percentage in the formulas. One drawback of the book is that the formulas discussed are not explicitely stated and their validity is not conclusively demonstrated. Another aspect of the book I also wish was expressed in more detail is the new set of pitching statistics that are devoid of any aspect of luck commonly built into today's commonly advertised stats, like "wins" and "era." In the end, the lesson of the book is that you must always ask, "why, why, why." Why do I care if this pitcher has 30 saves? Why do I care if this outfielder made 10 errors. This books explains in a fun way why you shouldn't necessary care about these questions at all!

Misleading Title, Great Book
Even though I enjoyed Lewis' Liar's Poker, The New New Thing, and Money Culture, I wasn't planning to read Moneyball. I didn't really care about the economics of baseball. Then I found out that Moneyball is about the Oakland A's, computers, and statistics. I had to read it.

Lewis reveals how the A's became (and have stayed) a top team even though they have one of the smallest payrolls in baseball. Billy Beane's (the general manager) method of using massive amounts of statistical information tells him what players to draft and what plays to execute under different conditions. The scouts and even the manager have become less important than his small staff of number-crunchers.

By following certain statistically-determined rules such as "never sacrifice bunt," (the numbers show that historically, it doesn't pay off) the A's have gone to the playoffs year after year. Beane refuses to draft players out of high school, because they haven't faced enough real competition to determine, statistically, if they will be any good. It's only in college and the minor leagues that players compile meaningful stats.

Not much money in Moneyball, just great writing, and a terrific story.

Thinking outside the box
Michael Lewis deftly inserted himself into the A's front office to find out how a professional baseball team with a $40 million payroll can win 102 games and consistently 90 or more wins in subsequent years and compete with teams like the New York Yankees who have payrolls exceeding $130 million.

What he reveals is that by approaching baseball in a more rational, analytical way and doing away with all the traditional conventions, you can compete with anyone who doesn't do the same. Too many GMs and coaches are seduced by speed, home runs, and batters who swing at bad pitches when the simple truth of it is that in baseball the most precious thing you have are your three outs per inning. Anything that risks losing one or more of those outs is something you should avoid. As a long-time fan of the game, it's hard for me to swallow some of the anti-traditional things Lewis describes in this book. But the proof is in the pudding as they say and the A's success over the past several years is hard to argue with.

The focus of the book is A's GM Billy Beane, a former A's player himself who had a world of talent but could not transform that talent into a Hall of Fame career. He didn't have certain intangibles that are needed. Beane now recognizes those talents in the players he drafts, recruits and trades for. Beane's obsessive personality and unorthdox ways make for interesting reading. He's a man who seems horribly tortured by the game and yet thrives on his success in the game as well.

There are excellent mini-biographies in the book including one on A's first baseman, Scott Hatteberg, a Red Sox catcher who was thought all but done with baseball after he ruptured a nerve in his throwing arm. The A's reclamation project recognized a diamond in the rough and brought him aboard to train him as a first baseman, mostly so they could benefit from Hattie's shrewd batting.

Chad Bradford, the A's middle relief pitcher with the unorthodox pitching style and uncanny ability to get outs, is also profiled. A's minor league phenom Jeremy Brown, a former University of Alabama catcher who broke all sorts of NCAA records but wouldn't get a look from most pro teams, is also profiled. You get the sense from this book that there IS no traditional upbringing for a pro baseball player. The A's unusual collection of "misfits" all came from different backgrounds and most have taken a rather odd path to success.

This book is a great insiders look at a pro baseball team and how they approach the game from a very unique perspective. The most fascinating thing of it is, the A's didn't invent what they're doing at all. They're exploiting baseball wisdom that was anyone's for the taking for the past 30 years. You just need to know where to look.

If you're a baseball fan or just someone who can appreciate creativity and ingenuity in a world that promotes imitation, you'll enjoy this book.

Lewis Played Like a Banjo
Michael Lewis seems unaware that the A's front office is hamming it up in front of him. Poor journalism if he couldn't figure it out.

