By Dale Carnegie
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
The Dale Carnegie
books were available (and popular) when I was a student in college. I
never thought much about them until I became a speech-communication
major. They were easy targets of disdain at that time; after all, we
were gaining a college education in the very topics Carnegie addressed.
Besides, people were quick to point out, his books carried no
footnotes, references, or bibliography and were often perceived to be “a
pedestrian approach to communication.” Once again, in college you get
the sources for the ideas you espouse, therefore, it is thought, the
ideas are of “higher quality” because they can be supported with
credible references. Whether you accept this idea or not is irrelevant;
the only point I am making here is that as a young college student, I
knew of these books but never took them seriously.
Both books appear
like first-time editions with a 2011 copyright date and no
acknowledgment of previous editions. In the introduction, those who put
together this book excuse the use of old examples in this way: “Stand
and Deliver frequently draws on incidents and personalities from the
not-too-recent past. True, events such as the first Kennedy-Nixon
debate have been discussed before. But it would be a mistake to turn
away from one of the all-time best examples of public speaking issues
just for the sake of the calendar” (p. x). The quotations/examples used
throughout the book wreak of old age: Earl Nightingale, Harold
Macmillan, Winston Churchill, Andrew Carnegie, Theodore Roosevelt,
William James, W. Clement Stone, Henry Ford, Edwin Land, Franklin D.
Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, J. Pierpont Morgan, Carl Sagan, and
Woodrow Wilson, to name a few. Sports personalities cited include Knute
Rockne, Lou Gehrig, and Vince Lombardi among others. That said, the
book has been updated and includes, too, more recent examples.
The nuts and
bolts of public speaking, if that is what you are looking for, are
presented in the book Public Speaking Rules! All You Need for a GREAT
speech! which offers the basic essentials in an easy-to-read 170 pages.
If you are
looking for a straightforward advice book about public speaking with
numerous quotations and supporting examples, Stand and Deliver delivers
the goods. It is cogent, accurate, and reads quickly and easily. For
each chapter there are three quotations on a page followed by a blank
page. The quotations are interesting but not necessary, and their
elimination would reduce the size of this 240-page book by at least 20
pages.
Make Yourself
Unforgettable is a much denser book than Stand and Deliver. Many of the
examples/quotations still wreak of old age, and the advice contained is
a great deal of common sense. The advice is competent; however,
reading 224 pages of fairly dense text about relationships and
self-presentation may be too much for some people.
The information
in the book Relationship Rules: For Long-term Happiness, Security, and
Commitment can have the same satisfying results; however, this book is
easier to read, digest, and understand—and the information contained
here isn’t as dense as Carnegie’s.
For over twenty
years I wrote a college textbook, Understanding Interpersonal
Communication, 7th ed. (HarperCollins) which covered much of the same
information as that in Carnegie’s Make Yourself Unforgettable, and I
have to say that his material is accurate, interesting, and useful.
I thought his
advice on self-improvement is priceless: “Investment in yourself is
absolutely the best investment you can make for securing your future.
Yes, it takes some of your free time and energy, and you will have to
prioritize. But you’ll meet new people, you’ll make new friends, and
you’ll learn something. It’s an excellent bargain” (p. 191).
These books
deserve re-publication in this new form. The information and advice is
timeless and valuable. Any book that is specifically designed to help
people better themselves, understand others, and make a valuable
contribution to community and society merits attention.
Book 1: Stand and deliver: How to become a masterful communicator and public speaker can be purchased at Amazon.
And Book 2 : Make yourself unforgettable: How to become the person
everyone remembers and no one can resist can be purchased at Amazon too.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
The Amish way: Patient faith in a perilous world
By Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher
http://www.amazon.com/Amish-Way-Patient-Faith-Perilous/dp/0470520698/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1306370338&sr=1-1
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
The authors (each with a Ph.D. and professors at various colleges) are great writers and researchers and have a deep understanding and appreciation of Amish life and ways. There are 14 pages of notes and 6 pages of references.
