Body of Lies: A Novel

Book Description

A tale of counterterrorism from an author who "ranks with Graham Greene in his knowledge of espionage and the human heart" (Publishers Weekly).

Roger Ferris is one of the CIA's soldiers in the war on terrorism. He has come out of Iraq with a shattered leg and an intense mission—to penetrate the network of a master terrorist known only as "Suleiman." Ferris's plan for getting inside Suleiman's tent is inspired by a masterpiece of British intelligence during World War II: He prepares a body of lies, literally the corpse of an imaginary CIA officer who appears to have accomplished the impossible by recruiting an agent within the enemy's ranks.

This scheme binds friend and foe in a web of extraordinary subtlety and complexity, and when it begins to unravel, Ferris finds himself flying blind into a hurricane. His only hope is the urbane head of Jordan's intelligence service—a man who might be an Arab version of John le Carré's celebrated spy, George Smiley. But can Ferris trust him?

Customer Reviews:

Truth.......2007-10-04

The author feels that unvarnished truth can be found only in fiction. If so, our best are not bright enough. The twist at the end, the involvement of a particular character could, or should have been, seen a mile away. Why are so many heroes so easily seduced?

his best ever.......2007-09-15

David Ignatius has written some great books but this is clearly his best. It is so up to date, taking you right in the center of the war on terror. I couldn't put it down. Though the book just came out this year, I was surprised to recently discover that they are already filming a movie of it, with Russell Crowe, up in Baltimore.

Body of Lies.......2007-09-02

This truly an excellent read. The amount of details of the CIA and the relations with the Jordanian
authorities is very interesting and well done. He writes very well and is skillful with language.
The prose is pithy and moves along well. The ending is a bit stretched not in
length but in reasonable outcome. All in all a wonderful piece of work.

A New Generation of Middle Eastern Spy Novels.......2007-08-30

I devoured Eric Ambler's middle eastern spy novels and have longed for a writer who captures the subleties of a region Americans understand very little. Ignatius uses his experience in the literal and metaphorical hot spots to illumine the values that underlie tradecraft. The CIA may think its personnel understands the region but, as in real life, the book demonstrates how much we need to learn. It's been noted that Ignatius is not as comfortable with describing and integrating personal relationships as he is with the plot twists and ambience. This may distract the reader a bit, but is easily overcome as the story climaxes. It's a satisfying read.

Nothing groundbreaking here but a good read.......2007-08-25

This book held my attention to the end. I guess that's the best thing I can say about it. There are a handful of interesting insights in the book but nothing that will blow your mind. I was not surprised by the ending at all. This is a good beach book for mindless reading.

Never Be Lied to Again: How to Get the Truth In 5 Minutes Or Less In Any Conversation Or Situation

Average customer rating:

A painful read with some useful information
Wonderful
Great Book!
Fun and useful
Excellent book

Never Be Lied to Again: How to Get the Truth In 5 Minutes Or Less In Any Conversation Or Situation
David J. Lieberman
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0312204280

Amazon.com

When liars are being accused of something, they'll stay calm because they're working on their rebuttal; this is why detectives were suspicious of O.J. Simpson when he didn't express outrage when accused of murdering his ex-wife and Ronald Goldman. Never Be Lied to Again is bursting with tested tips like this for quickly determining when you're being boondoggled. Body language, facial expressions, sentence structure, and word choice can all reveal when someone is lying, says psychologist David J. Lieberman, and he includes 46 of these "clues to deception" to help you, including tricks for framing questions without putting others on the defense. Once you use your newly honed "human lie detector" skills to figure out if you're being lied to, you can then dig for the truth using the specific, influential words and body postures that Lieberman suggests. Written with flair and humor, Never Be Lied to Again is designed to help you get the upper hand in any situation, whether you're trying to figure out if your spouse is cheating on you or if you suspect your coworkers are cooking the books.

Amazon.com Audiobook Review

It's difficult to have honest communication in a world where people bend the truth to fit their needs. Even more difficult is confronting a suspected liar in an open, forthright manner. In Never Be Lied to Again, human behaviorist Dr. Lieberman coaches listeners to face unfaithful lovers, colleagues, and employees. Lieberman introduces the tape and the remainder is read by male and female voices in varied tones. These different voices pinpoint numerous verbal and physical clues that will help you detect when people are lying; "attack sequences" and "silver bullets" allow you to initiate discussions with the guilty party. Although much of the information is geared to personal rather than professional situations, this tape is still a good resource for starting uncomfortable conversations. (Running time: 1.5 hours, one cassette) --Sharon Griggins

Book Description

How many times have you been manipulated or taken advantage of by someone's lies? Are you tired of being deceived, tricked, and fooled? Finally, renowned behaviorist David J. Lieberman shows you how to stop the lies and uncover the truth-- in any conversation or situation. In a simple, user-friendly format, Dr. Lieberman gives you the tools to determine, with uncanny accuracy, if you are being lied to.Utilizing newly developed techniques in hypnosis and psycholinguistics, this book also shows you how to easily influence anyone to tell the truth-- within minutes. Use it in any situation, from casual conversation to in-depth interviews. Never Be Lied to Again is chock-full of colorful examples and engaging scenarios to help you keep from being taken advantage of and give you that extra edge. Use these groundbreaking techniques to take control of every personal and business situation....and never be lied to again.

