Book Club... And Then Some!

The New York Times presents Smarter by Sunday: 52 weekends of essential knowledge for the curious Mind.

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

By the staff of Elizabeth Publishing (and a group of academic and professional writers.) General Editor: John W. Wright; Executive Editor: Matt Fisher

http://www.amazon.com/York-Times-Presents-Smarter-Sunday/dp/0312571348/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294948978&sr=1-1

I liked this book. Any book designed to increase the knowledge and information of readers is to be encouraged. Also, The New York Times is a trusted source of information throughout the world. (As is always true with knowledge and information, facts may need to be checked but, in general, the credibility of the source does not require investigation.)

Admittedly, I did not read every one of its 550 pages. Also, there was a great deal of information here with which I was already familiar and a great deal, too, with which I had no interest whatever. For example, I really had no interest in a brief history of Japan, a political and cultural history of Ancient Egypt, a brief history of physics, the European novel, painting in the 19th century, ancient Rome, or mathematics. Many of these cover subjects I took in high school or college, and I don’t need a summary/review of previous course work.

There was a great deal of information I found interesting such as “The Computer Revolution,” “The Written Word,” “The Renaissance,” “Great American Writers,” “American Popular Music,” “Philosophy: The Life of the Mind,” “Modern Thought,” “Languages of the World,” and “American Film.” What I enjoyed as much as the review of information and ideas is how the material would make me stop and think. I wasn’t particularly challenged as much as simply engaged. (Whether or not I can actually make use of the knowledge/information in the writing I do is yet to be determined.)

I am not suggesting that it would not have benefitted me to have read the information on subjects that held no current interest, but as in all things in life, I simply have to devote my time to things of interest.

I found the information throughout this book well presented and clear—better, in fact, than most of my classroom teachers presented their information. Remember, it is the editor’s objective “to present our readers with essential information on a variety of subjects that together make up the basic elements of what is commonly called a ‘well-rounded education’” (p. x). The format of the book “is based on the 52 weekends in a calendar year. Each weekend is centered on a single topic (‘The Universe,’ ‘Rome,’ ‘The Renaissance,’ ‘The Novel,’ ‘American Popular Music,’ etc.) . . .” (p. x).

What I found most interesting was that readers could pick and choose among topics. One does not build on any other. If someone were to read everything in this book, however, they would surely possess rudimentary knowledge in art, music, literature, history, religion, economics, philosophy, and science. Because most of the readers of The New York Times live in North America, the book is overly devoted to matters that concern Western history, art, literature, and science.

This book is a “must read” for high school or college students, and I think it could be a source book (reference work?) for a capstone seminar (or workshop) on “Essential Knowledge.” Why not make the command of knowledge/information such as this a requirement (with attendant examinations) for graduation?

The New York Times presents Smarter by Sunday: 52 weekends of essential knowledge for the curious Mind.can be purchased from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/York-Times-Presents-Smarter-Sunday/dp/0312571348/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1294948978&sr=1-1

The Mammoth Book of Best New Jokes

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

By Geoff Tibballs

Book review by Richard L. Weaver II

One thing I don’t do is purchase joke books to memorize jokes and share them with others. Sometimes, I buy them to find jokes to use in my speeches, essays, and other writing that I do — such as in the writing of my college textbooks (but I have found very few that I could use in this manner).

Tibballs had compiled jokes under close to 80 categories. In 597 pages there are thousands, and many of them are from contemporary comedians and a number of them, too, deal with contemporary politicians such as Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, the Clintons, and George W. Bush.

There are six jokes in the Sarah Palin category. Wyatt Cenac, an American stand-up comedian, writes, “The governor of Alaska is so dumb she thinks the capital of China is Chinatown and that soy milk is Spanish for “I am milk’” (p. 418). Jokes by Jay Leno and Conan O’Brian are mentioned here as well.

There are seven jokes listed for Barack Obama. My favorite is, “A lot of voters mistrust Barack Obama because they say he’s not a real American. You can see what they mean—after all, he’s slim” (p. 409).

Nine jokes appear under the category “The Clintons.” In my view, the best one (all are pretty bad!) Is: “Hillary went to a fortune teller who revealed: ‘I have some bad news. Bill is going to die a horrible death.’
   Hillary said: ‘Just tell me one thing. Will I be acquitted?’” (p. 130)

There are more than 14 jokes in the category, “College and University.” I found this one to be the most relevant and incisive: “When a university student returned home for Christmas his mother asked: ‘How’s your history paper coming along?’
   ‘Well, my history professor suggested I use the Internet for research, and it’s been really helpful.’
   ‘Oh, that’s good.’
   ‘Yes. So far I’ve noticed fourteen people who sell them’” (p. 133).

Of the 8 jokes in the category “Donald Trump,” all but one discuss his hair—which I find a bit disappointing. That is, it’s such an easy target and requires no imagination whatsoever.

Under the subject, “Vacation and Leisure,” there are nearly 25 jokes. There was one Steven Wright joke I hadn’t heard: “I want to hang a map of the world in my house. Then I’m going to put pins into all the locations that I’ve traveled to. But first I’m going to have to travel to the top two corners of the map so that it won’t fall off the wall” (p. 551).

Needless to say, I loved this book, not because of all the jokes by Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, Homer Simpson, Jerry Seingeld, Sarah Silverman, Amy Poehler, Margaret Cho and many others—including a number of English comedians I’ve never heard of (I guess I didn’t realize the English even had a sense of humor much less comedians who might display it! —Kidding, of course.), but because of the wide variety and range of jokes offered. There will be at least one to satisfy every reader!

What led me to this book in the first place had to do with my interest in jokes. Good thing, huh? I had compiled more than 2,000 which I intended to include a book to be titled, “Laugh Like There’s No Tomorrow!” (a quote from Mark Twain that reflected the 365 days that contained an average of 4 jokes each day). Tibballs’ book convinced me that such a book as mine would not sell. That is, why would anyone buy a book with four or five jokes for each of 365 days when they could buy this one with well over 3,000 jokes arranged by categories? I have even compiled enough jokes for a second and a third edition. These books of mine did not go out of print, they never saw print. The jokes, however, appear on Fridays on my blog.

One note of warning about Tibballs’ book. He is British, and the English spelling of words, use of English references (such as their money), and the use of English comedian’s jokes occur throughout the book. This really isn’t a handicap; however, it limits the effectiveness of some of the material here.

The Mammoth Book of Best New Jokes can be purchased from Amazon.com

WRONG: Why experts keep failing us—and how to know when not to trust them

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

By David H. Freedman

Book review by Richard L. Weaver II

The author is :a science and business journalist.” Outside of appendices, notes, and index, the text is 230 pages long, and there are 11 pages of notes.

There are a number of reasons I liked this book. First, it is very well-written. Second, it covers areas (finance, doctors, relationship gurus, celebrity CEOs, consultants, health, and more) with which I have some interest (although no expertise).

The third reason I liked this book is that it offers great evidence, interesting facts, and fascinating statistics and insights I would probably never gather elsewhere. The fourth reason is that it produces skeptics. Whether you accept Freedman’s ideas or not, he certainly opens your eyes and makes you question — something we all should be doing all of the time. (If nothing else, it is what colleges and universities should be good at promoting.)

I enjoyed Freedman’s examination of the various safeguards that we have to try to root out and address fraud. As I was preparing this review of his book (on January 6, 2011), the British Medical Journal (BMJ) just pronounced a Lancet study by lead scientist Andrew Wakefield, M.D., that connected the Mumps, Measles, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism as an “elaborate fraud.” An ironic juxtaposition, to say the least.

On page 120 Freedman writes, “Thank goodness for peer review, the 350-year-old research-journal tradition of sending candidate articles out to knowledgeable researchers for vetting and comments.” — even though he admits that peer review provides only a minimal assurance of quality, and that “lousy research can slip past peer review into journals” (p. 121). Having been part of a number of peer-review teams during my tenure as a university professor, I have to agree with Freedman; however, I also agree that there is really little other way to prevent lousy research from getting published. The Internet makes “publication” an easy process.

What Freedman does is open the whole area of fraud and “the fraudulent police” to further discussion. His chapter conclusions (see page 124) are right on target about scientists.

Freedman’s comment about determining whether or not Internet information is accurate was well taken: “ . . . we’re back to that problem of whether most people in the public are equipped to track down high-quality information on the Internet, as opposed to ending up with advice that may look convincing but is in fact junk” (p. 201). Of course, with respect to students (and the public, too), this isn’t a new concern, it is simply a much bigger concern with the glut of information at our fingertips.

Every student should be required to read Chapter 9, “Eleven Simple Never-Fail Rules for Not Being Misled by Experts” (pp. 203-230). Even though the rules are generic, they are important and well explained here. His “Typical Characteristics of Less Trustworthy Expert Advice,” “Characteristics of Expert Advice We Should Ignore,” and “Some Characteristics of More Trustworthy Expert Advice” is priceless, essential, practical, and incredibly relevant in today’s information-saturated world.

WRONG: Why experts keep failing us—and how to know when not to trust them can be purchased at Amazon.com

Power: Why some people have it — and others don’t

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

By Jeffrey Pfeffer

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

I found this book incredibly interesting. The book is well-written, extremely well organized, and well-supported (16 pages of notes) in addition to hundreds of relevant, important, and pungent examples. I found the information to be honest, forthright, and right on target.

