Book Review Mondays

The Psychology of Persuasion: How to Persuade Others to Your Way of Thinking
by Kevin Hogan

Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

There are a number of things that make this a valuable and worthwhile purchase. First, it is a very good introduction to the whole area of persuasion. Second, it is an easy read and full of interesting examples. Third, it has specific, practical exercises for readers to practice and use in their daily activities. Fourth, it goes over the 9 basic rules that people think about before they make their final decision on anything. Fifth, for those who have difficulty reading or remembering what they read, Hogan includes short summaries at the end of chapters that help readers grasp the information and make it easy for them to quickly review the material as they read. Sixth, the book is replete with lessons, tips, tools, and techniques on how to develop and apply the basic skills of persuasion. Step by step, Hogan explains how and why, and he does it masterfully. Seventh, a point I find particularly important, Hogan successfully uses research-based material and in his explanations and examples, they become user-friendly. While there is a great deal of jargon-filled information in persuasion, you will find this book jargon-free and, thus, highly accessible. Eighth, Hogan offers great insight into the human character and mind and although you may be able to get similar information in other books, he offers it here in a clear, easy-to-understand and apply, straightforward manner. Ninth, although the book is designed for everyone, and the principles apply to any and every aspect of influencing others, Hogan focuses at points directly on the work of salespeople, and if you are in sales, this is an essential resource. Tenth, there are six areas of the book that are especially strong (well presented): 1) hypnotic language, 2) neurolinguistic programming, 3) nonverbal communication, 4) building rapport, 5) ethics, and 6) outcome-based thinking. Just his treatment of these six areas alone, make this book a standout. For these reasons, this book is practical, useful, and insightful, and it will make a difference in your life.


Feeling Good Together: The Secret to Making Trouble Relationships Work
by David D. Burns

Book Review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.

Burns’ previous book, Feeling Good, sold over four million copies; this book has the potential of doing the same. It is outstanding. In this 255-page book, there are six parts and 30 chapters — approximately 8½ pages per chapter. Some of the intriguing chapter titles include, “Why We Secretly Love to Hate,” “Three Ideas That Can Change Your Life,” “How Good Is Your Relationship? The Relationship Satisfaction Test,” “The Price of Intimacy,” “Good Communication vs. Bad Communication,” “How We Control Other People,” “The Five Secrets of Effective Communication,” “The Disarming Technique,” “Intimacy Traing for Couples: The One-Minute Drill,” Part Five, “Common Traps—How to Avoid Them,” and “Positive Reframing: Opening the Door to Intimacy—and Success.” You can see, just from the titles, how the information he presents is directly tied to questions, problems, and issues that all couples face. The beauty of the book, however, and the practical, realistic tools Burns offers readers apply to all relationships, whether they are spouse, family, friends, or co-workers. I have always found Burns’ approach to readers direct, interesting, warm, and engaging, and his “radically different approach” in this book is labeled “Cognitive Interpersonal Therapy,” and if my interpersonal textbook had continued (the seventh edition of it was the last), I would have incorporated his basic principles of CIT in my textbook: 1) “We all provoke and maintain the exact relationship problems that we complain about.” 2) “We deny our own role in the conflict because self-examination is so shocking and painful, and because we’re secretly rewarded by the problem we’re complaining about.” 3) “We all have far more power than we think to transform troubled relations—if we’re willing to stop blaming the other person and focus instead on changing ourselves” (p. 36). The tables, bulleted points, suggested steps, and examples are helpful, realistic, and worthwhile. For anyone having relationship problems, wanting to avoid relationship problems, or wanting to know what kind of advice to give to others, this is an outstanding choice.

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Through our reading, researching, and writing, And Then Some Publishing (and our extended family of readers) mine volumes of books representing a wide variety of tastes. We use the books in our writing, test and try suggested techniques, and we read for enjoyment as well. We wouldn't spend the time reviewing the books if we didn't get something out of it. Read more reviews on other fantastic books at our BookWorksRules.com website.