I found several things appealing in this book. The first thing, the authors talk about in the preface: “We talked with a host of Amish people in the course of writing this book, and we quote many of them in the following pages” (p. xv). These quotations offer in-depth insights, revealing windows into Amish feelings and experiences, and an amazing reading experience.
The second thing I found appealing is how the authors emphasized throughout the book how Amish spirituality gives all members of their community “a framework for making decisions about marriage, family, work, and play—indeed, a framework that helps them face all the pleasures and uncertainties that human life entails” (p. xiii). I find the power of their spirituality fascinating.
The third thing is the influence/domination of community. A good example of community is explained on page 33: “A mother knows that if she is hospitalized, her congregation will help pay the bills, care for her children, and do the household chores until she recovers. The local church swings into action with meals and moral support after any sort of misfortune, from a catastrophic barn fire to a broken arm” (p. 33).
Perhaps one of the most astounding ideas is how they reject anything that smacks of activism. Not only do the Amish not concern themselves with world affairs, they do nothing (ever!) to try to change the world. It is not the Amish way. (Some might appreciate this approach and this simplicity. I do not.)
There is a great deal of information packed into this 192 pages of text material. There are three appendices, and in addition to the notes and references, there is a complete18-page index. With a tight organization plan, the book reads easily—especially because there are so many examples, and the sections within each chapter are short, vivid, revealing, and to the point.
Having directed a master’s thesis on the Amish in Ohio, I already had a good background of and interest in this topic; however, that being said, I found a great deal of new information in this book. Of all the books on the Amish I have read, this is by far the best of the bunch.
Whether you have an interest in the Amish or not, this book offers wonderful insights into one of America’s most interesting co-cultures and a truly American phenomenon. If you are simply looking for a great book that is entertaining, informative, and engaging, this is a fabulous choice. Five stars!
The Amish way: Patient faith in a perilous world can be purchased at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Amish-Way-Patient-Faith-Perilous/dp/0470520698/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1306370338&sr=1-1
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
The authors (each with a Ph.D. and professors at various colleges) are great writers and researchers and have a deep understanding and appreciation of Amish life and ways. There are 14 pages of notes and 6 pages of references.
I found several things appealing in this book. The first thing, the authors talk about in the preface: “We talked with a host of Amish people in the course of writing this book, and we quote many of them in the following pages” (p. xv). These quotations offer in-depth insights, revealing windows into Amish feelings and experiences, and an amazing reading experience.
The second thing I found appealing is how the authors emphasized throughout the book how Amish spirituality gives all members of their community “a framework for making decisions about marriage, family, work, and play—indeed, a framework that helps them face all the pleasures and uncertainties that human life entails” (p. xiii). I find the power of their spirituality fascinating.
The third thing is the influence/domination of community. A good example of community is explained on page 33: “A mother knows that if she is hospitalized, her congregation will help pay the bills, care for her children, and do the household chores until she recovers. The local church swings into action with meals and moral support after any sort of misfortune, from a catastrophic barn fire to a broken arm” (p. 33).
Perhaps one of the most astounding ideas is how they reject anything that smacks of activism. Not only do the Amish not concern themselves with world affairs, they do nothing (ever!) to try to change the world. It is not the Amish way. (Some might appreciate this approach and this simplicity. I do not.)
There is a great deal of information packed into this 192 pages of text material. There are three appendices, and in addition to the notes and references, there is a complete18-page index. With a tight organization plan, the book reads easily—especially because there are so many examples, and the sections within each chapter are short, vivid, revealing, and to the point.
Having directed a master’s thesis on the Amish in Ohio, I already had a good background of and interest in this topic; however, that being said, I found a great deal of new information in this book. Of all the books on the Amish I have read, this is by far the best of the bunch.
Whether you have an interest in the Amish or not, this book offers wonderful insights into one of America’s most interesting co-cultures and a truly American phenomenon. If you are simply looking for a great book that is entertaining, informative, and engaging, this is a fabulous choice. Five stars!