Great Reading!
"Moneyball" is an oustanding read if your are interested in baseball, economics, and or statistics. Michael Lewis does a great job telling the story of the Oakland A's and just why a team with one of the smallest payrolls in baseball has compiled one of the best records. This was a book that I found almost impossible to put down and I know that everyone at work got sick of me talking about it, but it was fascinating!! Don't miss reading this one!! ... Read more

Book Description

Dealing with your ex-husband, who can't seem to show up reliably for weekends with the kids; navigating a workplace fraught with office politics or racial tensions; saying "I'm sorry" or "I love you".

We all have difficult conversations, no matter how confident or competent we are. And too often, no matter what we try, things don't go well. Should you say what you're thinking and risk starting a fight? Swallow your views and feel like a doormat? Or should you let them have it? But--what if you're wrong?

Difficult Conversations shows you a way out of this dilemma; it teaches you how to handle even the toughest conversations more effectively and with less anxiety. Based on fifteen years of work at Harvard Negotiation Project and consultations with thousands of people, the authors answer the question: When people confront the conversations they dread the most, what works?

Difficult Conversations walks you through a proven, concrete, step-by-step approach for understanding and conducting tough conversations. It shows you how to get ready, how to start the conversations in ways that reduce defensiveness, and how to keep the conversation on a constructive track regardless of how the other person responds.

Whether you're dealing with your baby-sitter or biggest client, your boss or your brother-in-law, Difficult Conversations can help.
... Read more

Reviews (73)

Difficult Conversions
Stone, Patton and Bruce have written a very useful and critical work on the dynamics of all conversations - the ones we've had and regret; the ones we don't have, because they seem too risky; and the ones we need to have to enhance our personal and professional relationships. They argue that there are three categories of conversations, which encompass every aspect of what transpires in our daily exchanges. They are: (1) The "what happened?" conversation (2) The feelings conversation and (3) The identity conversation. We can become more skilled and efficient in our conversations, if we begin to check our often flawed assumptions about what happened, how we're feeling and how our self-perceptions impact our understanding of what others say. Typically, we assume we are right and others are wrong, we assume the intentions of others, we don't treat feelings as facts, and we associate our identities too closely with the contexts of specific conflicts. To have productive difficult conversations, we need to change the way we talk to ourselves and how we approach our communications with others.

One can't help wondering, however, if the only people reading this book are already self-actualized or so well on their way that they are, in fact, the best communicators among us. The authors' failed to address the lingering doubt left with the critical, reflective reader: that most difficult conversations are the fruits of difficult people, who, unless they read this book, have little capacity or motivation to be anything but difficult. In any case, Difficult Conversations is mostly devoted to explaining and analyzing the three conversations and how one can use these categories to have more productive exchanges. The book has many useful graphic organizers, including a checklist and a roadmap for engaging in difficult conversations.

In effect, Stone and his colleagues argue that we must shift from a perspective of "knowing" to "learning". Meaningful conversations can take place when we don't permit our assumptions to rule the moment, rather when we take control by being curious, open, and self-aware. To find out what happened, we need to explore each other's stories, separate intent from impact, abandon the blame framework, and to consider all conflicts as a system ("the contribution system"), to which every party has contributed in some way. They argue that the blame framework is a clue that feelings are playing a significant role in a conflict. Feelings often get translated into judgements, attributions, characterizations, or solutions. The key to managing feelings is to treat them as facts by acknowledging them, and considering how they are part of the problem and exploring them fully. All too often our feelings emerge from the sense that our identity is somehow at stake. Most of us frame our identities around one or all of three core themes: competence, virtue, or worthiness. When we feel any of these is questioned, we revert to fight or flight. We can best manage the identity issue by understanding ourselves as complex, by knowing we make mistakes, by acknowledging that our intentions are not simple, and by recognizing that all parties contribute to problems. The "learning" must begin within ourselves before we can understand issues or problems with others.

