Editorial Review

More than 100 pages of new, cutting-edge content.

Forget the old concept of retirement and the rest of the deferred-life plan–there is no need to wait and every reason not to, especially in unpredictable economic times. Whether your dream is escaping the rat race, experiencing high-end world travel, earning a monthly five-figure income with zero management, or just living more and working less, The 4-Hour Workweek is the blueprint.

This step-by-step guide to luxury lifestyle design teaches:
•How Tim went from $40,000 per year and 80 hours per week to $40,000 per month and 4 hours per week
•How to outsource your life to overseas virtual assistants for $5 per hour and do whatever you want
•How blue-chip escape artists travel the world without quitting their jobs
•How to eliminate 50% of your work in 48 hours using the principles of a forgotten Italian economist
•How to trade a long-haul career for short work bursts and frequent “mini-retirements”

The new expanded edition of Tim Ferriss’ The 4-Hour Workweek includes:
•More than 50 practical tips and case studies from readers (including families) who have doubled income, overcome common sticking points, and reinvented themselves using the original book as a starting point
•Real-world templates you can copy for eliminating e-mail, negotiating with bosses and clients, or getting a private chef for less than $8 a meal
•How Lifestyle Design principles can be suited to unpredictable economic times
•The latest tools and tricks, as well as high-tech shortcuts, for living like a diplomat or millionaire without being either ... Read more

Reviews

Better Than The First Version By A Very Long Shot . . . Definitely Worth The Investment
I reviewed the first edition of The Four Hour Workweek and was surprised by the content, it was a fresh look at a new idea (Lifestyle Design) and it offered some really practical, useful advice that virtually anyone could implement. I recommended the book to many people, most liked it some didn't.

I eagerly pre-ordered this version of the book when I first heard about it mostly because I was curious if it would really be better . . . and boy was it!

I sat down with this book and read until the wee hours of the morning. Sure a lot of the material is the same, but there are around 100 new pages of material and that material is what the first edition desperately needed. The new material is solid examples, case studies, new resources and it addresses how to navigate lifestyle design in a rapidly changing economy.

Tim includes a list of things learned in 2008 along with lessons learned, this section of the book was priceless. Here are a few of the things he talks about:

1. Don't accept large or costly favors from strangers - Exceptions, uber-successful mentors who are making introductions and not laboring on your behalf.

2. You don't have to recoup losses the same way you lose them - An interesting discussion of mortgages.

3. One of the most universal causes of self-doubt and depression: Trying to impress people you don't like (This one really hit home with me . . . hard)

4. Slow meals = life

5. Money doesn't change you; it reveals who you are when you no longer have to be nice.

6. It doesn't matter how many people don't get it. What matters is how many people do.

7. I should not invest in public stocks where I cannot influence outcome (Another hearty agreement from me).

The list goes on as does the new information in the book. This one is a must read for anyone who wants to break the slave-save-retire cycle and live on purpose now.

Reading Comprehension is Key
I'd like to preface this review with something interesting about the Amazon reviews for this book. Many 1-star reviewers accused the 5-star reviewers of being "plants." Especially the ones who hadn't reviewed a book before on Amazon. How do they know that the person wasn't just so moved by the book they made their first Amazon review? We all had that first book we reviewed at one point or another. And extreme feelings about a book, either extreme love or extreme hate, tend to motivate one to share that view with the world.

What I found amazing was, most of the 1-star reviews were reviews of positive reviews, not the book, even though they claimed to be reviews of the book. With all that was taken out of context and twisted, it was clear that most of the 1-star reviewers either didn't read the book or don't have sufficient reading comprehension to be a critic of anything. I find this unfortunate since many negative-minded people read these reviews and respond with things like: "This was what I suspected, glad I didn't waste my money." I'm not sure what exactly the threat is in exploring new ideas whether you agree with them or not, at least allow your mind the opportunity to choose.

This book is not about being lazy. It's not a get-rich quick scheme. It's not about being dishonest or unethical. It became very clear that some people really truly believe that working few hours on work you hate to free up time for more productive and meaningful life activities is somehow "immoral." I guess the Puritanical mentality this country started out with (earliest settlers here) has seeped deeper into our overall culture than we once imagined.

I used to be very held back by the notion of "the other people in the world who are suffering." i.e. why should I seek to make my life situation better when it seems selfish compared to all the starving Ethiopian children, for example. But the crux of the issue is this... I am either helping, being helped, or breaking even. Breaking even would be when a person barely scrapes by enough to support and take care of their own family unit (people living in the house with them.) They are often in debt, middle-class generally, but living paycheck to paycheck or not far above it. They live from scarcity rather than abundance and so any little bit they have over they have to save rather than use to help someone else.

Others are constantly "being helped" by the government, by charities, by whoever. Now I'm not making a moral judgment against either of these groups of people. Living in a money-based instead of a community-based society is hard. However... people often rush to judge those who either HAVE money or WANT to have money as automatically immoral or bad people. And that's not true. Who do you think the helpers are? It's certainly not the people who need help, and it's not the people in that middle class prison that can't seem to get ahead. It's the people who have extra money TO help. And those are also the people who volunteer the most because surprise surprise they have more TIME to donate than any of the other groups.

So I think people would benefit themselves quite a bit if they changed their attitude about acquiring money. Yes, there will always be greedy people who acquire at the expense of others. There will always be people who are materialistic and just want more and more useless "stuff." But then there are others who acquire money and more personal freedom who use a good portion of both of those assets to help others. And contrary to what many readers seemed to get out of the book (or out of their reading of the reviews only), the author's message isn't about being greedy, but about acquiring freedom and then using that freedom for something that benefits both you and others at the same time.

Pointless drudgery and suffering for the sake of it is... pointless. It's not character building necessarily and it doesn't make you a better person necessarily. And especially if a lot of the suffering is self-imposed based on a refusal to think outside of a very limiting box.

The author's definition of the "new rich" is a sliding barometer. For example his view (and I agree) is that someone who makes $40,000 a year and is totally 100% mobile and can live ANYWHERE in the world, and go anywhere in the world, is far more rich than someone making $500,000 a year who hates their job, works 80 hour weeks and is trapped in one location (usually a very expensive American city like NY or LA.) This is very true. You'd be amazed by the variable in quality of life for your dollar depending on where you live, even just in the United States there is huge variability.

This book explores a lot of ways for you to simplify your life and get work done with as soon as possible so you can get on to other things. Timothy Ferriss is NOT saying that you can work 4 hours a week starting tomorrow. The goal of this particular book for this particular outcome is one of two things: either to work remotely for your employer and increase productivity to the point that you can work fewer hours (though probably more than 4 a week) from home or anywhere else you are, or starting a business with the goal of automation at the end. i.e. internet business, product-based businesses (online), information products. You do a lot of work on the front end to create a product and set up an infrastructure so you don't have to continue to micromanage the business forever. You can go on to doing other things, either another income stream or micro-business on another topic/idea/product, or some other activity that interests you.

This is the kind of track I'm on and have been on for a little while now. This book wasn't overly novel to me because I'd already been initiated into this type of "Freedom-based" thinking through books like: "Unjobbing: The Adult Liberation Handbook," "Making a Living Without a Job," and "How I found Freedom in an Unfree World," all amazing books and paradigm shifters that make you take stock of what YOU want and not what you're "supposed" to want and that also make you look at money and acquiring it in whole new ways. Every single one of them is valuable in their own right and reading those books probably made this book far less "out there" to me. Since apparently it seems pretty "out there" to a lot of people.

I've owned a service business before (wedding coordinating) and a craft business (candlemaking) and on both fronts I realized quickly that even if I was spectacularly successful, that there was a definite ceiling on the amount of money I could earn with either without adding significant complication into the mix (i.e. working long hours indefinitely and employees which I would then have to manage.) In the case of candles I could have gone an entirely different route into outsourcing manufacturing, but then it would cease being a "crafts" business and turn into just retail.

There is a common saying among entrepreneurs that they would rather work 16 hours a day for themselves than 8 hours a day for someone else. Well I don't even want to work 8 hours a day. It's not that I'm lazy, I just have other things to do, and if you enhance your productivity there really is no genuine reason to work that many hours a day. Most people in 9-5 jobs are getting about 3-4 hours of genuine WORK done a day. Well that's about what I do, but I just do it in a concentrated effort and don't get sidetracked by other things. Some days I work 6 hours especially when I'm in the new phase of a project, but that's about my max. Granted, we are talking about income producing activities here. This doesn't include cooking and cleaning which is also technically work, or exercise, which is a form of work. I enjoy exercise, but I enjoy most of what I do to one degree or another so liking or not liking the activity can't be the barometer for what is and isn't work.

Anyway this is an incredibly long-winded way of saying that I really enjoyed this book, and didn't find it that "out there." It's somewhat amusing to see the people who "do" find it that "out there" because I don't really think I'm an impractical person. But I will admit that it has probably helped that I'm so stubborn, I just pretty much refused to buy into many of the ideas I was "supposed" to buy into regarding work. So even with the first paradigm-shifting book I read in this category, I was open to the ideas. I'm not a lazy person but I also don't mistake "busyness" for productivity or accomplishment.

I was already familiar with a lot of the mentalities and ideas in the book from my exposure to the above mentioned books as well as learning experiences I've already had in business and things I'd figured out on my own, but I did learn a few new techniques and he also helped to boil down some things for me that will be useful in launching my next income stream which will hopefully eventually replace the freelance work I'm doing now. Because the goal eventually is automation so I can free up time to just write what I want (with or without big profit at the end of it), and focus on other pursuits.

One of the top 3 influential books I have read!
Brief Background: I owned and operated 4 bookstores in Austin, Tx for 13 years. I have read a lot of books and have sold many books on being successful in business and life. This is my first review.
I was given this book by a business partner and I was reluctant to read one more book on the secrets of a great life. I was fascinated and hooked after the first few pages. I am going to keep this simple. If you are clear that greatness is inside of you, then this book is for you. If you are clear that you have nothing to offer, then this book is for you. This book is a paradox as is Tim Ferriss. This is not a get rich quick book. It is a book that gives you all you need to have an amazing life. And along the way you may get rich. If you just do part of what he says your life will be great. If you attempt all of his recommendations...who knows. He gives you assignments at the end of every chapter to explore your limitations. Thanks Tim for pushing yourself beyond what experts said you couldn't do.

P.S.
Because of Tim's book I started 6 internet websites...3 made me zip and didn't cost me much except some time and a little money(under $100 each). The other 3 are making me a total of $2000 a month profit for the last 6 months. I also drastically reduced the amount of time I work at my other business'. ... Read more

Editorial Review

How to Win Friends and Influence People is the first, and still the finest, book of its kind. One of the best-known motivational books in history, Dale Carnegie's groundbreaking work has sold millions of copies, has been translated into almost every known written language, and has helped countless people succeed in both their business and personal lives.

First published in 1937, Carnegie's advice has remained relevant for generations because he addresses timeless questions about the fine art of getting along with people: How can you make people like you instantly? How can you persuade people to agree with you? How can you speak frankly to people without giving offense? The ability to read others and successfully navigate any social situation is critically important to those who want to get a job, keep a job, or simply expand their social network.

The core principles of this book, originally written as a practical, working handbook on human relations, are proven effective. Carnegie explains the fundamentals of handling people with a positive approach; how to make people like you and want to help you; how to win people to your way of thinking without conflict; and how to be the kind of leader who inspires quality work, increased productivity, and high morale.

As Carnegie explains, the majority of our success in life depends on our ability to communicate and manage personal relationships effectively, whether at home or at work. How to Win Friends and Influence People will help you discover and develop the people skills you need to live well and prosper. ... Read more

Reviews

Wonder if he knew people would be reading this 75 years later
I doubt it, but when you tap into fundamental aspects of human nature in a way that helps people that's what happens. You've probably heard about this book, as it's one of those titles that have become part of the cultural lexicon (like CATCH-22). Written in 1936, it is based on courses in public speaking that had been taught in adult education courses by Dale Carnegie since 1912 (and to put to rest a popular assumption, he was no relation to the magnate Andrew Carnegie). It is an unusual little book, written in a highly personalized, colloquial style that is reminiscent of a great lecture. This book was designed with professionals in mind, and designed to help professional people do better in business by helping them make social contacts and improve their speaking skills. It was also written with a certain...earnestness in mind. Carnegie was a big believer in sincerity when it came to dealing with other people.

The book has six major sections. The core principles of each section are outlined below:

Fundamental Techniques in Handling People: Don't criticize, condemn, or complain. Give honest and sincere appreciation. Arouse in the other person an eager want.

Six Ways to Make People Like You: Become genuinely interested in other people. Smile. Be a good listener, etc. etc.

Twelve Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking: Avoid arguments. Show respect for the other person's opinions. If you're wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. etc. etc.

Be a Leader / How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment: Begin with praise and honest appreciation. Talk about your own mistakes first. etc. etc.

Emotional Intelligence 2.0 is another book you'll likely want to read. It's the only modern book I've come across that addresses dealing with people this effectively.

The In's and Out's of Human Nature
A classic (originally published in the 30's) and a must-have, this timeless piece of work can help just about anybody get along better with others and win them over to their way of thinking. Don't have a lot of time to spare? Don't worry. The book is divided into short sections, each one devoted to a particular principle that is well illustrated with many practical examples. In this way, you can read a chapter quickly, stop and do other things you have to do if necessary, and get back to the book when you have time- all without losing continuity.

Thoroughly entertaining by using fun and interesting examples, I don't think many readers will regret checking this one out and I like to think of this book as a kind of Human Relations 101 of sorts. Also recommend The Sixty-Second Motivator for further reading on motivational principles.

Timeless People Skills
This book is indeed potentially life changing, as so many of the reviews have stated. It continues to speak volumes into my daily interactions with people even though I listened to it nearly four years ago.

I have found that following its advice does not make me phony or narcissistic - rather just the opposite (I suppose you can choose to try to pretend to care about people, but people are wiser than that). The book promotes understanding others' behavior and could have the very positive effect of reducing day-to-day conflict. Your blood pressure could lower and relationships flourish. It certainly has had this effect in my life.

And the(at times)dated language? Classic!

I recommend it highly!

Common sense advice, but beware the unwritten chapter
I won't waste your time with a rundown of what "How to Win Friends and Influence People" is about. With over 400 reviews on Amazon, with over 15 million copies sold, and with a very self-explanatory title, I think you all get it. For the rare person who may not know what this book is about, here's a succinct description: in 1930s vernacular prose, Dale Carnegie explains that by appealing to the other person's highest ideals, remembering the other person's name, letting the other person do most of the talking, speaking in terms of the other person's interests, allowing the other to save face, by "throwing down a challenge," etc., you can make a friend out of just about anyone.

The advice is largely sound, but I think the reader should keep in mind the context within which this book was written. "How to Win Friends and Influence People" was written in the 1930's and intended primarily as a companion book to Dale Carnegie's classes on how to be a good salesman. In other words, these techniques work very well in the context of sales and public relations, i.e., in relationships that are not expected to be deep and/or long-lasting. I wouldn't recommend using these techniques on close personal friends. Doing so may make a person come across as a bit "plastic."

Also, there is one major point that I think needs to be remembered, but unfortunately is nowhere to be found in "How to Win Friends and Influence People." During my research of Dale Carnegie's techniques, I came across what I believe may be the only biography available about him: Dale Carnegie: The Man Who Influenced Millions by Giles Kemp and Edward Claflin. This book reveals many interesting things, such as the fact that Dale Carnegie grew up poor; he lost part of his left index finger when he was a child; he often broke many of the tenets set forth in this book, often forgetting others' names, often arguing with others, etc. But what I found most interesting was that the last chapter of "How to Win Friends" was to describe those individuals with whom none of Dale Carnegie's techniques work. In this unpublished chapter, Carnegie wrote that there were some people with whom it was impossible to get along. You either needed to divorce such people, "knock them down," or sue them in court.

Why is that chapter absent from this book, you ask? Well, Dale Carnegie was in the middle of writing this chapter when he was offered a trip to Europe, and rather than complete this last chapter he decided to take the trip. The uncompleted book was sent off to publishers, and Carnegie shipped off to Europe.

Giles Kemp and Edward Claflin say that given the optimistic tone of the rest of "How to Win Friends," the European trip was perhaps the better choice. Reconciling the the unwritten chapter with the rest of this optimistic book would've been nearly impossible, they say.

Anyway, I think that this unpublished chapter is important to keep in mind. I had to learn the hard way that the unpublished chapter is very true. There are some people with whom it is impossible to get along. When you meet up with such people, and believe me you will, don't think that you've failed the Carnegie techniques. Instead, remind yourself that you are experiencing exactly what Carnegie describes in that pragmatic, unpublished chapter. And then quickly move on to the nicer people!

Andrew Olivo

This book is endlessly simple and deceptively complex
It was facinating to read the other reviews of this book. I can't help but be struck by how simple minded many of the negative comments about the book are. What they don't understand is that the vast majority of people are motivated by the desire to be appreciated. Because we are all so consumed with our own desire to be appreciated we often miss that elementry fact. The principles of this book are simple, but their implications are complex. Therefore, its occasional simplicity could never deminish its greatness. It seems to me that those who hold negative comments about this book felt as though they were being tricked. Remember, Dale teaches that we should communicate "honest, sincere" appreciation and admiration of others. Phoney is phoney whether it is in 1937 or 1997. Dale would never advocate the use of untruths in winning friends. People are not stupid, simply naturally motivated a few common factors. Some readers became defensive believing that they are to smart to fall for these techniques. But, you see, they are caught up in their own sense of selfworth, their own sense of importance. What a shame that the brilliance of the book was lost on them. Other readers had the ability to recognize that they were also motivated by a desire to be appreciated. Those are the readers who have changed the way they see human interaction. Man is a complex animal filled with instinct and the ability to reason. There are certain situations that cause the vast majority of people to react in the same manner- this is instinct. A perfect example is a smile from another. Your first impression of that person is that he is friendly. This thought is involuntary. That fact that we all respond positively to a smile does not mean that we are being tricked. We are simply receiving the nourishment that we crave. Still don't believe me. Imagine this situation honestly. You have always believed that Tom from work is an ass. But yesterday you had a conversation with you best friend from work when the subject of Tom came up. Your friend says to you, "Well, I don't know what you've done to Tom to make him think you are so great, but earlier today he told me that you are the most valuable employee in the company and that your integrity as a human being is unmatched". What do you think about Tom now? You can't help but to like him can you? I would like him. Why? My new openion of him is involuntary. I think I am important and deserving of recognition just like every other human being on the planet, and he gave me what I craved just like every other human being, honest sincere appreciation. If you liked the book, read it again. If you didn't like it, read it again. Otherwise, you will be doomed to wallow in your own ignorance of human relations forever.

Aaron J. Ruckman

A Classic For Success
Dale Carnegie had made motivation into an art. Moreover, he had made his form of motivation into an American institution. Find out how an average person can achieve much through the right forms of inspiration, perspiration, and influence. In How to Win Friends and Influence People, you learn about the human factor of success and how principles applied almost 70 years ago, still speak true today.

A Masterpiece on the Subject of People Skills
Man is a social being - unless one chooses the way of the recluse or hermit, he will inevitably have to interact with people. Strangely, for most people who never encounter this book, they miss out on one of the most important keys to achieving happines and prosperity in Life.

It's been proven that success in any field is related MORE to "people skills" than to mere "technical know-how". And, NO-ONE has put together the principles by which these skills can be acquired better than Dale Carnegie. ... Read more

Editorial Review

If you've ever thought, "There must be more to life than this," The Art of Non-Conformity is for you.

Based on Chris Guillebeau's popular online manifesto "A Brief Guide to World Domination," The Art of Non-Conformity defies common assumptions about life and work while arming you with the tools to live differently. You'll discover how to live on your own terms by exploring creative self-employment, radical goal-setting, contrarian travel, and embracing life as a constant adventure.

Inspired and guided by Chris's own story and those of others who have pursued unconventional lives, you can devise your own plan for world domination-and make the world a better place at the same time.

... Read more

Reviews

Insightful and Empowering
Chris Guillebeau rocked the online world with his manifesto, "A Brief Gude to World Domination." This book is both useful and thought-provoking, providing both personal anecdotes and helpful suggestions for anyone who's not satisfied living life in the way everyone says you need to.

The book is divided into three sections. Part 1, The Remarkable Life, delves into setting one's own terms for living. This includes fear management and finding ways to "fight authority" without falling into the traps of ineffective sign-holding or getting beat up and arrested for smashing windows and burning down buildings. Part 2, Reclaiming Work, gives various strategies for making one's way without being permanently stuck in a cubicle doing mind-numbing work that is useless and meaningless. Part 3, The Power of Convergence, discusses finding one's legacy work and letting go of things which no longer serve you, be they excessive e-mails, clutter in your home or tasks you don't want or need to be doing.

Unlike other books of its kind, the Art of Non-Conformity features both description and prescription, offering useful suggestions and examples to help pave the way without being preachy. It is refreshingly idealistic without smacking of fantasy. It has an international perspective, and draws on inspiration of many people doing some great work around the world.

As a former wage slave turned freelance writer, the Art of Non-Conformity gave me many things to ponder, and I've been reflecting on changes I need to make both in my daily activities and long-term vision. I was also left with a list of useful resources and interesting people to look up. An added bonus is some great information on what Guillebeau terms "travel hacking," which gave me some great ideas for an upcoming trip of mine.

"Don't waste your time"
The previous reviewers have done great job summarizing the contents, and I'd simply like to add that one of the key messages of this book is "Don't waste your precious time for doing something you don't love or enjoy". He values his time - "4,440 minutes to fill with things you like to do every week" (from Chapter 9: Radical Exclusion and the Quest for Abundance"). Naturally, he doesn't want to waste your time either, if this book is not for you. On page 7, he has a list of characteristics he wants his readers to have, which I recite here:

1.You Must Be Open to New Ideas
2.You Must Be Dissatisfied with Status Quo
3.You Must Be Willing to Take Personal Responsibility
4.You Must Be Willing to Work Hard

If you read these four points and think "I am not that person", then this book probably isn't for you. For the rest of us, it's a must read. I am a mother of two young children, have my own business and plan to relocate the entire family within a year so our kids can have the experience of growing up in a culture so different from the United States. I encounter lots of questions or sometimes objections when I tell others about my goal, such as "What about your husband's job?" "Why would you leave this (wonderful/comfortable) life here in the U.S.?" "Isn't it risky?" "Aren't you worried?" At times I do think that I might be "crazy" for wanting this, but reading his book gave me a renewed sense of commitment towards my goal. Lastly, it's an enjoyable read as his writing style is very personal, yet direct. He doesn't sugar-code the truth but he also backs up the truth with his own experience and examples. If you have read this review this far, I highly recommend you give it a try.