Customer Reviews:

A painful read with some useful information.......2007-09-14

This was a tough book to get through and failed to introduce much information that I didn't already know. The writing style was painful due to the authors choice to alternate the pronouns "he" and "she". He did this to avoid sounding sexist but pointing it out made it even more irritating. Most of the examples used were nap inspiring: "You think a student was cheating on her exam." Or unrealistic: "You suspect someone of selling you a puppy with a bad heart." Lieberman knows what he is talking about and the cover of this book looks great but the inside presentation could use a major overhaul. You don't have to read "Never Be Lied To Again" to know I am telling the truth.

Wonderful.......2007-09-05

In the past two weeks it has saved me over $200 at the mecahnics (I used one of the techniques in the book and found out he was lying to me about my brakes AND transmission) amd it has probably saved me a lot of heartache. (It turns out that a guy I had just met was married although he told me otherwise. He confessed to being married after about ten minutes when I used one of the advanced techniques on him) I'm not kidding--this stuff works like magic. This book could not have come at a better time. (Although I don't beleive in coincidences)

All in all,of the books I've read over the years,this is the most significant without adoubt. I can't say enough about it.

Great Book!.......2007-09-04

Another new bestseller which I highly recommend - The Exclusive Layguide: When Dating and Having Sex with Incredibly Hot Women is No Longer Mirage Even If You Don't Look Like a Model or Don't Make a Fortune

Fun and useful.......2007-08-07

I have mixed emotions about this book. On one hand, it does cover a lot of signs that you are being lied to, and if you know about them you will pay attention and will be more likely to figure out the truth. On the other hand, some methods for finding out the truth are really disturbing because the author advocates using lies and manipulations for discovering the truth. However, I would still recommend reading it. You don't have to use every suggestion in it - use what feels right for you. I especially found the first part of the book useful - this is where the author lists all the signs of lying (and there are a LOT of them, I think that he probably covered them all). The second part lists the aforementioned "strategies". All in all, I found the book fun to read and very useful, and it is up to the reader to chose to use the book defensively or offensively.

Excellent book.......2007-06-28

He explain the subject very well and he doesn't need a lot of lines for explain each ideias. I bought others books and he is a expert in the others subject too. (I'from Brazil and I recommed him)

Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free

Average customer rating:

Proceed with an Open Mind
Liberating Book
lies women believe: and the truth that sets them free
Lies and Truths
Every woman should read this

Lies Women Believe: And the Truth that Sets Them Free
Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Manufacturer: Moody Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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A Place of Quiet Rest: Finding Intimacy with God Through a Daily Devotional Life

ASIN: 0802472966

Book Description

The lies Christian women believe are at the root of their struggles. In Lies Women Believe, Nancy Leigh DeMoss exposes areas of deception common to many Christian women -- lies about God, sin, priorities, marriage and family, emotions, and more. She deals honestly with women's delusions and illusions and then gently leads them to the truth of God's word that leads to true freedom.

Customer Reviews:

Proceed with an Open Mind.......2007-09-20

I am a young woman new to Christianity (less than three years as a Christian) so I purchased this book to get some insight on a religious woman's opinion of lies we believe.

This book is great in the fact that it has cited scripture to support what she is trying to convey to her readers. I find Christian books with scripture and biblical support easier to believe true than Christian books without it. So I begin with the good points. The book is broken down into three sections - the middle part being Lies Women Believe...(about marriage, etc). The best chapter in my opinion is "Lies Women Believe about God." I found this to be very helpful in the way she points out from the bible God's real love for us, and that we are never alone. It warmed my heart. The best part of the book includes the portions at the end of each chapter where you reflect on yourself in a worksheet page, which also includes a prayer while seeking the path of the Truth.

I come now to parts of this book I did not like, and much of her "lies we believe" I did not agree with. In one chapter about "Lies Women Believe About Children", she makes it sound as thought women in today's society are meant to be mindless baby machines meant only to serve their husband and trusting he always knows what's right. She makes it appear that a woman choosing to pursue a carreer and/or making the choice not to have kids is satanic and not God's purpose for us. She says that Satan wants to end all life; that he hates it. I agree with that but there are approximately 6 billion people on this earth (overcrowded as it is), and I don't believe that a few married couples (hundred, thousand or whatever) making the choice not to have children is going to make much difference.

To read this book, one must have an extremely open mind to the author's views on lies we believe as women. I am very open-minded, but there were some points she made as I stated above that I highly disagreed with.

Overall, I give it three stars since it had some good spots, but parts of this book were (ironically) very biased against women.

Liberating Book.......2007-08-07

This book is so liberating. Every Christian woman should have a copy of it. It is truly a book that enlightens you on what you "believe", how you "live" and who you are. The things we think but are not honest enough to speak.

lies women believe: and the truth that sets them free.......2007-07-13

I had the opportunity to order 7 books after I had gone to a retreat and the book was used and it really held my interest and the women that I shared the book with were very thankful.

Thank you for getting the books out fast.