We can affect our own conversational "learning" by engaging in "the third story" conversation, which requires us to consider how a third party would describe and analyze the situation. This sets up a process of internal dialogue, which is necessary to check our own perceptions, feelings, and interests. Further, the authors encourage listening from the inside out, speaking for yourself, and taking the initiative. While the book combines theory, examples, and description, it is also a very handy guide to improving one's communication style in the workplace or at home.

very highly recommended
When I first picked up this book, I wasn't very optimistic about its content. I've got a rather solid background in conflict resolution and communication, have even taught courses in listening and small group communication. I assumed the book would be more of the same -- here's where you should nod, here's how you reflect, etc.

I was pleased to find that I had misjudged the authors. Reading this book and truly incorporating its advice and philosophies can be a life-changing experience. The content here goes beyond technique and finds firm ground (surprisingly) in speaking about inner issues that arise during difficult conversations -- and it manages to do so without coming off as didactic or flakey. In fact, I would have to say that this is the first "self-help" book that didn't make me a little squirmy and rebellious -- I soaked up the information and found myself relying on the content in real life on a daily basis, and right away.

I also have found myself evangelizing the book to a great extent, and have recommended it to friends I know who are having difficulty with family members, bosses, their children their neighbors -- as well as to a number of my clients who have expressed difficulty in managing up and/or down.

There's something of value for just about anyone here -- even if you are already well-versed in communication and negotiation skills.

Concepts and techniques that work
I find this book to be helpful because I have had a life-long struggle with difficult conversations. The section about understanding what is said and unsaid is a key piece of information which has given me greater awareness. The procedures require commitment and practice. Don't expect to get it right the first time or every time. I put an extra piece of information into practice every few days. I would also recommend another book, Crucial Conversations for another perspective on emotionally charged conversations, and Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self to learn how to make the most of any situation.

Too obvious...what we need is a difficult relationships book
The stuff in this book should be obvious to most reasonable people. If you're having problems at this level, you still have a long way to go in terms of dealing with truly difficult situations. Seeing so many people liking books like this gets me worried... (Is it just me who feels like I'm back in kindergarten when I take these corporate self improvement classes (come on, be honest now).)

If you can generally gather the gumption to talk with people through awkward issues, this book will not help.

My really difficult issues in life are with severely complexed people who are either defensive to the point of being anti-social or with those who never learned the skill to listen. You know people like this, right? Their bad behavior inevitably drives away their friends and they often have trouble with their other family members.

I'm not saying that I'm always in the right when having difficult conversations with people like this. What I struggle with is dealing with really hard headed people, and this book only belabors obvious points like "there are two sides to every story" and "you have to try to stay reasonable if you care to get through".

Everything in the book is good, if that's what you want to learn about. I just found it too obvious, and it assumes the case where the other person is a relatively well adjusted person.

"A Dangerous book in the hands of morons"! (NY, USA)
Well the reviewer has got a great sense of humour! I was laughing my a*se off!

It sems so many people do not practice what they preach. This guy's bosses whoever they are or were seem to have 'lost the plot'.

Isn't it strange that the 'Golden Rule' in business I was taught is not often used. It is as my Mum still says, "Do as you would be done by". Very simple but common sense is not usually common action!

My invitation to this person is please make contact with me as I have some questions I'd like the writer to answer before I buy the book! Dear Amazon.com, can you arrange that? Give the writer my e-mail address please. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Simply the best 'How To' resource for MLMers!
After listening to Randy's tapes, my business has sky rocketed. His no nonsense approach showed me exactly what I needed to know to find more prospects, hold effective meetings, manage my business, and overcome the typical objections that you face in all network marketing opportunities.

The Training You've Been Looking For
If you're reading this, you're probably in network marketing. Maybe you're looking for the "secrets" of the heavy hitters; or the the information that will help you get "over the hump" in your business. You might just be starting out.

Either way, this tape set is worth it's weight in gold. More so, in fact, since I believe it lives up to its name.

Randy Gage is a dynamic speaker but has very little "hype". This is a information-packed tape set that was recorded live in front of some of the biggest names in MLM as well as many new MLMers. In this tape set, Gage explains why most networkers really have no idea of what they're doing. They're trying to find fat people or sick people or trying to build a business by peddling products every day all day.