The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World
I should start with a disclosure. I have a PhD in Sociology and I teach at a community college. These two facts color my reading of Chris Guillebeau's The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change the World in a way that other readers might not share.

I spend my days reading about and studying the gatekeepers and vampires that Guillebeau discusses and I am aware of even more devious and negative forces than he identifies. As a sociologist, however, one of the things that pleases me most about the book is the acknowledgment that other people exist. Far too many books in this genre forget the context in which one has to live an unconventional life. Guillebeau does not. He not only understands the need for dealing with those who would pressure a person to conform, but the need for a social structure to succeed (a "Small Army" he calls it) and the understanding of how one's actions affect the lives of others ("world domination"). We do not live our lives in a vacuum and Guillebeau's approach meets this context head on.

The thing that saddens me most about the book is that Guillebeau is not really that unconventional. Much of his advice and approach can be found in basic common sense and old fashioned understandings of how human beings should value their life, their time and other people. Most of what I read in this book I've heard before in other places. (Of course, I've lead a fairly unconventional life up to now and I share an influence in Barbara Sher, most notably her classic book, Wishcraft).

This saddens me because in our society this has become radical. It is radical now for a young person to ask themselves questions about their values, their talents, their desires, their legacy. It is radical to live apart from a centralized social and economic structure that is designed to encourage conformity and consumption. It is radical to question and create. It is radical to explore and discover.

Guillebeau is correct. It is radical and it will be met with resistance.

At community college I meet adult students of all ages who often are in school as an effort to change their lives. Unlike university settings, many of these students have already experienced some of their life and have already experienced disappointments. They have children. They have jobs. They struggle.

And as a sociology professor I have more bad news. I have to tell them that it is not the truth that education and a degree are magic entry into the middle class. I have to tell them that they are competing with other workers who have head starts on them because of social class structures and that the data connecting "a good education" with "a good paying job" is spurious because young people from middle and upper-middle class families with economic and social connections already in place get educations and degrees too, and then rely upon their parent's business connections to find the good paying job. In other words, the conventional life that Guillebeau so eloquently describes is often an illusion, available only to the few and the game is rigged in favor of that few.

But I remind them that there is good news in sociology as well. The good news is that the world in which we live is of our own making collectively. Most of what we perceive to be set in stone is merely the sum total of decisions made by individuals who are accepting scripts about life that can be questioned. In the questioning there is power. There is power to resist, power to drop out, power to change, power to be something different. The answers do lie in the unconventional and the nonconformity.

This book will not make you rich in the conventional sense. It is not a "10-easy steps" to life satisfaction. It is an honest account of a life well lived with some excellent pointers on how to get started living such a life. But in the end we must all live our lives as we choose within the context of everyone else living their lives as they choose.

So I am grateful for this book as a teacher and as a fellow traveler. It is a primer that I think anyone who is considering the question "What do I do?" should read. It is a book that I will be recommending a lot, as I have Guillebeau's website since finding it last year. It is a book that has helped me in making some decisions about my own path. It is a book that is needed in this time and this place.

--Pattie Thomas, Ph.D.

Much More Than "Blog To Book"
I've been a huge fan of Chris since I stumbled upon his blog post, "28 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Traveling." Over the last two years, I've followed his travels, his advice, bought a few of his digital products and have looked up to him as a mover-and-shaker in the "change the world for the better" community.

Which is why I was so nervous when I first opened this book.

I wondered to myself, Would Chris simply reformat and regurgitate his old posts and ideas? After delivering such stellar content on his blog and through his digital products, how could he possibly captivate me further in traditional book form?

Boy was I surprised. This book is chock-full of awesomeness. If you're like me and interested in pursuing a life on your own terms, it's a must-read. Having browsed a variety of books in this niche, I can tell you that it's not a traditional "self help" book. Through interesting case studies, personal anecdotes and calculated, powerful advice, Chris shows us that we can all take life by the reins and live remarkably, helping others in the process. It's an endearing book, one that I've already started to reread and take notes. My brain can't stop churning.

AONC Transforms Internal Burning Questions to External Reality
Chris Guillebeau in his blog of the same name (AONC) took the burning issues inside of us like "I hate my job" " I want more out of life" "I'm sick of living a materialistic existence" "I want to be free to travel or do what I love" and he gave thousands of his readers the insight of someone who isn't taking the conventional path (with helpful guideposts)--and the Hope that "Yes, I don't have to go down the traditional path!"

The Art of Non-Conformity (the book) goes so much further to respond to questions like:

� Can I really live life on my terms and not follow the conventional path (what about my job/school, money and bills)?
� Can I re-arrange my life to follow a life-long dream or goal and make it work?
� How will I know which dreams (and goals) are on the right track?
� How do I deal with the fear of the unknown?
� How do I create a legacy?

Chris' writing is thoughtful, charming, motivating--probing yet open--and it's what he does best. When I found Chris through his 279 Days to Overnight Success" manifesto, and despite the bold title (the book has some, too) I was caught off-guard by his insightful and well-organized ideas to becoming an "overnight" success. This AONC book has the same distinct style.

Really, who can't use Chris' To-Stop-Doing-List, so we can finally chuck the "To-Do" list? Isn't it about time we consider AONC topics like:

How to Fight Authority and Win
Building Your Own Net
Redefine Your Place of Employment
The Power of Your Own Small Army
Radical Exclusion
Contrarian Adventures

If you (like me) already love Guillebeau's blog and incredibly popular manifestos: "A Brief Guide to World Domination" and the sequel "279 Days to Overnight Success," I'm sure you'll love "The Art of Non-Conformity."

If this is your first encounter with AONC, I recommend this book for its straight-forward style, it's honest and introspective look and a focused plan that's less about the AONC phenomenon and more about you.

UPDATE: People who read the blog may know this already, but Chris is doing what he calls an "Unconventional Book Tour." He's touring basically all 50 US states (and 10 provinces in Canada)through January 2011 with one stop in each place. You can meet Chris and other local AONC fans, get your book signed and talk about "World Domination" AONC style. If you search on Google For Unconventional Book Tour, you'll find the schedule to sign up. I'll be at the one in Missoula, Montana and as a fan of the blog, look forward to meeting Chris and like-minded people.

How non-conformity will change the world
This is one of the best books I have ever read.

It isn't about nonconformity for nonconformity's sake. It's about nonconformity for the sake of making the world a better place. Conformity maintains the status quo, and I don't know if you've seen the news lately, but the status quo isn't looking like a boatload of rainbows and puppies.

We need a change, and Chris's book is a call to action. It's a perfect mix of inspiring and informative. Heck, I'm a professional nonconformist, and even I learned plenty of new things.

Not only that -- I learned things I'm ACTUALLY GOING TO DO.

Most books are written to be read. Chris's book is written to be acted upon.

Read it. Do it. Change the world.

This is Exactly What I Wanted to Read
So much has been written about living a better life, a real life. And so much of it sounds like everything else.

It's all the same, just noise.

But Chris Guillebeau is different. From a relative unknown just a few years ago, it seems this young man has taken the world by storm. His style, approach, insight and ideas are so fresh and effective that nearly every pro in the business has tipped his or her hat to his ability.

From business demigod Seth Godin to best-selling author Gretchen Rubin, everyone agrees that Chris is worth listening to...if you want to live an unconventional life, that is.

I have been waiting for his ideas to be outlined in one place, so I've been eagerly awaiting this book. And it didn't disappoint. If you want to change your life--finally escape the rat race/cycle/lifeless routine--The Art of Non-Conformity will show you the way, step by step.

From setting real goals and breaking free of authority to putting your own tiny empire in place, Chris will show you exactly what he thought and did to create the life every unconventional thinker dreams of.

This is one of the best books of its kind that I've ever read. (And don't get me started on the design!) ... Read more

Editorial Review

He says that's his best offer. Is it?

She says she agrees. Does she?

The interview went great—or did it?

He said he'd never do it again. But he did.

Read this book and send your nonverbal intelligence soaring. Joe Navarro, a former FBI counterintelligence officer and a recognized expert on nonverbal behavior, explains how to "speed-read" people: decode sentiments and behaviors, avoid hidden pitfalls, and look for deceptive behaviors. You'll also learn how your body language can influence what your boss, family, friends, and strangers think of you. You will discover:

• The ancient survival instincts that drive body language
• Why the face is the least likely place to gauge a person's true feelings
• What thumbs, feet, and eyelids reveal about moods and motives
• The most powerful behaviors that reveal our confidence and true sentiments
• Simple nonverbals that instantly establish trust
• Simple nonverbals that instantly communicate authority

Filled with examples from Navarro's professional experience, this definitive book offers a powerful new way to navigate your world.

Reviews

Advice from a 30 year law enforcement vet- BUY THIS BOOK!, April 15, 2009
I have been in law enforcement for close to 30 years on a large agency- I am always on the lookout for useful tools of the trade that I can use and pass along to my investigators. This book is great! It is packed with useful information. No, I am not a shill for this book and do not know the author- although I have met many professional law enforcement investigators who have written good books and manuals. I am impressed with the insights and natural techniques contained in this book. I am ordering a copy for all the investigators in my unit, I am that impressed with this book. Sure, there is always something about any book that does not satisfy a reader- but I honestly must say there is little about this book that I didn't like.

Thumbs Up-What does that tell you?, October 11, 2009
I thought some of the negative reviews were a bit critical of this book. This book lays a solid foundation to reading non verbal actions or "tells". I've read several other books on this subject and thought this was a solid read and I was very happy with my purchase. There is no single book offered that will turn you into an expert over night.

It is important to realize that reading people is a skill. You don't become great at it over night or an expert right after reading the book. Just like any other skill, you have to practice and work at it. You develop the skill of paying attention and picking up on the little things. Once you are able to do that, you then have to determine what all of those things mean. I'm a single male, small business owner and avid poker player. Being able to read people can be very useful in dating, business and at the poker table.

One thing that is very interesting is that some actions or "tells" are very common and seem to always mean the same thing. Other actions or "tells" are unique to each person. What may mean one thing for one person, may actually mean the opposite when done by another person. The "magic" of being able to read people is being able to determine what those actions mean for individual people. Sometimes it's not an action at all but it is what people DON'T say or do that can paint you the entire picture.

In my business, I use my ability to read people to determine whether or not they are being truthful or are uncomfortable with something. If I see them acting in a certain way that makes me believe they are uncomfortable, I go out of my way to explain things to them so that they might be more comfortable with the situation or outcome. In my personal life, I can determine whether or not my friends or family are having a good or bad day and/or might want or need something. This book should be a dating book as well. I can't stand dating. Not many people are very up front and honest about how they feel about another person, especially on a first date. I am not kidding you when I say that there are more non-verbal "tells" on a first date than in any other situation! If you want to know if a woman likes you or not, pay attention to her actions throughout the date. I'm not an expert, but I think I can figure it out in 10 minutes or less! (Good or bad!....ok, mostly bad, lol)

I enjoy playing poker. I play in home games and I play $1/$2 No Limit Hold Em in the casino poker rooms. This book really is a big help with poker tells. It's helped me make some extraordinary calls and folds. Several times I've stunned the entire table and the dealers with my reads. Just a few things off of the top of my head are, people who've made very strong hands will often tilt their heads while betting or thinking of betting, hold their hands together-touching only at the finger tips, bounce one leg like crazy (happy feet), slide their chips into the pot very slowly or gently or give off a genuine smile. People who have hit the flop also tend to look away right away if they notice they've hit their card(s). Normally people who hit the flop do not stare at the flop. People who are on drawing hands tend to call bets very quickly, seeming to give it no thought what-so-ever. People who have a poor hand or are on a bluff often force a smile (there is a difference if you pay attention!), or purse their lips together, have an increased blink rate, forcefully bet chips into the pot or speak very loudly as they announce "RAISE" or "ALL IN". They are trying to scare you or force you out of the pot. After reading this book, my poker reads went through the roof. I think it is because I was paying attention and putting more effort into it. I noticed another player at my home game would sometimes slide his chips into the pot without saying a word when he was all in. He keeps his chips in a big messy pile throughout the game. But sometimes he would actually take the time to count his chips and stack them neatly into the pot when he moved all in. He takes his time counting his chips and then announces the value amount to the table. When he counts them, he is bluffing. He wants his stack to be known in hopes of scaring off the other opponents. I call him with very weak holdings when he does this and I fold when he slides his chips into the pot without counting them or saying a word. He has no idea he is doing this and I'm not about to say a word! This tell is 100%. I actually saw another player do this in the casino and I made an extraordinary call to win the pot.

This book is full of good information to use in many situations. It teaches you the basics (and then some), but it is up to you to figure out how to put theory into practice and actually stay focused.

Great book, a must read for people wanting to understand the Reasons Behind our body language., November 12, 2008
Just finished the book this week, and I must say I am quite happy with my purchase! This is a great book that gives a very nice understanding of the limbic part of our brain (A part that reacts without conscious thought) and the reasons behind our body language to understand WHY the brain reacts with these certain resposes in our body language. One of the biggest troubles i'v had with body language is memerising what all the parts mean. But with this understanding of the Limbic brain I can now understand the WHY behind all the parts, and like other reviewers have said, this makes memorising SO MUCH easier as it changed the way I look at Body language.

For anyone really interested in body language, I would recommend you buy this book which will give you a great base understanding of the science behind our body language And then buy the "Definitive Book Of Body Language" Which in my view is like the "encyclopedia" of body language, These are the Must reads for Body language in my view. The combination of the two is really a knock out punch for a very good foundation in the understanding of Body Language.

Be More Aware of Messages you Send and Receive, August 10, 2008
This book can not only help you to be more aware of when to probe further about whether what someone says is inconsistent with what they may be feeling, but it also can help you be more aware of the messages you may be sending by your gestures, posture, etc. One of the things I like most about this book is that the author sets the expectation that you won't be able to know the "truth" based only on body language but that awareness of body language will help you to understand when you should be paying attention to other details of your interaction with someone. Anyone who works with people, especially in a customer-facing role, would benefit from reading this book.

The BEST Body Language book, September 12, 2009
This has to be the BEST book on body language available. The author gives you the groundwork for understanding the WHYs and HOWs behind gestures and behavior, which teaches the reader how to decipher body language for himself. He stresses the importance of individuality and the complexity of body language, rather than just giving black and white examples and assigning meaning. This book took the confusion out of reading body language for me. I really, really enjoyed it. I refer back to it often.

I highly recommend this book as a companion to Gavin De Becker's "The Gift of Fear", and anyone (especially women) who are interested in learning how to protect themselves from potentially dangerous people. I also highly recommend it for child abuse victims in recovery. This is the stuff we really didn't learn growing up, but need to know to protect ourselves in the future.

Over all GREAT book.

Amazing non-fiction, June 15, 2009
I bought this book with the intention of increasing my advantage in social situations, and it did that in spades. It very clearly separates the pop-psychology that has become popular through certain TV shows and other media, and instead focuses on the scientific reasoning behind many of our subconcious actions while being extremely easy to read and understand. Although it relates heavily to business interactions, the techniques in the book can easily be translated to any social interaction. Recommended for anyone who wants to understand the world around them better, wants to get ahead in social situations, wants to learn about themselves, or any of the above

basic info, May 25, 2009
i have 11 years exp in corrections and deal with inmates and sfaff daily. this book gives a good basic review of signs to look for. somethings i picked up on and look for, others i did not agree. i have to admit, after reading this book and then seeing navarro's ad for poker face book, i was a bit turned off, doubting his sincerity in this topic. for someone who has no exp in this area, this is a good starter book, dont buy it looking for advanced techs

This guy knows what he's talking about!, September 2, 2009
This is a very well-written, entertaining, and easy-to-digest book that delivers exactly what it promises. The organization is well thought out and effective. The reason that I give the book four stars instead of five is that I think that it could be easily improved with the addition of short chapter summaries, e.g. bulleted lists of the points made within the chapter.

Note that the author repeatedly makes a point of reminding you that using body language to identify liars outright is extremely difficult. Instead, you use it to identify subjects/questions which cause discomfort in the person you are talking with, thereby identifying the areas that you need to explore further.

His observations on the innate "freeze/flight/fight" response of humans are fascinating. He puts into words things that you already sorta "know" subliminally but have never really thought about directly. I found myself able to recall having seen (and done myself) every single behavior he describes, and now I know directly what they mean & what to look for. He includes lots of personal anecdotes, too, which enliven the material.

Since finishing the book, I've found how readily this information can be put to use. Once I knew what to look for, I just automatically started looking. Curiously, I find myself decoding my own body language as often as that of others! It's amazing how accurate his interpretations of my own body language have been. For me, that has reinforced my perception that he knows what he's talking about. After all, you know exactly how you're feeling when you catch yourself performing some specific gesture or action, so if your feelings match your body language, well voila! Navarro just read your mind.

The Ultimate Study of Body Language, July 13, 2009
Former FBI Agent, Joe Navarro, knows what he's talking about & knows what every body is saying, for that matter. This book is the crown jewel of the study of body language, written by a certifiable expert. Anyone who intelligently discusses the limbic part of the brain (a new one on me) isn't to be taken lightly; and for good reason. His expertise is impressive, as are his credentials.

This book is the definitive book on the subject of body language that I've ever come across. Although it's possible for those devious people with hidden agendas to play a game of deception, sooner or later, with enough observation, they can be read like a book; in fact, this book!

I have never seen such extensive as well as illuminating treatment...also, clear, concise & succinct!, November 29, 2008
'What Every Body is Saying',
by Joe Navarro

If I could recall correctly, my initial introduction to social behavioural patterns of non-verbal communications probably began with Julius Fast's 'Body Language' during the seventies, followed by one of Desmond Morris' well-illustrated books, 'Manwatching: A Field Guide to Human Behaviours', in the late seventies.

My fascination with the subject grew, particularly from the standpoint of developing a competency in reading people, with the acquisition & reading of Allan Pease's 'Body Language: How to Read Others' Thoughts by Their Gestures', & more specifically, Gerhard Gschwandter's 'Non-Verbal Selling Power' during the eighties.

I reckon, with the wisdom of hindsight, those were roughly the pivotal books in guiding me to understanding the significance of body language in human interactions.

Throughout the ensuing years from the eighties, I didn't pursue any newer books on the subject, until very recently when I have come across Joe Navarro's book.

The author is a former FBI counter-intelligence special agent, which somehow has given the book an iota of authenticity, in contrast to an aura of mystery, about speed-reading people.

In a nut shell, speed-reading people successfully is essentially learning about the world around us, decoding & determining the meaning of non-verbal communications as manifested through facial expressions, gestures, touching, physical movements, posture, body adornment & even the tone, timbre, & volume of a person's voice - to predict human actions.

More specifically, it's collecting non-verbal intelligence to assess a person's thought, feelings & intentions, a competency that can be mastered through constant practice & proper training.

This wonderful book, with clear, concise & succinct writing on the part of the author, has been designed to serve that purpose.

It starts off in the beginning with the ten commandments for observing & decoding nonverbal communications successfully, followed by an insightful exposition of how our evolutionary triune brain structure contributes to our hardwired responses to the world.

For me, just understanding the freeze, flight & fight responses as well as an appreciation of the comfort/discomfort & pacifying routines - in reality, these are parts of our very robust survival mechanisms - has facilitated my renewed journey to becoming a better speed-reader of people. The author has discussed these emotional aspects at great length (Chapter II).

From Chapter III to VII, the author went on to discuss the non-verbals of the feet & legs; the torso, hips, chest & shoulders; the arms; the hands & fingers; & the face, respectively.

I have never seen such extensive as well as illuminating treatment along the foregoing lines by any of the other authors I have encountered earlier.

In spite of all the relevant insights & expert advice which the author has openly shared in his book, he has concluded in the end analysis that there is, however, one type of human behaviour that is difficult to read, & that is deception.

Nevertheless, the author has outlined for readers a dozen of important things to do & valuable points to keep in mind in the course of any interpersonal interactions. Reading them, I come to realise that they all boil down to developing acute observational skills.

In fact, the first commandment from the author, as outlined in the beginning segment of his book rings very true: be a competent observer of our environment.

As a case in point, with the author's assertion in the concluding chapter, paying attention to the synchrony between what is being said verbally & non-verbally, between the circumstances of the moment & what the subject is saying, between events & emotions, & even synchrony of time & space can often provide valuable clues to detecting deception.

Additionally, when we speak, we naturally utilise various part of our body - such as the eyebrows, head, hands, arms, torso, legs & feet to emphasise a point about which we feel deeply or emotionally. Observing such emphasis can also provide valuable tips on detecting deception.

To end this book review, I like to paraphrase a quote from the author's friend, as a result of the friend's personal experience in navigating the car to an unknown destination (in Coral Gables, Florida), mentioned in the epilogue:

"Once I knew what to look for & where to look, the signs were obvious & unmistakable. I had no trouble finding my way."

That reaction also more or less sums up my sentiment about developing mastery in speed-reading people.

[Reviewed by Lee Say Keng, Knowledge Adventurer & Technology Explorer, November 2008] ... Read more

Editorial Review

“How many jobs are out there, in this economy?”

“Where do I go from here with my life?”
 
These are some of the questions at the forefront of the modern job-searcher’s mind. And they are thoroughly and thoughtfully answered with all-new chapters in the 2011 edition of What Color Is Your Parachute?, the best-selling job-hunting book in the world for more than three decades--in good times and bad. A longtime fixture on best-seller lists, What Color Is Your Parachute? features life-saving information that is updated each year to cater to the specific requirements of today’s job market.
 
Career guru Richard N. Bolles leads job-searchers to find meaningful work. He asks, WHAT skills do you most love to use? WHERE--in what field--would you most love to use them? And HOW do you find such jobs without depending on agencies, ads, and online postings?
 
This book is not only about finding a job in hard times, it’s also about finding your passion. In the words of Fortune magazine:
 
“Parachute remains the gold standard of career guides.”
 
What Color Is Your Parachute? is the world’s most popular job-hunting guide, with 10 million copies sold, in more than 20 languages. Written by career guru Richard N. Bolles--who coined the terms “informational interviewing” and “transferable skills”--this New York Times and BusinessWeek best seller answers such questions as:
 
“What are the five best--and worst--ways to search for a job?” See chapter 3 (starting on page 31).
 