I tended to agree with Pfeffer’s negative evaluations of other books on leadership (even though it may be a bit self-serving), but after reading Pfeffer’s various suggestions for gaining power, you realize that so many other author’s books lack the force, bite, sharpness, and honesty that Pfeffer delivers.

One thing I felt as I was reading was that I pictured myself in a college classroom listening to a well-informed, interesting lecturer. There are great examples, and the book is pretty easy to read. It should be clear that you don’t have to be a college student or an academic to appreciate Pfeffer’s information and insights.

Another thing I discovered from reading this book is something I learned rather early when I was teaching speech-communication classes — especially those sections dealing with persuasion. At one point I was asked by one of my students (and it occurred several times throughout my career), “Couldn’t someone take the ideas and principles you are teaching and become another Hitler?” The answer is clearly yes.

The best way (perhaps the only way) I found to counter or address these concerns is to talk extensively about ethics — how to properly and ethically use the information and ideas they were learning. Also, a unit or section on ethics exists in every textbook on public speaking or persuasion. There is no way to guarantee that such messages get through to students; however, class discussions, coverage on examinations, in addition to such units or sections in textbooks, is the way we approach the ethics issue. There is no discussion of ethics in this book; perhaps, there should be.

Pfeffer’s suggestions for gaining power far exceed any of the persuasive strategies I taught in college, and someone bent on using his ideas in a negative fashion could certainly wreak more havoc in a shorter amount of time than they could with persuasion alone. If anyone, after reading this book, thinks this is all common sense or skills that any opportunist might use, then I beg to differ. They are not reading Pfeffer closely or they are not understanding his suggestions. (—or, they are already wreaking havoc!)

I found this to be an interesting statement: “Many studies of the predictors of career success, focusing on both the general population and specific subpopulations such as business school graduates, have found that mental aptitude correlates somewhat with grades in school but has virtually no ability to explain who rises to the top” (p. 55).

I absolutely loved his use of current examples such as Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Willie Brown, Ishan Gupta, Caroline Kennedy, Frank Stanton, Oliver North, Barack Obama, and many others.

His Chapter 7, “Acting and Speaking with Power (pp. 125-146), caught my attention because of my background in speech communication. This is, indeed, the chapter that traces Lt. Colonel Oliver North’s return to power after being indicted on 16 felony counts, “including accepting illegal gratuities, aiding and abetting the obstruction of a congressional inquiry, and destroying documents and evidence” (p. 125). Also, in this chapter, the comparison between North and Donald Kennedy (former president of Stanford University) and the manner in which they testified before a congressional investigating committee is offered. I found it eye-opening, and Pfeffer’s comment about it is rich in meaning: “We choose how we will act and talk, and those decisions are consequential for acquiring and holding on to power” (p. 128).

Did you know this? “Although the research literature shows the interview is not a reliable or valid selection mechanism, it is almost universally used . . . To come across effectively, we need to master how to convey power. We need to act, and speak, with power” (p. 129).

Using examples of Peter Ueberroth, Andy Grove, Gary Loverman, and Rahm Emanuel (among others), Pfeffer clearly demonstrates how to act and speak with power using interruption, contesting the premises of the discussion, using persuasive language (and Max Atkinson’s linguistic techniques).

Although Pfeffer advocates using “humor to the extent possible and appropriate” and even cites novelist Salman Rushie saying, “If you make people laugh, you can tell them anything” (p. 145), there isn’t a great deal of humor in this 273-page book. It could use some; however, it is direct, strong, straightforward, and powerful. I recommend it.

The book, Power: Why some people have it — and others don’t can be purchased at Amazon.com

How music works: The science and psychology of beautiful sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyonce

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

By John Powell

Book review by Richard L. Weaver II

The idea that someone would have a background (Ph.D. no less!) in physics and, in addition, a master’s degree in music composition sounds like an educational oxymoron. Then to bring these two areas of expertise together in a book that explains “how music works” is both unique and incredibly interesting. (And I thought my upbringing in science (an undergraduate minor) combined with a B.A. in speech communication was unusual!) Not only that, but Powell has taught both physics and musical acoustics. I mention this simply because these three areas (physics, music, and teaching) are beautifully juxtaposed in this excellent book.

Powell packs so much into this well-written, well-illustrated, well-explained, informative, and entertaining book that it is hard to know where to begin in reviewing it. Actually, if you have ever dabbled in music, if you play or have played an instrument, if you are a professional disc-jockey (as my older son is), or if you are simply a leisurely, laid-back listener of music, buy this book. I guarantee: 1) you will enjoy it, and 2) you will learn a great deal from it. You can then just skip my review of it because all I do is support these two justifications for purchasing it.

There is a question I have often answered for students at the university that becomes relevant once again with this book: “Doesn’t having an education make you more critical of things?” Actually, the answer is, “No.” Having an education increases your appreciation of things. It brings a deeper understanding, more background knowledge, a greater history, and, thus, a better grasp of everything in the world. It offers a context and frame of reference so that not only can you ask intelligent questions but you can give more informed, thorough, and substantiated answers as well. I have learned that the more education you have, the more you want to learn: It instills the teacher in you!

Powell was concerned about this as well when he says, “Some people worry that understanding more about music will reduce the pleasure they get from it, but the reverse is true. Learning how a complicated dish is prepared makes you appreciate it even more, and doesn’t change how good it tastes” (p. 4).

This response provides insight into one of Powell’s teaching abilities: throughout the book, he creates realistic, practical, hands-on analogies with which readers can closely relate, to make his points.

How pedestrian do his analogies get? After quoting Professor Frederick Corder, who wrote the book The Orchestra, and How to Write for It (1894), and Corder’s disdain for the trumpet, the guitar, viola, and oboe, Powell writes, “ . . . I dread to think what he would have said about the drinking straw oboe. All you need in order to own one of these magnificent instruments is a drinking straw and a pair of scissors. The illustration below shows you what to do” (p. 73). Powell adds to his delightful explanation of how to use it, “You can even cut little finger holes and play dreadful out-of-tune melodies. The long winter evenings will just fly by” (p. 73). (I love Powell’s sarcasm.)

Among many other things, Powell explains what perfect pitch is, the difference between notes and noise, how loud is loud, the difference between harmony and cacophony, as well as how long it takes to become an expert, how musicians learn long and complicated pieces, how to select an instrument if you want to learn to play one, and the various elements involved in listening to music. There is just so much in this 265-page book. No, you don’t have to read all the detailed sections; choose just those that have interest (knowing, however, that when you do, you will be missing out on some of the author’s humorous asides, comments, and commentary).

This book is priceless — a treasure. Thank you John Powell for this wonderful experience. As just a casual, laid back, appreciater of all kinds of music — I do not play an instrument nor do I write music (although I have offspring who do) — I have learned so much, and this book has contributed greatly to the musical portion of my education.

How music works: The science and psychology of beautiful sounds, from Beethoven to the Beatles and Beyonce can be found at Amazon.com

Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and the Business of Life and the Power of Amall Why Little Things Make all the Difference

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and the Business of Life
by David Allen

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

I did not read David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done (2001), and there are some people (who reviewed the book) who said it was the better book and even to save your time by not reading this one and reading his former one. I cannot personally support or deny this observation (or judgment). The Sacramento Book Review said this: “This book is actually harder to read, and is less clear than /Getting Things Done/. Promoted as a expansion that will help you focus on the higher level of organizing your life and goals, it really just serves as a rehashing. For those needing encouragement to continue using GTD techniques, maybe it'll work for them. But, for those looking for more, it fails, and those looking at trying the GTD techniques for the first time would be better served using the original book.” Victoria Bean included information in her review that compares the two books: “The book [Making It All Work] illuminates what Allen calls the basics of self-management: namely how to get and how to develop both control and perspective on your daily commitments in order to master them.

While much of the content is included in his previous book [Getting Things Done], there are some new tools that show you how to achieve alignment and balance by changing your perspective on your own commitments and mastering the art of motivating yourself. These tools include:

* How to get immediate control of "current reality"
* How to keep track of the total inventory of your commitments
* What decisions are critical to make, about what, and when
* Why most "personal management systems" don't work
* Why organizational issues are often personal process issues
* How to use procrastination to your advantage
* How to continually self-consult to get back "on your game"
* How to install simple tricks that create profound results ”

This is a well-written, even inspiring book that will help (offers specific suggestions) for maintaining control and perspective. In this book, Allen suggests flexibility and custom-tailoring to make his GTD system operative. I didn’t read his former book, but I found this book extremely interesting and educational. Perhaps it would be a better read if you read his earlier book first; however, this one is well done, to say the least, and because he (obviously) repeats information from the earlier book, it is not a prerequisite that one be read before the other.

The Power of Small: Why Little Things Make All the Difference
by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval

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

Whether you have many examples from your own life of this title being true, whether you have read it in other books, or whether you think it is a small, commonsensical point that needs no further elucidation, this is a delightful book. The authors write in an engaging style; there are so many wonderful examples used to support their points; and I firmly believe, too, that their point needs to be reinforced and encouraged. I wrote one positive letter about a bank employee, and she was one of ten commended across the nation, won the competition, and will receive a plaque on her office wall marking her success. One letter! I wrote a letter to the Red Cross that changed their procedures to include hand sanitizer at the table where refreshments are served after donations. One letter! That is precisely what this book is all about.