Lies and Truths.......2007-05-28

As you may have guessed, there are both lies and truths in this book. However, they don't all come from the source that you might have thought. I'm afraid Demoss herself gives voice to certain lies that devoted Christian women, namely wives, have in regards to their husbands and how they should behave. Mixed with this are other more general views towards women as a whole, many of which Demoss is correct about.

First, the good stuff. While Demoss's view can definetly be defined as complimentarian, she is not one of those to encourage practical worship of the husband, as some over-the-top Christians are wont to do. In fact, two powerful truths that she mentions are vitally important for wives to understand. Firstly, she comes right out and says that the husband is NOT always right. Secondly, she warns wives that they are not always to submit if the husband tells them incorrectly. If hubby chooses to act sinfully, Demoss advises the wife stand away and let him take responsibility for his actions. Wise and very important advice to any woman who's been misled as to the wife's role, and Demoss is to be praised for it.

Unfortunately, not all advice for wives in this book was smart, or even safe. While Demoss admits that the husband cannot always be listened to, her overall view seems to be to cleave to the husband, at least in legal marriage, no matter what. In order to better illustrate her mis-points, I think I will adapt her method of first mentioning the lie or misconception and then explaining the faults. Here, then, are Demoss's points of advice which misfire:

Lie #1: If a woman rejects her husband's authority, she is rejecting his spiritual covering.

Nope. Never mind the authority issue, it is incorrect to think a husband may offer spiritual covering. Our only spiritual covering is Christ; no man can cover us from sin nor should he attempt to do so.

Lie #2 A: If a woman must remove herself and/or her children from a dangerous situation (i.e., her husband), she should still hold reverence for her husband's position.

Firstly, if a husband abuses his wife, he forfeits his title as husband. Secondly, if a woman flees a dangerous husband, she should remain away from him in body and soul! If she reveres him, she is still completely attached emotionally and a woman attached thus will most likely return to the dangerous man. With an abusive husband, a complete break must be made, physical and otherwise. Rule of nature: avoid the fire and you won't get burned.

B: After fleeing a dangerous husband, if a woman worsens the situation by her words or behavior, she can no longer claim God's protection.

Do I really need to explain the fault with this? To a psychologically beaten woman, this is code for, "stick with your bad husband or God will smite you!" Abused women don't need this awful guilt trip.

C: A woman should wait for her abusive husband to be restored to God's authority.

Once a man gives up his honorable title as husband, he's on his own and should no longer expect the wife's support. Nine times out of ten, a dangerous man will not change, at least not as long as the wife waits around dependent on this hope. If your husband promises counseling, let him get it AWAY from you! Until he's 100% cured (which may never happen), you're still in the danger zone.

Lie #3: Every divorce is Satan's attempt to overthrow God's plan.

I hope all the divorcees out there enjoyed that little dig. Divorce is a shame, but sometimes it's because the marriage should never have taken place. Like it or not, some marriages are harmful and in those cases, Satan would most likely be telling you to stay in it! Satan knows God's Word and he has used God's hatred of divorce to manipulate Christian women and men into staying in harmful marriages, with of course the imminent (and false) threat that God will smite them if they don't.

If you insist on reading this book, I would advise it for single women rather than married. Perhaps it's because Demoss isn't married (though to be fair, many married women have made the same blunders as she has in their advice), but her strength definetly lies in her advice to single women. Her words of true beauty and how Godly faith in yourself is better than worldly self-esteem are especially helpful. Like so many guidebooks, take with a grain of salt if you take it at all

Every woman should read this.......2007-05-26

To some extent, the title of this book turned me off. It sounded too cliche. But I'm glad I read it, because there's nothing cliche about this book. These are truths which too many of us have simply never been introduced to. It can change the way you see yourself, others, & the world around you. It's hard at times, kind of in-your-face, but it's lessons we all need to learn.

Average customer rating:

One of Crowley's Best...
Excellent Service, strange man
The most mind bending and revelatory work on the Thelemic Qabalah
Pleasantly surprised
More bull from the Absolute Master of BS!

Book of Lies
Aleister Crowley
Manufacturer: Krishna Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

The Book of the Law/Liber Al Vel Legis
777 And Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley
The Holy Books of Thelema
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Book Four

ASIN: 0879681152

Customer Reviews:

One of Crowley's Best..........2007-05-30

This is Crowley at everything Crowley does best. He mixes magick, mysticism, poetry, sarcasm, irony, and satire into a strange little book that is more like a puzzle than a traditional book of poems.

Perhaps difficult the first time through if one has no background in Thelema or Qabalah, but it is not the worst introducion one could have to Crowley. The copious footnotes help somewhat, but the truth of the matter to appreciate all its many, many layers one would have to be at least somewhat knowledgeable of Qabalah, high magick, and some background on Crowley's life (the entire book is, in addition to everyting else I've mentioned, also a "love-poem," believe it or not.)

Crowley fans and those into a very unique experience will do well to apply.

Excellent Service, strange man.......2007-01-09

Though, the service from this particular seller was excellent and I only ordered the book because I was curious about Aleister Crowley I actually haven't read this book. I read the "Book of Law" and that was enough for me to get an idea of what Aleister Crowley was about. He was a chess master, mountain climber, poet, painter, astrologer, drug experimenter, and social critic, but something must have went wrong early in his life for him to follow the path he did. Maybe it was being raised as a Darbyite which are members of the most extreme wing of the Protestant sect known as the Exclusive Brethren. John George Haigh who is known as the acid bath killer was also a Darbyite. I appologize if there are any Darbyites out there, but most likely being a Darbyite prevents you from reading this.