“What are the most helpful job sites on the Internet, out of the thousands that are out there?” See pages 53-54.
 
“What interview questions can I expect to be asked, and how do I answer them?” See chapter 6 (starting on page 93).
 
“I want to use a resume. What should I include?” See chapter 5 (starting on page 71).
 
“I haven’t a clue how to do salary negotiation. Help!” See chapter 7 (starting on page 121).
 
“There are no jobs out there, so I’m thinking of starting my own business. Where do I begin?” See chapter 9 (starting on page 147).
 
“Since I’m out of work, I’d like to use this opportunity to find more purpose and sense of mission in my next job. How do I do that?” See pages 15, 179, and 269.
  
“What are the ten biggest mistakes made during interviews?” See page 92.

“How is the way employers hunt for people different from the way people hunt for employers?” See page 44.

“How do I figure out what my best skills are?” See pages 201+.

“If I decide I need some career counseling, how do I avoid getting ‘taken’?” See Appendix b (starting on page 288).

“I had a job dealing with manufacturing. Now it’s gone. How do I find jobs in related fields?” See page 45.

“I’d like to emphasize my traits in my next job interview, but I don’t have ‘a trait vocabulary.’ Got any lists?” See page 50.

“I have a handicap. How can I get around it, in interviews?” See page 57.

“I am painfully shy. I dread interviewing. What can I do?” See page 62.

“I want to use a resume. What should I include?” See Chapter 5 (starting on page 71).

“In general, what are employers looking for?” See page 48.

“How long should I expect my job-hunt to last?” See page 32.

“I’m over fifty. What special problems do I face when I go job-hunting? ” See chapter 10 (starting on page 167).

“I’m just starting on my job-hunt. I know ‘networking’ is important. I haven’t got a network. How do I build one from scratch?” See page 86.
 
PARACHUTE has all the answers you’re looking for and more. It’s the guide that millions of job-hunters have turned to for more than three decades.

Reviews

Very helpful, but not the best to me, September 29, 2010
I used this book several years ago to help me get direction in life once I got out of college and actually had to act on the age-old question of "what do you want to be when you grow up?"! In 2010 I am revisiting this classic. And I am giving it 4 stars because the newest edition is definitely still jammed full of useful advice about career choices and the job search process. HOWEVER, this book has the same flaws as the older versions: it is too long and too scattershot in its approach. The book has way too many charts/diagrams/grids - many of which you must complete, including the "Flower Diagram." I don't know about you, but I don't particularly want to spend hours on end working through a career book and drawing diagrams.... SO I greatly prefer Scott Smith's "FIND YOUR PERFECT JOB." It is MUCH more concise and easier to use while still being jammed full of useful advice. FYPJ's "Perfect Job Profile" accomplishes much more quickly what 300+ pages of Bolles' book tries to do. And if you are a young professional then FYPJ is specifically tailored for you (it includes very interesting info on business and law school programs, two areas that Parachute has no information on). Find Your Perfect Job: The Inside Guide for Young Professionals

Kindle edition almost unusable, September 10, 2010
While WCIYP may be a classic book of its genre, the formatting of this Kindle edition makes it useless to all intents and purposes:

- Highlights are picked out in the palest shade of gray, rendering key phrases almost illegible.
- Tables and diagrams are filled with tiny, fuzzy fonts that are unreadable, even when zoomed (I have a K2, these may be better on a DX but I suspect that they would just be larger and fuzzier).
- Hyperlinks are provided to online versions of the tables and diagrams, but they lead to PDF files that the Kindle cannot download
- It even opens with a piece that defends why it needs to be published in a paper edition

Kudos to Amazon for allowing a prompt and easy return and full refund (even though I'd had it more that the requisite seven days) but the publishers need to do a far better job.

Great Strategies for Getting Interviews and Landing a Job, October 6, 2010
This excellent book has been in multiple reprints since about 1970 and is extremely helpful in many ways.

Some of the areas I found most helpful included:

1. How Employers Hunt for Job-Hunters. In this chapter, Bolles clearly lays out the harsh realities of the differences between people looking for work and those seeking jobs. The power lies with the employer, and the sooner I realized that truth, the better off I was. This chapter also pointed out that different types of resumes work better for different types of employers, so it's important to tailor your resume to your audience. This was a great lesson for me.

2. Tips. What I loved about this chapter was the reinforcement that job hunting is hard work and takes effort, there is no getting around it. I also thought it was great advice to be open to changing my tactics if what I was doing wasn't working. Too often I get caught up in the thinking that just doing more of the same will change my result. I now realize that sometimes I am just doing the wrong things, so need to try something different.

3. Interviewing Tip For Smarties: Another great chapter that reset how I think about interviews. One of the best tips for me was sticking to the time I asked for from the interviewer. Too often in the past if I thought the interview was going well, I would keep talking. Now I realize that one of the best ways to impress a potential boss is to stick to the time (e.g., 20 minutes) that I originally asked for. The other very helpful tip was to let the interviewer do 50% of the talking. This balance of time lets the interviewer know that you know how to listen as well as speak. Too much talking by me tells them I might ignore the needs of the company: too little speaking by me might tell them I am trying to hide something. Good input!

Overall, I thought this book could be extremely helpful to a lot of job seekers, since it provides a wealth of insight into what the employers are looking for and how they are approaching the hiring process. After all, it involves two parties trying to see if there is a match, so it's very important to know what the hiring manager is thinking and how they are approaching this process.

Another book that I thought was extremely helpful in terms of applying to my job search was "GOAL! Your 30 Day Game Plan" Goal!: Your 30-Day Game Plan for Business and Career Successwhich helped organize my efforts and kept me motivated along the way towards my new job.

If you're still unemployed, discover this book, September 21, 2010
Airborne! (2011 Edition, but Timeless). I've been using the annual What Color Is Your Parachute guides since at least the late 1990s. If you think you know the basics of a correct job search, stop what you are doing, visit your local library, find an old or new Parachute copy, and learn what you're doing wrong -- because an online job search is still not effective when compared to other means -- and Bolles' "Life-Changing Job-Hunt" is still effective more than 85 percent of the time. If you see the value in the book while perusing an older edition at your library, ask them to order the 2011 edition through Amazon or via their inter-library loan system.

Good Solid Advice, November 10, 2010
The book is excellent food for thought in the job-search and finding the career that will really work best for you. As a scientist, I love graphs and organizing, ranking and evaluating things. The author makes extensive use of diagrams effectively, (although this might not be the best way of visualizing for everyone, it was great for me).

My only complaint is that it is on the wordy side, although it is most definitely also easily made skimmable by the use of color/bold fonts. That said, the author could have put in the time for conciseness. There are also some repeated sections of the book (for easy reference when you're working with them, supposedly) which just add to the thickness, making it heftier to carry around than it needs to be.

Overall, still something I would recommend to people -- not just current job searchers but anyone.

A must read for job hunters., September 17, 2010
This is an excellent book. It is the third time I have read it in my 30 year work life. Each edition has current information and data.

Good book, October 18, 2010
I purchased this book for a class, never before heard of it. But I like it. It's really useful. ... Read more

Editorial Review

America’s most sought-after executive coach shows how to climb the last few rungs of the ladder

The corporate world is filled with executives, men and women who have worked hard for years to reach the upper levels of management. They’re intelligent, skilled, and even charismatic. But only a handful of them will ever reach the pinnacle -- and as executive coach Marshall Goldsmith shows in this book, subtle nuances make all the difference. These are small "transactional flaws" performed by one person against another (as simple as not saying thank you enough), which lead to negative perceptions that can hold any executive back. Using Goldsmith’s straightforward, jargonfree advice, it’s amazingly easy behavior to change.

Executives who hire Goldsmith for one-on-one coaching pay $250,000 for the privilege. With this book, his help is available for 1/10,000th of the price. ... Read more

Reviews

Too Late for Me
I love Goldsmith's style of incorporating what seems to be a refreshing Buddhist philosophy into the high-stress business world. I am not at the level of most of his CEO clients, but I still found very important tips and pointers on how to deal my boss from my "lower rung" perspective. I recommend this book to all .. especially the audio book version. So nice to have the author tell you himself about his 20 step approach to moving up in the business world ... He is so straightforward and unpretentious ... and obviously is an extremely successful businessman himself ... He's big on emphasizing the "human" element into the business world. Great intergrity at work here. I think he is a wise man ... worth the investment! ... Read more

Editorial Review

"The only way to get what you're worth is to stand out, to exert emotional labor, to be seen as indispensable, and to produce interactions that organizations and people care deeply about."

In bestsellers such as Purple Cow and Tribes, Seth Godin taught readers how to make remarkable products and spread powerful ideas. But this book is different. It's about you - your choices, your future, and your potential to make a huge difference in whatever field you choose.

There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. Now there's a third team, the linchpins. These people invent, lead (regardless of title), connect others, make things happen, and create order out of chaos. They figure out what to do when there's no rule book. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art.

Linchpins are the essential building blocks of great organizations. Like the small piece of hardware that keeps a wheel from falling off its axle, they may not be famous but they're indispensable. And in today's world, they get the best jobs and the most freedom.

Have you ever found a shortcut that others missed? Seen a new way to resolve a conflict? Made a connection with someone others couldn't reach? Even once? Then you have what it takes to become indispensable, by overcoming the resistance that holds people back. Linchpin will show you how to join the likes of...

*Keith Johnson, who scours flea markets across the country to fill Anthropologie stores with unique pieces.
*Marissa Mayer, who keeps Google focused on the things that really matter.
*Jason Zimdars, a graphic designer who got his dream job at 37signals without a r�sum�.
*David, who works at Dean and Deluca coffeeshop in New York. He sees every customer interaction as a chance to give a gift and is cherished in return.

As Godin writes, "Every day I meet people who have so much to give but have been bullied enough or frightened enough to hold it back. It's time to stop complying with the system and draw your own map. You have brilliance in you, your contribution is essential, and the art you create is precious. Only you can do it, and you must." ... Read more

Reviews

Seth Godin's Linchpin WILL Stay With You
While reading Linchpin I looked around a few times to see if author Seth Godin was perhaps peering through my living room window to see my reaction. It really felt like he was talking to me, singling me out. How could he know how I rationalize things?

"There are no longer any great jobs where someone else tells you precisely what to do."

Linchpin is a most unusual, well-organized, concise book about what it takes to become indispensable in the workplace - whether you work for someone else (at any level) or are self-employed. It's about how business has rapidly changed and how treating employees like factory workers (or doing your job like one) doesn't work any longer. We must make choices and take action to "chart our own paths" and add value that others do not. We cannot wait for a boss or a job description to tell us what to do, rather we must just take the initiative ourselves. Only then can we become indispensable "linchpins," rather than replaceable "cogs." There are so many fantastic quotes in the book too.

"You don't become indispensable merely because you are different. But the only way to become indispensable is to be different. That's because if you're the same, so are plenty of other people."

The 14 chapters in this book are each broken down into short segments with great headlines that summarize them. Godin uses special vocabulary words to describe the many factors that go into becoming a linchpin. These words have unique meanings in the context in which they are used. You'll learn interpretations for terms such as art, thrashing, gifts, resistance, pranja, ship, lizard brain, shenpa, emotional labor and others.

"Art is unique, new and challenging to the status quo. It's not decoration. It's something that causes change. Art cannot be merely commerce. It must also be a gift."

You'll never be bewildered or bored while reading Linchpin. It will awaken a part of your brain that you may have never used before. It will make you take a deep look inside your thoughts, patterns and habits and oblige you to realize there are things you can change right now to become more of a success, a true "artist." In fact, you may find yourself sliding down in your chair a bit while reading, like I did. But that's okay; it's part of the learning process.

"If all you can do is the task and you're not in a league of your own at doing the task, you're not indispensable."

This is particularly true in the chapter on page 101 entitled The Resistance. Just this chapter alone is worth the price of the book. You've got to read it twice to really capture all it offers. Here you'll be faced with all the reasons why you're currently not as indispensable as you could be - as you should be. Have you ever delayed a project and not delivered (Seth calls this shipping) on deadline just because you were trying to achieve perfection? That's resistance. It is the "lizard brain" way-of-thinking that causes us to resist. Do you find yourself doing a lot of busy work (obsessive email checking, Tweeting, etc.) rather than taking action that really adds value? That's resistance too.

"The lizard brain is the reason you're afraid, the reason you don't ship when you can. The lizard brain is the source of the resistance."

Godin will educate you on what it truly means to be a valuable gift giver. He'll tell you that there's no map in existence to help you become an indispensable artist. He'll tell you that you have a choice to either "Fit in or stand out. Not both." He'll even tell you that there are times when your art will not work, and for whatever reason, you may not be able to get paid for your particular talent.

"Maybe you can't make money doing what you love (at least what you love right now) But I bet you can figure out what you can do to make money (if you choose wisely)."

"There is no map. No map to be a leader, no map to be an artist. I've read hundreds of books about art (in all its forms) and how to do it, and not one has a clue about the map, because there isn't one."

The only thing Seth Godin left out of his well-researched Linchpin book is that his principles can be applied not only to business but also to other aspects of a person's life. Linchpins can be better spouses, friends and community members at large. They can be truly indispensable in many ways.

"Nothing about becoming indispensable is easy. If it's easy, it's already been done and it's no longer valuable."

Ever read a business or marketing book that is interesting while you're reading it, but two days after you have finished it, you cannot really remember the gist of what you read? Linchpin is not one of those books. This one will stay with you. There is nothing else like it; it can change your future. That is, if you set your lizard brain aside and replace it with the true linchpin artist in you.

Godin's most important book...thus far

Others have their own reasons for praising this book. Here are five of mine. First, this is by far Godin's most personal book in which he reveals more of his emotions and "soul" (for lack of a better term) than he has in any of his previous books. Also, from the beginning, he establishes a direct and personal rapport with his reader. I felt that he had written this book specifically for me. Although he and I have never met, I felt as if he were speaking to me and discussing ideas with me as if we were engaged in a face-to-face conversation.

Moreover, unlike in most of his previous books, Godin does not climb up into a pulpit and launch a tirade, engaging his audience with a confrontational tone and Old Testament vehemence. He obviously cares deeply about the thoughts and feelings he shares but is at all times respectful of his reader. He repeatedly explains that everyone has several choices and urges his reader to make those only choices that are in her or his long-term best interest.

In addition, meanwhile, Godin creates a multi-dimensional context, a frame-of-reference, in which to anchor his insights and recommendations throughout the narrative. He skillfully uses what I describe as a bi-polar strategy: passively but alertly observing what is happening (and not happening) in order to recognize and understand the ever-changing realities of the world that we share and then actively challenging whatever demeans and diminishes anyone's dignity. Finally, Godin utilizes the manifesto genre as a means by which to celebrate humanity at its best, not as an ideal beyond human fulfillment but as an attainable destination if (HUGE "if") vision, faith, courage, integrity, and commitment are sufficient to the formidable challenges that await each pilgrim.

Near the downtown area here in Dallas, we have a Farmers Market at which some merchants offer complimentary slices of fresh fruit as samples. In that spirit, I now provide three brief excerpts from Godin's book.

On becoming indispensable to customers: "Here's the win (actually, there are two).

"If you want customers to flock to you, it's tempting to race to the bottom of the price chart. There's not a lot of room for profit there, though...In a world that relentlessly races to the bottom, you lose if you also race to the bottom. The only way to win is to race to the top. When your organization becomes more human, more remarkable, faster on its feet, and more likely to connect directly with customers, it becomes indispensable....

"Second, the people that work for you, the ones you freed to be artists [i.e. creators of unique, compelling, and substantial value], will rise to a level you can't even imagine. When people realize that they are not a cog in a machine, an easily replaceable commodity, they take the challenge and grow. They produce more than you pay them to, because you are paying them with something worth more than money....

"As a result of these priceless gifts, expect that the linchpins on your staff won't abuse their power. In fact, they'll work harder, stay longer, and produce more than you pay them to. Because everyone is a person, and people crave connection and respect." (Pages 35-36)

On r�sum�s: "If you don't have a r�sum�, what do you have? How about three extraordinary letters of recommendation from people the employer knows or respects? Or a sophisticated project an employer can see or touch? Or a reputation that precedes you? Or a blog that is so compelling and insightful that they have no choice but to follow up? Some say, `Well, that's fine, but I don't have those.' Yeah, that's my point. If you don't have these things, what leads you to believe that you are remarkable, amazing, or just plain spectacular? It sounds to me like if you don't have more than a r�sum�, you've been brainwashed into compliance. Great jobs, world-class jobs, jobs people kill for - those jobs don't get filled by people e-mailing in r�sum�s." (Page 73)

On the power of being genuine and transparent: "Virtually all of us make our living engaging directly with other people. When the interactions are genuine and transparent, they usually work. When they are artificial or manipulative, they fail.

"The linchin is coming from a posture of generosity; she's there to give a gift [no-strings support of your efforts to succeed]. If that's your intent, the words almost don't matter. What we'll perceive are your wishes, not the script.

"This is why telemarketing has such a ridiculously low conversion rate. Why corporate blogs are so lame. Why frontline workers in the service business have such stress. We can sense it when you read the script because we're so good at finding the honest signals." (Page 214)

For various reasons previously indicated, I hold this book in very high regard and conclude my review of it with one more observation: The person whom Godin characterizes as "indispensable" is defined by what is indispensable to that person. It could well be, for example, a sincere desire to be of service to others. Or it could well be a sincere desire to offer unconditional "gifts" of trust, faith, respect, and candor. Those whom Godin characterizes as "artists" possess the vision, faith, courage, integrity, and commitment needed to create -- in collaboration with others -- a "post-commercial world that feeds us, enriches us, and gives us the stability we've been seeking for so long." That said, it would be a serious mistake to underestimate or ignore the importance of self-interests. Those who create the world to which Godin refers also feed and enrich themselves as well as those whom they serve and with whom they share a community of faith. Only then can they obtain for themselves as well as others the stability they have been seeking for so long. That should be our vision and Godin challenges us to fulfill it.

Seth Godin, I Hate* You
I read Purple Cow but I got that for for free so I gave it the weight of, well, something that I got for free. I missed The Dip and it's too late to turn back. With Tribes I started to understand and his perspective was clearer to me and attractive but I soon enough was overwhelmed by the voices more pressing than mine in The Tribe.
In Linchpin, I found a character study of stunning accuracy and thoroughness. This book breaks down every barrier we've built between ourselves and our greatness. It's done in a very kind and gentle way but it's firm in point and purpose.
From my own experience reading this book (twice now) it has left my resistance no quarter (and that's why I hate* Seth Godin).
I have decided (finally) to accept that Seth knows what he's talking about. The book's premise is well supported and explained in an easy to understand way and really leaves no room for dispute as he systematically goes through every excuse we throw at ourselves for keeping us mired in mediocrity.
I'm sure that once I break through and act on what I've learned in Linchpin, and use the clear process of playing nice with my resistance, I will no longer hate Seth Godin. After all, a year from now when I have started to see the benefits of shipping (read the book, you'll see) I will owe no small part of that success to Seth and Linchpin.
This is my first review of any book (and I read a lot). I cannot express how really, very cool it would be if a whole bunch of people bought this book, read it and then demonstrated their genius. Do yourself, your loved ones and the rest of us a favor and buy this book and read it (at least twice).

*Okay, I mean "hate" in the "hostility deriving from fear" sort of way. I probably could have gone easier on him but I really wanted you to read this review and I'm guessing that if I titled the review "You should read this book" or "Seth Godin I'm Mad at You" you wouldn't be reading this right now (which you're may be thinking "that's not a bad thing") but really, get the book and prepare for the hate. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Unfortunately, most of us have little sense of our talents and strengths, much less the ability to build our lives around them. Instead, guided by our parents, by our teachers, by our managers, and by psychology's fascination with pathology, we become experts in our weaknesses and spend our lives trying to repair these flaws, while our strengths lie dormant and neglected.

Marcus Buckingham, coauthor of the national bestseller First, Break All the Rules, and Donald O. Clifton, Chair of the Gallup International Research & Education Center, have created a revolutionary program to help readers identify their talents, build them into strengths, and enjoy consistent, near-perfect performance. At the heart of the book is the Internet-based StrengthsFinder� Profile, the product of a 25-year, multimillion-dollar effort to identify the most prevalent human strengths. The program introduces 34 dominant "themes" with thousands of possible combinations, and reveals how they can best be translated into personal and career success. In developing this program, Gallup has conducted psychological profiles with more than two million individuals to help readers learn how to focus and perfect these themes.

So how does it work? This book contains a unique identification number that allows you access to the StrengthsFinder Profile on the Internet. This Web-based interview analyzes your instinctive reactions and immediately presents you with your five most powerful signature themes. Once you know which of the 34 themes -- such as Achiever, Activator, Empathy, Futuristic, or Strategic -- you lead with, the book will show you how to leverage them for powerful results at three levels: for your own development, for your success as a manager, and for the success of your organization.

With accessible and profound insights on how to turn talents into strengths, and with the immediate on-line feedback of StrengthsFinder at its core, Now, Discover Your Strengths is one of the most groundbreaking and useful business books ever written.

Please note that the code for the Online Strengths Finder Test is found on the inside of the dust jacket. ... Read more

Reviews

See Yourself and Others in a New Way
REVIEW: While I am generally disappointed with sequels, this book didn't disappoint and stands on its own (see "First Break All the Rules"). "Now" focuses on the individual (except the last two chapters) and their inate strengths. It goes into detail on the 34 different types of talents/strengths that the authors found in their research. "Now" is based on two simple themes: (1) each person's talents are enduring and unique, and (2) each person's greatest room for growth lies in their greatest strengths (not in improving their weaknesses as so much of our society is focused on). "Now" will help you recognize strengths (yours and other) which is the first step to capitalizing on them. I now find myself regularly thinking in terms of the strengths concept when making working decisions. By the way, you don't have to read "First, Break All the Rules" before reading this book. In fact, I recommend this one first! Also, "First" focused on the manager and how he/she should think and act differently in terms of the authors discoveries on talents and strengths whereas "Now" focusses on the individual.

This book was also the first book that I've read that included an on-line component. The on-line test took me about 30 min to complete and gave me my top 5 strengths. After reading the detailed descriptions in the book, I believe the test correctly hit 4 out of 5 with the 5th one a close runner-up.

STRENGTHS: The book is easy to read and full of examples. I found the concepts and content very well thought out and very effective at changing my thinking.