Because of my personal interest in speech communication, I especially liked their discussion in Chapter 3, “Make Small Talk,” which begins with the wonderful quotation from Mark Twain, “I can live for two months on a good compliment.” The authors make the point that, “We are losing the human texture in even our simplest conversations. We are becoming more and more cut off from human interaction, from the chance encounters and casual acquaintances that have, until recently, made up a part of our lives and at times changed their course” (p. 27j). Their suggestions for increasing the importance and impact of small talk are excellent and should be adopted by everyone (pp. 34-30).

The book is not only full of examples, but the authors offer regular and consistent encouragement to readers to make small changes like saying “please” and “thank you,” to take advantage of the smallest opportunities (to take advantage of “and then some” situations!), and to become more alert to other people and to their surroundings as well.

Sure, you can write this book off as just a piece of fluff, but do you know what? If everyone in our society made the small changes these authors recommend and practiced them everyday, there would be so much less conflict, irritation, and anger— so much less displeasure, annoyance, and ill-temper. As small a point(s) as the authors make, this book makes a valuable and useful addition to our lives.

These books are available at Amazon.com: (Click the link below)
Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and the Business of Life
The Power of Small: Why Little Things Make All the Difference

Chicken soup for the soul: Think positive---101 inspirational soties about counting your blessings and having a positive attitude

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

By Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Amy Newmark

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

Before you read this review you must understand several things. First, I am not a strong advocate for any of the books in the Chicken Soup series. Second, I am a believer in a positive life, and thinking positive about anything should a natural and automatic part of living, not something saved for a particular illness, problem, or situation. Third, I find that prayer serves no purpose whatever. It may be useful to buoy your spirit or give you hope, but chances for a positive outcome because of prayer are 50-50, just as they are in life without prayer. And there are no such things as miracles. Fourth, all thoughts and feelings occur in the brain — not in the heart. You cannot be guided by your heart, have a nagging in your heart, or have a broken heart. Sorry. The heart is merely a muscle that pumps blood.

Also, and this is just an aside. Anecdotal evidence (stories, examples, personal experiences, and illustrations) count for little in the course of life. There is no doubt that they have persuasive power because of the way they stir the emotions and can rally people to act. But with respect to proving something (there is no doubt that God exists), or serving as a basis for argument, they have no — zero — evidential power. The experiences detailed in this book are personal, highly subjective, and told with a bias (slant or angle) that can easily cause readers to question their true veracity.

Then why did I pick up this book? Curiosity could explain it. I write positive essays, and even my publishing company, And Then Some Publishing, is based on a philosophy (carefully explained at the website) that is founded on the idea that you must do everything that is required of you in life — and then some. It is the “and then some” that is most likely to bring you recognition, rewards, riches, and success.

One more answer as to why I picked up this book is simple: I am always in search of additional ideas to write about. At my blog, I write a 1,000-word essay every week, and this is my fourth year (over 200 essays!) of writing them. I thought that with 101 inspirational stories in this single volume, surely I would find one or two that would stimulate a unique thought, a useful memory, or a new essay. I was wrong.

Now, you might think — from this introduction to this review — that I found the essays boring, unnecessary, inappropriate, irrelevant, or worthless. No such thing. Most are very well written. Their writers tell a compelling story in great detail and always with a positive outcome. Just as in all the Chicken Soup books, if you want short inspirational essays, there is no doubt about it, this is a good choice. They will cause you to closely identify with the writers and, in many cases, appreciate human determination and perseverance. (I always think to myself, “Damn! what some people have to endure!”)

On the other hand, I found the essays rather repetitive, so I do not recommend readers read the book from beginning to end without stop. (It can be read quickly.) Put it somewhere where you can read it in short segments, just as I think it is intended.

I want you to know that I admire any book that causes readers to feel better about themselves or better about the human race in general. If a book such as this gives people hope, then it has served a useful purpose. If it helps people put their own life in perspective (by comparing theirs with others in worse situations than their own), then I think it is valuable. And, if it makes readers “rage, rage against the dying of the light,” as Dylan Thomas expressed it in his famous poem, “Do not go gentle into this good night,” then, perhaps, it should be read by everyone.

(I have reviewed over 250 books, and I did not realize that I had reviewed this book previously. On July 23, 2011, (about 8 months after my first review) I reviewed it a second time. Although there is some of the same information in my second review as there is in the first, there is a lot of additional information. Without any tailoring or deletions, the following is my second review of this book.)

I have been delighted with many of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, but not in the way many of those reading this review would suppose or imagine. My first goal in selecting this book was to find potential topics, themes, or ideas to write about on my own positive-oriented blog at http://essaysandthensome.blogspot.com/

For the short, inspirational stories, of course, this is not unlike most of the previous books of this genre (although a number of reviewers at Amazon.com suggest this selection is not as strong as others).

There was an unexpected byproduct here, however, similar to the one I experienced in reading my father-in-law’s (Edgar E. Willis) book, How to be Funny on Purpose: Creating and Consuming Humor. What I discovered from reading the Willis book, because of its clear, accurate, and detailed explanation of how to create humor, I found myself engaged actively in the process of writing jokes. I had never written jokes previously nor did I think myself capable. What fun I had constructing them!

Well, in reading about “thinking positive,” I went through a number of epiphanies. I couldn’t help myself. I thought, for example, about what a positive and pleasant life I have led, and why it has happened.

The life I have led, both by design and positive thinking, fortunate (and lucky) decisions I made along the way, and certainly circumstances that have provided opportunities I never dreamed could happen, has been challenging, exciting, rewarding, and incredibly satisfying. Many of the results of positive thinking occur because of good choices along the way!

Here is my conclusion regarding positive thinking. All of life depends on making good choices. So, if I were to give advice to anyone (as I have done to over 80,000 students during my teaching career), it would be this: Prepare yourself in such a way that you (not someone else) is in control over the decisions of your life.

Now, I fully realize this is easier said than done and, too, that no matter how much we prepare, we cannot be in total control over all the decisions of our lives. That is true, however, that should not be discouraging. The point is to prepare as widely, broadly, and thoroughly as possible—stretch ourselves in all possible directions—in order to give ourselves the edge, the opportunity, or the advantage in any decisions that affect (or impinge on) our lives. We do not (cannot) know what curve balls life will throw at us, but that does not mean we cannot prepare ourselves to meet them.

When you apply this philosophy to your life, you are always looking for ways to improve, expand, or extend. You never stop learning or, even more important, looking for ways to increase your knowledge and potential.

This is the philosophy, I believe, that best undergirds, reinforces, buttresses, supports, and strengthens positive thinking, or it is the most likely philosophy to bring positive results from positive thinking. Positive thinking alone is valuable, but it takes more than just positive thinking to bring concrete results.

I found this Chicken Soup for the Soul book useful and valuable in this regard. I realize that teachers seldom know the impact—long-range results—of their instruction, but if I instilled this single idea in any of my 80,000 students I taught over more than 30 years in the classroom and lecture hall, I would consider my work successful. It is more than just a positive message, it is a charge, command, or instruction that, when internalized and practiced, will send you on a mission to take responsibility for your life.

This book is available at Amazon.com: Chicken soup for the soul: Think positive — 101 inspirational stories about counting your blessings and having a positive attitude

Humor me: An anthology of funny contemporary writing

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

By Ian Frazier, Editor

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

My father-in-law, Edgar E. Willis, who wrote the great book, How to be funny on purpose: Creating and consuming humor, looked at this book. He had just read and enjoyed Michael Shelden’s Mark Twain: Man in White (Random House, 2010), so his inclination was to immediately turn to Frazier’s Mark Twain entry, “1601.” Familiar with this essay, Willis turned up his nose saying not only was it a poor choice (from all the Twain essays that could have been chosen), but it was truly distasteful — lewd and bawdy.

What’s interesting about the Twain piece is that it was singled out by Frazier in the “Introduction.” He said this: “Start again [after laughing uproariously]: Now let us turn our attention to the anthology itself, and its contents, which include an eminent piece by the eminent writer Mark Twain on the subject of Shakespeare farting. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah, oh God why did I start with that one? There’s no way I can describe the farting piece without breaking up completely, oh God oh jeez. What now? Heeheeheeheeheeheehee! A-hee. A-ha. Deep breath. Breathe . . .” (p. x).

I thought his introduction to this book was childish, juvenile, and completely stupid, ridiculous, and irrelevant. What is truly “stupid, ridiculous, and irrelevant” is that very few pieces in this book deserve (earn?) the “hilarity or hysteria” the author gives them. I thought, too, that any editor who would begin a book on humor in this way, cannot be trusted. It was not just “over the top,” it was outrageous and inappropriate.

With respect to Ian Frazier’s introduction, you’ve undoubtedly heard the cliche, “He doth protesteth too much.” I found the following quotation at “Sigmund, Carl and Alfred under the title, “He doth protesteth too much,” which speaks precisely to Frazier’s approach in his introduction: “This is the same sort of phenomenon as the famous “I am not a crook” type of statement. If you have to keep asserting something like that, it is often the case that you probably are a crook. Likewise, if you have to keep mentioning that you are “reality-based”, it becomes more and more certain that –whatever you may be, reality has little to do with it.”

If you have to keep asserting how funny your book selections are — that they keep you laughing uproariously — then it is easy (and proper) to assume the book selections that follow are very unfunny. Be forewarned.

