What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People .
932757
What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People, good book so far, i LIKE THE INFORMATION IT PROVIDES.
1321685
RKBrown is a hoot. He's also the genuine article, a kick-xss, BT-DT kind of guy.
 (I shared a drink with him at the SOF convention years back.)
A great read. Highly recommended for all political persuasions. If you're a patriot with a liberal friend, give it to him/her for Christmas!
2259709
[Brief] is an excellent guide for anyone who wants to be better in their professional and personal life.  The author rightly identifies that all of us are drinking from a proverbial fire-hose of facts, figures, opinions, concerns, emails, briefings, images -- and none of us has the time or the mental capacity (much less the desire) to pay attention to even half of it.  You won't get your point across unless you can start saying less.  Saying less, if done well, is saying more.

Unfortunately, when it comes to our own voices, all of us have a bit of a tin ear.  I found that [Brief] helped me hear myself better.  It licensed me to say less, to pause more often, to listen more deeply.  And the book's outstanding techniques have really added clarity and focus.
1593049
I found this book to the most informative and useful reference of all those I have read regarding the subject and techniques relating to detecting deception by means of statement analysis in it's various forms. Easy to read. Easy to understand. It will remain a guide to forensic investigators, polygraphists and the like for many years to come.
1204872
We all speak, but how many of us really communicate? Are our messages being received by our audiences and making an impact, or (to borrow the clich) are they simply going in one ear and out the other? Through their research of more than three hundred of President Barack Obama's speeches ,as well as their expertise in the fields of communication and Neuro-Linguistic programming, co-authors Gil and Nili Peretz identify the techniques that this charismatic, globally-respected speaker uses himself, and show readers how they too can appropriate them in order to improve their own communication abilities.

As clearly outlined in the title, this book is about how the reader can learn the secrets of President Barack Obama to improve his or her ability to influence, persuade, and win over any audience - whether they be assembled in large auditoriums or at the dinner table. It is not a book about the president himself. But it does examine who he is as a person, and the story of his life, in order to illuminate how he has come to be where he is now: a man recognized as one of the most eloquent speakers of our era. Through actual examples of the speeches he has made since the 1990s, Gil and Nili Peretz lay out, in a simple and easy-to-understand way, how the reader can implement Obama's highly-successful techniques.

The book is clearly divided into seven sections, each exploring a different set of techniques used by Barack Obama. But what sets this book apart from other bland "communication how-to's" is the co-authors' exploration of the way in which the mind works when it is the recipient of communication. The idea of `message engineering,' discussed in the third part of the book, is an insightful technique which illustrates to the reader how messages can be `engineered' in a way that they will be most influential. Throughout the book, the co-authors explore and explain useful tips like linguistic patterns, the use of human chemistry to create a sense of infatuation by the audience, using personal experiences to connect with the audience, and the power of non-verbal communication. And each section provides a generous collection of examples of the way in which these techniques are used by the president himself - the  technique is not merely dictated to the reader, but illustrated. But particularly unique to the market is the book's exploration of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. Through identifying the way the brain works, the different functions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain when being communicated to, Gil and Nili Peretz identify the ways in which the president `programs' his audience to be receptive to messages. And with their live examples, they show the reader how he or she can do it too.

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to improve their communication skills. By learning the techniques identified by Gil and Nili Peretz, and by seeing them in action through actual examples, readers will know and, more importantly, understand how to influence, persuade, and make any audience fall in love with them, just like President Barack Obama. It is an invaluable toolkit of information for any communicator, in any situation.
4917702
I just retired in Dec. 2008 from the FBI so the book was very interesting to me.  I was familiar with some of the cases an knew who she was talking about even though she changed the names.  I read it in one day.  I could not put it down.  It was an easy read for me and held my interest.  I don't know if I agree with everything said as my office had none of the problems she incurred but I'm sure some of them were there.  I worked in a small office not a division office.  Good read.  Do recommend for those interested in the FBI.
1298926
An interesting read from an FBI profiler on certain principles of engagement. The book covers the role of proximity, frequency, duration and intensity toward developing friendships/relationships. It also touches on several body language lessons along with psychological behavior principles such as law of reciprocity, golden rule of friendship (we like those who make us feel good about ourselves), creating curiosity hooks, friend (smile, tilted head, eye brow flash, open stance, lean in, whispering) versus foe (crossed arms, barriers, scowl, etc) signals, mirroring. The book then illustrates the applicability of these principles in personal as well as in business life.