WEAKNESSES: I note some weaknesses, but they were at most annoying and not significant enough to prevent me from enjoying or highly recommending the book. First, as in the "First" book, no index. Second, while the book has lots of examples, a number seemed to be thrown in to touch popular or emotional topics rather than being solid support for the specific topic being discussed.

WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK: The book is probably best suited to professionals and knowledge workers with an interest in better understanding themselves and those around them. If you're interested in increasing your own effectiveness and the effectiveness of your relationships with others this book is for you.

ALSO CONSIDER: Of course, "First Break All the Rules" by Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman [either before or after this book]. "The Effective Executive" by Peter F. Drucker.

Let Well-Established, Good Habits Take You Forward!
This book represents three very ambitious efforts. One, it argues for a new management paradigm that builds from the psychological make-up of each person in the workplace to create the most effective combination of people and tasks. Two, the book presents a new psychological mapping scheme to capture those areas where a person will display "consistent near perfect performance in an activity." Three, the book connects you to a self-diagnosis tool that you can use on-line to see yourself in the perspective of the new mapping scheme. Most books would settle for pursing just one these goals. My hat is off to the authors for their ambition!

The concept of building companies around "desirable" pyschological profiles has been in application for some time. The Walt Disney organization uses this approach to locate people who will enjoy working in their company, and to match the person to the task they will be most focused on. More and more companies are experimenting with this approach. The evidence is that it works.

So the first argument simply takes that experience one step further by formalizing it a bit. The book has many persuasive examples of how people usually do not have jobs that use their best talents. This provides another perspective on the Peter Principle. So far so good.

Next, 34 patterns of mental habits are described based on millions of interviews over 25 years. These include achiever, activator, adaptability, analytical, arranger, belief, command, communication, competition, connectedness, context, deliberative, developer, discipline, empathy, fairness, focus, futuristic, harmony, ideation, inclusiveness, individualization, input, intellection, learner, maximizer, positivity, relator, responsibility, restorative, self-assurance, significance, strategic, and woo. You need to see the descriptions to understand what these patterns reflect.

The argument is that these labels capture patterns of thinking habits that condition behavior in any situation. I find it difficult to relate to all of the patterns because there are so many. Also, without knowing what patterns work well in a particular job, I wasn't sure how relevant they are. Connection of patterns to success needs to be shown as cause and effect in a given company before this will be totally useful.

Small companies may not be able to use this tool very well because they will never have enough people doing the same task to figure out which profile is best. Everyone working in that role may have a very inappropriate profile. You will just be picking the best of a poorly-fitting lot if you select around one of them.

Then, I took the personality test on-line. There were no surprises there for me in my top 5 patterns. I also suspect that there would be no surprises for you in putting me into these categories. You would probably have pegged me as an achiever, learner, relator, focus, input person from the fact that I read so many nonfiction books, write so many book reviews, and keep books and notes everywhere (just in case I might need them again). On the relator front, if you had noticed who I like to work with and how I work with them, you would have spotted me in a few days.

However, my actual job competence is a lot different from this. Most clients tell me that they find me most helpful to them when exposing them to new perspectives on their work that allow them to make faster progress. So, I was left wondering if the tool is strong enough to do the task of making people most effective in their work without more help. Someone might develop or be born with a great talent that has little to do with the psychological profile of how she or he likes to spend their time.

To state the opposite proposition to the ones in the book, complexity science would suggest that it is a mistake to overly organize the workplace in any way. You should have as much diversity as possible. When we leave lots of room for open space and time, people will self-organize outstanding solutions. Having people focused on tasks they love might make them less aware of what else needs to be done. Behavioral scientists would argue that learning continues throughout life, and that major new habits can be formed at any time. Old dogs can learn new tricks. Why cannot new psychological mindsets be learned as well. I suspect that they can. These kinds of counter-observations were not addressed in the book, and it would have been helpful to me if they had been.

So while I was impressed by the concept that the "great organization must not only accommodate the fact each is different; it must capitalize on these differences," I wasn't sure that the authors have the best method to get there yet.

I do recommend that you read the book and consider its messages. I suspect that its application will work best in focusing people on tasks that require great persistence and consistency in order to be effective. I am less clear on how well it will work to help people accomplish more in creative tasks. Time will tell.

I suggest that you take the test and discuss your results with someone else who has also taken the test. Ask each other what insights you got from your own results and from hearing the other person's results. That discussion should start to help you imagine ways to use these insights more effectively.

May you always "derive intrinsic satisfaction" from the activities you do! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Young serial entrepreneur Scott Gerber is not the product of a wealthy family or storied entrepreneurial heritage. Nor is he the outcome of a traditional business school education or a corporate executive turned entrepreneur. Rather, he is a hard-working, self-taught 26-year-old hustler, rainmaker, and bootstrapper who has survived and thrived despite never having held the proverbial "real” job.

In Never Get a "Real" Job: How to Dump Your Boss, Build a Business, and Not Go Broke, Gerber challenges the social conventions behind the "real" job and empowers young people to take control of their lives and dump their nine-to-fives—or their quest to attain them.

Drawing upon case studies, experiences, and observations, Scott dissects failures, shares hard-learned lessons, and presents practical, affordable, and systematic action steps to building, managing, and marketing a successful business on a shoestring budget.

The proven, no-b.s. methodology presented in Never Get a "Real" Job teaches unemployed and underemployed Gen-Yers, aspiring small business owners, students, and recent college graduates how to quit 9-to-5s, become their own bosses, and achieve financial independence.
... Read more

Reviews

Perfect Wake Up Call
As a fellow Generation Y'er, it is great to see a book out there attempting to guide our generation to what works now, instead of guiding our generation to what worked 10,20,30 years ago.

This book is 'in your face', as Scott takes you through what to do and what not to do. Instead of holding your hand and telling you that you will make a million bucks in 3 days, he gives you lessons he has learned along the way and insightful tips on how to be successful, while also being realistic.

The writing style makes this book a great read and with sage advice, good humor and Scott already proving that this could be done, you will find yourself unable to put the book down.

With a sister graduating college soon, this book will be a must read for her as the lessons learned in this book are priceless.

You Had Me At "Business Plans Suck"
I had the good fortune of getting a pre-release copy of Scott's book... and gotta tell you, it is totally my style. He is "in your face" but he cares. This book is the kick in the ass to take the business idea you have been pondering and make it into a real (successful) company. Here are some of the must read parts:

1. Start on page 82 - Scott explains the trap of a traditional business plan, and why the goal to get it exactly right is by design impossible.

2. Then when that chapter gives you the slap in the head, jump back to the beginning and read this whole book, twice.

3. Read page 32, the "your not special" section. Now, while I argue you have special talents and experienced, that combined DO make you 1 in a billion, the fact is Scott is right.... you have to work yourself to the bone. Period.

4. Check to page 102 - 105, Scott gives a a cool analysis of the people to avoid when partnering. He categorized the personality traits that dictate a lot of cash but bring little value.

5. I like the break outs too... like the one on page 207 about becoming a Google superstar. While it could be argued to be "basic knowledge", I noticed I was only doing about 1/2 of what he suggested. These tips serve as a great check list.

Overall... very well done. Strong enthusiasm and backed by a guy that has been wildly successful... in his twenties. Great book!

- Mike Michalowicz, Author of
The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur: The tell-it-like-it-is guide to cleaning up in business, even if you are at the end of your roll.

Not just for 20 somethings!
Really a terrific book! Anyone starting a business, or just trying to breathe life into an existing one, could learn from this book.

An easy read, the book is to the point and full of references that require the expenditure of sweat equity as opposed to wads of cash.

Highly recommend!

When is the follow up?
Honestly, when I first heard about this book I was just getting done with a string of conferences that had speakers that were nothing but a bunch of Tony Robbins rip offs and disconnected rich guys that I could never relate to. Don't get me wrong Tony Robbins and his imitators are very successful but they also have their place ...and it is not in a conference for 20-something entrepreneurs that are in a boatload of college debt. This book was the light that broke through the darkness aka non-practical hyped up motivational speeches that offer nothing but some fleeting excitement. As a 24 year old college grad in debt the last thing I need is some millionaire telling me to "follow my dreams" and "go for the gold" over and over again. I need solid real world experience and story telling from someone who walked in my place before. This book is just that. Sure, those millionaires started somewhere but its 10 thousand miles from where they are now and 20 thousand miles from where I am. I do not connect with that kind of advice but I connected with Scott Gerber and couldn't put the book down until I was done. Scott Gerber is walking next to us and is the voice for this generation of entrepreneurs. I can't wait for the follow up.

This book does not mess around
As a couple of other reviewers have noted, this is not a sugarcoated book. If you're happy in your day job, don't even bother. But if you're desperate to escape, this kickass book can save you from a kissass job. For best results, read it from your cubicle... and then start planning your farewell trip to the boss's office.

Fantastic read for any entrepreneur!
Scott's book defines what it means to be an entrepreneur and how more business owners/creators should think. It's not about some secret sauce, it's not about a 12 step guide to success, it's about hustle, hard work, being authentic and learning from mistakes. I highly recommend this book if nothing else to read the "dedicated to" page at the very beginning. Great read!

Get Your Reality On - Read this Book!
If you're in search of a wake-up call from your disheveled and sedentary lifestyle, read this book. Scott slaps arrogance, ignorance and mainstream theory directly in the face with dose after dose of real world practicality.

Read this book if Your Can't Hold or Get a Real Job
I could never hold a "real" job. If you can't either, read this book about how to take control of your own future as a small business owner. You may not always enjoy the ride, but it will be exhilarating!

Fabulous Practical Wisdom!
If you want to be coddled, don't buy this book. If you want tons of great wisdom on what it's REALLY like to start and grow your own company from a guy who's been there and done that, then Never Get a Real Job is for you. Parents: put this under the tree for your 20-something kids and you'll never have to worry about them moving back home! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Cosentino demystifies the consulting case interview. He takes you inside a typical interview by exploring the various types of case questions and he shares with you a system that will help you answer today's most sophisticated case questions. This new edition includes new case material plus 10 Partner cases to make it easy to give cases to your classmates. ... Read more

Reviews

Very helpful in landing a consulting job
Case in Point is a must read for people who are serious about getting a consulting job.

Having said that, this book will not help you get a consulting job unless:
(a) You are already interested in business; and
(b) Have good common sense; and
(c) Are comfortable with quantitative questioning; and
(d) Have good interviewing skills; and
(e) have an impressive enough CV to get an interview.

The above does not apply if you are one of those exceptional people who will probably receive offers everywhere you go (in which case the book may still be useful nonetheless).

After reading this book I interviewed with both Bain and McKinsey (for AC and BA positions) as well as with a number of investment banks. Ultimately I received a couple of offers at investment banks, was knocked out in the second round at Bain and received an offer from McKinsey.

Surprisingly the concepts I learnt in the book helped me with my IB interviews (at places such as Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley) as once they establish the basics (ie you can do DCF and understand undergraduate finance 101) they quickly move to strategy-type questioning where people familiar with consulting frameworks have a massive advantage.

Advantages of the Book

The advantage of this book is that it gives you a number of frameworks which can be adapted to answer pure strategy questions. I am aware of no other books that give you such detailed frameworks. The book then gives you a large number of practice questions (most of them are `allegedly' based on real interviews), shows the implementation of those frameworks in candidate answers and then critiques those answers.

To give you an example of how the book worked well for me - take my Bain interview Rnd 1 - the question was Toys R Us is thinking of putting in Vet surgeries in its stores - is it a good idea or not? What should they be thinking about? I was able to draw on the Case in Point problem of a retail store looking at putting a banking outlet in its store to guide my answer. If you immediately know that the things you should be looking at are entering a new market frameworks as well as synergy analysis and the potential for cannibalisation of store space you can arrive at an answer quickly that makes you look more insightful than the average.

In one of my McK round 1 interviews I was actually told that I had hit every single point on the answer guide. Not bad considering that I hadn't thought of anything original.

Disadvantages

One disadvantage of this book are that you can become so proficient with the frameworks that you can start using a framework that the interviewer wasn't wanting. Perhaps this was my overconfidence!

To give you an example in Bain Rnd 2 I was asked about a private equity company that had bought a company and wanted to "grow the business". I immediately started using a "grow the business" framework - ie revenue enhancement model, when it actually turned out that the interviewer wanted a cut cost to boost profitability model that focussed on holding period and exit strategy.

Another disadvantage is that you never are allowed enough time to write down your proposed framework to the answer before you are required to start answering the case so you better have it all worked out in your head. A follow on problem of this is that your answer can seem "creative but unstructured". I personally found that Bain obsessed about structure but McK cared more about creativity.

Some of the frameworks also need improving as they are too esoteric (especially at an entry level). The profit equation for example that Cosentino uses in the 5th edition is (I believe) so esoteric that if I had written it down I would have been laughed at. The one he advocates in the 4th edition is superior.

The pricing section is very insightful (and interesting) but did not help me much with questions about corporate valuation (ie "we have an exploding offer in 20 minutes and need to decide whether we sell the factory for $5 million or not") where I had to fall back on what I had learned about accounting and finance in my undergraduate degree. This question arose in both Bain and McKinsey cases.

Another thing that puzzled me is whether this book is targeted at MBA level entrants or undergraduates.

Conclusion

Overall the book is excellent and if married with the online questions (which you have to buy separately) can enhance case-interviewing immeasurably. I know friends of mine who I would consider smarter than me that bombed out spectacularly because they hadn't prepared.

If you want to prepare then this is the gold standard. Successful preparation with this book will take at least 20+ hours.

It won't however get you a job unless you bring the qualities to the table that the firms are after - eg leadership, presence, good grades and business acumen.

Got me a job I don't deserve
I'm a pre-med student who had little intention of going into consulting. By mostly happenchance, I landed myself into the interview room with McKinsey. The majority of my preparation was simply reading (at times re-reading) this book. It worked.

This book is a fine introduction to case studies for students relatively unfamiliar with their structure. I would be more hesitant in recommending this book for the better informed, though there is still a trove of useful information for those types as well.

The major strength of this book is not the Ivy System (or whatever fanciful name it touts). The system(s) the book presents are of secondary importance to its actual strength: the numerous simulated case interviews. The interviews are actual conversations -- and this lets you see certain strong and weak moves an interviewee makes, the types of questions and responses the interviewer with which the interviewer prods, and so on. It is tremendously more effective that simply having a case prompt -- and then a series of bullets that you should hit on.

The Bible during your case interviews
Are you apprehensive about your upcoming case interview? You should be. You will need to think logically, quickly, and deeply under pressure. Marc Consentino's Case in Point is a bible for anyone going for consulting, case-based interviews. This should be the first book you read and work through as your prepare for your interviews. It is the most comprehensive, clearly written case prep book available (and I've seen many others). If you want to be really comprehensive, do as many practices cases (consulting company websites have interactive ones) as you can find.

After reading Case In Point, I flipped through the frameworks and ivy case system before each of my interviews. Going through the frameworks and doing some back of the envelop math the night before my interviews really helped get me in the right frame of mind. Unlike any other case-prep book, Case in Point covers almost every type of case you will encounter, takes you through how to structure your answers, and gives you tons of practice with "back-of-the-envelop" math problems. The majority of cases in the book are from real past interviews with the top firms. This latest edition greatly expands on past editions with structure maps, more math-based cases, and newer, more complex cases from recent interviews.

I used Case in Point and I have many friends who used Case In Point to prepare and then get offers with the top firms. Well worth the $20.

Great Prep for a Consulting Interview
If you are going to interview for one of the big consulting firms (McKinsey, Bain, Boston Consulting, Booz Allen), you should prepare yourself with this book. To really feel confident in an interview, you'll probably want 3-4 weeks of prep time with this book. So, if you anticipate getting an interview with one of the big consulting firms, pick this up and start reading. It worked for me.

Best prep book that I have read
Pros: The book is the best prep book on case interviews that I came across while I was preparing for a job in management consulting. It is very clearly written. It does not confuse or drone with much irrelevant information. Humor is a plus. Buy this book first, then worry about adding other books for extra practice.

Cons: The limitation of the book is that it is a book. For example, the cases that I faced at my interviews were more interactive where additional information (charts, figures) was presented to me when I had already made some headway into the case, and not in the beginning. This would require an interactive software (such as the interactive cases found on McKinsey, BCG, and Bain websites).

Overall: The best you can get. Even without the interactive ability, it helps you develop a way to think about a "case".

Suggestion to author: I would have also liked that the book to help develop thinking about "second-order structure" in a case, which, I realize, is very broad and depends a lot on the case itself. The first-order structure is covered in the ivy system.

The Whole Package
Coming from medical school, business cases were a bit intimidating and unfamiliar. Case in Point really decoded the whole process in a way that one can understand in a couple of hours. Of course, the book's practice cases are the biggest help as there is no substitute for thinking through these problems. I must say, Case Questions Interactive on the author's website was just as important in my preparation - and something must have worked because I landed an offer from McKinsey! I can't speak for those coming from a business background, but for those without much relevant experience, Case In Point is a must-have.

Great and to-the-point case preparation for consulting interviews
"Case in Point" has been staple reading amongst my colleagues that want to move into consulting. It's written for MBA graduates, but it's really accessible for everyone with some business background.

The example cases are numerous and excellent, very challenging, and illustrate the type of interaction you should aim for with your interviewer. Furthermore, different structures for tackling a case are explained, and the most important points to highlight in different case scenarios are emphasised. It's too much to learn by rote, but if you have a decent sense of how business works then it's useful as a reminder of what you should be discussing.

The book proclaims that it's approach is a "system," and I suppose that if you follow the approach to the letter, as well as quickly manage to identify the type of case you are dealing with, this is true. More realistically though the "system" is 4 steps gets you through the first 5 minutes of the interview, after which I find it hard to imagine how your own personal approach and dynamic is not going to take over. This might just be me though.

General opinion amongst my peers as well is that "Case in Point" is much better than the Vault case preparation guide. I agree, it seems that the Vault guide is written for people that really don't know what's expected of them in a case interview (perhaps for a much younger audience?). If you're aiming for the top firms it's not up to scratch.

Best of luck to everyone preparing for cases, remember you are brilliant and to be yourself in the interview!

A MUST READ!
Of all the case interview preparation books I've read, Case in Point has provided, by far, the most relevant case interview preparation! Cosentino's Ivy System breaks down daunting case problems into simple steps that are easy to understand. This book is full of witty, relevant examples of all types of practice cases, with detailed answers, and tips on how to ace your interview with top consulting firms. The new version of Case in Point is a must buy even if you own or have read the 3rd edition. The beauty of it is that Cosentino provides more case examples, updated based on what consulting firms are asking their interviewees today. Buy this book today-you won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Braille edition of the popular bestseller. "Let go of theidea that gentle, relaxed people can't be super-achievers," advisesDr. Richard Carlson in his widely popular self-help book, DON'T SWEATTHE SMALL STUFF. In 100 chapters--each only a few pageslong--Dr. Carlson shares his ideas for living a calmer, richer life.This book has been on the New York Times bestseller list for 38 weeksand is No. 3 on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list. Two small volumesin braille. ... Read more

Reviews

Read- And Perspire No More!
The cover of this book says it was a bestselling book of the year at one time. After opening it up and glancing through it, it't not hard to see why.

The pupose of the book is to get you to look at things, common situations we all come across everyday, like being criticized or being given more work than you can possibly finish, and see them a little differently. Believe it or not, it delivers- and in just a page or two at a time if you can believe that!

That's because the wisdom is definitely there, on every page, and it just plain makes sense. Many times I've read a chapter or two and thought, "Why didn't I think of that before?".

The other good thing about this tiny book is that you could either sit down and read it cover-to-cover, or just pick it up once in awhile and pick a random chapter to read. Either way, the mini-chapters are sure to quickly leave most readers wondering why they make such a big deal out of the things they do. Other short self-help books I like include "Finding Happiness in a Frustrating World".

Excellent, well written, and superbly concise
This is marvelous magical book you hold in your hands in which every word written counts without being weighty. Richard Carlson has written a book packed with ideas that will uplift the spirit, open your mind and heart and free you in a delightful easy manner as he guides you into a clearer focusing of your life. He takes our lives and breaks our activities into bit-size pieces to savor and study easily without choking on our whole life all at once. His next book written "Don't Worry, Make Money" is just as direct and as enjoyable to read. Both books are filled with ideas that just make so much sense, you wonder why it wasn't clear to you before, yet somehow you sensed you've know these things all along. Never mind that you couldn't see them before, Richard Carlson is helping you to see them now! Carlson is a real intelligent pied piper who feeds the mind with seemingly simple words but which form profound concepts and ideas without boring or "spoonfeeding" the reader. You'll find that you won't mind sharing these books with others, in fact you may find yourself encouraging others to take a look at them while you are together; but you won't want to loan them overnight you'll rather wish to keep them nearby for easy reference, they become valuable comrades to you. One of the best things about both his books is that that you can start at the beginning, or just pick up a chapter at random, each chapter stands alone, yet works within the framework of the whole work. Kudos to Carlson, thank you for your enlightened writing.

A Soft and Profound Approach to Enlightenment
"Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" is delightful in its conception and reads like a wonderful collection of wisdom vignettes. There are 100 short chapters in the book, each containing some insight on finding the keys to a satisfied, compassionate and enlightened life. The chapters can be read in any order. The soft and nurturing style is very appealing and makes this book a perfect companion to keep on hand when you are having a rough day and need a little support to put things into perspective. The simple and gentle wisdom of this book reminds me of another book Being Here: Modern Day Tales of Enlightenment by Ariel and Shya Kane. In this book, the Kanes reveal, through very engaging personal stories, how every moment is a life lesson and a gift, and they invite us to experience life directly, with compassion and in line with our true heart's desire. I heartily recommend both books to anyone interested in a soft and profound approach to enlightenment

Hard Work That's Worth It
It's not so much a book about helping you handle more stress better, but about making your life better so there won't be so much stress. Nearly all of the little "chapters" contain behavior-altering suggestions that are not easy to do--but that's the hard truth of self improvement. You cannot change behavior overnight, it's the kind of thing that requires day-to-day concentration. Benjamin Franklin discovered his, and wrote about it in his autobiography. He chose a handful of things he wanted to change about himself, and set out to practice one thing each day until he got it down--and it often took him much longer than he anticipated. If you don't want to put forth the effort of self-improvement, especially where stress is concerned, don't buy this book.