When Willis returned the book to me, he had nothing to say about it — which speaks volumes about the book, the editor, and the selections. When he likes a book, it is clear from the quotes he shares, the discussions he engages in (or stimulates), and the specific positive comments he makes. None of that here.

The three-star (out of five) review of the book by the Sacramento Book Review at Amazon.com said, “It's hard to not be skeptical when reading a book pitched as an anthology of funny writing. Humor itself is highly subjective, but the foreword to the book promised laugh-out-loud, gut-wrenching, funny stories. The ensuing book, however, didn't match what the foreword or the title promised.” Precisely! Well said.

Toward the end of the “Introduction,” Frazier says, “There are great pieces in here, so you SHOULD enjoy it. If you don’t, the problem is with you” (p. xii). It is true that humor is subjective, but when you pick up a book called Humor Me it should be chock full of “great pieces.” You shouldn’t have to wade through 50 others to find them. Second, I thought the problem with this book could be me, but when Willis, a true expert on humor and what it takes to be funny, clearly confirmed my point of view, I realized it wasn’t me at all. The problem with this book is Ian Frazier and the selections he made for this book. Don’t waste your time on this one.

This book is available at Amazon.com: Humor me: An anthology of funny contemporary writing

Merchants of doubt: How a handful of scientists obscured the truth on issues from tobacco smoke to global warming

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

By Naomi Oreskes and Erik M. Conway

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

In this 355-page book (274 of text), there are 62 pages of notes. Oreskes is a professor of history and science studies at the University of California, San Diego, and Conway has published four previous books, one of which was Atmosphere Science at NASA: A History. Their reputations are impeccable.

With respect to “the story of the Tobacco Strategy, and how it was used to attack science and scientists, and to confuse us [the public] about major, important issues affecting our lives — and the planet we live on” (p. 7) — what this book is all about, the authors “trust our scientific experts on matters of science” (p. 272). And, it appears that trust is faithfully and fairly placed, and readers can trust the authors to present it in the same manner.

This is an extremely well-written expos , and the story it tells about the tobacco industry and what they did to protect themselves from highly scientific studies about the harmful effects of tobacco could apply to any industry or situation (think pharmaceuticals, alcoholic beverages, nuclear development, foreign threats, outsourcing, antiballistic missel systems (ABMs), pesticides, space exploration, climate change, formaldehyde, pollution, environmental changes, acid rain, global warming, etc.) where large amounts of money can be used to influence honest, well-researched, scientific evidence of harm and destruction.

In the case of smoking, the industry-based goons (scientists who sell their souls) had to counter the claims 1) that smokers lived sicker and died sooner than their nonsmoking counterparts, 2) that early deaths would not have occurred if these people had never smoked, and, 3) were it not for smoking “practically none of these early deaths from lung cancer would have occurred. “Smoking killed people” (p. 23). These are scientifically proven, well-established, accepted facts which affected tobacco sales and, thus, had to be refuted.

This is a thoroughly documented, richly detailed, expertly told story about how doubt is financed and marketed, how evidence can be suppressed, distorted, revised, manipulated, and deleted, how counter narratives are constructed, and how those who promote any program that counters large business, industry, or corporate interests — whatever they are — can have his or her credibility destroyed, professional career undermined, or life threatened.

This is not only a disturbing book about organized, scientific, disinformation campaigns, it is downright scary. What a great book!

This book is available at Amazon.com: Merchants of doubt: How a handful of scientists obscured the truth on issues from tobacco smoke to global warming

Mark Twain: Man in white---The grand adventure of his final years

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:00:00 +0000

By Michael Shelden

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

If your desire is to spend time with an entertaining book, written by a gifted writer, about an American icon, that is not only engaging and insightful but well-researched and thorough, enhanced by black-and-white photographs throughout, this would be a superb choice. There are 35 pages of notes in addition to seven pages of “Sources and Bibliography” (all typed in a small font). There are 417 pages of text, and you wish there were more. The author uses many of Twain’s own journals and letters to offer readers numerous, previously unpublished, fresh insights into Twain’s final four years.

Shelden, using eloquent vibrant prose, provides an engaging, readable, entertaining, and moving narrative. He, by using vivid and thorough evidence, persuasively proves his claim that Twain was more alive during his final years than at any other time of his life.

When you complete this book you will fully realize that Twain was a lively, engaged, very funny man of enormous talent, surprising wit, and astonishing energy. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, in their review of the book, wrote: “The definitive work on this controversial period. . . . Shelden's engagingly written, admirably balanced and thoroughly documented biography is as convincing as it is entertaining."

In your choice of this book, you will not be disappointed. I gave it to my father-in-law, Edgar E. Willis, to read. Willis is the author of two recent books: Civilian in an Ill-fitting Uniform: A Memoir of World War II, and a second book, How to be Funny on Purpose: Creating and Consuming Humor. In the latter book, Willis makes 18 references to Mark Twain and offers readers one of my favorite Twain quotes: “The difference between the nearly right word and the right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug” (p. 251). A quotation like this one by Twain, however, is dwarfed by the hundreds of witty sayings and remarks by Twain in Shelden’s book.

Willis was so moved by Shelden’s book he wrote a personal letter to him. He ended his letter by saying, “In closing, let me say again that reading your book provided me with a wonderfully enriching experience.” It could not be said more accurately or succinctly.

This book is available at Amazon.com: Mark Twain: Man in white — The grand adventure of his final years

The shallows: What the internet is doing to our brains

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

By Nicholas Carr

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

Whether you accept his argument, whether you agree with or question the evidence he uses to support his contentions, or whether you have personal experiences that significantly differ from Carr’s, two things you should know about this book on a current and relevant topic include, first, it is well written and organized, and two, it offers a great deal of material for thought, consideration, and discussion. It’s the kind of book I would love to have assigned for a book circle or book club simply because I can see that Carr’s ideas would generate a variety of viewpoints, strong advocates as well as healthy critics, and, certainly, lively discussion.

You don’t have to accept Carr’s premise to enjoy his book. His thesis was effectively stated by Kenneth A. Vatz of Winnetka, Illinois, who writes in his five-star review of the book, “that our increasing addiction to the Internet is not only transforming our minds but physically changing, or rewiring, our brains in such a way as to shorten our attention spans and impair our ability to memorize, think and synthesize.”

This book is important, and it should be read by teachers and students as well as by parents and their offspring. My position is that it is a well-thought-out, well-written, well-researched book that is likely to be the mere tip of the iceberg with respect to this topic, and we will see a great deal more research and writing about it in the future. Carr writes, “When it comes to the quality of our thought, our neurons and synapses are entirely indifferent. The possibility of intellectual decay is inherent in the malleability of our brains” (p. 35). I think there is no question at all that the Internet will have a significant influence on the way we both think and behave, and its pernicious influence is likely to become greater and greater as time goes on. This book, then, becomes the benchmark.

I’m a reader. One of the delights in this book is the contrast Carr offers between reading a book or magazine (it’s "tactile as well as visual” (p. 90).) and reading a Web document (which “involves physical actions and sensory stimuli very different from those involved in holding and turning . . . pages” (p. 90).) His contrast appears on pages 89-98.

For authors, readers of books, creators of e-books, and publishers, Chapter Six, “The Very Image of a Book,” is both an interesting and informative read. The overall thesis, Carr explains, is: “The high-tech features of devices like the Kindle and Apple’s new iPad may make it more likely that we’ll read e-books, but the way we read them will be very different from the way we read printed editions” (p. 104). The chapter goes on to explain the numerous “changes in the way books are written and presented” (p. 105).

In Chapter Seven, “The Juggler’s Brain,” Carr goes on to describe and discuss a similar thesis: “. . . the Internet’s import and influence can be judged only when viewed in the fuller context of intellectual history. As revolutionary as it may be, the Net is best understood as the latest in a long series of tools that have helped mold the human mind” (p. 115). Carr then goes on to answer the crucial question, “What can science tell us about the actual effects that Internet use is having on the way our minds work?” (p. 115)

Just an additional thought. After Carr’s Chapter Nine, “Search, Memory,” he includes three pages (pp. 198-200) entitled, “a digression: on the writing of this book.” Now, as a writer, I found these three pages insightful. I always enjoy it when writers write about the process of writing. Carr says, “When I began writing The Shallows, toward the end of 2007, I struggled in vain to keep my mind fixed on the task. The Net provided, as always, a bounty of useful information and research tools, but its constant interruptions scattered my thoughts and words. I tended to write in disconnected spurts, the same way I wrote when blogging. It was clear that big changes were in order” (p. 198). He says all this as a way of showing what happened when he moved from Boston to the mountains of Colorado where there was no cell phone service, a very slow DSL connection, a canceled Twitter account, a Facebook account put on hiatus, and a shut down blog, RSS reader, skyping, and instant messaging. What happened then is an anecdotal delight — and worth the read.

With respect to the credibility of the ideas in this book, there are over 25 pages of notes and 4 pages of further readings. Throughout the book, readers are provided important, relevant, and highly accomplished researchers and experts as the basis for his observations. His own experiences are offered, but he only uses them to further extend the research and the expert opinions.

With respect to the author’s own credibility, I quote here from his online biography: “Earlier in his career [ before writing his best selling books], Carr was executive editor of the Harvard Business Review and a principal at Mercer Management Consulting.