The most mind bending and revelatory work on the Thelemic Qabalah.......2006-12-01

Aleister Crowley's genius waxes to a maximum in these simple essays that express the deepest truths of Qabalah as understood from the philosophy and cosmogony of Thelema. This book is a must read for any Thelemite and stands as a shining example of how Qabalah may best be used to understand all of life and consciousness.

Pleasantly surprised.......2006-11-26

When I bought this little book (very aptly referred to by the editors as crowley's little masterwork) it was really on a whim. When I got it I looked over it and read a few of its modest chapters - modest, in reference to their size only - and put it away on the shelf for some months. I recently came full circle and picked it up again, through the impetus of my researches and I must say I'm glad I put it down the first time, because now I was really able to fully appreciate it's profundity, able to grasp subtleties I would have surely missed before. In this way the book has (like any other of subtance can) served as a measuring stick of my own progress. Crowley tells the truth when he says that this small book is the most complete exposition of his magical philosophy on every plane. Bottom line: buy it, it will greatly repay years of study.

More bull from the Absolute Master of BS!.......2006-07-24

Aleister Crowley and company, including his favourite pupil, Frater Achad (Charles Stansfield Jones) were nothing more than mere charlatans who made a name for themselves in occult circles. This is just another in their endless array of manipulative books that were meant to attract and control the gullible--preferably the rich gullible--who had nothing else to do with their lives but to seek someone to have power over them. Conversely, Crowley and Achad had nothing to do with 'their' lives but to seek to have power over others: a perfect fit!

Average customer rating:

IT'S A SIN TO TELL A LIE
Pretty interesting story line
Great Read
If you love her Jayne Castle books, you'll enjoy this!!
Barely able to keep my attention

White Lies (The Arcane Society, Book 2)
Jayne Ann Krentz
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 039915373X
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Book Description

The New York Times-bestselling author of Falling Awake and All Night Long takes her fans beyond the everyday boundaries of the mind-and the heart-in a compulsively readable new novel of paranormal power, deception, and danger . . .

Petite, thirtysomething Clare Lancaster is a Level Ten para-sensitive-and a "human lie detector." Over the years, she's come to accept that someone with her extraordinary talents is likely to have trouble in the relationship department. And she's even resigned herself to the fact that everyone, to one degree or another, hides behind a façade. . . .

And now it seems that meeting the half sister and family whom she never knew until seven months ago was a mistake. Her father summons her from California to play a role in his business empire, and Clare doesn't intend on making the same mistake twice. But after meeting Jake Salter, Archer Lancaster's "financial consultant," Clare is convinced that things aren't what they seem. Salter's careful conversation seems to walk a delicate line between truth and deception, revealing and resisting. Something sparks and sizzles between them-something more than the usual electricity between a man and a woman.

Caught in a dizzying storm of secrets, lies, and half-truths, Jake and Clare will plunge into an investigation that demands every bit of their special gifts-together they must overcome their mutual distrust in order to unravel a web of conspiracy and murder.

Customer Reviews:

IT'S A SIN TO TELL A LIE.......2007-06-08

After reading "The River Knows" I decided to read White Lies by JAK. Since it was the same author, I thought I would like it just as well. It was an interesting read. Liked the main characters and learned a little about the paranormal abilities.

It was a fast read and amusing at times. Not a very heavy read and the romance was a little tepid. Not bad for an afternoon's entertainment.

I liked "White Lies" by Linda Howard better. Try that one.

Pretty interesting story line.......2007-05-14

This review is for the audio CD version:
This is the first novel I have read from this author, or about the arcane society. I found it interesting and liked how the events and clues to the mystery unfolded bit by bit. I also thought the chemistry was very good between the male and female main character. After listening to this story I don't have a strong desire to listen/read the rest of the arcane society books or find out what comes next.

Now, as far as the actual narration.... It was horrible. I listen to many books on CD and this had by far the worst narration. It was almost like a joke. The acting was very fake, really to the point of being totally over done. Sometimes just the way it was read made the story hard to follow because of the way it was said, or the speed of words, etc. The narration of this story definately took away from enjoyment of it, and almost made me stop listening to it.

Great Read.......2007-04-14

JAK takes the paranormal Arcane Society into the present-day (originally set in 19th century England with the Amanda Quick series), and the results are quite intriguing. It is most interesting to see that her paranormals must operate under the radar in the present world equally as much as they did in the past, with the resultant contretemps between the protagonists. Both the plotting and character development are excellent, and I am delighted to see this turn in JAK's writing. Keep them coming, please!

If you love her Jayne Castle books, you'll enjoy this!!.......2007-04-14

While I enjoy the Amanda Quick books and have read (so far) one of the Arcane Society novels, I enjoy Jayne Castle and Jayne Ann Krentz futuristic and contemporary mysteries even more. This book as one reviewer has already said is a blend of both and for me, a very entertaining and delightful blend!