This book is easy to read, the suggestions being one to two pages. It may seem like he's "watering" down the facts of stressors and behavior, when in fact this material *must* be simplified in order to be at a level that is concise, direct, and understandable. Some of the 100 suggestions seem to overlap, but in my opinion, it is necessary. There are many aspects to human behavior. For example: Is patience really as simple as we think it is? Or is Mr. Carlson right in helping us with different aspects of it by overlapping the "patience" theme in several chapters? You may just need to decide for yourself.

So, when you're feeling bad about yourself and want to improve, this is a good place for ideas/reminders that can help you from the inside-out. You will have to read it slowly and re-read it again and again, using it as a reference for years to come in order to benefit from its potential effect on your life.

Suggestions from a Qualified Therapist - Not Pop Psychology
DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF is an absolute exception to the following statement. The majority of self-help books are a turn-off for me. The pop gurus we see on television and in infomercials who, in 90 seconds or less, know all about you and can solve all your problems, aren't qualified to help you. In contrast I believe that the suggestions given in DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF are so useful that I have purchased copies and given them as gifts to those nearest and dearest to me.

Dr. Carlson writes from experience garnered in over a decade as a practicing therapist. From these experiences he has developed a set of suggestions on how to cope with the stresses and annoyances of life. He doesn't try to analyze anyone, he just makes suggestions that one can use if they seem applicable.

There are so many useful strategies in the book that I can't begin to cover them all, so I will summarize a few that I found helpful.

"Choose Your Battles Wisely": In this section he advises us not to make a big deal out of things or persons with which we are at cross purposes. Most confrontations are both an unnecessary waste of time and damaging to relationships, usually over meaningless issues. Just let them go, he advises.

"See The Innocence": Here he tells us that when we are frustrated or irritated by something that someone says or does, we should look for the innocence behind the behavior. If we do, we'll probably find out that the we, ourselves, are the cause of our upset.

"Choose Being Kind Over Being Right": Here he suggests that, in most cases, who is right and who is wrong just isn't important. There's no need to always be right, so just ignore the opportunity to correct people.

One More: "Become A Less Aggressive Driver": The benefits of this suggestion are practically self-explanatory, so I'll let you guess at them until you read the book.

These are just a small sampling of the 100 suggestions in the book, each of which can help to make a life more pleasant and less stressful. Obviously, Dr. Carlson gives more detailed explanations, case studies, and various other enhancements to each of the hundred sections. He doesn't pretend that these are easy principles to put into practice or that it doesn't take a lot of work and introspection to learn to feel better. As he indicates, old habits are hard to break and a lot of backsliding is to be expected. As my old grandmother said. "Try it, you'll like it." (Or at least you'll like the results.)

Required reading for angry aggressors and cherubic creatures
In the 1950s two American scientists studying coronary-prone personalities defined what they called Type A and Type B personalities; in the 1980s the study of cancer-prone personalities yielded an additional Type C. Extreme Type A personalities are characterized by a free-floating hostility, aggressiveness, competitiveness, a constant sense of time-urgency, impatience and a constant striving for ill-defined goals. Just think of a choleric person you know. Extreme Type C personalities, on the other hand, suppress strong emotions, comply with the wishes of others, lack assertiveness, avoid conflict and behavior that might offend others, they obey conventional norms of behavior and maintain an appearance of niceness; stoicism and self-sacrifice appeal to them, their approach to life is outwardly calm and unemotional, and they have a tendency to feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Richard Carlson has something to tell both of these types. His message is: become more sanguine, more forgiving and accepting of yourself, more laid-back, unaggressive, and easy-going; be the driver, not the driven; in short, become more like a typical Type B personality.

Richard Carlson's 100 suggestions how to slow down to the speed of life (incidentally, the title of another of his books) and how to focus on what is important are valuable reminders and great common-sense advice sprinkled with small bits of Eastern wisdom. Carlson does not push any theories or New Age stuff at the reader; he simply says, here are some things you might try and see if they work. If they do, practice them. Practice makes the master.

To give an example of a typical suggestion by Carlson: if you face an angry, aggressive person, imagine the person as a tiny infant and as a 100-year old adult; it will give you some needed perspective and compassion. That's true. When I underwent military training, the recommendation was that whenever the drill-sergeant yelled at me, I should picture him naked instead of resorting to some typical Type A or Type C behavior. It worked quite well. The yelling usually stopped with the comment "get that smirk off your face". ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Very eye opening, July 5, 2010
I would recommend this book to anyone in the midst of finding their true purpose or someone who is tired of working their job just for the paycheck. It is down to earth suggestions, and it has really opened my eyes to see the opportunities in front of me.

A way of life, August 31, 2010
Very well written book. This book is a lifestyle change. I would recommend this book to anyone. This makes you take steps in the direction you need to go. It's not just a feel good book it will challenge you, so be ready.

the best book I have read on the subject., July 6, 2010
The book has many great and distinctive ideas on how to turn a hobby into profit.

Motivational & Informing!, October 11, 2010
This book was an amazing confidence, motivational and learning experience for me. I read it prior to starting a new job search and ended up meeting my goal of making a lot more money and finding a job I really enjoy (and have been enjoying for 3 years now). I recommend EVERYONE reads this even if you're not looking for another job right now. It opens up the creative mind to knew ideas and the information on how to transfer your skills to ANY industry despite your past industry experience is priceless. Can't say enough good things about it and credit the book for giving me the knowledge and confidence to go out and "live the dream" (even while others were telling me I was crazy to shoot so high!). It HAS changed my life for the better in many ways! JUST DO IT! READ IT! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Why does one man succeed and another fail? There is an answer. And it will be found in this book. For there are formulas, prescriptions, recipes-rules, principles, systems-even treasure maps, if you please-which, when followed in proper sequence, bring the good things in life to those who seek them. Often the rules for success are so simple and so obvious they aren't even seen. But when you search for them, you, too, can find them. And during the search something wonderful happens: you acquire knowledge...you gain experience...you become inspired. And then you begin to realize the necessary ingredients for success.

This ebook is complete with linked Table of Content making navigation quicker and easier. ... Read more

Reviews

1 Good Reason to Read Is It NEVER Fails

If W. Clement Stone lived for over 100 years I am willing to accept that the principles of this book have worked far longer than I have had time to experience. But one year from now I will be able to testify that I have successfully seen all the successes of practicing these principles and all the failures of not practicing them as well for over twenty years.

W. Clement Stone & I attended the same High School but during different times and I'm sure that in my days of living on the North side of Chicago that I actually walked across some of the same sidewalks and pathways that he traveled. I experienced seeing the insurance empire he created in Combined Insurance. Many days I walked passed this building as a Senn High School student but it was not until I read his book "The Success System That Never Fails" ten years after I graduated from High School that I realized how much W. Clement Stone had an amazing mind.

So when I recommend this book to you it is not just out of having read it but also out of having seen with my own eyes some of the communities and some of the lives W. Clement Stone touched.

This is a great book written with valuable easy to read illustrations that move the heart and inspire the emotions. If you want to learn how to experience future abundance and the fact that it takes less work to succeed than to fail you've just considered the right book for you.

Learning how to use the power of the will while developing the true understanding of know-how has brought me huge benefits and it all came from this book. Some other real powerful things you will learn from this book are:

How to Get a Person to Listen to You.
Using Positive Statements.
Taking Inventory of Yourself.
Developing a Time Recorder.
Doing The Right Thing.
Learning From The Experience of Others.
It's Never to Late to Learn.
Enthusiasim Attracts.
A Blueprint For Success
If You Want Something, Go For It.

Well this is only a few of the things that you will learn from a man who set a goal to live for 100 years and achieved it. Now it's your time to succeed, it's your time to experience greatness and truly consider the real truth that you too like W.Clement Stone were born for great things. Don't take my word for it read the book today.

I worked for W. Clement Stone
Back in the 1960's after college I was lucky enough to land a job working for Mr. Stone out of his office at 5050 N. Broadway in Chicago. His PMA was an inspiration to me. I read his book over and over and applied his principles of Positive Mental Attitude. I believed and achieved my short and long range goals. Currently I am semi retired living the good life in Miami, Fl. and enjoying my days in the sun. I was sad to learn of his passing at the age of 100 recently. I owe a lot to Mr. Stone, Mr. Nightengale and Mr. Napolean Hill. His success system never fails if followed properly.

It'll get you PUMPED!
If you are a salesman or trying to accomplish a difficult goal, this book is worth reading. W. Clement Stone, who later teamed up with Napoleon Hill to write Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, is quite a success story. Starting from nothing, he was ultimately worth over 500 million dollars. His is a story of persistence and enthusiasm, and much of this book is autobiographical -- the story of how Stone did it -- and he goes into specific detail. It is an enjoyable read. I am the author of the book Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I am an expert on what works and what doesn't. This book will effectively motivate you and increase your determination to succeed. And that, my friend, makes a big difference!

You will learn a lot about yourself
I've not read too many self help books, but this is my favorite so far. Clement Stone is a master storyteller and a master motivator. He has obviously done serious research and meditation on the subject of success. His three step system is brilliant and I continue to use it everyday, even after having first read this book over three years ago. His first hand stories about himself and other success stories are all true and extremely motivating. The only part of the book I found less than useful is the time recorder at the end. That part would be useful to anyone in field sales though. The book appears to be out of print which is a shame because everyone could benefit from this book and learn a lot about themselves. Pick up a used copy if you can. You won't regret it!

Go to the core to get the truth!
When I was about 14 years old my dad a self made successful real estate broker in Inkster Michigan insisted I read this book. This book has been etched in my mind ever since. 43 years later, I've found an original copy of this book to give to my dad as a gift. That's how important this book is. If you do a you tube video search you can hear Stone in his own words give you the first 8 segments of the book. After hearing him, I know you'll want to buy this book. I like this book because 1) he gives you practical, useful stories of how he developed a success system which never failed for him in business. He gives concrete ideas on what to say and do to develop a success system. The most important thing you will take from this book is a perspective and behaviorally specific tips on how to become successful. What this book shows you is the key to your own wealth: you will learn that you need to track all of your activities, behaviors and goals and do a critical analysis, and apply that which works in every step of your processes. What you will discover combined with the principles he's sharing, is your own success system which never fails. Sometimes we forget when involved in our daily activities is the necessity to look at what works and discard what doesn't. We need to fine tune our approach to tasks and develop systems which can be duplicated over and over again. If you're one of those type of people who yearn to understand how "self help" works and how it can be applied in "your" life then this book is for you. There is no fluff; at the time Stone wrote this book I think people were less enamored with manipulation and more focused on helping people.

The Success System that Never Fails
Everyone should own a copy of this book and apply its principles. Because if they did, this world would be a better place to live in and everyone would be happy with their lives.

the success system that never fails
The best book ever written. There should be 7 billion copies printed and handed to every person in the world to read . . . the world would infinitely better if everyone did.

A Self help book worth reading
I seen W. Clement Stone referenced in other motivational books by Zig Ziglar, Earl Nightingale etc, but had never read any of his writings. I have found The Success System That Never Fails to be inspirational and very enjoyable reading. Mr. Stone wrote in a very conversational manner and consistently urges readers to put the ideas gleaned from his writings into action and do it now. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in trying to get the most out of life.

... Read more

Editorial Review

"A provocative title for a fascinating book."-Charlie Rose

Asked to explain why a few people truly excel, most of us offer one of two answers. The first is hard work. Yet we all know plenty of hard workers who have been doing the same job for years or decades without becoming great. The other possibility is that the elite possess an innate talent for excelling in their field. We assume that Mozart was born with an astounding gift for music, and Warren Buffett carries a gene for brilliant investing. The trouble is, scientific evidence doesn't support the notion that specific natural talents make great performers.

According to distinguished journalist Geoff Colvin, both the hard work and natural talent camps are wrong. What really makes all the difference is a highly specific kind of effort-"deliberate practice"- that few of us pursue when we're practicing golf or piano or stockpicking.

Based on a wide array of scientific research, Talent Is Overrated shares the secrets of extraordinary performance and shows how to apply these principles. It features the stories of extraordinary people who never stopped challenging themselves and who achieved world- class greatness through deliberate practice- including Benjamin Franklin, comedian Chris Rock, football star Jerry Rice, and top CEOs Jeffrey Immelt and Steven Ballmer. ... Read more

Reviews

Exhilarating, Infuriating or Terrifying -- it all depends on you
I inhaled this book. The informal plan was to read it over a few short weeks. Instead I plowed through it in maybe three days.

For those teetering on the edge of greatness -- or thinking about really going for the gusto, in whatever field or endeavor that has captured their spirit -- this book is an invitation to walk among the gods.

For those who have soured on their dreams and bitterly written them off, however, this book will be painful. It might even read like a damning indictment, and thus incite a hostile emotional response.

And finally, this book also has the potential to be terrifying. For those who feel the pull of greatness but also wrestle with a deep-seated fear of failure, the starkness of the choice will be revealed to them in these pages.

Why? Because Colvin's deeper message, beyond the powerful insights into "Deliberate Practice" and what it can do, is that there is no excuse. Whatever it is you like (or love) to do, the fact that you don't hate it means you probably have the basic tools -- and so there's no reason you can't get better, maybe a lot better. And so, at the end of the day, there is simply no real excuse for not being great. Only the classic Bartleby the Scrivener response: "I prefer not to."

Greatness requires dedication and sacrifice, period. Being good at something requires a fair amount... being great requires a huge amount. If you truly desire greatness -- or simply to be great at what you do -- then much sacrifice is required.

But I fudge slightly. The book does leave room for one excuse of sorts, but not a very satisfying one. In some cases of highly competitive endeavor, wunderkinds (like Mozart and Tiger Woods) have built up a nearly insurmountable "time in the saddle" advantage via taking up the hard work of Deliberate Practice (which I shall from here on out refer to as DP) at an astonishingly young age.

Olympian swimmer Michael Phelps has analogized his hard training to putting credits in the bank. DP is like a disciplined investing program -- the longer you do it, the more compounding you see, and it takes many years up front to get to a point of real momentum. This makes it all but impossible in certain prodigy-dominated arenas to come to the game late and try to catch someone who has been continuously working their butt off from, say, age twelve. (Or in Tiger and Mozart's case, age three.)

My personal experience with DP -- which I practice in the world of trading and investing -- is that it's a lot like running. The brain is like a muscle, or rather a group of muscles, that has to be built up, like legs and heart and lungs for the runner, if a rigorous DP program is to be sustained.

This is another reason why getting into DP is so hard for the average individual. People don't intuitively grasp the concept that the brain is like a muscle... that you have to strengthen your cognitive control and tighten up your executive functions before you can become a powerhouse.

Nobody starts out on a running program from a dead stop and assumes they'll be able to run three marathons every week. They build up to it, and work on ways to overcome the initial physical pain and resistance that act as a barrier before "runner's high" kicks in and positive addiction carries them through.

It's a similar dynamic with DP. Many people fail in their early quest for excellence, I suspect, because the mind flags and the will tires, and instead of taking this as a normal part of the training process -- like being winded in the early stages of a running program -- they decide they can't hack it and quietly slip back into mediocrity.

Another thing I liked about this book is how it puts talent in the proper context. Is it true that talent is overrated? Well, yes. Based on these findings, absolutely. But that doesn't mean talent plays no role in success. It simply means that having some modicum of talent (whether imparted by genes or favorable early developments) is often a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for success. That lack of sufficiency, i.e. talent alone not being "enough," or even anywhere close to enough, is an absolutely critical point.

It's a further interesting quirk that too much talent can even be an impediment, in certain cases, if the obvious presence of said talent convinces the individual that it's okay to shirk on DP. It's no statistical accident, for example, that the less flashy "work horses" of the baseball and basketball worlds tend to have longer careers than their flashier co-players, thanks to a tighter regime of working hard on the fundamentals to make up for lesser natural gifts. And it seems like we all know someone who had a great knack for playing guitar or piano by ear in high school, but couldn't be bothered to put in the sweat equity of trying to develop it into something more.

Now, go forth and get on the path to greatness.

Deliberate practice "hurts but it works."

Colvin set out to answer this question: "What does great performance require?" In this volume, he shares several insights generated by hundreds of research studies whose major conclusions offer what seem to be several counterintuitive perspectives on what is frequently referred to as "talent." (See Pages 6-7.) In this context, I am reminded of Thomas Edison's observation that "vision without execution is hallucination." If Colvin were asked to paraphrase that to indicate his own purposes in this book, my guess (only a guess) is that his response would be, "Talent without deliberate practice is latent" and agrees with Darrell Royal that "potential" means "you ain't done it yet." In other words, there would be no great performances in any field (e.g. business, theatre, dance, symphonic music, athletics, science, mathematics, entertainment, exploration) without those who have, through deliberate practice developed the requisite abilities.

It occurs to me that, however different they may be in almost all other respects, athletes such as Cynthia Cooper, Roger Federer, Michael Jordan, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Lorena Ochoa, Candace Parker, Michael Phelps, Vijay Singh, and Tiger Woods "make it look so easy" in competition because their preparation is so focused, rigorous, and thorough. Obviously, they do not win every game, match, tournament, etc. Colvin's point (and I agree) is that all great performers "make it look so easy" because of their commitment to deliberate practice, often for several years before their first victory. In fact, Colvin cites a "ten-year rule" widely endorsed in chess circles (attributed to Herbert Simon and William Chase) that "no one seemed to reach the top ranks of chess players without a decade or so of intensive study, and some required much more time." The same could also be said of "overnight sensations" who struggled for years to prepare for their "big break" on Broadway or in Hollywood.

Colvin duly acknowledges that deliberate practice "is a large concept, and to say that it explains everything would be simplistic and reductive." Colvin goes on to say, "Critical questions immediately present themselves: What exactly needs to be practiced? Precisely how? Which specific skills or other assets must be acquired? The research has revealed answers that generalize quite well across a wide range of fields." Even after committing all of my time and attention to several years of deliberate practice, under the direct supervision of the best instructor (e.g. Hank Haney, Butch Harman, or David Leadbetter) I probably could not reduce my handicap to zero but I could lower it under those conditions. Colvin's insights offer a reassurance that almost anyone's performance can be improved, sometimes substantially, even if it isn't world-class. Talent is overrated if it is perceived to be the most important factor. It isn't. In fact, talent does not exist unless and until it is developed...and the only way to develop it is (you guessed it) with deliberate practice. When Ben Hogan was asked the "secret" to playing great golf, he replied, "It's in the dirt."

Others have their reasons for thinking so highly of this book. Here are three of mine. First, Colvin's observations and suggestions are research-driven rather than based almost entirely on theories developed in isolation from real-world phenomena. He commits sufficient attention to identifying the core components of great performance but focuses most of his narrative to explaining how almost anyone can improve her or his own performance. He reveals himself to be both an empiricist as he shares what he has observed and experienced and a pragmatist who is curious to know what works, what doesn't, and why. I also appreciate Colvin's repudiation of the most common misconceptions about the various dimensions of talent. For example, that "is innate; you're born with it, and if you're not born with it, you can't acquire it." Many people still believe that Mozart was born with so much talent that he required very little (if any) development. In fact, according to Alex Ross, "Mozart became Mozart by working furiously hard" as did all others discussed, including Jack Welch, David Ogilvy, Warren Buffett, Robert Rubin, Jerry Rice, Chris Rock, and Benjamin Franklin. Some were prodigies but most were late-bloomers and each followed a significantly different process of development. About all they shared in common is their commitment to continuous self-improvement through deliberate practice.

Here's another reason I hold this book in such high regard. Throughout his narrative, Colvin inserts clusters of insights and recommendations that literally anyone can consider and then act upon to improve her or his individual performance as well as helping to improve the performance of a team of which she or he is a member. For example:

1. Attributes of deliberate practice (Pages 66-72)
2. What top performers perceive that others do not notice (Pages 89-94)
3. Benefits of having a "rich mental model"(Pages 123-124)
4. Rules for peak performance that "elite" organizations follow (Pages 128-136)
5. Misconceptions about innovation and creativity (Pages 149-151)
6. How innovators become great (Pages 159-161)
7. How to make organizations innovative (Pages 162-166)
8. What homes can teach organizations (Pages 172-175)
9. The "drivers" of great performance (Pages 187-193)
10. How some organizations "blow it" (Pages 194-198)

Colvin provides a wealth of research-driven information that he has rigorously examined and he also draws upon his own extensive and direct experience with all manner of organizations and their C-level executives. Throughout his narrative, with great skill, he sustains a personal rapport with his reader. It is therefore appropriate that, in the final chapter, he invokes direct address and poses a series of questions. "What would cause you to do the enormous work necessary to be a top-performing CEO, Wall Street trader, jazz, pianist, courtroom lawyer, or anything else? Would anything? The answer depends on your answers to two basic questions: What do you really want? And what do you really believe? What you want - really want - is fundamental because deliberate practice is a heavy investment." Corbin has provided all the evidence anyone needs to answer those two questions that, in fact, serve as a challenge.

Colvin leaves no doubt that by understanding how a few become great, anyone can become better...and that includes his reader. This reader is now convinced that talent is a process that "grows," not a pre-determined set of skills. Also, that deliberate practice "hurts but it works." Long ago, Henry Ford said, "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right." It would be "tragically constraining," Colvin asserts, for anyone to lack sufficient self-confidence because "what the evidence shouts most loudly is striking, liberating news: That great performance is not reserved for a preordained few. It is available to you and to everyone."

The Importance of Deliberate Practice
Last fall my friend Ron gave me a copy of Geoff Colvin's Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else, which is far and away my favorite business book of the past year. (And, yes, I read more than one.)

Why do some hardworking people remain in a job for many years without increasing the quality of their work? Why do they fail to make the transition from average to outstanding performers? Too quickly we assume that the difference lies in innate abilities, those natural talents and gifts bestowed upon us at birth. Not so, argues the author. What distinguishes top producers from others is hard work, and not just any kind of work, but work that has at its foundation the specific concept of "deliberate practice."

What is deliberate practice? Deliberate practice is characterized by five basic elements: (1) it is designed specifically to improve performance, (2) if can be repeated a lot, (3) feedback is continuously available, (4) it is highly demanding mentally, and (5) it isn't much fun. (66-78)

You've heard the saying, "Practice makes perfect." No, it doesn't. Only perfect practice makes perfect. If I go to a batting cage daily and flail away at hundreds of pitched balls, month after month, I will probably show modest improvement in my hitting. But my untutored approach won't be disciplined or consistent, and the progress of my improvement will soon level off. In fact, the more I hit the more I will reinforce bad habits. Without an instructor's help and feedback, I'll waste a whole lot of time. Hours of hard work with little benefit. What's more frustrating than to work hard but produce little?