Carr has been a speaker at MIT, Harvard, Wharton, the Kennedy School of Government, NASA, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas as well as at many industry, corporate, and professional events throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. He holds a B.A. from Dartmouth College and an M.A., in English and American literature and language, from Harvard University.”

This is a very good book.

This book is available from Amazon.com: The shallows: What the internet is doing to our brains

The intelligent entrepreneur: How three Harvard Business School graduates learned the 10 rules of successful entrepreneurship

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

By Bill Murphy Jr.

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

Harvard Business School (HBS) teaches its business classes by having students read, analyze, and discuss case studies. Bill Murphy is a Harvard graduate, and the reason you need to know this before diving into this book, is that basically, it is three extensive and well-described case studies (of Marla Malcolm Beck, Chris Michel, and Marc Cenedella) tied together with their experiences and how they demonstrate (sometimes purposefully and at other times accidentally) the ten rules of successful entrepreneurship:
   1.   Make the commitment.
   2.   Find a problem, then solve it.
   3.   Think big, think new, think again.
   4.   You can’t do it alone.
   5.   You must do it alone.
   6.   Manage risk.
   7.   Learn to lead.
   8.    Learn to sell.
   9.   Persist, persevere, prevail.
10.   Play the game for life.

In each case, you get a beautifully presented explanation of the real life challenges and triumphs of the three entrepreneurs in the eleven odd-numbered chapters, and in the even-numbered chapters, you get Murphy’s key rules of entrepreneurial success that Marla, Chris, and Marc learned along the way (p. 7). It’s an interesting format, but it works well.

Once you meet Marla, Chris, and Marc in Chapter 1 and hear their stories (which sets the stage for the entire book), you will not just become interested in how their lives work out, but their stories, too, will captivate you, and you will quickly become absorbed in this well-written, interesting, and enlightening book.

Whether you are a hopeful entrepreneur, one just starting out, or one who has already plunged forward into entrepreneurship and is fully ensconced, I think you will find this book worthwhile. Having recently established a small publishing company, And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C., I found his information accurate, insightful, and valuable.

This book is available at Amazon.com: The intelligent entrepreneur: How three Harvard Business School graduates learned the 10 rules of successful entrepreneurship

The mindfulness code: Keys for overcoming stress, anxiety, fear, and unhappiness

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

By Donald Altman

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

It is helpful to know Altman’s credentials before reading this book. First, he is a psychotherapist, second, he is a former Buddhist monk, and third, he is an adjunct professor at Lewis and Clark College Graduate School and Portland State University. Why is it important to know this? Because, throughout the book he successfully and seamlessly blends these three areas of interest and expertise.

Altman tells effective stories, and he tells them well. The book is absolutely loaded with examples.

There are 44 chapters in this in 256 pages of text. That means that, on average, each chapter is less than six pages long. They read quickly. And, too, each chapter includes a simple lesson, activity, or tool that engages readers and gives them an exercise to experience or apply the idea on their own.

Chapter titles will give you an exact idea of the contents of this book. The first section, “The Mind Key,” includes 11 chapters. The second part, “The Body Key,” includes eleven chapters, “The Spirit Key,” includes eleven, and the fourth part, “The Relationship Key,” includes the final eleven.

Because I have a special interest in relationships (I write about them on a regular basis, and I had a college textbook, UNDERSTANDING INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION, that went through 7 editions), let me give you the chapter names in this part: Give Others Your Full Presence, Embrace Silence and Deep Listening, Share Loving-Kindness with Others, Be Genuine and Real, Seek Out Happy and Meaningful Connections, Untie the Knots of Emotional Entanglement, Light Another’s Candle, Attune Yourself to Others, Offer Up Your Nonjudgment and Joy, Cultivate Kind Speech, and Mind Your Relationships. (How can anyone argue against these ideas when it comes to cultivating successful relationships?)

In her review of the book at Amazon.com, I thought Marilyn Dalrymple of Lancaster, California, made a particularly good point. She said the book “is a gentle, but serious reminder that most of us need to take care of ourselves and be concerned and caring toward others.” I love her use of the word “gentle” for not only is it an accurate reflection of Altman’s approach, it is the feeling you acquire as he explains the idea of each chapter, offers examples to clearly define and demonstrate the idea, and then provides the “gentle” guideline readers can use to obtain (or at the least experience) the idea on their own.

This book is available at Amazon.com: The mindfulness code: Keys for overcoming stress, anxiety, fear, and unhappiness

The upside of irrationality: The unexpected benefits of defying logic at work and at home

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

By Dan Ariely

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

This is an absolutely fascinating book. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it. I loved the stories, I loved the experiments, I loved the practical nature of the entire book and how Ariely applies all of the information to our lives whether it be at work, in relationships, or simply everyday existence.

Here is an example of how Ariely relates stories or experiments to readers’ lives: “The moral of the story?” he writes. “You may think that taking a break during an irritating or boring experience will be good for you, but a break actually decreases your ability to adapt, making the experience seem worse when you have to return to it. When cleaning your house or doing your taxes, the trick is to stick with it until you are done” (p. 179).

His experience with “Public Speaking 101" (pp. 42-49), of course, caught my attention. Ariely is so good at telling stories. The details he provides allow readers to imagine the situations he describes accurately, but not only that, it puts readers into those situations with all of the attendant emotions and reactions.

What I found particularly interesting was the build-up Ariely offered for each of his experiments. If you have ever wondered where the motivation or stimulation for behavioral science experiments come from, reading this book will be especially enlightening.

Also, delightful and evident on almost every page of the book, is Ariely’s engaging and surprising sense of humor. If you ever think that university professors — especially ones like Ariely who not only have two Ph.D’s, but are obviously well-versed and well-practiced in research methodology and approaches — are sedate, staid, formal, stuffy, and conventional (devoid of any sense of humor!), then you will not only be pleasantly surprised by this book, you may even be astonished. On page 61, Ariely puts you (the reader) in the “character” of an adult male albino rat in a cage. He gives you all the rat language and rat feelings to help you identify with it: “You accidentally press the bar, and immediately a pellet of food is released. Wonderful! You press the bar again. Oh joy!—another pellet comes out. . . .” In the next paragraph he says, “You wander around the cage, cursing under your rat breath, and go over to the tin cup. ‘Oh my!’ you say to yourself. ‘It’s full of pellets! Free food!’” (You get the point.).

The book is written for anyone and everyone. It is highly readable! There are few technical words, no erudite vocabulary, and it is incredibly engaging. You just can’t put it down. (That’s because the stories and illustrations are so captivating!) “I truly enjoy the research I do,” Ariely writes, “I think it’s fun. I’m excited to tell you, dear reader, about how I have spent the last twenty years of my life. I’m almost sure my mother will read this boo, and I’m hoping that at least a few others will as well” (p. 64).

I loved his personal examples, like putting together the IKEA furniture designed for his toy room (pp. 83-84). His example of what happened with his small Audi (pp. 131-135) was delightful, and it was truly an illustration with which all readers could identify. Also, once again, it was a story that led to an experiment “to measure the extent of vengeful behavior” (p. 135).

Just an aside regarding Ariely’s Audi experience, here he writes about it in retrospect on page 153: “Other than my near brush with death on the highway, I’d say that my experience with Audi was overall beneficial. I got to reflect on the phenomenon of revenge, do a few experiments, share my perspective in print, and write this chapter.” These sentences give you a good sample of his writing style, his directness in talking to readers, and his honesty.

Speaking of his use of personal examples, how he became an academic (because I am, too, an academic) is most interesting. It was a choice, incidentally, that happened slowly over time as he “began engaging in more and more academic pursuits” (p. 184). Ariely uses this experience as an example of how he adapted to a powerful, painful, and prolonged injury (which he fully explains toward the beginning of the book).

This really is an outstanding book that will capture your attention, tune your senses to a number of aspects of human behavior, and inform, enlighten, and entertain you along the way. If it hasn’t been clear in this review, I truly loved the book and Ariely’s writing style.

This book is available at Amazon.com: The upside of irrationality: The unexpected benefits of defying logic at work and at home

The favorite child: How a favorite impacts every family member for life

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By Ellen Weber Libby

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

This is an excellent book. The reason I picked it up is simply because I felt I fit into her category (a favorite child). I knew that of the three children in my family (I have an older and a younger sister), I was my mother’s favorite (definitely not by father’s — my father’s favorite was my younger sister.

This is a highly readable, well-organized, very insightful, well-researched, illuminating book, that is full of specific examples (case studies) from Libby’s thirty years as a clinical psychologist and her 60,000 hours of treatment of and for her clients. You read, in some detail about families, parents, their children, and sibling rivalry. Very engaging.

Personally, I think my anointment as a favorite child fostered precisely the traits Libby discusses: ambition, self-confidence, power, and a desire to serve. I consider myself fortunate to have escaped some of the destructive dispositions such as a sense of entitlement and exemptions from the rules governing everyone else. In my life, which may well be (and is likely to be) an exception, I feel I have capitalized on the positive traits of ambition and self-confidence that I have truly earned what I have accomplished (without entitlement and without exemptions). Also, my family contributed substantially to my upbringing and the balance they provided between the constructive and destructive traits. Libby writes about this at the end of her book when she said, “The importance of open expression of feeling and honest communication with these families [where balance occurred] was valued” (p. 273). Of course, one example (my own) proves nothing.