He shows how the "big business model" in MLM means that you have to have a simple, cookie-cutter, duplicateable SYSTEM that everyone in your downline uses. And in this tape set, he explains exactly how to do that.

He also explains why doing "what works" will put you in the poorhouse and how you should always be focused on doing "what duplicates".

This tape set normally sells ...from Gage directly. If it sold for $1,000, I'd still say it was a bargain.

The Best Training Material in the MLM Industry
I'd give it 10 Stars if I could. If you are looking for training on the "nuts-and-bolts" of network marketing and not just "hype" and "rah rah" philosophy, this is IT. Gage takes you step by step through his system which does several things: 1. Keeps you from presenting the business to non-prospects. 2. Reduces personal rejection to NOTHING. 3. Why enrolling and selling will NOT get you to the top of your pay plan. 4. What it DOES take to make it successful and much more.

I was very frustrated in my business until I implemented Gage's principles. It blew my business wide open and gave me the success I was looking for. Today, it's all we do! ... Read more

Amazon.com

A top-down commitment to top-notch customer service is a critical element in the battle for corporate survival. In their Customer-Centered Growth: Five Bold Strategies for Building Competitive Advantage, Richard Whiteley and Diane Hessan of The Forum Corporation, a training and consulting firm that emphasizes just such customer focus, show readers how other companies have successfully placed customers at the center of their operations. They also provide 15 tools for self-assessment and strategy planning. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This Audio Tape Is an Outstanding How-To Guide for Growth!
It has been almost two years since I read this book.On a recent trip toNew York, I realized that I had the audio cassettes, but had never listenedto them.So I did.What a wonderful surprise this was.

There are fourcassettes and each is read by the authors who alternate.Both have goodspeaking voices, and use a good pace.It is easy to listen to them andfollow their voices.

Unlike many cassette series which are overly edited,this one is just the right length.You get a good overview of all of thepoints on the first side and a half, then go into each one in more detailin the remaining three tapes.

As much as I liked the book, I likedthe cassettes better.The authors are obviously used to speaking andteaching, and I felt like I was having them speak directly to me in aone-on-one session.I turned the tapes off whenever I had an assignmentfrom them, and did the assignment.Clearly, this advanced my thinking muchmore than reading the book did.I was not as deeply into the concepts fromreading as I was from listening, and did the assignments from a much morefundamental perspective.

Their first principle is to focus.The idea isto find what your most profitable customers find most valuable to them thatyou do best.This caused me to see our firm's relationship to our clientsin a totally new perspective that is very valuable to me.

The secondprinciple is to hard-wire listening to the customer.Although I rememberedthis advice from before, I was struck by realizing how few of the companiesI know well take this advice.Customer listening is usually continuous,but is usually not well integrated into focusing the firm's attention. This is usually because most people don't see the information, or don'tknow how to interpret it.

The advice on how to create cooperationroutinely throughout the organization is very good.I especially liked thevariation on the internal customer concept espoused here whereby you areencouraged to both stay focused also on what the external customer needs.

Not only should you buy this resource, but you should then take adriving trip so you'll have a chance to listen to it.I suggest that youdo as I did, and switch the tapes on and off so you can do the exercises inyour mind (and later write down what you learned).

When you are done withthis, I suggest that you also consider how this kind of approach could helpyour personal life.What should you be focusing on?How can you hard-wirelistening to those around you?How can you all become morecooperative?

... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (60)