The Amish way: Patient faith in a perilous world can be purchased at Amazon.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Blur: How to know what's true in the age of information overload
By Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
http://www.amazon.com/Blur-Know-Whats-Information-Overload/dp/159691565X
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
Any book that seeks to assist readers in becoming more discriminating consumers, whatever the marketplace involved, should not just be commended, it should be welcomed, hailed, and widely read. This is certainly one of those books.
Over many years (over thirty now), I have been trying to encourage students (whether through lectures or textbooks) to critically analyze information from the Internet or material available via any media source. How successful I have been is always questionable, especially since people tend to believe that if it is in print or if it appears on an Internet site, it has credibility.
Their chapter titles clearly reveal their intent: 1) How to Know What to Believe Anymore, 2) We Have Been Here Before, 3) The Way of Skeptical Knowing The Tradecraft of Verification, 4) Completeness: What Is Here and What Is Missing? 5) Sources: Where Did This Come From? 6) Evidence and the Journalism of Verification, 7) Assertion, Affirmation: Where’s the Evidence? 8) How to Find What Really Matters, 9) What We Need from the “Next Journalism.” The Epilogue is entitled, “The New Way of Knowing.”
The authors of the book are both journalists with a great deal of experience, and they are clearly great writers. The narrative flows easily. Their numerous examples are interesting and engaging. Central to their thesis, are the questions they raise at the end of chapter 1: “How will we as citizens learn what is true? How will we find out what information we can trust in an age in which we are all our own experts and power has been ceded to everyone” (p. 11)? At the end of Chapter 2, they raise the question, “How so we identify, with our new tools and options, what information is reliable” (p. 25)? In Chapter 6, they ask: “How do we, as consumers, arrive at meaning in news? How well do we navigate the borders between fact and belief, between empiricism and our own preconceptions” (p. 115)?
Incidentally, I always enjoy the use of the scientific method as a way to develop discipline and sanity in testing hypotheses. In pages 116-119, the explanation is clear and precise—although I am skeptical that the average reader will understand all of its perameters or adopt the method in everyday life.
Unfortunately, the people who really need to read this book won’t, and I’m afraid that the predominant attitude regarding information that is printed (whether in newspapers, magazines, books, or on the Internet) is likely to be believed without analysis, question, or challenge. That, after all, is the status quo, and changing in any degree from what is known, accepted, and habitual is unlikely.
Just as speakers who deliver their ideas effectively (despite the worth, value, or ethical underpinning of the ideas themselves) tend to be believed without challenge, words in print often have the same effect. It would be great if it were otherwise, but it is not nor will it ever be.
At the end of Chapter 3, the authors delineate what I see as the major hurtle that must be overcome to increasing skepticism when it comes to information (especially that available on the Internet): “Identifying what you are reading is not simply a matter of buyer beware. You must learn to discriminate, to know what kind of journalism it represents, to discover the norms and motives lurking in the work—what the journalists are trying to do. It is the first step, but a critical one, in knowing what to trust. Once you have done this, then comes the work of knowing how to navigate, of walking the other steps of the skeptical way of knowing” (p. 56).
One thing the authors ought to consider is reducing the size (or focus) of this book to the process of verifying evidence. They already have all the information, and it could be condensed, organized effectively, and all the advice they provide and suggestions they offer, could then be sold (in a different package, of course) as a way to improve communication, increase citizen potency, and heighten information credibility—all to the benefit of a more responsible democracy. The problem of this book (for some readers) is that it is too long; there is too much information; and the needed advice, although obvious and available, may not have the effectiveness necessary. (I say this and yet enjoyed all the examples the authors supply that make this book illuminating.)
I especially loved Chapter 8, “How to Find What Really Matters,” for its practicality, directness, and sense. Their advice in answering the question, “Am I getting what I need from the news” (p. 165)? is spot on (pp. 165-169), and will make every reader a more capable consumer of news.
This is really an outstanding book that is incredibly enjoyable to read. The authors have done an outstanding job in delineating the problem and suggesting specific methods for solving it.