We all grew up in families, thus, there is information here that applies to everyone. If there is a thought that some of the information may not apply, then, to be sure, the material offers tremendous insights into others and why they behave as they do.

“Favoritism,” Libby writes as her final paragraph, “is normal in families. Being the favorite child has benefits for the child as well as for society. The burdens accompanying favoritism are also substantial but can be mitigated by respectful relationships among the adults who are in a position to influence the growth of the child. In taking on this challenge, the challenge of bringing up children with the confidence and power inherent in being favored while also holding these children accountable for their behaviors, parents contribute positively to the characters of their children—our future leaders in all spheres of society” (p. 273).

Not only does the paragraph above give you a sample of her writing, but it demonstrates the power wielded by favorite children and the value of contributing parents and families to the growth of their children. This is a valuable book that makes a substantial contribution to understanding family dynamics.

This book is available at Amazon.com: The favorite child: How a favorite impacts every family member for life

Lincoln and McClellan: The troubled partnership between a president and his general

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By John C. Waugh

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

I thought so much of this title that I acquired it for my father-in-law, Edgar Willis, who is a Civil War buff, an historian, and a Lincoln “authority.” I put that in quotation marks simply because he may not agree with my use of the word authority, here. He is — and would agree with my assessment — an authority (without quotation marks) on Shakespeare or the history of humor in the media or even how to construct a joke (see his How to be Funny on Purpose: Creating and Consuming Humor). He has read widely on Lincoln.

He thoroughly enjoyed this book and spoke highly of John C. Waugh’s writing. He was unfamiliar with any previous works written by Waugh but would read any future books by him based simply on his enjoyment of this one.

Several things caught his attention in this book — things he shared with me in discussions after he finished it. He thought the book was more about George McClellan than it was about Lincoln. And, he realized too, that anyone who has read extensively on Lincoln or on the Civil War would probably not learn anything new from this book. On the other hand, for anyone seeking an introduction to the Civil War, would find this great introductory material.

I found this last piece of information (the last sentence) fascinating for this reason. Willis’s memoir of World War II, Civilian in an Ill-Fitting Uniform, although a memoir, serves as a wonderful introduction to World War II, and for those who want introductory information, Willis’ book would be a great beginning.

Willis enjoyed the contrast between Lincoln and McClellan. Few books, Willis noted, (that he knows about) have dealt specifically with the unique relationship between Lincoln as Commander-in-Chief and McClellan as his general.

With respect to the contrast between Lincoln and Mclellan, Waugh mentioned the fact that McClellan came from a patrician background. He began as part of the elite of Philadelphia society, attended outstanding private schools, then the University of Pennsylvania and West Point. At West Point he graduated second in his class, and because of his experiences and upbringing was both polished and refined.

In contrast, Lincoln’s experiences and upbringing were diametrically opposed. He was backwoods all the way. Part of a hard-working frontier family and with little formal schooling, he had little polish and social refinement.

The contrast is important in the book for McClellan had little respect for Lincoln, and Lincoln’s suggestions to McClellan often fell on deaf ears. Even Lincoln’s stroking of McClellan’s ego and his prods to get him moving did not work.

McClellan’s primary weakness as the general responsible for the Union army in the East, was delay and postponement — risk adverse. Waugh makes it clear several times in the book that the Civil War could have ended several years earlier if McClellan would have been an effective general, would have followed Lincoln’s advice and encouragement, or acted decisively when circumstances dictated it. Rather than acting decisively, over and over he found new reasons to delay and postpone any offensive.

The other thing Willis enjoyed in this 218-page (of text) book is Waugh’s use of research — too much research at times. In addition to 8 pages of “Sources Cited,” there are 26 pages of notes.

This is an extremely well-written, well-researched book that is thorough (covers the 15 months -- July 22, 1861 through November 6, 1862), interesting, detailed, and tells a fascinating story.

This book is available at Amazon.com: Lincoln and McClellan: The troubled partnership between a president and his general

Venus on fire, mars on ice: Hormonal balance---The key to life, love, and energy

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By John Gray

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

I have been writing about relationships for many years. My book, Understanding Interpersonal Communication (now out of print) went through seven editions and always included at least two chapters on interpersonal relationships. Thus, I am familiar with the related literature and always interested in new developments.

That paragraph explains why I might have an interest in Gray’s new book. Also, I feel that any book that will help people form, develop, and maintain healthy relationships can be (should be!) a useful tool for relationship partners — especially when it is as fundamental and practical as this one.

With numerous sets of male-female explanatory dialog, sentence inserts that offer key phrases, tables that illustrate key concepts, bulleted lists that aid comprehension, many real-life examples from Gray’s seminars and practice, important summaries when they are needed, this book literally begs for reader understanding.

Clearly, from the writing, the illustrations, and the advice, it is written for a lay audience — the same audience, I might add, for which his best selling book, Man are from Mars, Women are from Venus, was intended. I say this simply to indicate that this is not a sophisticated book nor is it scientifically obtuse — although when you are explaining hormones and hormonal behavior it certainly could be. Note the following paragraph from page 45:

“Over the past 10 years, researchers at a variety of universities in Canada have developed and researched a new compound called PolyGlycopleX * (PGX*), a unique complex of water-soluble polysaccharides (plant fibers) that can help reduce blood sugar fluctuations”. . . (p. 45).

Incidentally, this is not typical prose, just an example of one explanation. Most others are considerably simpler; however, Gray’s understanding of biochemical research and its applications is impressive. There are so many facts in this book relevant to the success of relationships (or, at the very least, the understanding of relationships) that these facts could well be one’s only excuse (need) for reading it:

“What’s more, he may become needy. Did you know that the average man at 58 makes more estrogen than his woman does? It’s true, and the estrogen — combined with his continuing lack of testosterone — tends to make him more prone to sharing his woes with his woman” (p. 161).

Now, the part of the book I found most interesting is Chapter 10, “Super Fuell to Balance the Planets—Nutrition for Healthy Hormones.” One interesting point is Gray’s approach: “Do as I say, and as I do.” Follow the guidelines, and you will fall in line right behind Gray himself. Although I have no trouble with Step One (water, sea salt, lemon, aloe vera, and plant-sourced enzymes), in Step Two the ingredients that go into his “daily shake” (maca power, goji berries, PGX, caco nibs, a ai berries, coconut oil, stevia, and molasses) would be quite a stretch for most people (and, thus, not followed!). Step Three (includes magnesium orotate or citrate, calcium orotate or citrate, potassium citrate, zinc orotate or citrate, chromium, and trace minerals) would also create some public concern.

You can love the book for all its connections between hormones and relationship effectiveness, but when it comes down to the nutritional elements “necessary” to mend the stress problems relationship partners may experience, I think most readers would want to solve their nutritional needs in a local grocery store and purchases they can make without going to pills, powders, and ingredients in vials and small brown bottles.

Although the tips for improving sleep patterns (pp. 195-197) are well-known (except perhaps for the use of the superfood PGX* with dinner), it is good to have them spelled out in detail here.

I thought Gray’s “18 Essential Sources of Love and Support” (pp. 211-225) were excellent — even though, once again, they are commonplace suggestions.

My one major weakness of the book is the lack of sources. There are no page-by-page footnotes, notes listed at the back of the book, bibliography, sources cited, or even recommended sources. I think this would add a great deal of strength to the book, and it would provide those interested, places to go to gain further information, related ideas, or even more support and evidence. It is likely that most readers of the book would not be concerned about this, and it is unlikely to affect the sales of this book; however, it is a bit much to expect readers to assume that all of the information came from the author alone. Of course, Gray has a great deal of credibility — especially with the popularity of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, but that is no excuse for not including sources in this book.

This is, for the most part, an excellent read, and as I said earlier, any book that contributes to relationship harmony is welcomed.

This book can be found at Amazon.com: Venus on fire, mars on ice: Hormonal balance — The key to life, love, and energy

In pursuit of silence: Listening for meaning in a world of noise

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By George Prochnik

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

I jog in the morning between 4:30 and 5:30 a.m. before the expressway (just less than a mile from our housing development) expresses its presence by the low and fairly constant cacophony of truck and automobile noise and between the times when trains, passing through our small village (about 3 or 4 miles from our house) signal their warning at each intersection. In general, it is a time of near silence when few, if any, other cars are on the roads and no other joggers break my concentration.

I am often asked why I jog at such an early hour, and the comfort of the silence (and dark) easily justify the choice. It is a time away from the various assaults on my senses of lawn mowers, leaf blowers, talkaholics, cars with boom boxes, traffic, trains, planes, and the continually annoying din of the media.

Why is my experience relevant to this book review? Because I — or my experience — could have been just one more adventure the author, Prochnik, made in his “pursuit of silence.” In his book, Prochnik suggests “that silence can exert a positive influence on our individual lives and our relationship to the world” (p. 14). I support that conclusion with more than 30 years of jogging experience as evidence.

His experiences included a visit to the New Melleray Abbey in Dubuque, Iowa, the Barton Creek Square mall in Austin, Texas, Paley Park on East Fifty-third Street, just across Fifth Avenue from the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, Explosive Sound and Video, thirty miles from Cape Canaveral, just off Martin Luther King Boulevard, near the border between Seffner and Mango, in central Florida, Noise-Con 2008 in Dearborn, Michigan, Br el & Kjaier’s (B&K’s) global headquarter’s on the outskirts of Copenhagen, Portland’s Japanese Garden in Oregon, and the Sorenson Language and Communication Center at Gallaudet University, to name just a few sites on his “pursuit.”