The Prologue occurs some eight months before the start of the book. Clare Lancaster and her half sister, Elizabeth Glazebrook, are meeting for the first time in a bookstore cafe in Phoenix, Arizona. Clare and Elizabeth have been emailing each other and now Elizabeth has asked for Clare's help. Clare and Elizabeth are both "sensitives" and registered with the Arcane Society. Clare is a level-ten "lie detector" while Elizabeth is much lower level sensitive with her speciality being colors. Elizabeth is married to Brad McAllister who has sent her to a psychiatrist. Brad has told her and her family that Elizabeth is having a nervous breakdown. Elizabeth is afraid something else is going on and that Brad is having an affair and trying to kill her!!

Eight months later, Jake Salter is on the veranda at the Glazebrook home in Stone Canyon, Arizona watching Clare arrive in her small rental car. He can tell she is a sensitive and when Clare meets Jake and he introduces himself, she also can tell he is a high level sensitive - a hunter - and that while he claims to be a business consultant to Archer Glazebrook, Clare's biological father, Clare knows he is not telling the full truth. The reader also learns that 6 months previous, Brad McAllister was found dead and was found by Clare who was temporarily a suspect in his death which is unresolved. Clare is viciously verbally attacked at the party by Valerie McAllister Shipley, Brad's mother now married to Archer's former business partner, Owen Shipley. Valerie even goes out and smashes Clare's rental car's windshield.

As Clare and Jake begin to very, very cautiously work together to find the real killer of Brad McAllister, Clare has more close calls and the mystery deepens as many plot motives from relationships to money to corporations to Arcane Society business appear.

I loved how the mysteries are resolved, the items left unsolved for future books (?) and Ms. Krentz's wonderful sense of humor and romance!

A definite "can't put it down until I'm finished" read for me.

Barely able to keep my attention.......2007-04-05

I'm listening to this audio book. I have not read a lot of JAK, but I have to say that her dialog/narrative is really uninteresting and routine. The number of times she takes time to describe "cracking eggs in the nonstick pan" or "she took a sip of her cold green tea", etc. So boring! Instead, maybe she should spend more time describing the internal struggles/emotions of the characters. That would make for much better writing. So far, no passion in these characters... (despite a sex scene)... just generic storytelling. There is no snappy dialog or humor, either. I'll continue to listen only because I am interested in finding out the murderer. Otherwise, BORING!

Truth, Lies and Advertising : The Art of Account Planning

Average customer rating:

Excellent book, concise and insightful.
The best planning book I've read to date
Perfect
Excellent Introduction But Too Consumer Focussed
HighlyRecommended!

Truth, Lies and Advertising : The Art of Account Planning
Jon Steel
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Advertising | Marketing & Sales | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0471189626

Book Description

"Account planning exists for the sole purpose of creating advertising that truly connects with consumers. While many in the industry are still dissecting consumer behavior, extrapolating demographic trends, developing complex behavioral models, and measuring Pavlovian salivary responses, Steel advocates an approach to consumer research that is based on simplicity, common sense, and creativity--an approach that gains access to consumers' hearts and minds, develops ongoing relationships with them, and, most important, embraces them as partners in the process of developing and advertising.

A witty, erudite raconteur and teacher, Steel describes how successful account planners work in partnership with clients, consumer, and agency creatives. He criticizes research practices that, far from creating relationships, drive a wedge between agencies and the people they aim to persuade; he suggests new ways of approaching research to cut through the BS and get people to show their true selves; and he shows how the right research, when translated into a motivating and inspiring brief, can be the catalyst for great creative ideas. He draws upon his own experiences and those of colleagues in the United States and abroad to illustrate those points, and includes examples of some of the most successful campaigns in recent years, including Polaroid, Norwegian Cruise Line, Porsche, Isuzu, "got milk?" and others.

The message of this book is that well-thought-out account planning results in better, more effective marketing and advertising for both agencies and clients. And also makes an evening in front of the television easier to bear for the population at large."

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book, concise and insightful........2007-02-15

Really, I suppose, the type of book a planner should write.

It is a great introduction to what a planner is and does. A good textbook for anyone involved in advertising or dealing with ad agencies. A brilliant "manual" for planners.

The best planning book I've read to date.......2007-01-12

There is a huge shortage of good account planning books. This effort by Jon Steele makes up for it. He is a man passionate about advertising (that's evident throughout the book) and very good at it too.

Jon covers the theoretical and practical aspects of account planning thoroughly and provides insights and advice for planners at all levels, account management staff, creative staff and clients.

Reading this book will show you how to improve the quality of your advertising product. It has certainly helped me do that at the agency I work for in New Zealand. One of the best buys I've made on Amazon.

Perfect.......2006-11-15

Perfect! The book is absolutely AWESOME! A nice way of teaching a lesson about advertising!

Excellent Introduction But Too Consumer Focussed.......2005-01-07

Without a doubt, this is the difinitive book on the art of account planning. Having been an account planner myself, I can assure you that no other book comes close in terms of providing 1) an overview of the discipline 2) a realistic account of how planning functions in everday situations within the agency 3) is done in an extremely readable and clear format unlike many other advertising strategy/research books which are more strategic textbook. Steel's book reads like a biography which is a testiment to his skill as a writer and as a planner.