What I need is deliberate practice, which requires a teacher who gives me not only instruction but also immediate feedback. Marked improvement will follow as he instructs me in the mechanics of hitting, and then watches me practice, reinforcing what's right about my batting stroke, correcting what's wrong, and working with me over many months, even years. Hitting will never become automatic, because as I reach each new level of proficiency in striking the ball, additional areas of improvement will become clear to my instructor, first, and, and then to me.

Obviously, deliberate practice takes time. After evaluating top performers in a variety of fields, Colvin concludes, "not one, not even the most `talented' performers, became great without at least ten years of very hard preparation." (61-62) Others have called this the "Ten Thousand Hour Rule" - approximately 10,000 hours of deliberate practice is required to become first-rate in any profession. Deliberate practice requires such sustained concentration that four or five hours a day is about the upper limit. (71) To put this in perspective, to reach 10,000 hours of deliberate practice requires a commitment of four hours a day, five days a week, for ten years. It's easy to see why so few make the transition from average to great. Also clear is the threat of constant distractions - from cell phones, computers, and PDA's - all of which, if we are not careful, deplete our powers of concentration, as well as hobbies that routinely consume enormous amounts of time. We must be able to distinguish between hobbies that refresh us from those that control us. Time is precious, and must be closely guarded.

People often attribute the early successes of people like Warren Buffet, Tiger Woods, and Mozart to their natural talent, and label them child prodigies. Certainly, each possessed raw natural and intellectual abilities. Nevertheless, what sets them apart from equally gifted people is deliberate practice, and each of these men put in their 10,000 hours earlier than most because of parental example and a rigorously enforced and supervised practice schedule. Tiger Woods would not be the golfer he is today if he first picked up a club at age 18 and started hitting golf balls. Demands of higher education, jobs, and family life would probably have made it impossible, that late in life, for him to achieve 10,000 hours of deliberate practice devoted to a game.

The book has a helpful chapter on cultivating the habits of deliberate practice among the members of organizations. Parents will want to consider Colvin's thoughts on how a supportive home environment helps a child to start developing early.

I've heard people say that success is more about "I will" than "IQ," an assertion the author's studies support. He writes, "IQ is a decent predictor of performance on an unfamiliar task, but once a person has been at a job for a few years, IQ predicts little or nothing about performance." (45) But even hard work is not enough. Without deliberate practice at its foundation, much human potential is wasted.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in improving performance. Whether it's preaching or teaching, honing sales skills, becoming a top actor or musician, or mastering the intricacies of a complicated technology field or organizational system, each of us should be building our work on the concept of deliberate practice.

Great performers work harder and in a more focused way than everybody else
I have always held that talent is a multiplier of work rather than the decisive factor in accomplishment and success. By this I mean that someone whose has a high level of talent, say a 10, and an average level of work, a 5, is going to accomplish at a level of 50. While a person of a level 7 talent who works very hard, a level 10, will outperform them at a level of 70. I have seen this borne out again and again in my life.

Geoff Colvin says that it isn't talent or hard work that are the deciding factors in achieving great performance, but a specific kind of focus when developing and practicing your skills. He calls it deliberate practice. Highly successful people not only practice a lot and work very hard at it, but they also have the ability to focus on what it is that must be practiced and how to work at it. And they can do this even though it is not particularly enjoyable and can, in fact, be painful.

Colvin argues that what we often point to as talent, say, for playing a musical instrument or any specific skill really doesn't exist. When high performers are examined there is little consistent evidence that being a prodigy is a strong predictor of later success. Even Mozart and Tiger Woods, were less about a Divine Spark and more about who their father's were, the focused training they received, and the immense amount of deliberate practice they put in. The author shows us how Jerry Rice worked six days per week during the off season to develop his abilities. Rice identified areas that mattered to his success and developed them systematically. He worked on developing his cardiovascular strength in the mornings, weight training in the afternoons, and those who joined him to see what is was like ended up feeling sick. These people tried to jump into a practice regimen that Rice had built up over years. No wonder they couldn't keep up! Deliberate practice requires building up abilities through repetition after repetition after repetition regardless of how you feel about doing it at any given time.

This repetition provides you with a level of familiarity and insight that others will not possess. While it may appear to be talent or luck, it is really based on becoming so familiar with the tasks involved and knowing at every moment what is going on. The book also takes you through how to apply it to your own life and in your business.

The multiplier idea I have long held is discussed on page 198 in very similar terms to my own. I also agree with him when he says, "What you really believe about the source of great performance thus becomes the foundation for all you will ever achieve." Colvin is honest that great achievement has a high price, a price most people are not willing to pay. However, even if you aren't aiming at greatness, you can still use these ideas to improve and accomplish more.

I think this is right. However, can I note that I think that insight to know what the right practice is and the capacity for that level of work is also a talent, is it not?

May 2009 revision. After thinking about this book a bit more, I want to push back a bit on the notion of someone like a Mozart being just a more focused worker. Or that there are more gifted prodigies today. Bunk. Point me to the body of work created by the hard working musicians who did their "deliberate" practice and created a body of work like Mozart? I think Haydn would be a much better example of the kind of thing the book is aiming at, but the general public doesn't know Haydn so well anymore. The musicologist the author cites trying to bring Mozart down to earth is only a musicologist, and not the final word on Mozart. While it is true that Mozart was not not as popular in his day as he is today, the people of real musical sophistication, Haydn above all, knew his worth. The public is always a poor barometer of artistic worth. Haydn's work is just as wonderful as it was a century ago, or two centuries ago, but the public doesn't esteem it as it should. Is Haydn less than he once was? No. We don't judge the art, our reaction to it judges us. The reputations of Mozart and Haydn were just about opposite a century ago than they are today. In reality, they are both musicians of inestimable worth and deserve our constant attention and careful study. Remember, this book is really about averages and statistics. You are an individual, not a statistic. The capacity for focused work is indeed a talent and one you can develop like any other. If you want something, go after it with your heart and soul.

Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI
... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Overrated, extremely light on content, January 22, 2009
I rarely review books, but this one was such a waste that I'd feel guilty if I didn't at least TRY to persuade you not to buy. The main problem with the book, as other reviewers have alluded to, is that it sort of tries to BE a design masterpiece rather than teach you. The design is interesting, but it is to the point that the content is subordinated to the design. There are maybe 5 pages worth of useful content.

Another irritant to me is that this is by far the most commercial book I've ever seen (more ads than a magazine). It seemed that every few pages I was being told to buy this book, or buy all of some other guys books. There is a two page section that is taken from Guy Kawasaki's blog. The whole thing is incredibly derivative (but shallow).

Finally, and this I can take responsibility for, it didn't meet my needs because I am not Al Gore, nor am I the CEO of a company. If I gave a presentation in the style of this book I'd be laughed out of the office. I'm an analyst, and the warm and fuzzy slides would not be good. Duarte's advice on data intensive slides? "Both [of Stephen Few's] books should be on your shelf along with everything Edward Tufte has written."
I have two Tufte books and they are virtually identical, I don't see myself buying his others (and they suffer from the same lack of relevance to corporate analysts). Disappointing.

Yet another designer's book, September 12, 2008
I have to rain on the parade of this book and Garr Reynold's book (and other ones).

The message is "I'm one of the best slide designers in the world (which is true) and I'm going to show you WHY."

The message should be "I'm one of the best slide designers in the world and I'm going to show you HOW."

You'll see plenty to interest you, but unless you're a full-fledged graphic designer you'll never recreate these slides. Imagine putting this book (and the Reynold's book) into a room with some of your worst slide creators, or even yourself. Would you see an improvement in their skills? I doubt it.

You might as well become a painter by reading books that have the world's greatest pictures in them. Even though there is explanatory text here it isn't enough to bridge the gap.

To see a book written for its audience, try the "Before and After" books by Jon McWade which deal with desktop publishing. Unfortunately John has not yet tackled slides, but you can see an page layout idea and make it yourself in minutes.

So, sorry about this, because both this and Reynold's book are "nice" books. The energy has gone into the book's design and production rather than the content. But that makes them coffee-table books, and unless you have a coffee table in your office I'd advise that you give both of them a miss.

Emperor's New Old Clothes, November 25, 2008
I had high hopes for this book. It looks very nice. It has the right nods to Tufte early on. But...

But the true content is very thin, includes a load of chart junk (the anti-Tufte - I guess the true cue is in the title, this is a PowerPoint book) and page after page of abstract diagrams demonstrating "flow" - much like the woeful second half of "Say it with Charts" which is about 50 pages of arrows.

Very very disappointing indeed.

don't buy this book, October 27, 2008
Don't buy this book. The text is maddeningly small and poorly contrasted. With postage stamp size visuals it's like reading a telphone book.
Get The Non-Designer's Design Book by Robin Williams and check out the website of the author of The Craft of Scientific Presentations, Michael Alley for templates and research based design tips.
With these two resources you'll have everything you need without having to wade through the padding in Duarte's book.

AMAZING--not about slides, about mind to mind communication, August 26, 2008
I just destroyed this book with folded pages and ink annotations, so the perfectionists out there may want to order two copies, one for eating and one for sharing. The price is phenomenally reasonable, especially for something that is all color and totally elegant.

This is not about powerpoint slides. If anything, it is a very subtle but explicit critique of how retarded they still are (e.g. no separation between bullet groups). This is an utterly inspiring combination of wisdom, education, visual excitement, and plain fun that "lives" what it preaches.

When I get back to the office I am going to read this book again while I create a briefing on the Earth Intelligence Network and educating the poor one cell call at a time that respects the deep knowledge being imparted by this author and her team. Mills Davis, visualization and semantic genius (Project10X) called my presentation "dense" yesterday, and I needed this book to understand just how polite he was being.

Bottom line mechanically: 10 slides, 20 minutes, 30 font size MINIMJM. For the advanced audiences, 20 slides, 20 seconds each, 6 minutes and 20 seconds total.

I read and reread sections, and the recurring thought in my head was that this book may well be all one needs to run a semester long course on the communication of important complex ideas. The author does not just show a correct slide, the author breaks down every aspect (e.g. fonts, color, grid layouts, use of images, creating your own art) into separate chapters with very ably-illustrated palettes covering all the options. I have a note on this, "nuances are unpackaged and illustrated."

I note the author's admonition that change across the presentation is a distraction, that animation should support the message and the continuity of understanding.

For large organizations, the author covers templates as a means of harnessing the diversity of knowledge of varied functions and employees, while maintaining a consistency of brand. BRAND is huge within this book, and in this book BRAND is not a legal term, it is a philosophical term. I am hugely impressed by a chart showing UK companies that treat BRAND as a design imperative being so much more competitive and profitable than those that do not. This book is not just asserttions and demonstrations, it is fact and case based and eminently authoritative.

I learn for the first time that powerpoint slides can be instantly made to be black and white to focus audience on the speaker, or made all white, by pressing B or W. Why didn't I learn that from Microsoft? Because their tool bar is not designed to teach....perhaps?

Special pages for me:

10-11 The Presentation Ecosystem (Message, Story, Delivery)
12-13 Time Estimate for world-class presentations (36-90 hours)
18-19 Rick Justice and 27 slides on eight topics (organization)
58-59 Making Diagtrams Work Together
64-65 Following the Five Data Slide Rules (Tell the Truth is Rule 1)
82-83 The (Financial) Value of Good Design
116-117 Lose the logo on every slide....
142-143 Dissecting a font (this section alone was HUGE eye-opener)
148-149 Typesetting a block of text (what powerpoint does not do)

The references are phenomenal, and comprise an instant library for any person, firm, or school of design. I only have ten links allowed, so below I list the reference categories, and link to a single book from the multiples identified--no disrespect intended for the others!

DESIGN
Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (Voices That Matter)

BRANDING
The Brand Gap: How to Bridge the Distance Between Business Strategy and Design

VISUAL THINKING
Zag: The Number One Strategy of High-Performance Brands

INFORMATION GRAPHICS
Nigel Holmes On Information Design (Working Biographies)

DATA DISPLAY
Information Dashboard Design: The Effective Visual Communication of Data

CONTENT
Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

BUSINESS BOOKS
The E-Myth Manager: Why Most Managers Don't Work and What to Do About It

The index is very good, another manifestation of the utter devotion to quality of the publisher, O'Reilly (I dislike most of their book sets, this one very properly rose to a proper high level).

Lots of white space. There isn't an ounce of fat or irrelevance in this book. It is world-class in every respect, and most publishers are so crummy about price and color that I want to end with a tip of the hat to o'Reilly for getting this one "just right."

Thoughtless design, November 17, 2009
This book is amazing in that it is a book on presentation and is simultaneously a fine example of how NOT to present something. The print is far too small and is a faded grey. How in all the world could someone who put this much effort and care into a book - I did manage to read some of it - fail to notice that it is nearly unreadable?

A must have for any presentation developer, September 15, 2010
I read some of the other reviews and I think some of the people who gave low ratings missed the point of this book. This is not a "How to" PowerPoint book. This is a "How to" effective presentation book. And if you read the introduction you should see the intent of Slide"ology.

Slide:ology provides theory behind visual communication using presentation media. The message is well, focus on the message of the presentation and provides basic design concepts that should help anyone in understanding what are the components of a well designed presentation. Key word here being design. I think some people struggle to understand that design means function and purpose instead of just making things pretty.

Some people mentioned small type and the book being hard to read. I thought the book was well designed and didn't have a problem with reading it. The pages provide ample room for taking notes.

It's a good reference, January 29, 2009
This was my first PowerPoint book so when I first read it, I thought it was fantastic.

What it is:
A reference that offers great design ideas, guidance on presenting information, layout, content, PowerPoint and storytelling. Sure, applying all of her principles will take a lot of time, focus, and clients/higher ups that are willing to try her method. But applying just one of her principles is easy to do. Either way, formatting your slides the slide:ology way will shift your presentation from good to better.

What is isn't:
This is not really a how-to book meaning it shows you the principles to follow but not necessarily how to achieve it. While I don't have a recommendation on which book to get, if you are a PowerPoint beginner, it would be wise to invest in a step-by-step guide as well.

A Must-Have for Seminar Presenters, August 20, 2008
I'm a trainer, offering live seminars which we convert to video presentations for our distance learners. I'm comfortable with creating good video, but not so with creating strong slide presentations. For years, we've felt the need for dynamic slide presentations that would heighten the excitement we work to build in our seminars. The slide presentations we created or had created for us, relayed information but they seemed flat to me, not what we were going for.

If you're hoping to create a great slide presentation or a great visual presentation of any sort, you will find that this book shows you how to do so. You will learn how to avoid kicking the audience into the yawn zone by creating presentations that have power and impact.

If you are even considering the possibility of creating a slide presentation, please consider picking up this book sooner than later. The author will help you to put together a strong presentation that will get your message across to your audience in a powerful and interesting way. This book is highly recommended.

Great ideas, great design! Just a very great book., August 12, 2008
Nancy Duarte has designed a winner with her first book - and it's an instant classic on presentation design. Not only will anyone be able to make MUCH better presentations, they will have fun learning how. Whether beginner or expert, Nancy helps anyone get to the top of their game in making a impact through presenting their ideas visually.

It's also interesting and inspiring reading as well, and goes far beyond presentations. The success of Duarte Design is well deserved, and you'll see why in reading this book.

Bert Decker ... Read more

Editorial Review

Do you want to get ahead in life?

Climb the ladder to personal success?

The secret, master networker Keith Ferrazzi claims, is in reaching out to other people. As Ferrazzi discovered early in life, what distinguishes highly successful people from everyone else is the way they use the power of relationships—so that everyone wins.

In Never Eat Alone, Ferrazzi lays out the specific steps—and inner mindset—he uses to reach out to connect with the thousands of colleagues, friends, and associates on his Rolodex, people he has helped and who have helped him.

The son of a small-town steelworker and a cleaning lady, Ferrazzi first used his remarkable ability to connect with others to pave the way to a scholarship at Yale, a Harvard MBA, and several top executive posts. Not yet out of his thirties, he developed a network of relationships that stretched from Washington’s corridors of power to Hollywood’s A-list, leading to him being named one of Crain’s 40 Under 40 and selected as a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the Davos World Economic Forum.

Ferrazzi's form of connecting to the world around him is based on generosity, helping friends connect with other friends. Ferrazzi distinguishes genuine relationship-building from the crude, desperate glad-handling usually associated with “networking.” He then distills his system of reaching out to people into practical, proven principles. Among them:

Don’t keep score: It’s never simply about getting what you want. It’s about getting what you want and making sure that the people who are important to you get what they want, too.

“Ping” constantly: The Ins and Outs of reaching out to those in your circle of contacts all the time—not just when you need something.

Never eat alone: The dynamics of status are the same whether you’re working at a corporation or attending a society event— “invisibility” is a fate worse than failure.

In the course of the book, Ferrazzi outlines the timeless strategies shared by the world’s most connected individuals, from Katherine Graham to Bill Clinton, Vernon Jordan to the Dalai Lama.

Chock full of specific advice on handling rejection, getting past gatekeepers, becoming a “conference commando,” and more, Never Eat Alone is destined to take its place alongside How to Win Friends and Influence People as an inspirational classic. ... Read more

Reviews

Caveat Networker, March 12, 2005
It seems like much of the efficacy of Ferrazzi's tactics lies in blurring the distinction between the personal and the professional connections. Not even church-going remains sacred.

At what point does a close-knit network become more invaluable than acquaintanceships struck during in-flight snackbreaks? Are 500 people willing to answer your calls (after the umpteenth time you've attempted to ambush them on the phone during their off hours) really an asset? Readers should keep in mind that one will not be able to fool all of the people all of the time with false pretenses of friendship. Ferrazzi's work would be more effective if he differentiated between intensities of friendship and the tactics most appropriate for each.

Further difficulties include:
-Networking Plan of Action (unfortunately acronymed NAP) includes scarcely a page of information about how to construct one.
-The arguments are often internally inconsistent: receiving an invitation to a 15 min coffee break is an affront, while sending one tops the personal arsenal list. Katharine Graham is eulogized as a champion of both "somebodies" and "nobodies." Yet Ferrazzi's lists of "people he'd like to meet" and his incessant extolling of the virtues of name-dropping seems to indicate "nobodies" are nobodies in his book. Finally, the distinction between a "networking jerk" and commendable behavior is, at best, subtle.
-For an individual so concerned with connectedness, it is curious that a bibliography or appendix of suggested reading is entirely absent.

May I suggest:
*How to Win Friends and Influence People: soft skills development
*Big Fish (a novel of "mythic proportions" by Daniel Wallace): a more sympathetic view on spin, for contemplating your own self-marketing plan or why Ferrazzi really left Deloitte.
*The Tipping Point: Chapter 2 is a more rigorous exploration of the roles the uber-connected play in social networks.

Hardly "revolutionary", December 29, 2005
The book isn't that bad, but it isnt worth buying with so many other masters out there writing about how to get it done. Here's what's wrong....

First, it's billed as "revolutionary" concepts which I found to hardly be true. Almost evey idea was something that I've read in a Covey, Mackay, Peters, etc book. Recycled.

Further, he's so proud of his accomplishments it becomes exhausting to keep up with all the great things KF did in his life.

Finally, he writes often about how he was from poor, underprivileged family and he had nothing but his "revolutionary" concepts to break him into The Club. I believe it at first, until he started (and then repeated) to tell the reader about how he went to a private elementary and HS, then to Yale and Harvard BS. He was IN the club from first grade - hardly a life course that demonstrated how unique and terrific his practices were.

Not Your Typical Networking Book, March 5, 2005
I'm a naturally shy person and I've always hated the concept of "networking." Everyone I know that practices it in the commonly accepted sense is a complete jerk. This book, however, addresses the true power behind networking; building actual relationships. I would probably give the book 4.5 stars, since too much of it is devoted to name dropping, but this small flaw does not detract from the value of the book. Mr. Ferrazzi takes the approach of building meaningful relationships with others, even when time is short. He doesn't advocate carpet bombing a room with your business cards or hanging out with people you despise as a means of getting ahead. I appreciate the fact that the author came from humble beginnings and was able to reach such heights in the world of business. There are several practical approaches that are discussed in this book that can be of help to both extroverts and the relatively introverted.

Don't let the title and attractive bright orange cover fool you, December 18, 2005
While I was reading the book, I actually convinced myself to go the extra mile and keep open lines of communication with random people (albeit, financially/socially powerful) in my naive enjoyment. However, after I finally made it through (its 250+ pgs), I realized that a lot of the content is bogus and not realistic in a "regular" lifestyle (unless your dad fed you into Yale and you cruised your way to a Harvard MBA, and then could afford to finally ask yourself what you actually want to do). I do love how some authors pride themselves on their humble upbringing, but yet somehow acsend to Ivy League undergrad & grad school through a favor. Anyways getting back to my point, do not buy the book - I recommend sitting at Barnes, Borders, etc. and reading the first 60-80 pgs (max). If you're looking for some motivation/tactics of networking, you might find it within that portion. The rest 150+ pgs just beats a dead horse. I'm a slow reader and the small amount of time it takes to hit the first 60 pages isn't worth paying for.

He has some good points., January 18, 2006
He really has something to say, but he stresses too much on his personal accomplishments. The book seems to me very egocentric. He is also very subjective and ambiguous in some of his maxims. Sometimes I had the feeling that this book is part of his networking tools, using it to promote himself and friends. But there is good information in this book; you just have to bear with the style to extract it.

A Valuable Message; Details May Vary, February 25, 2005
For all the five-star reviews that are going to pop up here in the next few days, be cognizant that the author of this book is a master networker, and is adept at calling in favors. What follows is an unbiased look at the book.

The author's message is simple yet powerful: Everything you do in life is enabled by others. The more people you know, the more you are capable of, and the more you are capable of helping others. The power of your network goes up exponentially with the number of relationships and with the strength of those relationships. Anyone who thinks that success is based solely on merit is sadly delusional.

The advice and techniques he gives are broken out by chapter. Some are insightful and useful, such as discovering what's important to people and finding ways to help them, how to work conferences, and how to connect with other well-connected people. Others are questionable from a style standpoint, and seem to serve as a boastful review of the author's own methods, such as his extravagant dinner parties, or interrupting a conversation midstream in order to call someone who is relevant to the current topic. He also emphasizes constant emailing and calling just so you don't fall off someone's radar, even if you have nothing to say to that person except "I exist". How annoying.

The book gets 3 stars for being important and relevant. It gets another for getting down and dirty in the details of connecting with people. It doesn't get the fifth star for being verbose, sometimes repetitive, and for taking such an extreme stance when most of us are mere networking mortals. At its core, the ideas in this book are incredibly valuable, once you adapt them to your own personality.