The writing in the book is extraordinary: elegant, engaging, and humorous. Also, Prochnik not only tells great stories along with his personal insights and adventures, but he cites numerous studies as he examines the scientific, sociological, and spiritual aspects of sound in addition to the political history of sound management.

In her five-star review of this book at Amazon.com , Dr. Debra Jan Bibel, who bills herself as “World Music Explorer, writes: “This book is important and should serve as warning. As Prochnik points out, it is an old story; only now the problem is becoming more acute as people have become desensitized to noise.”

Benjamin Swet concluded his five-star review of the book at Amazon, saying, “Entertaining and authoritative, with forays into science, philosophy, and the inner ear, this hopeful look at the contemporary American scene made me think in new ways about the possibilities for silence even in the loud rush of everyday life.”

This is one of those “must-read” books. It is amazing.

This book can be found at Amazon.com: In pursuit of silence: Listening for meaning in a world of noise

It's not rocket science and other irritating modern cliches

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By Clive Whichelow and Hugh Murray

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

I found this book delightful, not just because of the cliches the authors have found and explained, but because it was written by two British authors. For me, this added a unique dimension for in every case, I was interested to see how many of our common phrases had survived the trip overseas. That is, I wanted to see how they were defined by non-Americans.

The authors cover a range of cliches: general, media, entertainment, commercial, business, political, and social. I think young people today are those who might benefit most from reading such a book as this. What I found in my more than twenty years of teaching public communication was simply that when I pointed out a phrase to a student and labeled it a cliche, he or she was totally unaware that it was. They simply did not have the background or experience to know it. (That generalization was not true of all students, of course.)

Another group of people who might benefit from reading this is those who write greeting cards. Can you imagine it? There are already so many cards so full of cliches that we don’t need any more, that is true; however, when a slacker writer is looking for content for the blank screen in front of him or her, this book can certainly supply the missing “content.” There is so much here to fill so many more cards with oh so many more “wonderful” cliches. (They appeal to the masses!)

What I found to be a challenging and rather interesting exercise when I read this book was improving on the authors’ explanations. It wasn’t the fact that “I know better than they do,” but, coming from an American perspective (rather than a British one), many of the cliches could have benefited from a better (more U.S. friendly) definition (not all of them, of course).

I have always spelled “DOH!” (the “self-flagellating expression of dismay”) as “DUH!” although, I admit, I seldom use the expression in my writing.

“Gobsmacked,” meaning surprised, is a cliche with which I was totally unfamiliar, but it originated in Liverpool, UK, and that may be a good reason.

I loved the expression “Happy-clappy” to describe modern church services. I had never heard that one either. “Utilise” (meaning use) is another word I have never heard before.

Of the other cliches in the book, I have to say I have some familiarity with all of them. I thought some of the explanations/definitions were a bit weak, but making up for their weakness was the authors’ use of humor, which was delightful.

This book can be found at Amazon.com: It’s not rocket science and other irritating modern cliches

Being wrong: Adventures in the margin of error

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By Kathryn Schulz

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

There are a number of things that I like about this book. First, it is extremely well-written. Not only does Schulz write well, but she injects humor into some of her observations and analyses. This, alone, makes reading this book a pleasure.

The second thing I like about this book is Schulz’s choices of examples. Not only is she a great story teller, the stories/examples themselves are engaging, interesting, and a joy to read. So many of her chapter-beginning examples are ones that readers may be familiar with; however, even if they are not, Schulz offers such great detail and vivid descriptions, that they are easy to identify with whether familiar or not.

Not only are her choices of examples terrific, but she uses those with which she begins her chapters throughout the chapter, referring back to them to support the points she makes. If you don’t get the point of why an example is chosen or why it is relevant, she reinforces the point effectively.

Third, Schulz’s writing is fact-based. She has about 45 pages of notes, and, in addition, she includes explanations (or the further development of ideas) in footnotes throughout the book. This is an extremely well-supported book. You know, from her facts, additional examples, and explanations, that she really knows what she is talking about.

Fourth, as someone prone to being wrong (me: with no excuses or blame-worthy referents), Schulz writes about things with which it is easy for readers to identify. We can easily see ourselves in many of her examples, and often she uses her own personal experiences to illustrate points. It is delightful. If you (as a reader of her book) cannot see yourself or put yourself into the examples, then I would suggest that you are probably not being honest with yourself.

Fifth, the sources she uses are excellent. You know that this author has done her homework. As you read you can be amazed, as well, at the breadth and depth of her knowledge, the extent of her reading, and the command of details she has. It is truly remarkable. (When she talks about great literature, for example, she speaks specifically of the characters in the stories and their motives and actions.)

Sixth, she doesn’t leave you with truisms regarding the nature of your wrongheadedness alone. She offers insights into how to correct your faults, what you can do to become more “right-headed.” Her suggestions are well-thought out, reasonable, and well presented. Anyone who is a member of the human race (tsk tsk!) can profit from reading this book.

Seventh, when I presented the book to my father-in-law to read (he is extremely critical, and I seldom provide him with “suggested reading”), the first thing he said was, “hmmm, interesting topic.” I told them that Schulz offers a complete explanation of how she became involved in writing a book on “Being Wrong.” I thought her explanation was excellent.

If you are looking for a book that is a great read, that will not just hold your attention but captivate you as well, and if you are looking for a book that is a bit unusual (in the choice of topics), but a book that relates to you and how you behave in the real world, then I recommend this one with complete confidence you will find it as superb as I did. It is well worth your time.

This book can be found at Amazon.com: Being wrong: Adventures in the margin of error

1001 funniest things ever said

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Edited and with an introduction by Steven D. Price

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

I was skeptical of this book when I first selected it — only because what appears funny to one person often is not funny to me. At least that has been my experience. As I read more and more of the book, I kept thinking that the statements (not all jokes per se) selected were great. I even laughed out loud at some of them.

So, as a test of my perceptions, I gave the book to my father-in-law, Edgar E. Willis. For those reading this who are unfamiliar with that name, he is the author of that great book on humor entitled, How to be Funny on Purpose: Creating and Consuming Humor. His book is available at Amazon.com.

As an author of a book on humor, as a critical analyst of humor in the contemporary world as well as what it takes to be funny, as a teacher of how to construct jokes, as a lecturer on the art of humor, and as a true connoisseur of quality humor, I thought his reaction to the selections in 1001 Funniest Things Ever Said would be a true gauge of the book’s merits.

I was correct. He not only read the book from cover-to-cover, he wanted to have it for an extended amount of time. Also, with a question on a quotation from Dan Quayle (which he had used as an example in his own book), I even took the time to Google it and get a complete explanation. (It was a quotation attributed to him that probably was never said by him.)

All the way through the book, both Edgar and I came up with the same question: How in the world did someone discover all of this great material?

Although the book is 322 pages long, it is only 6-inches by 7-inches, and there are usually only 3 or 4 entries on a page; thus, it is a quick read.

You will undoubtedly discover jokes you have heard (or even used) before. I found, for example, the joke Dr. Richard Wiseman, of the University of Hertfordshire, discovered from his scientific experiment in 2002, to be world’s funniest:
       Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses. He doesn’t seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other man pulls out his phone and calls emergency services.
       He gasps to the operator, ‘I think my friend is dead! What can I do?’
       The operator in a calm, soothing voice replies, ‘Take it easy. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead.’
       There is a silence, then a shot is heard. Back on the phone, the hunter says, ‘OK, now what?’ (pp. 232-233)

The reason I remember this joke so well is that it is the first joke I use in a chapter, “Using the Internet to Find or Develop Jokes,” in the book How to be Funny on Purpose: Creating and Consuming Humor. In that chapter I offer, as well, five pages of jokes (with explanations) from that same scientific study.

1001 Funniest Things Ever Said is the kind of book to make available to guests in the waiting room of a dentist’s or doctor’s office, put on the coffee table in your living room, or place in that special room in your house where short reading times are the norm. It is delightful, entertaining, and delicious.

This book can be found at Amazon.com: 1001 funniest things ever said

The death and life of American journalism: The media revolution that will begin the world again

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By Robert W. McChesney and John Nichols

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

On page xi, the authors write: “This book reflects our concern about changes that are occurring. But we offer little in the way of nostalgia. In fact, it is the opposite. It is a cry for action to shape inevitable change in a manner that assures that America will have the journalistic institutions, practices and resources necessary to maintain what can credibly be described as a self-governing society. We do not know the precise character or content of the new media that will develop, but we do know that without bona fide structures for gathering and disseminating news and analysis, the American experiment in democracy and republican governance will be imperiled” (p. xi).

This is a well-researched (43 pages of notes), well-written (intended for the layman, not the technical expert), carefully developed argument designed for those who are interested in looking at “the past and the future of journalism in a more fundamental and critical manner” (p. xii).

They add, “This book proposes specific new methods for using public subsidies to generate a high-quality, uncensored, competitive and independent news media. These methods are founded on an understanding of and respect for the new technologies that make possible a journalism that is more adventurous, more exciting, more participatory and more valuable to society and democracy than any American has ever known” (pp. xiii-xiv).