However, I do have a few issues with this book in that it places too much emphasis on the power of the consumer in the planning process. I have known many non-planners who have read this book and come away with the idea that everything the consumer says and does is the word of God and planning is nothing more than a glorified consumer tape recorder. This in turn makes the planner's job more difficult in some respects as they in turn must justify all of their work with,"the consumer said this." Often, agency personal new to planning desperately want to strictly classify this multi-faceted discipline and often put it in in a smaller box (consumer) than it is suited for (incidentally, this often says something about the quality or lack thereof of those who you are working with).

The reality (for me anyway) is that account planning encompases many different skills and functions of which listening and interpreting what the consumer says is just one. Consumers are only a rear view mirror in that they can tell you what happened in the past but cannot predict the future. They are also extremely literal and what they say is not always what they mean or feel which is why instinct (a dirty word in many advertising circles) is so essential. Many great brands and briefs utliize a strong point of view rather than direct and literal consumer insight which is counter to the case studies that Steel uses to explain the 'planning process.'

Overall, this is an excellent 'introduction' into account planning. In a sense, the dilema that this book creates though, is also why planning is such a wonderful discipline. A planner's job cannot be easily classified in a sentence because there are so many diverse skills required of a first-rate planner.

HighlyRecommended!.......2004-06-04

Successful ad campaigns are not linear developments where a business need meshes straightforwardly with an effective creative approach and actually produces successful tangible results. Instead, building memorable, provocative advertising campaigns is such a complex, political task, both rational and emotional, that a successful campaign is a wonder. Veteran advertising expert Jon Steel contends that building a good campaign is the common sense responsibility of the account planner - the new nexus of the consumer, agency creative staff, client and researchers. Steel shows the pitfalls of misguided research and creative arrogance as he explains that a good business-oriented account planner can help produce wonderfully effective, often simple, ad campaigns. His witty, erudite book concludes with its best case study: a look inside the successful "Got Milk" campaign for the California milk industry. We recommend this book to those who buy and sell advertising and to anyone working at an ad agency.

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong

Average customer rating:

Book in good condition and delivered quickly
Political Conversational tool
Absolutely Fantastic! Unfortunately
A Must-Read for any American
Lies My Teacher Told Me

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
James W. Loewen
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

Study & Teaching | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0684818868

Book Description

Winner of the 1996 American Book Award and the Oliver Cromwell Cox Award for Distinguished Anti-Racist Scholarship

Americans have lost touch with their history, and in this thought-provoking book, Professor James Loewen shows why. After surveying twelve leading high school American history texts, he has concluded that not one does a decent job of making history interesting or memorable. Marred by an embarrassing combination of blind patriotism, mindless optimism, sheer misinformation, and outright lies, these books omit almost all the ambiguity, passion, conflict, and drama from our past. In ten powerful chapters, Loewen reveals that:

The United States dropped three times as many tons of explosives in Vietman as it dropped in all theaters of World War II, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Ponce de Leon went to Florida mainly to capture Native Americans as slaves for Hispaniola, not to find the mythical fountain of youth
Woodrow Wilson, known as a progressive leader, was in fact a white supremacist who personally vetoed a clause on racial equality in the Covenant of the League of Nations
The first colony to legalize slavery was not Virginia but Massachusetts

From the truth about Columbus's historic voyages to an honest evaluation of our national leaders, Loewen revives our history, restoring to it the vitality and relevance it truly possesses.

Customer Reviews:

Book in good condition and delivered quickly.......2007-09-28

I enjoyed this book - all history people should read it! thank you for the quick delivery

Political Conversational tool.......2007-07-31

Although at times unsettling, the purpose of this book is to encourage the questioning of the indoctrinated a one-sided viewpoint of American History.

If you have a cultural diverse group of friends this book may help you understand their indifferences with American History.

A true American accepts both positive and negative parts of history. We don't have to make facts disappear. Acceptance doesn't mean liking, enjoying or condoning. In accepting the truth we can evolve as a nation, but by denying facts we will forever be stuck in cultural wars.

Not a page-turner, not to crazy with the writing style, but interesting.

Absolutely Fantastic! Unfortunately.......2007-07-25

Great book on how the history classes in elementary and high schools have been watered down to the point where they are meaningless. You've always heard people say "those who don't study history are doomed to repeat it". It wasn't until I got to college that I was truely able to see why that is so, when our history classes went beyond "dates and facts". In this book, he makes his points about the dumbing down of history by discussing people, events and facts that have been poorly covered, or ingnored. Sometimes what is taught is just plain wrong, and KNOWN to be wrong by the people writing the books!! This is generally done to avoid controversy and hide distasteful events, or avoid tough questions that have no easy answer. History that is inaccurate, without explaining the context of the times and it's effects today is useless for anything OTHER than propoganda. History is abused (and made into propoganda) by liberal and conservative alike. They ignore facts or context to paint either an overly harsh, or overly rosey picture of our past. This book gives some insight on the damage that causes, especially to minorities whose history is glossed over or just plain inaccurate. This leads to a sense of shame that they somehow haven't contributed to the greatness this country has acheived. A note to the people claiming this is revisonist history. The history you studied in school IS revisionist history! Most people who claim this is revisionist do not support their claims with facts, just claims that it's revisionist because the facts he presents make them uncomfortable. Seek the truth, and let it make you free.