Ashamed of myself for reading this, August 6, 2005
In my own life, it occurred to me that I have difficulty staying in contact with people I know and reaching out to people I don't know. I want to do these things without being a smarmy, conniving, smily sycophant. Then I see the author on the Today show saying he could show me how to do these things and maintain my integrity too! Looks like he was just using his book's tactics to get $20 out of my pocket. It's a most elegant irony that there is actually a chapter on the "networking jerk." The rest of the book will make you exactly that. If he cut out all the self-promoting passages about his own accomplishments, the book would have 1/3 fewer pages. The only words of real wisdom in the book are but common sense that happen to be difficult to put into practice (e.g. Be generous and don't keep score). His real formula is this: Have your Dad get you into a fancy prep school, go to Yale, go to Harvard, latch onto someone with a great idea and become their protege, voila - you're a CEO.

A useful read, March 21, 2005
I am not a natural networker, so I found nuggets worth having in this book. I would recommend it to people who regard themselves as unproductively reticent. Many of the other reviews recount the book's strengths so I will focus just on my reservations.

1. Perspectiveless
Mr. Ferrazzi is wildly enthusiastic about the chance to meet people and sign deals. To most businessmen this is just a start, however. Good business starts with moments like this, but then goes on to substantial accomplishments. These accomplishments are invariably complex, as it requires addressing the needs of customers, employees, shareholders, fellow executives, creditors, suppliers and others. None of this comes into play in "Never Eat Alone". I can recall one sentence that acknowledged that a well-connected life can include complications like a spouse or child.

2. Inconsistent
An earlier review mentioned this point. Let me just confirm that I too found some of the authors positions in conflict. Mr. Ferrazzi comes very close to admitting getting burned out (who hasn't?) and finding relief in getting away (evidently to a meditation retreat, although that wasn't clear). It seems hard to reconcile that to the chapter entitled "Balance is B.S.".

3. Sometimes vague
This criticism is completely untrue of the first two-thirds of the book. However, having repeated himself rather often in that fraction, the author seems to have run out of concrete details in the last third. For example, in a late chapter he enthusiastically endorses mentor/mentee relationships. That seems very plausible, but it is unclear what is meant by the term. Does mentoring involve meeting with a young person once, twice, or regularly over a period of years? Much of the first part of the chapter revolves around Mr. Ferrazzi's relationship with his father, which is something more than a mentoring relationship. Then focus shifts to how he met his first boss/mentor, but that has only one paragraph that extends past the process by which he was recruited to his first post-MBA job.

4. Sometimes unfair.
The last chapter considers the question, "What is my legacy?" Fair enough. In response to a challenge in the last chapter, most people over the age of 40 will find it easier to recall the names of any three civil rights leaders than the last three CEOs of a large corporation (IBM, Wal-Mart, GM). But it is illiberal ask for any three people from one group versus three specific people from another, to ignore the obvious media bias, and to then wrap it all into the now-sacrosanct aura of the civil rights movement. Books designed to motivate should stay away from debating tricks.

If you, like Mr. Ferrazzi, are going to be the chief marketeer for a marketing company, then this may be just the book you need. If you need perspective on how connecting with others fits in with your myriad other skills, look elsewhere. But if you simply want advice on how to improve your ability to network, then this fits the bill.

Great action ideas. But K.F. does not relate to non-MBA entrepeneurs w/ families., September 23, 2005
So Keith went to a prestigious school. He repeats this over and over again from beginning to end. His book is 65% personal stories of meeting other VIPs, MBAs and PhDs, which could be motivational but leaves the reader in want to be inspired.
Keith apparently has no family ties or obligations, no spouse, no children, no parents to take care of. (Ironic when you reach the Health, Wealth and Children chapter.) He writes as if every other business man or woman is in the same care-free state of living as he. His life is "pinging" with colleagues and VIPs and making appointments 24/7 with as many prestigious and pedigreed people as possible and if he can't reach them, try the gateway lady (aka Admin. Assistant) because her only importance is her connection to the CEO. BTW, he never mentions taking the Admin. out to lunch.
He defends his way of living by saying that being balanced is B.S. I guess if you don't have a life either, by all means, have your lavish dinners and ping away.

Never sit next to Ferrazzi on a plane ride, December 16, 2005
I found this book difficult to take seriously. It's advice is great if you are neurotically insecure and need everyone to like you, but I seriously doubt if you'll make many friends by pinging people you meet on planes. Ferrazzi comes across as an annoyingly insecure nuisance, name-dropping like it might impress people, spewing out blindingly obvious bullet points on how to be a human being.

His approach to networking is exactly how gay men chat each other up at nightclubs. It works if you have no family, no responsibilities beyond work and can affort to flirt from one casual acquaintance to another without worrying about depth of relationship. It's the business equivalent of casual sex. Enjoy. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Understand Yourself First, March 2, 2005
In reading this I was reminded of the old saying, "To thine own self be true." I first thought that this was a book on how to find a new and better job in 48 days.

Instead it's a book on self discovery. It's how to find, look at, and understand your own skills, abilities, personality traits, values, dreams, and passions.

Once you understand where you are and where you're coming from, you have the basis for making some decisions about where you want to go. Then you can use this knowledge to find a better job, to start a business or whatever.

Dan Miller then covers the fundamentals of finding the new job, or the new business. It's an interesting combination of a self-help and business advice.

Book Review: 48 Days, July 12, 2007
Did you know heart attacks increase by 33% on Monday mornings, more people die at 9am Monday than any other time of the week, and male suicides are highest on Sunday nights, just before the weekly grind? Dan Miller does, and impending death is just one of the reasons he wants you to find better work.

Dan Miller's 48 Days to the Work You Love provides a combination of the things you already know but need to hear again, and need to know but don't. This book will do more than help you strengthen old resolutions; it will teach you how to make meaningful changes in your career--and in the way you view work altogether.

First, Quit your Job

48 Days persuades the reader to leave the job that isn't working (no pun intended), and find something better. "Job Security" is no longer an excuse to stay where you are over-worked and underpaid. While in the early 80s the employment philosophy was work for a good company and they'll take care of you for life, today loyal workers are often (not fired but) "laid off", "downsized", "right-sized", "reorganized", reengineered", "put into the mobility pool", freed up to "pursue other opportunities", "uninstalled", and are often on the receiving end of "a cost containment exercise" (email other creative terms to Miller at work@48days.com). Why the change? Fifty years ago it took a lifetime for technology to make your job obsolete. Today it takes 4 or 5 years. Therefore, as Miller explains, "everyone lives on the edge of job obsolescence and the threshold of career opportunity"

Miller is so for you quitting your job that he writes, "You must develop a sense of what you can contribute that goes beyond 1 company or organization. A career path today will likely involve moving from organization to organization, creating a picture of rising circles, rather than a vertical ladder. In fact, a vertical rise within one organization will very likely move you away from your strongest areas of competence." And it will limit your earning potential, as Miller suggests "in changing companies you may be able to increase your income by 40 to 50 percent though that is unlikely to happen while moving up in one company."

48?

I have to address this, as you surely are wondering, why does finding the work you love take exactly "48 Days"? Miller explains that 40 days is a sacred time-span, and to this he adds eight "free days in the process to create your own plan". I can't decide whether this is blasphemous or just really hokey--to Christianize your book with an overused `sacred' numeric, and then casually change it. Still, it's certainly better than other possible titles: Every Worker's Battle, The Work Factor, Loving your Work too Much, and Work is Not that into You Either.

Despite the title, the book reads and flows well. It takes the lecture, vignette, lecture, vignette, lecture, vignette approach--which works--and most of the stories are really quite good. A few are perfectly clich�, of course. For those who haven't heard, if you help a struggling butterfly out of its cocoon, it will die. It needs to do that on its own. The same applies to hatching birds.

There are 4 Things you Need to Know

Often books are published that would make a good book chapter--the 4 points the author drones on about can be summarized in a couple hundred words. One of the best things about 48 Days is as soon as you think you know everything Miller is going to write, he introduces something else. For example, all this came from the second-half of the book:

* Fewer than 1% of job seekers find work by responding to an internet ad
* During an interview, your answer to any question should be no longer than 60 seconds
* The best times to have an interview are Tues-Thurs between 8-10am
* 2,322 of 2,756 managers rank enthusiasm as #1 in what they want in applicants
* Today people are paid for their productivity, not their time, not their seniority
* IQ contributes only about 20% to the factors that predict success
* 69% of businesses today cost less than $10,000 to start; and 24% cost $0
* The most successful people got there not by being in the most lucrative industry, but by doing work they loved

A Brick in the Wall

Finally, Miller reminds the reader that work is a part of life, it's not life itself. Don't sacrifice your family, community, church, recreation, or personal development for a job. He writes good advice I should take myself: "if you are working more than 45 to 50 hours a week in your job, you are limiting success in some other areas of your life. Don't expect all your fulfillment, value, and meaning to com from the work you do."

He also writes we should work out 4-5 times a week. This being said, I'm late for the gym...

Not worth it, September 3, 2005
I listen to Dave Ramsey every day and read his books, I really think he's on the ball with his advice and helping people a lot. I can also understand why he advertises and endorses Dan Miller; Miller's heart is clearly in the right place and Im sure he's amazing as a one-on-one job counseler. But this book isn't anything special. I just got off the job hunt and I have to say that much of this advice can be found for free, on the internet, and is part of the whole college experience (which is about finding what you like to do and studying it in further detail). The book mainly says, "look and find out what you really want to do", "go find companies that do it", "let your enthusiasm show" and "negotiate shrewdly". Yes, this is all good advice, but its mostly common sense - you dont need to spend $20 to learn this advice.

So, you know, maybe Im too young and optimistic, but I really dont see the point or need for a book like this. Dave Ramsey, yes absolutely - everyone should listen to him. But Miller and his book - no, unless you go directly to him for job counseling. This book is much too general and non-commital to be of much use.

This is an essential for anyone in the workplace!, January 14, 2005
How wonderful to find a book that gives hope and direction to all of us in the workplace. As Dan Miller says in his book, "The fruits of a fulfilling life - happiness, confidence, enthusiasm, purpose and money - are mainly by products of doing something you enjoy, with excellence, rather than things we seek directly." He also made me understand that I should decide what kind of life I want, then plan my work around it. What wonderful wisdom! If you are feeling like you aren't getting all you want out of your career and life, READ THIS BOOK!

Great book, Underlined at least 3 lines per page, January 19, 2007
Dan Miller blows the lid of the traditional concept that work must be painfull and unfullfilling. This book is like a breath of fresh air in our TGIF mindset. Discover your skills, talents, natural bent, and build your work on that, you can't fail. Not to mention, Mondays don't matter when your doing what you love. Dan Miller causes the reader to begin their Vocation Search inwardlly. It's not a system designed to teach you how to manipulate others to give you the big money job that your not designed to do, rather he shows you how to find who you are and what you're made to do, and model you new bussines or vocation search after that.
If you hate your job, You are not where you are sopposed to be. It's that simple.

Jaw-Dropping Near-Plagarism of What Color is Your Parachute, September 2, 2007
Having previously read Richard Nelson Bolles's classic What Color is Your Parachute, I was shocked at how much of the material in 48 Days to The Work You Love was a re-worded version of Parachute (first published commercially in 1972). In some sidebars Miller credits Bolles, but so much of the material (and format) is so dangerously close to plagarism that I intend to write a letter to the author and publisher asking for an explanation. This is especially galling since I am a big fan of Dave Ramsey and cannot believe that he is promoting this book unless he's never read Parachute.

The saddest part is that I actually like the original material Miller presents on "life goals", embracing change and work-life balance. Unfortunately, his presentation is so repetitious, disorganized and thinly developed that I didn't get much value from his ideas.

I'm particularly annoyed that there's no 48-day plan presented in the book! I'm not kidding. Apparently Dan Miller sells workbooks that include the arcane mysteries of "The Plan", but I only discovered this after reading the entire book! As it turns out, this "book" is more like a marketing pamphlet for Miller's "Plan workbooks"). Can you say "refund"?

The only way you could possibly be happy choosing this book over Bolles's Parachute would be if you think Miller's trite animal metaphors and seemingly random Bible quotes (perhaps monkeys typed them?) make up for this book's awful shortcomings. If you've never read What Color is Your Parachute this book will be helpful and insightful, but you would have been better off reading the original.

Excellent Book !!!, January 13, 2005
A great book, that blends both common sense and reality together concering finding meaningful work. If you think your work situation is awful, I would suggest this book. I hate to use this common uesed phrase, but it allowed me "think outside the box."

It took me two days to read this. What to do with the other 46?, February 20, 2008
Unfortunately I have to echo the other negative reviewers of this book. I, too, got it on the recommendation of Dave Ramsey and was sorely disappointed in the fluffery of it. There is only ONE reference in the ENTIRE BOOK as to what the "48 Days" are. He says God worked major changes in the lives of people in 40 days and he (Miller) gives you "8 extra days." Really? That's it? It seems that if you are going to call your book "48 Days to..." you'd better have a very clear plan for those 48 days.

And the questions at the end of each chapter have NOTHING to do with the chapter you just read! In fact, some questions are REPEATED at the end of multiple chapters. And what do you do with your answers? There is absolutely no direction.

As others have said, this seems to just be an overblown marketing tool to go to his website and buy everything else. I didn't learn anything new from this book. "What Color is Your Parachute?" is infinitely more helpful and well written.

To top it all off, tucked inside the pages of my copy was a fake $100 bill that says, "Bummed that this wasn't real?" with a link to a website that will "show you how to make it real." I'm sure Miller cut a deal with these folks to "advertise" in his books. Tacky and classless.

I'm returning my copy tomorrow.

Gives a focus path, February 11, 2007
Although not a silver bullet for "getting a job" it does provide focus and insights into what you should be doing as well as spending your time on in searching for your vovational calling. I recommend this book for one who is trying to find out what they should be doing versus someone who likes their job and is looking for advancement in that field.

not useful *for me*, November 16, 2005
I rarely read self-help books, but this one was recommended by our pastor during a Sunday service I attended in the midst of a job crisis. Unfortunately, I found it less useful for my career as a teacher and nanny than for those in the corporate world. Worth checking out from the library, though, for the appendixes: sample resumes and business letters, recommended reading, etc. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A complete how-to from two of the world’s top bloggers

Thousands of aspiring bloggers launch new blogs every day, hoping to boost their income. Without solid advice from experts, most will fail. This bestselling guide, now fully revised with new and updated tips and tricks from two of the world’s most successful bloggers, provides the step-by-step information bloggers need to turn their hobby into an income source or a fulltime career.

• Earning a solid income from blogging is possible, but tricky; this book details proven techniques and gives aspiring bloggers the tools to succeed
• Even novices will learn to choose a blog topic, analyze the market, set up a blog, promote it, and earn revenue
• Offers solid, step-by-step instruction on how bloggers make money, why niches matter, how to use essential blogging tools and take advantage of social media and content aggregators, what a successful blog post should include, how to optimize advertising, and much more

Written by two fulltime professional bloggers, the updated edition of ProBlogger tells you exactly how to launch and maintain a blog that makes money. ... Read more

Reviews

Blogging for bucks is just another small business. Think it, plan it, do it, and benefit from it., May 20, 2008

I loved this book. It is the first one I have read that actually explains how blogging can be used to make money directly. Most books I have read, and what I have experienced, indicate that blogging is not something to be done to make money directly.

In this book the author explains that there are direct ways to make money from one's blog, and there are indirect ways.

Direct Monetization:
>>Advertising
>>Sponsorships
>>Affiliate commissions
>>Paid reviews

Indirect Monetization:
>>Freelance writing contracts
>>Book deals
>>Speaking engagements
>>Consulting opportunities
>>Service contracts
>>Sell your own products

After reading this book I am still a believer that blogs are not something to consider if you want to make money from them directly. However, it can be done! But probably not the way you would think. It's not done by creating a blog, i.e., one blog and making it popular online. It's done by creating many blogs. Creating an empire of blogs and getting well connected in the blogoshere does it. Writing on any topic that can generate advertisers, sponsorships, affiliate commissions, and paid reviews does it. One blog won't do it. Two blogs won't do it. But a lot of blogs creating little streams of income will do it.

The authors provide us with some lessons they have learned about blogging:

1. Blogging for income takes time
2. Take it one step at a time
3. It takes hard work and discipline
4. Follow your dreams

Does this sound familiar? It should if you regularly read books for entrepreneurs. Blogging for bucks is just another small business. Instead of writing content for an arsenal of magazines, you are writing an arsenal of content for various blogs. Instead of selling paper copies of writings, you are selling through Web 2.0. And you are using Web 2.0 strategies and tactics to make your blogs profitable.

If you have an interest in blogs, and you want two books on the subject that discuss blogs from completely different perspectives, then read this book and read "Blog Schmog" (ISBN: 078521576X). Both books are well written, organized, and sound. If you read both of these books, then you should have a pretty good idea of what blogs are all about, what you can do with them, and what you cannot do with them. 5 stars!

Definitely in the top one or two, May 1, 2008
This is the 12th book I've read on blogging. The books I've read have run the gamut from marketing brochures clothed in the covers of a book to real sources of valued information. This book is clearly in the latter category and I would place it in the top one or two positions as my favorite so far.

I appreciated the author's very quick overvew of "what is a blog". Blogs are very easy to understand and the authors who have gone on for 20+ pages just describing a blog have obviously just been shooting for page count. This author gets into the real meat of the topic very quickly. The brief overvier of professional blogging as opposed to just blogging in chapter 1 was also helpful.

From the first chapter on, it's all about getting your game on. You have to realize that blogging your way to a six-figure income does not happen overnight just like building an email list (in a valid way) that has hundreds of thousands of opt-in emails doesn't happen overnight. This book holds your hand along this prolonged journey.

Well-written but mostly covers the basics, June 24, 2008
A great book and I was already a big fan of Darren Rowse and his blog. He is a very successful pro blogger, a fine example to follow and learn from and having the 2 perspectives - different backgrounds, both end up at pro blogging and both very successful - is very effective. The book is easy to follow, written for anyone who even hasn't the basics of technology down, and has a reasonably good flow. I just wish it covered the tricks of the trade in much more depth, with examples, case studies, personal experience, and tips that you do not find anywhere else. It was a bit general for me. I am still glad I read it.

Great Reference for Bloggers, April 30, 2008
I have been looking forward to reading this book, and I couldn't wait to tear into the package as soon as UPS brought it to my door.

"ProBlogger" does not disappoint. Each page includes useful tips and techniques for building a successful blog. The chapters include:

Blogging for Money
Niche Blogging
Setting Up Your Blog
Blog Writing
Blog Income and Earning Strategies
Buying and Selling Blogs
Blog Networks
Blog Promotion and Marketing
Secrets of Successful Blogs
Creating Something Worthwhile

Reading this book from cover to cover will give you a solid education in blogging. It is the most comprehensive and realistic book I have seen on blogging, but it is not overwhelming. It covers everything from choosing a blogging platform and a topic, through design, what (and how often) to post, monetization strategies, interacting with your readers, using social media and getting links, and much, much more.

I found several tips that will help me focus my efforts and produce a better blog.

Once you finish reading the book, keep it near your computer so you can reference it frequently. This is not just a book for beginners. Even experienced bloggers will learn things they can use to gain readership and increase profits.

If you are going to buy a book about blogging, make it this one.

Cathy Stucker, [...]
Author of Mystery Shopper's Manual, 6th Edition

Good book for absolute beginners, boring read for existing bloggers, December 12, 2008
I've been blogging for a few years now casually and didn't find this book useful almost at all. The authors don't give away any of their "secrets" or point you at what they have had successes with personally, it's one giant introductory piece of writing that just tips you towards different things to try.

For someone that has a brand new blog and has never done it before, this is a good intro.

For someone looking to take their blogging to the next level, this book is a boring read and won't say anything you can't get online by Googling.

I'd also point out that this book is written exactly like the ProBlogger articles are written -- it gives you just enough to peak your interest in a subject, then never *actually* addresses the question conclusively. Their articles online are very much the same way except every one of those articles point you at buying their book.

Also don't expect to see any monetary numbers in this book either, they far away from giving indications of how much they make, made, could make or should make... you're on your own there if you are trying to get a feel for your site's value as well (trying to price CPM and such).

I'd suggest renaming the book to "ProBlogger: Getting Started with Blogging", this book is not full of secrets or any specifics that would indicate how you get a six-figure income.

Ways to make money from your blog, December 27, 2008
I'm new to blogging. Never had a blog until just recently.

I'm taking a small business class, and one of the things the teacher recommended was having a blog. Search engines love it, and its very easy to update.

I bought this book and a couple of books on wordpress, and what I like about this book is it covers ways to make money online.

I bought this great little wordpress book that showed me how to get online, and start blogging, and I started thinking, how can I make money, how can I get more of my customers to use my website, and see my special deals on my flowers.

This book gave me some good ideas.

The problem is, it is not as detailed as I would like. It is very much so not step-by-step. I'm a little confused at times. And I do not see how to implement this stuff.

I'm glad I got the book, I think it is the only thing like it, others recommended it in my class. But I just cant use it right now.

I think you should buy this book if you want to generate ideas on how to make money, but buy something else to learn how to do it (or pay someone)

The best place to start in Internet Business and Blogging, January 21, 2009
If you think you'd like to create an online presence through blogging to achieve any number of goals, this is the best place to start.

GOLDEN INFORMATION, June 3, 2008
If you want to make blogging your business, then this book is a must read. This book takes you step by step through all the options you will face when launching and monetizing a blog.

What I love BEST about this book is that Darren doesn't "sugar coat" his experience. His was NOT an overnight success story and he openly shares that information with the reader. His co-author, Chris Garret also doesn't sugar coat his experience either. Both are long time internet veterans whose success has been anything but overnight.

This book contains great information for every level of blogger. However, if you're expecting step-by-step idiot proof advice on how to make $100K a year your first year in blogging without working at it, then pass on buying this book.

Detailed, Thorough and Realistic Guide to Making Money Blogging, July 24, 2008
Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett have written a book that you should read if you're interested in blogging.

"Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income" is based on Darren's (and his partner Chris') personal experience building blog businesses to make $100,000/year or more.

Like Darren's popular Problogger blog, the book is casual, informative, supportive, and offers lots of specific strategies. It starts with the personal stories of how the 2 authors became successful bloggers. (Spoiler: They were not overnight successes and not everybody is going to make $100k!) This realistic approach continues throughout the book.