I have extremely mixed feelings about this book
Well, first I have to say that this book is very well written. I wish I was as good at the use of adjectives as Mr. Spence is. I bought this book thinking it would deal largely with logical structure and identification of fallacies, ect. Instead, this book dealt with none of that but focused entirely on psychological issues such as power and control. This was actually a good thing and I learned a few things from it and made a few realizations about myself when I argue. I should however point out that less then half of the book actually dealt with this. About 60% of the book is dedicated to his own political and philosophical opinions which I personally am totally oppossed to.... He's also defended some real scum bags in his time and tells the reader how he defended this one guy from killing his own wife in front of their children! The defence was insanity, (the guy had a bad childhood but was not insane.) We the reader are asked to step down from our high and mighty pedistools and pity those born under less fortunate circumstances. As usual, not a thought or word is given to the wife, (the real victim.) Mr. Spence also makes some comments that I felt were absurd, (ie we give God power!?)
So I have to say that about half of this book I enjoyed, (the parts that dealt with the actual confrontation of argument, their roots, results, ect.) and half of this book I absolutely hated! So I give this book a rating of 2.5 stars, (I wasen't given this option on the Amazon scoring system so I was forced to round it up to 3 stars.) One reviewer before me said that you might do better to learn about this subject by buying a good book on rhetoric. Another reviewer said that this book could have been reduced from 300 pages to 100 pages. Both were right.

A Must Read !
This book changed my life. I had all these thoughts wondering in my head, and Mr. Spence displayed them out on paper in such a wonderful story manner. Anyone who knows anything about people skills, will know the importance of presenting thoughts in a story form. People love stories, they feel for stories, and most of all, they remember stories. This is an important point in Mr. Spence's book. His stories are sensational with compelling arguments. This is not a miracle book that can make an antisocial person into a great orator. You must have some ablity to convey your message. And if you do, this is the book for you. It can change your life. You will see others arguments in a different light. The best argument lets the winner win, without allowing the loser to truly lose. I love this book, just read it, you'll see.

Pretty helpful....
Overall the book presented a lot of good ideas. The best was probably the concept of story-telling. I always looked for better ways of effective communication but never thought of actually rephrasing my dead words into stories that are 'alive'. The listener/reader automatically holds his attention longer and more raptly and it truly works wonders.

I totally agree that 'winning is getting what we want'. If only everyone understood it. Very often do you see people exalting over defeating an opponent and goes on to tease or even insult him/her but that is not what we should be doing. If we are right, we should be happy that we have successfully communicated the proper view to the opponent, correcting his view. And if we are wrong, we should be glad that our mistaken view has now been corrected by our opponent. There is no embarassment in 'losing'. In fact, as Gerry Spence rightly puts it, we win on both counts.

He got a bit off-track in the last two chapters about children and work but those were the more interesting chapters I guess. I have to disagree with most of his views regarding arguing with children as he seems to write about a rather utopian scenario where your kids will self-discpiline themselves if you give them freedom. Unfortunately, kids abuse the opportunity more often than they use it.

But in the end, it clarifies many things about the philosophy about arguments in general and is in indeed worth reading...

How to state your case.
As the previous reviewers have stated, there are some words of wisdom from the thinking of Gerry Spence. There are also some whoppers, which detract from the book. Spence is verbose, and this also takes away from the book. This makes him seem arrogant. Also, as some of the other reviewers have stated, Spence is liberal and you can sense this from his writings.
One thing this book reinforced in me is speaking from emotion. If you say what is in your gut, it is a more convincing argument for an audience. Spence convinces us through his choice of words and tone. I learned some like minded principles going to Dale Carnegie. Other common sense suggestions such as thinking through what you say, then commiting it to paper are also there.
Suggestions on arguments in the family are also good sense. These are the good points of the book. Most of the rest is just fluff, and can be left to better authors.

If one is in the law, this is a great book. Other readers can look for better books on how to get your point across.

A few good points nestled among the bad
While there were a few good points in the book, there were far more bad ones. Among the good ideas were:
1. Truth is powerful.
2. The use of stories helps involve the listener in a way technical arguments alone cannot.
Among the bad ideas were:
1. Words are virtually irrelevant- the tone conveys your message.
2. The truth can be found in emotions, not logic.
3. You can win every time merely by denying your opponent your permission to beat you.

I had heard that one should keep one's argument as pure as possible thereby avoiding to needlessly alienate people through issues unrelated to the main point. The author contradicts this completely by sprinkling his liberal ideology throughout the book, making it significantly more difficult for non-liberals to keep reading.

In the beginning, the author says that this book is itself an argument. Well the argument failed to win this reader, and thereby contradicted its title. ... Read more