Blur: How to know what’s true in the age of information overload can be purchased at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Blur-Know-Whats-Information-Overload/dp/159691565X
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
Any book that seeks to assist readers in becoming more discriminating consumers, whatever the marketplace involved, should not just be commended, it should be welcomed, hailed, and widely read. This is certainly one of those books.
Over many years (over thirty now), I have been trying to encourage students (whether through lectures or textbooks) to critically analyze information from the Internet or material available via any media source. How successful I have been is always questionable, especially since people tend to believe that if it is in print or if it appears on an Internet site, it has credibility.
Their chapter titles clearly reveal their intent: 1) How to Know What to Believe Anymore, 2) We Have Been Here Before, 3) The Way of Skeptical Knowing The Tradecraft of Verification, 4) Completeness: What Is Here and What Is Missing? 5) Sources: Where Did This Come From? 6) Evidence and the Journalism of Verification, 7) Assertion, Affirmation: Where’s the Evidence? 8) How to Find What Really Matters, 9) What We Need from the “Next Journalism.” The Epilogue is entitled, “The New Way of Knowing.”
The authors of the book are both journalists with a great deal of experience, and they are clearly great writers. The narrative flows easily. Their numerous examples are interesting and engaging. Central to their thesis, are the questions they raise at the end of chapter 1: “How will we as citizens learn what is true? How will we find out what information we can trust in an age in which we are all our own experts and power has been ceded to everyone” (p. 11)? At the end of Chapter 2, they raise the question, “How so we identify, with our new tools and options, what information is reliable” (p. 25)? In Chapter 6, they ask: “How do we, as consumers, arrive at meaning in news? How well do we navigate the borders between fact and belief, between empiricism and our own preconceptions” (p. 115)?
Incidentally, I always enjoy the use of the scientific method as a way to develop discipline and sanity in testing hypotheses. In pages 116-119, the explanation is clear and precise—although I am skeptical that the average reader will understand all of its perameters or adopt the method in everyday life.
Unfortunately, the people who really need to read this book won’t, and I’m afraid that the predominant attitude regarding information that is printed (whether in newspapers, magazines, books, or on the Internet) is likely to be believed without analysis, question, or challenge. That, after all, is the status quo, and changing in any degree from what is known, accepted, and habitual is unlikely.
Just as speakers who deliver their ideas effectively (despite the worth, value, or ethical underpinning of the ideas themselves) tend to be believed without challenge, words in print often have the same effect. It would be great if it were otherwise, but it is not nor will it ever be.
At the end of Chapter 3, the authors delineate what I see as the major hurtle that must be overcome to increasing skepticism when it comes to information (especially that available on the Internet): “Identifying what you are reading is not simply a matter of buyer beware. You must learn to discriminate, to know what kind of journalism it represents, to discover the norms and motives lurking in the work—what the journalists are trying to do. It is the first step, but a critical one, in knowing what to trust. Once you have done this, then comes the work of knowing how to navigate, of walking the other steps of the skeptical way of knowing” (p. 56).
One thing the authors ought to consider is reducing the size (or focus) of this book to the process of verifying evidence. They already have all the information, and it could be condensed, organized effectively, and all the advice they provide and suggestions they offer, could then be sold (in a different package, of course) as a way to improve communication, increase citizen potency, and heighten information credibility—all to the benefit of a more responsible democracy. The problem of this book (for some readers) is that it is too long; there is too much information; and the needed advice, although obvious and available, may not have the effectiveness necessary. (I say this and yet enjoyed all the examples the authors supply that make this book illuminating.)
I especially loved Chapter 8, “How to Find What Really Matters,” for its practicality, directness, and sense. Their advice in answering the question, “Am I getting what I need from the news” (p. 165)? is spot on (pp. 165-169), and will make every reader a more capable consumer of news.
This is really an outstanding book that is incredibly enjoyable to read. The authors have done an outstanding job in delineating the problem and suggesting specific methods for solving it.