The Problogger book pays excellent attention to the business side of blogging. It helps the reader evaluate his/her own interests and potential approaches that may lead to lucrative blogging for that individual. The authors help you determine content niches appropriate to your expertise, select a software platform, and provide plenty of details on profitable writing strategies. (This includes screen shots and even details on getting paid by blogging for others instead of necessarily starting your own blog.)

Other business topics include marketing, SEO, and even buying and selling blog properties - much of which may be new to readers who are not already professional bloggers.

The book closes with heartfelt guidance to "Create Something Worthwhile". As blogging success stories themselves, Darren and Chris' argument to focus on continuously creating value for readers as a way to build your business is a positive and accurate message.

All of this practical, supportive detail combined with some inspirational support, make Problogger similar to my book Internet Riches: The Simple Money-Making Secrets of Online Millionaires, but focused specifically on how you can best make money by blogging.

The thorough review that Darren and Chris provide of different strategies behind starting a successful blog make a valuable contribution to the emerging library of e-business texts.

Highly recommended - especially if you are new to the "business" of blogging. The Problogger book could be the virtual mentor you need to make it big as a blogger.

Excellent cautionary book for those whose eyes are bigger than their reach, June 15, 2008
The two authors of this book repeatedly warn would-be professional bloggers that it takes a great deal of hard work (besides luck) to even hope to make a decent living with a blog. The authors explicitly warn of the dangers of thinking that this is something that anyone can do.

On the other hand, the authors share valuable information to help people who understand what the commitment must be in order to possibly grow a "successful" money-making blog. This is one of those books that you read a second time because there's so much good information in it. -- Phyllis Zimbler Miller ... Read more

Editorial Review

Now in the 4th edition, Cracking the Coding Interview gives you the interview preparation you need to get the top software developer jobs. This book provides:

* 150 Programming Interview Questions and Solutions: From binary trees to binary search, this list of 150 questions includes the most common and most useful questions in data structures, algorithms, and knowledge based questions.

* Ten Mistakes Candidates Make -- And How to Avoid Them: Don't lose your dream job by making these common mistakes.� Learn what many candidates do wrong, and how to avoid these issues.

* Steps to Prepare for Behavioral and Technical Questions: Stop meandering through an endless set of questions, while missing some of the most important preparation techniques.� Follow these steps to more thoroughly prepare in less time.

* Interview War Stories: A View from the Interviewer's Side: Humorous but instructive stories from our interviewers show you how some candidates really flopped on the most important question - and how you can avoid doing the same. ... Read more

Reviews

If you're going to interview with the top SW companies...get this book...NOW!, October 3, 2010
Getting into one of the top companies in the software industry, is not normally an easy task. There are certain things they're looking for and if you don't know what they are and how to prepare, you'll most likely get the dreaded "Thank You" email or phone call.

This book will prepare you for what to expect from companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Yahoo and Apple. Then it will give you the tools to solve the problems that they will throw at you during an interview. Follow the instructions, and you'll have a chance to stay in the hunt. Try to memorize answers and you'll be eaten alive.

Get a whiteboard, practice the problems without looking at the answers until you're done. Don't use your IDE to help you and learn to think through problems without knowing the answer in advance.

This book helped me get into Microsoft.

Good luck!

Cover Theory along with Questions, October 27, 2010
This is a great book regardless you plan to go for an interview or not. Every chapter of the book starts with basic theory which will allow the reader to wake up the brain before going for the questions. Each chapter has great interview questions and answers are very well explained. Not only that some questions are given with two answers where the second answer is optimized version of the code. Also first chapter of this book has very good information about the nature of the big software companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft. I highly recommend this book regardless you prepare for an interview or not. Cracking the Coding Interview, Fourth Edition: 150 Programming Interview Questions and Solutions

Practice makes perfect, May 10, 2010
My background: worked as a software developer for 5 years before changing companies and I needed to freshen up my interview skills. Having conducted dev interviews before, I wanted to be as prepared as possible.

I used this book as a practice guide for my interviews with Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. Got offered to two of the companies through practicing the questions in this book over and over again. I was only caught off guard by one or two questions during my interviews through at least 15 interview loops. Most of the interview questions at the above companies follow the same two dozen or so coding patterns and the questions in this book thoroughly covers them. Learn the coding patterns from this book and you won't be surprised or nervous during your loops. I tried not to act too surprised when 1/5 of the questions from my interviews were straight from the book.

Excellent resource for interviewing, May 9, 2010
Even rock star coders need to prepare for coding interviews, and this book is THE way to do that. The author has interviewed with virtually every tech company out there, worked for what are (in my opinion) the three coolest tech companies (Google, Microsoft and Apple), and spent three years as an interviewer for Google. According to her bio, she interviewed for 120 people at Google alone!

The book covers every aspect of the interview process: creating a good resume, preparing for both behavioral and technical questions, coming up with good algorithms during the interviews, how to write good interview code, mistakes to avoid, etc. The advice is very concrete, applicable and useful. I can definitely say that it made a huge difference in my interview process (and my subsequent job offers).

In addition to all that stuff, the book offers 150 programming interview questions (and answers), from the most common basic questions, to advanced algorithm questions. And, though I don't encourage trying to memorize interview questions, I have actually been asked several of these questions while interviewing with Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook, etc.

Regardless of how much interviewing experience you have, this book will make you perform substantially better. I found myself more easily able to think through problems, and less likely to make mistakes.

I would recommend that any interviewee prep with this book.

Still have many errors even in 4th edition, September 23, 2010
In general this is a good book to cover technical interview questions and some very useful tips for how to prepare and act for the on-site interview on technical questions. However, there are still several obvious errors in the books, especially codes and some formulas. For example,

in page 47 Question: What is the running time of this code?
The two sample codes are exactly the same and the first one should be something not using StringBuffer().

And in page 258, in the middle paragraph
Time_Stamp(P2_1) - Time_Stamp(P2_N)
should be
Time_Stamp(P2_1) - Time_Stamp(P1_N)

Hope this error can be identified by readers and they can still get the job.

Must Buy, May 9, 2010
Though I personally have mixed feelings on the value of so-called "coding interviews," the harsh reality is that all the top companies ask programmers to code on the spot. If you're a software engineer, you're almost sure to face this type of interview - and this book is basically required reading for it. DO NOT walk into one of those interviews without reading this book first.

Excellent Prep Book, August 24, 2010
I have a fairly strong CS background (BSE & MSE in Computer Science from a top school), but I still learned a ton from this book. Note that this book is not intended to teach you the basics of CS - there are plenty of other places you can learn that stuff from - it teaches you how to interview well (from a CS perspective).

The author has deep experience with interviewing from a variety of companies, and it shows. She offers a good overview of the process at Microsoft, Apple, Google, Yahoo and Amazon, and mentions what each company tends to focus on.

She then goes on to talk about how to do well on coding problems, and gives a few ways to handle algorithm problems. If you feel like you're grappling in the dark when you get an algorithm problem, these will be really useful for you.

The rest of the book discusses a bunch of different types of problems, how to approach them, and give a bunch of sample questions and answers.

Personally I got a ton out of this book.

Well worth it, May 11, 2010
This book is a must have for anyone who will be undergoing coding interviews, anyone who will be conducting coding interviews, or anyone who just wants to sharpen their programming skills.

I have found that my interviews go better when I have spent time studying this book. Not only do I feel more calm, but my brain is also warmed up to the type of questions that I will be asked during the interview. More than once I have been asked questions directly out of this book. Even if the question is not directly from the book, it usually follows a pattern presented in the book.

Get this book and get the job.

Best Book for Real Interviews!, May 9, 2010
I purchased a bunch of interview books before my interviews (expensive, yes - but a great investment), and Cracking the Coding Interview was by far the best. A lot of other books are either very outdated and spend the entire time talking about silly brain teasers (not really asked any more), or try to teach ridiculously simple topics (hello? I know what a linked list is!).

This book, on the other hand, gives an extensive array (get it? ok, stupid pun) of advice that every interviewing programmer can use. With its 150 questions, it focuses on questions that are actually being asked in programming jobs, and walks you through the solutions in a clear, comprehensible way.

Inside the book, you can also find a link to download all (or almost all) of the solutions. I found this very handy when I didn't fully understand how to solve it, or when I wanted to experiment with small tweaks. This was a great addition to what was already a fantastic book.

Tips are good but explanation of problem is not good, November 2, 2010
It includes quite useful tip and recommendation for the interview. However, the coding problems are little bit disappointing.
Comparing other coding quiz books, the explanation and quality of problems is lower than others. Especially, it does not use the equation for the mathematical formulas. It prints that like 1/2^2. Common~ I do use superscripts and subscripts for my assignment.
It also includes critical typo in the solution which make me really confuse. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Already a classic in the genre, DoWhat You Are has helped hundreds of thousands of people find truly satisfying work. Do What You Are introduces Personality Type - how you process information, make decisions and interact with the world around you - and shows you which of the 16 types describes you best. It lists dozens of occupations that are popular with people of your type. Then, using workbook exercises and real-life examples to highlight the strengths and pitfalls of each personality type, it shows you step-by-step how touse your unique strengths to customise your job search,ensuring the best results in the shortest period of time.And if you plan to stay in your job, Do What You Are provides savvy advice for getting the most out of your current career.Every other career guide offers generic, one-size-fits-all advice. But because it is based on personality type, Do What You Are helps you determine what you need to be more successful and satisfied. ... Read more

Reviews

The best book on personaility type and work, October 24, 1999
I'm a career counselor in private practice, working with mid-career changers and young people making these decisions for the first time. This is one of the two truly extraordinary career books I ask all of my clients to buy. It was written for people who want to choose a direction that is a perfect fit with their personality. It does a wonderful job of introducing you to the 16 types. However, personality type is only one of many important factors in making a satisfying choice of direction. I recommend that you also get yourself a copy of: "The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success", by Nicholas Lore. It is by far the best guide to picking your career. Whether you are thinking of changing careers in mid-life or are a student trying to figure out how to be successful and love your work, buy both of these books, and use them! Together they will guide you to putting the pieces of the puzzle together in a way that will keep you getting out of the right side of your bed for years to come.

This is a great book but there are two things to be aware of, August 5, 2005
I had several very smart and successful mid-career changers tell me this was a must-buy book, so I bought it.

I think it's also a must read for anyone putting together a business partnership or management team that seeks personnel that will complement each others' strengths.

I wish I had read this book years ago. The authors have written a book around the Myers-Briggs personality type concept. Many other career advice authors may devote a chapter to this, but the Tiegers have really delved into this more than others. For instance, each of the sixteen 4-letter Myers-Briggs personality types (INTJ, ENTP, etc.) gets a full chapter on that type, including the person's strengths, weaknesses, typical best job fits and 2 or 3 case studies of men and women with those personality types. After I took the test, I found their chapter on my particular type captured me almost perfectly and taken 20 years ago, would have predicted many of the career successes and challenges I've experienced.

The original pioneers of the Myers-Briggs methodology were Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katherine Myers. Starting in the 1920s they identified 4 different aspects of personality (introverted vs. extroverted, sensing vs. perceiving, etc.) to come up with 8 traits. There are a total of 16 possible combinations of these traits and these are the "personality types".

While some may find some fault with Myers-Briggs personality type theory, it's sure good enough to be a powerful, insightful tool. The official Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test has been around for decades and has been thoroughly researched and critiqued as well as widely used by millions.

The Tiegers also cover additional Myers-Briggs material I have not seen in other career advice books. An example is how your personality evolves with age -- certain Myers-Briggs traits become more pronounced at different times in life.

The buyer should be aware of two things, however, when they buy this book:

1. First, this book does not cover other aspects of career planning, self-assessment and job-hunting. It's 95+% personality type material. You'll still want to get another book (or books) on other aspects of career planning and job-hunting.

2. The true Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Test is copyrighted and available only through organizations, counselors and therapists approved by the Myers & Briggs Foundation -- see myersbriggs.org (their site has also has a lot of other useful stuff).

The authors cannot include the test, but they describe each of the 8 traits in sufficient detail that you can estimate what you are -- BUT you may be wrong, as I found out when I took the actual MBTI test. My estimate was very accurate for 3 traits and way off the mark for the 4th. As I read over the material in the book, I could see how I was wrong. I recommend paying the extra money, taking the real test and going over the result with someone certified by the Myers & Briggs Foundation -- they can interpret those results that may surprise you. After speaking with the counselor and re-reading the relevant sections of the Tieger book, I could see how I made my mistake. The meanings of some of the terms -- introverted, extroverted , judging, etc. -- are subtly different in the psychological type world from the way they're used in daily conversation.

There are thousands of people out there certified to do this and many college career placement offices also administer the test to students for free. You can also take the test online using a link at myersbriggs.org site and then discuss the results remotely with a trained counselor. Some of this control may be due to the foundation wanting to preserve test revenues, but it's also driven by concerns about untrained people administering it inappropriately (for instance, to identify some neurotic boss's idea of "bad personality types") or interpreting it incorrectly.

Also, I tried two different on-line free sites that offered seemingly similar tests to come up with a Myers-Briggs type. These tests gave wildly inaccurate and conflicting results -- I recommend staying away from them.

Makes you think about job hunting in a different way..., August 18, 2000
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a personality test based on Jungian theory. In a nutshell, it states that every person falls into one of sixteen categories, and each one of these categories or "Types" has distinct needs, ways of interacting with others, manners of processing information, etc.

"Do What You Are" attempts to help individuals plot their own careers based on their own Myers Briggs "Type." Before finding this book, the only other career-related thing I had read was "What Colour is your Parachute," which was terrific. But I loved "Do What you Are" because it stated something that is so rarely said today... that you should find a job and career that suits who you really are. I passed this book around to all my friends and family, and most (but not all) loved it, too.

Something I found particularly delightful was that it affirmed a lot of things I had been thinkingabout my own situation, but had considered "unimportant." My type is "ENFP" (I know it might sound like jibberish to you now, but it will make sense if you read the book). This is a type that thrives on creativity, feels confined by rigid rules, and needs lots of friendly social interaction on the job. But, since I have a high IQ and did well at school, others have constantly tried to push me into "status" fields like medecine and litigation. In my heart, I had always felt those kinds of careers would kill me, but I couldn't really articulate why. After reading "Do What you Are," I was better able to accept my instincts and explored PR, fundraising, and finally settled on a job in publishing. I LOVE my job, and although I think I would have arrived here eventually, I do think that it would have taken me twice as long to arrive had I not read this book.

A good starting place... if you know your Myers-Briggs personality type, September 23, 2005
"Do What You Are" is about finding out what job is best suited for you based on your Myers-Briggs personality type. I was highly excited to read this book as most books don't take your personality type into consideration.

First off, you will probably get a lot more out of this book if you have already determined your Myers-Briggs personality type. The beginning of the book does try to help you determine your type, but it is mostly just picking one type over another when the actually score is really based on a continuum.

After determining your time, the book has a chapter for each personality type. Since you only have one personality type, you only need to read one of the 16 chapters.

The chapter written specifically for your type was just ok. The chapter was filled with examples of people who are that type. I just wanted to read about how my personality type applies to the job situation, not read example about my type. Eventually the chapter did get to what jobs would work best for you and things you should keep in mind when selecting a job. However, I was hopeing for a more in-depth explanation and analysis.

While the book does an excellent job of focusing on your personality type, it does next to nothing to help you with determining your interests, passions and goals, all of which are vital to picking the correct job.

So... if you know your Myers-Briggs type, which you should before you read this book, you only really need to read 10-15 pages out of this book. If you are really stuck on what job you are best suited for, pick this book up or just skim it in the bookstore. 3 out of 5 stars.

Useful and easy to read, but not stand-alone, May 13, 1998
This book is well written, fun, and a great source of ideas if you already know your Myers-Briggs type. If you don't, the section on identifying your type is weak; I recommend Kiersey's "Please Understand Me" instead (or inquire at your local educational institutions: I took the Myers-Briggs, had it professionally interpreted, and got loads of helpful reference material from a $40 seminar at a community college).
The book is most useful if you're discontented with your present career (or have qualms about the career you're preparing for, if you're a student). I was railroaded into a career that didn't suit me because of my family's expectations, although I was determined and intelligent enough to become moderately good at it. But I never felt comfortable with it, and it was only after many unhappy years that I realized I was in the wrong job and broke away to find a more congenial career path. I wish this book had existed 30 years ago!
I agree with other readers that the book is short on practical guidance as to WHICH career you should choose -- I've found Barbara Sher's books much more helpful. Nonetheless, this is a good place to start, at a reasonable price, and it's excellent as far as it goes.

Fun, but not enough, July 21, 2004
Wow, what a mixed bag of reviews we have! It seems that DWYA is one of those books either you love or you hate; there is not much in between. I would like to give a career counselor's point of view and hopefully address some of the reviewer complaints.

The Tiegers make a sincere effort to put personality typing and careers in layperson's terms. That is not an easy task. However, in the interest of time and space, much is glossed over or left out completely. Thus, it would seem that the Tiegers want the reader to be intrigued by personality theory and do additional research. I would personally recommend books like "Gifts Differing" or "Please Understand Me." However, I also realize that many are less interested.

For that reason, I use handouts that condense sections of DWYA to provide some clarity for those taking the Myers-Briggs. Those interested in the MBTI should go to a professional counselor to take the test. The "rough indicators" that the Tiegers and others have created are not very useful. While the MBTI may serve as a good tool in understanding the self and career development, personality preference is only one factor that influences career decisions. Other things that come into play include work values, interests, education, skills...the list goes on. So if you expect DWYA to present you with THE career, you are likely to be disappointed.

With that in mind...

Before one begins DWYA, one must understand a few parameters of career development. Several readers were upset that they had no interest in the careers for their type and felt shafted. That happens more often than you might think. However, the Tiegers go to great lengths to say you are by no means limited to careers discussed. The different lists of careers only state the most popular choices for each type. Your actual choices are only limited by your imagination! You will need to explore other areas of yourself and apply them to different careers. A good career counselor can help you with that.

Someone mentioned the lack of blue-collar and "unskilled" jobs. While not as prevalent as some would like, the Tiegers DO try to give the trades fair time. However you tend to see the trades more among the "SP" types (e.g., ISTP, ESFP). This may be disconcerting to those of other types interested in blue-collar work. Again, all types may be found in blue-collar work. The challenge is to look at the characteristics of different blue-collar jobs and see if they are right for you. Sound like a lot of work? It is, but worth it.

The so-called unskilled jobs are tricky. At the risk of sounding prejudiced, the worker whose abilities are limited to "unskilled" labor is highly unlikely to be concerned with finding work that is a good personality match. Such workers tend to be much more concerned with finding work just to survive. Anything else is gravy. If DWYA appears skewed towards an educated, white-collar audience, it is because this demographic tends to be far more interested in finding personal fulfillment through career, rather than working to survive.

Aside from the weaknesses of the personality sorter and somewhat limited scope of careers discussed, DWYA does a very good job of applying the different personality type characteristics, not only to individuals, but also to jobs. The Tiegers also take another step by explaining how certain personality traits could impact the job search, as well as job functioning. Examining one's strengths and weaknesses and how they impact the self and career is an invaluable skill. As always, keep in mind that everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for another, even if they share the same personality type. Another positive aspect: The Tiegers' infectious upbeat attitude. Nothing phony about it. Trust me.

You may also need help with implementing the information in DWYA, as well as polishing your job search skills. Thus, I recommend you supplement DWYA with books on career interests and development, as well as interviewing professionals in jobs that interest you. And don't forget your friendly neighborhood career counselor. :)

Bottom Line: Two things--1) DWYA is enjoyable reading, but should not be your sole reference. Make a point of using other references as well. And take the full MBTI if you can. 2) Nothing and no one can tell you what your ideal career is or what to do with your life. Once you have gathered the necessary career information, the choice is all yours!

Happy Career Planning!

Stop looking for a job and start looking for yourself..., May 3, 2000
The basic principle behind this book makes so much sense that you begin to wonder what all of those other career guide authors are writing about. The authors of this book believe that the starting point of a career change is internal, and that by getting a better understanding of the fundamentals of your personality before starting your job hunt, then you will be better able to select a career. The book is a fabulous read, and actually provides one of the best descriptions of Myers-Briggs typology that I've ever read. You will gain an incredible amount of knowledge from reading and using the exercises within this book. There is nothing about this book that I did not love!

M(ay) B(e) T(he) I(nsight) all career seekers need, November 24, 2000
The Meyers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is obviously a more involved personality test than the introduction this book provides. 'Do What You Are' however, may be enough for most of us.I have no training in career guidance, nor was I familiar with any of the 'types' or terminology before reading this book. It gave me a good appreciation for the 16 different personality types and provided a simple step method to help me identify my personality type. For me that was sufficient, especially as along the way I have gotten insight into why certain aspects of my current job are pleasing and why others are...well, less than that. For persons contemplating or just starting their careers, the book would be very helpful. For others a little further along and not necessarily able to do a sudden career shift, or in a rut, it can be of significant use in helping adjust attitude and approaches to your job. I think the book opens up a world of possible alternative careers for all of us, you could say were hidden because we didn't know our 'type'. It's just left for us to find and seize the opportunity.

Great book for gaining insight, June 13, 2001
I bought this book as part of an online class. The class guided participants through the book. This book provided valuable insight on traits and characteristics that I have and the types of careers I am best suited for. As part of the book, the reader does a Myers-Briggs test to determine their personality type. I have done Myers-Briggs testing in the past but never with the explanation about each type that this book provides. The book provides an write-up about each type - allowing those of us who cross types to hone into the exact type we are. Based on this, the reader can then read the career section devoted to their type. I found out that I am in the right career - however I am not using my strengths and preferences correctly.

This book provides great insight...I recommend it to anyone trying to determine their entry-level career or for those of us facing 'mid life' career dilemmas.

2.9 stars ~ possibly useful for you, August 7, 2000
This book is a well-written and highly accessible introduction to the Meyer-Brigg's 16 personality type system.

As an INFP type, it was a relief to read in print a reflection of my own sentiments I've expressed to others about my own views (in lieu of my personality): how I can't get a job doing just ANYthing that's "hot"; that I have to feel I'm fueling something I believe is truly meaningful; etc. So, this book can help with issues like self-acceptance through this validation. But, I am another INFP among many that is a bit tired of being portrayed as the Human Resources type or that social occupations are generally a best fit.

This is may help you identify some of your general needs from your career. But, if you truly have a problem with vocational guidance then you will probably need a heck of a lot more than this book. ... Read more