A Must-Read for any American.......2007-07-17

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong is a fresh look at the process of U.S. History textbook creation and adoption. Having written a history textbook himself on Mississippi, author James W. Loewen provides a unique and insightful perspective on this process and how frustrating it can be. Leading readers through case after case of major figures and events in American history including Christopher Columbus, Hellen Keller, the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, and the Civil Rights Movement, Loewen systematically debunks the ideas of progress and heroification. He uses well-cited primary source documents to do this. By removing the historical halos surrounding these and other important people, Loewen hopes that students of American history will discover the inner conflict within those "heroes". Moreover, he desires for American history to be more than a mere memorization of names, dates, and places; he asserts that by exploring the past with more depth and specificity through primary source documents, one can better understand the forces that have shaped it.

As I began to read this book, I was immediately captivated by the suggestion that I had missed out on important truths regarding our country's past. Believing my high school education to be excellent, I wondered what my teachers whom I held in such high regard could have taught me incorrectly. The book starts with Helen Keller, the blind and deaf woman who learns to communicate with the help of a mentor, Anne Sullivan. Honestly, this is all I really knew about her from the film The Miracle Worker. Loewen reveals that learning to live with her handicaps was only a point of departure for Keller, who became a radical socialist who was a member of the Socialist party and lauded the rise of communism in Russia. While some might find this information troubling, it made sense to me. Keller, reliant on a community of others to support her, experienced a life that required a quasi-socialist structure. The remainder of this chapter discussed how Woodrow Wilson, the man who called for the creation of the League of Nations in his Fourteen Points for Peace following World War I, had already invaded many countries in Latin America and provided troops for the Russian Civil War. These aggressive military actions don't seem peaceful at all. By this point in the book, I was fascinated and ready to learn more.

As I continued through the book I realized that even though I agreed with most of Loewen's assertions, I still found bias in them. I can see why many reviewers of this book found it to be overwhelmingly pessimistic; from a particular viewpoint, it could ruin the images of many American "heroes" by disclosing embarrassing information about them. I would assert that even though I don't know anything about Loewen, I would bet that he is socially and politically liberal based on his commentary on his findings. Even the topics covered in this book support ideas that are essentially progressive: that America is an amalgamation of Native American, African, and European cultures rather than a transplanting of European influences, that non-Europeans played significant roles in the history of America, and that many of our white heroes possessed great flaws.

Acknowledging these things, I must admit that I am fairly liberal myself and found both pleasure and academic stimulation from Loewen's progressive stance. He validates suspicions I have always had about many of these historical figures, that they couldn't be perfect people possessing morals, intellects, and abilities greater than people today. In addition, I've often believed that America's "democratization" of the world was more in the interest of hegemony rather than benevolence. Seeing Woodrow Wilson's military campaigns in other countries, our treatment of communist and socialist countries like Russia, Cuba, and North Korea, and our violent actions in the Vietnam War supports that belief.

While the first six chapters of the book seem to present only Loewen's revisionist stance, the last six chapters do a better job at presenting alternate viewpoints. In his discussion of social stratification in textbooks, for instance, he suggests critical theory could be at play, omitting facts and ideas that would illuminate the schism between the upper and lower classes in America. He then provides a counter-argument, citing Eyes on the Prize, Who Rules America Now? And Savage Inqeualities as subversive and revealing books published by elite-controlled publishing houses; he also cites exhibits of this type at large American History museums run by the upper class.

That history can be viewed through different sociological, economic, and cultural lenses reveals how "truth" is in the eye of the beholder, a notion this book supports. I've often said, "Those who want to believe in God will find him and those who don't will not." This concept is salient in determining truth in history. American history textbooks purposely omit information and whitewash mistakes of our forefathers because they will not get published or adopted if they offend a certain interest group or state adoption board. The "vanilla America" represented in these books support the idea of progress--a sentimental notion that despite our flaws, America is better off now than it was a hundred years ago and will continue to improve in the future. How can this be when the gap between the richest and poorest peoples of the world is larger now than ever before? Those who want to believe that America is the greatest country in the world and that America is and has always been the leading proponent of freedom in the world will seek sources that substantiate those ideas. Likewise, they will reject sources that suggest otherwise. Loewen's findings show that not only has America failed to be a benevolent harbinger of liberty and hope, but it also continues to sow hegemony throughout today's global community.

Ultimately, those who believe in American domination and the myth of progress will not like this book. American history textbooks produce citizens who will believe in these ethnocentric superlatives. This is wonderful for the perpetuation of the status quo of American economic and military supremacy. However, books like Loewen's will produce Americans who can see how our country truly developed, confirming another one of my sayings, "The fact that the world is the way it is doesn't mean that's the way it should be." This realization will create a different kind of citizen, one who realizes that flawed people can still do great things, understands that contemporary society is a plethora of historical forces at work, and believes that despite our country's mistakes, we still have much to be proud of.