Some examples seem a bit contrived and make one wonder if the author is overselling the material. For instance, how a salesman would divulge exact details of commission and discounts just through the use of a seemingly innocuous presumptuous statement. I think people are much more smarter and even cunning to be indulged this easily.

I found the material interesting. It makes people-watching more fun.
2127416
Totally awesome book about the Mafia. So much information about the Mafia and organized crime awaits you in this book.
It's awesome just to read for fun. Modern FBI agents combating against the Mob should actually read this book. It explains a lot and how things got to how they are today both on the perspective with the Mafia and the Feds. It's written extremely well and keeps your interest throughout the entire book.

Heck, if anyone works for the FBI and sees this comment, reach out to me via LinkedIn.
3394940
When I saw advertised on Amazon The Four Tendencies: The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too) I said yes, send it along.  Im guessing that like me, many readers would like to know how to make life better!  Will Gretchen Rubin, our author, deliver on her promise?  For some people,  yes.  They will see themselves and others well described in this book and think about things they might do to be more effective in accomplishing their goals and objectives at home and at work.

Gretchen begins her book with a test we need to take to identify our most important Tendency: Upholder, Obliger, Rebel, and Questioner.  Gretchen tells us: You are the best judge of yourself.  If you believe that a different Tendency describes you better, trust yourself.  I took the test and the results told me that I am a Questioner.  This result is  accurate, but like the good questioner that I am, I question the validity of Gretchens test.  Is it reliable, valid, independent, and comprehensive?  The answer is no.  We need to do just what Gretchen says; that is, look at the descriptions of each Tendency and decide for ourselves what Tendency describes us best.

Does the fact that her test is not valid mean that Gretchens book is useless?  Not at all.  Many readers are going to enjoy Gretchens relaxed and breezy style of writing as she talks about our Tendencies and how they affect our interactions with people at home and at work.  Her book is often a fun read.  Her book may not qualify as science, but her observations about people are often valid.  She says about me that I put a high value on reason, research, and information.  Absolutely!  Also, she tells me that I make decisions based on information and reason.  Right again.  She goes on to say that as a Questioner I hate anything arbitrary.  Well, hate is too strong a word, but by and large she is correct.  Gretchen described me well and I  think many other people who read her book are going to agree that one of her Tendencies is going to accurately describe the way they behave with people at home and at work.

Most self-help books and self-help tests don't qualify as science.  Even a famous test like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) has received much criticism from scientists.  That criticism does not stop more than 2.5 million people from taking this test every year.  We should be guided by science, but not ruled by it, at least in my opinion.  Remember, as a Questioner I even question some of the results science gives us, particularly when these results come from our doctors.  My doctor tells me that science tells him that taking supplements like glucosamine for knee pain is useless.  I question his findings; my glucosamine supplement definitely helps my knees.  My doctor tells me it is all in my head.  I tell him my head is not a bad place to start if my head helps relieve the pain in my knees.

Gretchens test for the four Tendencies may not be valid according to strict scientific standards, but much of her advice and counsel is valid, at least for me.  Additionally, Gretchen invites readers to participate in her blogs and web site.  She wants to open up communication with as many readers as are interested in communicating with her and other like-minded people.  Her book will provide all the particulars readers need to hook up with her.
4171719
This is an excellent book. Author Michael Salmon wastes no words, but provides a series of tips, questionnaires, checklists and exercises that will help everyone, even the most introverted, build a network productively and use it effectively. There is no fluff here, and minimal self-promotion. The book is mostly meat. The author is extraordinarily well organized and to the point. His advice on how to categorize relatives, friends and acquaintances may seem cold, but it is indispensable. Similarly, he recommends becoming a resource to others so that they may someday become a resource to you - a utilitarian and self-serving approach to human relations, but if you have no other reason to help people, this is not a bad one. One quibble: the book is repetitious and illustrates the hard truth with soft little imaginary anecdotes. That's more a fault of the genre than of the author. If you are in job search mode, We highly recommends this book to you. As the folks back home might say, write when you get work.
2941871
****
"Is it possible for a psychologist to hear just a few words from you and immediately know what makes you tick? Could this psychologist use cutting-edge science to detect your inner desires from subtle patterns in your use of language--beyond anything you were conscious of saying? The answer to both questions is Yes." --Daniel Wegner, Harvard Psychologist & author