Blur: How to know what’s true in the age of information overload can be purchased at Amazon.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Better by mistake: The unexpected benefits of being wrong
By Alina Tugend
http://www.amazon.com/Better-Mistake-Unexpected-Benefits-Being/dp/1594487855/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305680517&sr=1-1
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
This is an excellent book. Not only is it well-written and well-researched, but the narration flows smoothly, and the research is incorporated easily and unobtrusively.
In seventeen pages in half the font size of the text, she includes a wonderful and quite extensive set of notes. Her bibliography, in the same reduced font size, extends for eleven pages.
Tugend truly knows what she is talking about, and not only does she offer examples with which all readers can identify, whether it is in raising children, in the workplace, medicine, aviation, genders, cultures, or individually, her insights and conclusions are on the mark.
I have used the research (the five dimensions) that Geert Hofstede, the Dutch psychologist, “has done over the years to identify and explain variations among societies” (p. 203), in my textbook, Communicating Effectively, 10th ed. (McGraw-Hill, 2012) for many years, and I was pleased to see Tugend’s endorsement of them. She said, “Nonetheless [despite his dimensions being “critiqued for failing to take into account minority societies within a dominant culture” (p. 205)], his work has proved very useful, and has withstood the test of time, in helping understand important cultural differences” (p. 205).
His examples of Hofstede’s dimensions are clear and helpful, and I plan to use one of them (with permission, of course), as a “Consider This” box or as an “Active Open-Mindedness,” or “Another Point of View” supplementary box. That is how good her material is.
I also appreciated Tugend’s continual reminders about how we (her readers) can successfully deal with mistakes, or how they can be dealt with in the various areas she writes about. In her “Conclusion,” she summarizes her advice by saying, “We all make our share of those [a faux pas or blunder], and that’s okay also. But if we can all forgive ours and others’ errors more often, if we can acknowledge that perfection is a myth and that human beings screw up on a regular basis—and we can either simply feel bad about it and find someone to accuse or learn from it—then swe are on the right track. Make no mistake about it” (p. 252).
This book is a “must read” for everyone. There are “unexpected benefits of being wrong” that all people need to read.
Better by mistake: The unexpected benefits of being wrong can be purchased at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Better-Mistake-Unexpected-Benefits-Being/dp/1594487855/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305680517&sr=1-1
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
This is an excellent book. Not only is it well-written and well-researched, but the narration flows smoothly, and the research is incorporated easily and unobtrusively.
In seventeen pages in half the font size of the text, she includes a wonderful and quite extensive set of notes. Her bibliography, in the same reduced font size, extends for eleven pages.
Tugend truly knows what she is talking about, and not only does she offer examples with which all readers can identify, whether it is in raising children, in the workplace, medicine, aviation, genders, cultures, or individually, her insights and conclusions are on the mark.
I have used the research (the five dimensions) that Geert Hofstede, the Dutch psychologist, “has done over the years to identify and explain variations among societies” (p. 203), in my textbook, Communicating Effectively, 10th ed. (McGraw-Hill, 2012) for many years, and I was pleased to see Tugend’s endorsement of them. She said, “Nonetheless [despite his dimensions being “critiqued for failing to take into account minority societies within a dominant culture” (p. 205)], his work has proved very useful, and has withstood the test of time, in helping understand important cultural differences” (p. 205).
His examples of Hofstede’s dimensions are clear and helpful, and I plan to use one of them (with permission, of course), as a “Consider This” box or as an “Active Open-Mindedness,” or “Another Point of View” supplementary box. That is how good her material is.
I also appreciated Tugend’s continual reminders about how we (her readers) can successfully deal with mistakes, or how they can be dealt with in the various areas she writes about. In her “Conclusion,” she summarizes her advice by saying, “We all make our share of those [a faux pas or blunder], and that’s okay also. But if we can all forgive ours and others’ errors more often, if we can acknowledge that perfection is a myth and that human beings screw up on a regular basis—and we can either simply feel bad about it and find someone to accuse or learn from it—then swe are on the right track. Make no mistake about it” (p. 252).
This book is a “must read” for everyone. There are “unexpected benefits of being wrong” that all people need to read.