The authors have based their approach and solutions on a “decade working on media policy issues in Washington and across the nation . . . We have worked with politicians from both major parties and all political philosophies on successful campaigns to stop media consolidation and government secrecy and to promote an open uncensored Internet and viable independent public media” (p. xiv).

I quote extensively from their preface for one reason: they deliver on their promise. This book is clearly and purposefully designed as a manifesto for change delivered by two extremely well-qualified experts.

The authors write of the crisis as well as the opportunity. Their statistics, charts, examples, stories, and quotations are absolutely captivating and convincing. I thought the story of Kate Giammarise was an incredibly well-chosen example of what is happening and has happened in journalism. “The naked and uncomfortable truth is that the business model that sustained commercial news media for the past century is dying, and cannot be recreated” (p. 74), is a statement the authors make that is well-developed and supported. They also state, “. . . we can see a new and dramatically superior caliber of journalism emerging as a result of the Internet . . . It will be a journalism that can truly open up our politics, in the manner democratic theory suggests” (p. 81).

Their discussion of solutions has four components: “1) immediate measures to sustain journalism, each of which transitions to a permanent subsidy if successful; 2) a plan to convert the collapsing corporate newspaper into what we term a ‘post-corporate’ digital newspaper, with print versions at the very least until there is ubiquitous broadband; 3) converting public and community broadcasting into genuinely worldclass civic and democratic media; and 4) spawning a vibrant, well-funded, competitive and innovative news-media sector on the Internet” (p. 159).

One of the essential keys to the success of their ideas is mentioned: “There are significant roles to be played by private enterprise, foundations and nonprofit organizations. But we no longer have any doubt that without the government providing subsidies comparable to what other leading democratic nations provide, and to what this nation routinely provided in its first century, the initiatives of these other actors will have limited effect” (p. 221).

This is an excellent — outstanding — book that deserves to be read by anyone concerned about the future of journalism. You may not agree with their arguments (but I think you will), but you will have to acknowledge that journalism must and will change. McChesney and Nichols provide a reasonable, well-thought-out, and well presented blueprint as they see it.

This book can be found at Amazon.com: The death and life of American journalism: The media revolution that will begin the world again

The Facebook Era: Tappping online social networks to market, sell, and innovate

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By Clara Shih

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

It should be clear from the outset that I am reviewing the 2011 (second edition) of this book, not the first. Most of the reviews at Amazon.com (as I write this) are of the first edition, and there have been significant and important changes since then.

Changes from the first edition? Shih writes of the changes on page 2:
    — Each chapter now ends with a summary of takeways and an actionable to-do list.
    — There are now two dozen case stuides and example that bring concepts to life.
    — Rather than discuss Facebook alone, Shih now offers extensive coverage of Twiter and Linkedin as well.
    — There are expert opinion sidebars from well known social media authorities.
    — Five new chapters have been added including one on customer service, one on innovation and collaboration, one on ways to develop an individualized Facebook Era plan, one that offers advice for small businesses, and one on advice for nonprofits, healthcare, education, and political campaigns.

The book is divided into four parts:
    1. Why social networking matters for business
    2. Social networking across your organization
    3. Step-by-step guide to social networking for business
    4. Social networking strategy

This is a basic book written for beginners. If you are a regular Facebook (Twiter, Linkedin, MySpace, Renren in China, Mixi in Japan, Odnoklassniki in Rusia), you may not find a whole lot that is new here, but Shih is not writing this book for you.

I found the book informative, easy-to-read, and comprehensive. If there is anything about Facebook that you don’t know, you will find it here. I found the gray boxes by other authors (“more than three dozen guest contributions from world-class experts”) interesting and valuable. The inclusion of actual pictures from Facebook pages was helpful.

Although I regret the fact that Shih avoided using any references (other than the boxes by guest authors who were all experts in their respective fields) or offered “Other Books to Read,” or even a bibliography, there is a great deal of information here to digest.

I found her hands-on techniques useful, her insights valuable, and her easy-to-use “To Do” lists solid. This is a book for anyone who wants a complete look at social networking.

This book can be found at Amazon.com: The Facebook era: Tappping online social networks to market, sell, and innovate

I can make you confident: The power to go for anything you want!

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By Paul McKenna

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

I put on the CD that accompanies the book as I began to read it. Interestingly, it offers a soothing background for reading: a soft voice (almost a whisper) that is ongoing and comforting, music that is truly ethereal and subtle, ideas that are reinforcing, positive, and confidence-inducing, and an echo (at times) or a double voice that sounds almost ghostly. (Using a microphone with speakers that offer a heavy bass, I often role play the voice of a ghost at Halloween, so I know exactly what a ghost should sound like! —said with a smile on my face!) I was intrigued from the outset.

Now, I have to admit that I am not one who needs more confidence, and I would never be the one who would approach McKenna at one of his public performances and say, “I’m just not a confident person.” Nonetheless, the title of the book and the CD intrigued me.

I was caught, too, with one of his marginal boxes (I use a plethora of marginal boxes in my textbook with McGraw-Hill, Communicating Effectively, so being “caught” is not at all unusual.). On page 15, he quotes Aristotle as saying, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence than is not an act, but a habit.” I might use that quotation in a future edition of my textbook. Another marginal quote that caught my attention was by Sir John Lubbock: “What we see depends mainly on what we look for.”

His choices for marginal quotes, for the most part, added interest (for me) to his book, for there are no footnotes, no references, no suggested readings, no bibliography, and no other sources cited of any kind (except for the marginal boxes). He uses numerous personal experiences for his support or the experiences shared with him by others.

Thus, so far, I have been swept up by this book and CD! But a warning is necessary: This is simply and forthrightly a book (and CD) designed to plant the “seeds of confidence, self-belief, and motivation” (p. 1) — nothing more. That is McKenna’s goal and purpose.

Although the book is about 213 pages long, it is really much shorter than that because there are wide margins, and the lines are almost double-spaced (about 1 3/4ths spaces apart).

The main ideas with which McKenna deals are developing the confidence habit, motivation, and confidence in the real world. Because of my interest in public speaking, I paid special attention to pages 164-172. He says “there are only three things you need to do in order to feel easy and comfortable making powerful presentations in front of even the largest group: 1. Manage your state. 2. Know your content. 3. Speak with passion” (p. 164). And I would totally agree; however, that is precisely the problem. People are unable to manage their emotions, they do not know their content well-enough (often, they think they do!), and because of their negative emotions (fear), their
passion becomes muted — sapped. To help him find passion before he speaks, McKenna recommends asking yourself two simple questions: 1) What is the essence of my message to the audience? and 2) What experience do I want them to have from listening to my talk? (p. 170).

The essence of what McKenna does is to use NLP (neurolinguistic programming) and hypnosis to change mindsets — to plant the seeds of change. He has you imagine positive situations (even create movies that illustrate concrete, encouraging, and supportive behaviors), and then he has you step into those situations and take on the behaviors you have imagined.

If you lack confidence in yourself, if you are looking for motivation to do the things you want to do, if you need help to overcome the fear of public speaking, poor business performance, problems in dating and sex, or in how to leave bad situations, then this book may offer you some assistance. Much of your success will depend on your own ability, persistence, and desire, but isn’t that the true story of our lives? We can depend on teachers, facilitators, and mentors for only so long, then changing any behavior at all is up to us.

This book can be found at Amazon.com: I can make you confident: The power to go for anything you want!

The way we’re working isn’t working

noreply@blogger.com (andthensomeworks.com) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:00:00 +0000

By Tony Schwartz

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

I agree with Schwartz’s basic premise that “nearly 75 percent of employees around the world feel disengaged at work every day.” Also, I think that Schwartz’s ideas for “reenergizing our lives so we’re both more satisfied and more productive,” are on target.

Schwartz includes a 3-page bibliography and over 13 pages of notes.

His first three chapters (and their titles) clearly identify the problem: 1) “more & More, Less & Less (overwhelmed with technology and the urgencies that correspond, our creativity, quality, engagement, throughtful deliberation, and performance is undermined), 2) “We Can’t Change What We Don’t Notice,” and 3) “We’re Creature of Habit.” Unfortunately, people cannot override negative inertia, and one book, no matter how good, cannot and will not (is unlikely to) help.

Make no mistake, this is a very good book and Schwartz’s strategies in the four areas of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual, are excellent — not necessarily ground breaking (or earth shattering) — but certainly they are fine ideas none-the-less. I liked, for example, in the area of the physical, his chapters, “Sleep or Die,” and “Use It or Lose It.” “The Facts and the Stories We Tell,” in the “emotional” area discussed “realistic optimism” and perception. Excellent chapters. The chapter, “Cultivating the Whole Brain,” in the “mental” part of the book is very good, and the chapter, “Purpose for Passion,” in the “spiritual” part is also well done. Schwartz has some very good ideas.

I though Schwartz’ inclusion of “The Big Ideas,” Chapters 1-20 (pp. 277-296), which summarized all his chapters, was a great addition to this book.

Overall, I this book is superbly written, includes captivating stories and examples, offers well-illustrated (with tables and graphs) concepts, and uses excellent sources. The average rating of the 21 reviews written at Amazon.com as I completed this review was five stars out of five. That certainly says a lot.

What I find unfortunate in all of this is that those who need this information the most will never see or read it.

This book can be found at Amazon.com: The way we’re working isn’t working