Since we learn to speak very early in our lives, enjoying our interactive communication skills, that reflect the core of our human tradition and social intelligence, in talks and discussions. In recent years, we struggled to match the an unprecedented innovations and virtual speed due to the communication ingenuity advancement of cell phones to I-phones, and explosive use of text messages and tweets, generating a massive rush of words within each hour of the waking day. Utilizing computational analytic tools, Pennebaker exposes all sorts of writings from advertisements on E bay, to our writings, in quizzes, we can take to yield so many unexpected insights. What was hiding inside our unconscious mind, could now be identified in the deluge of language, and exposed with analytical insights into ourselves on how do we think, and make sense of our own feelings.

A preposition links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. It indicates the temporal, spatial or logical relationship of its object to the rest of the sentence. Our most forgettable words, pronouns and prepositions, can be revealing; their frequency and patterns are as distinctive as our fingerprints, and are capable of conveying our identity. In his book, "The Secret Life of Pronouns," eminent social psychologist, and philologist James Pennebaker, utilizes computer-aided information processing in his insightful original research, of intrinsic linguistic analysis, to identify, and count certain words recurrence. He employs such statistics to show, with certainty, that our language usage reveals few secrets about our unconscious feelings, and personal concept.

Social psychologist and linguistic philologist Pennebaker uses his analytical auto-research techniques of computational linguistics, to identify, and count the recurring frequency of some words, we habitually use. He demonstrates that our daily use of language hides personal secrets about ourselves, our feelings, and self-conception. Pennebaker, using penetrating psychological rays, on every writing from E-bay advertisements to our own, could normally reveal some unexpected personal secrets. What seemingly alike characters have in common, and how President Obama and King Lear appear among the figures who make brief appearances in this surprising tour of what our slipping words are disclosing, even if we do not mean them.

Dan McAdams, of N. W. University gave the book a fine review: In this entertaining and sharply illuminating book, James Pennebaker shows that the words you use in everyday talk reveal surprising insights into personality, social relationships, status, leadership, sex, and human nature. I suspect that he could decode the pronouns and the functions words I write now to describe him in such a way as to reveal deep secrets about me! But I will write them anyway, and here they are: He is one of the smartest, funniest, and most creative psychologists you will ever meet.

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Language-Literature-and-the-Learner-Creative-Classroom-Practice-Applied-Linguistics-Language-Study/dp/0582293235/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Language, Literature, and the Learner: Creative Classroom Practice (Applied Linguistics & Language Study)</a>
4027006
Great read! Although this retired FBI agent is also a lawyer, he knows how to write in a straightforward, simple, interesting and often humorous manner. His accounts were very interesting, educational, insightful and down-to-earth.

This is one of the best non-fiction books that I have ever read. It is the kind of book that is hard to stop reading. Congratulations to retired FBI Special Agent William Rehder on an exemplary law enforcement career and for co-writing such an exceptional book.
3618702
I recommend this book to anyone wanting to know themselves better and anyone wanting to communicate with others better. The 10-Minute Quiz defines your primary and back-up colors. Once defined you will read about your personality type, your ideal careers, your ideal boss, your natural work related strengths, and your ideal work environment. You can then go on to read about people with color combinations different than yours and how to best communicate with each color combo. A very interesting yet easy book to read and comprehend.
4494378
This book should be read by everyone!  Whether you are a salesperson, a public speaker, or anyone that wants to communicate more effectively, this book will help you do it.  Written in a breezy, interesting style, the author gives great suggestions on how to make a presentation effectively.  It is a short book, by design.  My only regret about this book is that I was unaware of its existence until a month ago.