Better by mistake: The unexpected benefits of being wrong can be purchased at Amazon.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Being happy: You don’t have to be perfect to lead a richer, happier life
By Tal Ben-Shahar
http://www.amazon.com/Being-Happy-Perfect-Richer-Happier/dp/0071746617
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
There are a number of reasons why I liked this 228-page (of text) book, the first of which is that it is very well written. Ben-Shahar is an engaging writer.
Second, I found the book educational. Ben-Shahar includes six pages of references, then his four pages of notes are abbreviated, and all his notes come from his references. The way he incorporates his sources throughout the book is smooth and comfortable—not the least bit awkward. It will not take you, as a reader, long to discover that Ben-Shahar is not only well-educated, but the breadth of his knowledge is impressive as well.
Third, I enjoyed his personal insights, stories, and references because they offer additional depth to the book. I thought the idea of moving from a perfectionistic point of view (or approach to life) to an optimalist is reasonable. Also, it is a move that people can accomplish with dedication, patience, and persistence—requirements, obviously, for anyone who wishes to make changes in his or her life.
Fourth, I identify with Ben-Shahar. It is clear that he is a teacher, and I thought his “Time-In” sections and end-of-the-chapter exercises were spot-on. Anyone with a serious desire to shed his or her perfectionistic tendencies to become happier and more fulfilled, will find ideas in this book that will help them change—to move in more positive directions.
I am not suggesting by my comments that Ben-Shahar’s material is all new, that it is revelatory, that it is earth-shattering, or involves huge changes in one’s life. There is a great deal of common knowledge and common sense here. Often, those who are seeking changes in their lives need assistance.
Reading this interactive book is a little like walking with a mentor’s hand on your shoulder. The mentor is offering assistance through suggestions, advice, and warm counsel. He, like a good teacher, is encouraging, motivating, comforting, supportive, positive, and reassuring. If that is an approach you appreciate, then this book is a great choice. To keep it handy is like having a counselor or tutor at arm’s length.
Being happy: You don’t have to be perfect to lead a richer, happier life can be purchased at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Being-Happy-Perfect-Richer-Happier/dp/0071746617
Book review by Richard L. Weaver II, Ph.D.
There are a number of reasons why I liked this 228-page (of text) book, the first of which is that it is very well written. Ben-Shahar is an engaging writer.
Second, I found the book educational. Ben-Shahar includes six pages of references, then his four pages of notes are abbreviated, and all his notes come from his references. The way he incorporates his sources throughout the book is smooth and comfortable—not the least bit awkward. It will not take you, as a reader, long to discover that Ben-Shahar is not only well-educated, but the breadth of his knowledge is impressive as well.
Third, I enjoyed his personal insights, stories, and references because they offer additional depth to the book. I thought the idea of moving from a perfectionistic point of view (or approach to life) to an optimalist is reasonable. Also, it is a move that people can accomplish with dedication, patience, and persistence—requirements, obviously, for anyone who wishes to make changes in his or her life.
Fourth, I identify with Ben-Shahar. It is clear that he is a teacher, and I thought his “Time-In” sections and end-of-the-chapter exercises were spot-on. Anyone with a serious desire to shed his or her perfectionistic tendencies to become happier and more fulfilled, will find ideas in this book that will help them change—to move in more positive directions.
I am not suggesting by my comments that Ben-Shahar’s material is all new, that it is revelatory, that it is earth-shattering, or involves huge changes in one’s life. There is a great deal of common knowledge and common sense here. Often, those who are seeking changes in their lives need assistance.
Reading this interactive book is a little like walking with a mentor’s hand on your shoulder. The mentor is offering assistance through suggestions, advice, and warm counsel. He, like a good teacher, is encouraging, motivating, comforting, supportive, positive, and reassuring. If that is an approach you appreciate, then this book is a great choice. To keep it handy is like having a counselor or tutor at arm’s length.
Being happy: You don’t have to be perfect to lead a richer, happier life can be purchased at Amazon.
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