Executive summary. TV commercials are 30 seconds long for a reason. If you learn to keep your message short, to the point, and interesting, people will listen to you. Milo Frank lays out the steps in this wonderful gem of a book.

Outline:

1. Keep it to 30 seconds. People have a short attention span. It works for TV commercials. Three Basic Principles: Knowing what you want, who can give it to you and how to get it.

2. The Objective. Your objective is your goal, purpose or destination. You can have only one objective. In every form of communication, your thoughts and words should introduce, reinforce, or help you achieve your adjective. You do not have to state your objective except to yourself.

3. The Audience. Go to the right person, the person who can give you what you want. Know as many facts about the person's) you'll be talking to. Identify with your listener. What does he want from you, and what one thing more than any other will get a favorable reaction from him?

4. The Right Approach. The single thought or sentence that will best lead to your objective. The right approach will also take into consideration the needs and interest of your listener. It will give you focus and keep you on track toward achieving your objective.

5. The Hook. A statement or an object used specifically to get attention. Use your hook as the first statement in your 30 second message. It should relate to your objective, your listener, and your approach. A statement, dramatic or humorous. If it's a question, it must be answered. Anecdotes or personal experiences are excellent hooks. Your entire message can be a hook. Keep a hook book.

6. Your Subject. Catch them, Keep Them, Convince Them. What, who, where, when, why and how. Know your subject and present it as concisely and forcefully as possible.

7. Ask for the order. Action close calls for specific action within a specific time frame. The reaction, reverse-psychology close is the strategy o use when your best chance is to ask indirectly. Decide your close in advance.

8. Paint a picture. Imagery, colorful pictures. Clarity: don't use technical terms just to sound knowledgeable. Personalize it with a story. Use emotional appeal - touch the heart.

9. Spotlight on you. How you say it matters as much as what you say. First impressions: pen vs. pen in a box with a ribbon tied around it. SMILE! Inspires confidence and understanding, and makes a good first impression. Eye contact establishes sincerity. Every little movement matters. Posture reveals what you think of yourself and of your listener. Self-awareness. What you wear sends powerful signals, and shows you care. Facial expression: goal is spontaneity and sincerity. Be prepared and care about what you're saying. (Passion) Body Language: stand, don't sit. Voice: animation, enthusiasm, variety, informality, sincerity, color & variety, modulate your volume. Use pauses.

10. One or a Thousand: Great communication. Establish intimacy with your audience by making them feel that you're talking directly to them. Master, not memorize. Outline your talk: objective, approach, subject, hook, 5Ws. Start and finish without 3x5 cards. Stop talking if you look at notes. Even before you start, make eye contact with audience. Variety. Write an introduction for your introducer. Always leave them wanting more.

11. Any time, any place. The question turnabout: "you're absolutely right, and one other point is.." Know your objective, listener and approach before making any business phone call. The rules of the 30 second message also apply to memos, Thank You letters, and toasts.
1229264
This book has insights on history of speed reading, how to do it, benefit of this reading skill to a person's health, memory or intellect. Stefan easily explains the obstacles we have and how to overcome them. By the time you finish the book you will be able to measure how fast you're reading and can continue to practice with the techniques and exercises he gives.  With consistent practice, I am very certain that I can achieve reading at a considerable speed without compromising my comprehension skills.
2763315
The book is a great read talking about body language and how you can read anyones body language, which will help you in real life situations. It firstly explains what body language exactly is and talks about its sub-categories. The book than explains the art of reading body language in details, this was something I really enjoyed and found it to be very informative.
Overall, I highly recommend this book.
4976098
In today's world of rapidly increasing knowledge and information, speed reading is a must if you want to stay on top. I really enjoyed this book because it gave practical information on the logistics of speed reading, but also taught you how to maintain comprehension of what you read.  What difference does it make if you read fast if you can't understand it or retain it?  So I loved that this book had a section on comprehension as well. Great resource for teaching yourself how to speed read, I think I read faster as the book went along!