Lies My Teacher Told Me.......2007-07-03

This book is a must read for anyone that is tired of reading history as written by the "victor" as most history is. Of course there's the victors side, however the vanquished side and the truth or an unbiased side are also angles of history which we would do well to know about. Here one gets an eyefull of what the "others" side of the story is. With the victor writing everyting it's all so biased, how can anyone make an intelligent decision on what happened or what and how to improve culture and government if we're not even fully aware of what really went on? Even though this book has been around for quite a while it seems to be a lot more up date then all the existing history books that are so concerned with making things look good, whitewashing things ad infinitum.

LIES AT THE ALTAR: THE TRUTH ABOUT GREAT MARRIAGES

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Practical and easy to read
This Makes A Wonderful Gift
Lies At The Altar
Excellent Book
I love this book

LIES AT THE ALTAR: THE TRUTH ABOUT GREAT MARRIAGES
Robin L. Smith
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Love & Romance | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Marriage | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Physiological Aspects | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples
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ASIN: 1401302564

Book Description

Dr. Robin Smith advises couples on how to take the wedding vows that were made in earnest and in innocence, to a level where they can be used to build a happy, healthy, satisfying and long-lasting marriage. Lies at the Altar is for couples who are planning marriage, are newly married, or who have been married for years. In Lies at the Altar: The Truth About Great Marriages, Dr. Robin Smith addresses the unspoken needs, unasked questions, outrageous expectations, and hidden agendas that often linger beneath the surface of the wedding vows and appear later to cause power struggles, suffering, and feelings of hopelessness in marriages. Dr. Smith discusses why its important to have ones "eyes wide open" in a marriage; how to write true vows to live by; and why its never too late to rewrite your vows. She illustrates her advice with detailed stories from her own life, as well as from couples that she has counseled. And in her inspiring conclusion, she invites couples to light up their lives by acknowledging each other as individuals, each of whom lights a candle, and who lights a third candle which represents "us". Calling "truth" the secret ingredient of great marriages, Dr. Smith teaches individuals and couples how to find the truth within themselves and their partners, whether they are heading to the altar, suffering in an unhappy marriage, divorced, or simply want to bring more satisfaction and intimacy into their relationship.

Customer Reviews:

Practical and easy to read.......2007-08-16

This book gives great insight for those wanting to marry, those already married, or those who want to better understand relationships. I have recommended it to many friends and clients that I work with. It is a must for anyone in a realtionship or who has been in a relationship.

This Makes A Wonderful Gift.......2007-08-01

I know it may sound a bit odd....a gift!
But...if you know a couple that is getting married and you have any convcern at all...buy this and give it to the bride to be.
Really...I think anyone getting married should buy the book and sit down together and read it. Great Book!

Lies At The Altar.......2007-07-14

Recommended by a psychologist friend, I bought this book through Amazon. It is right on the money!

Excellent Book.......2007-07-07

I thought this was a great book. I enjoyed the siimplicity the author used in writing on such a complex and emotional topic. I was glad that Dr. Smith chose to disclose her own personal experience in this area as well. I think those who have gone through a divorce and have gotten over their own bitterness and anger can make a valuable contribution to this topic.

I saw Dr. Smith on the Oprah show and initially thought that this wasn't a book for me since I am divorced and have figured out all of the mistakes that were made on my part. When I came across the book at a friend's house I coudn't put it down. Then my daughter who is single, saw the book and decided to buy several copies for herself and her single friends.

I recommend the book to single men and women. I diagree that the book is bias toward women. I think there are more stories in it as told by women than men but that's probably due to the fact that women will talk about their problems more so than men.

I love this book.......2007-06-26

This is a must read for anyone who's thinking about getting married. This book will covers topics/issues that are crucial in a marriage but rarely discussed before the "I Do's".

People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil

Average customer rating:

The devil is your own animal side or ego not an outside force
Evil is as Evil does
For anyone who has suffered at the hands of others.
Overall, A Herculean feat
To be perceptive is to be TRULY SHARP

People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil
M. Scott Peck
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

The Road Less Traveled, 25th Anniversary Edition : A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth
Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychiatrist's Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption
The Road Less Traveled and Beyond: Spiritual Growth in an Age of Anxiety
Further Along the Road Less Traveled: The Unending Journey Towards Spiritual Growth
Hostage to the Devil: The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans

ASIN: 0684848597

Customer Reviews:

The devil is your own animal side or ego not an outside force.......2007-09-29

This book sadly is the diametric opposite of Peck's first classic book, A Road Less Traveled. I believe that his first book stated it correctly, evil is not an outside force or external locus of control. Evil is not an outside force of an anthropomorphic "devil" as this book suggests. Instead, evil is symbolized by the metaphoric stories of devils which in reality were employed by Manifestations of God or Prophets to describe our own narcissism, ego, "satanic self" or animal side versus our angelic or spiritual side. Our "free will" makes the choice between our animal or spiritual sides. Evil is best described by the works of Gary L. Matthews. There can be collective evil egos or animalistic intents as well. Alas, People of the Lie is problably the worst book I have ever read, while his first book is among the best I have read, the sales differences between the two tell the story.

Evil is as Evil does.......2007-08-25

I have often thought that the word "evil" was a bit strong. Over time I have come to understand more about it as a concept and behavior.

I enjoy understanding the etemology of words- it helps me to understand what a word really means. Here is an interesting etymology of the word "evil."

The modern English word 'evil' (Old English Yell) and its cognates such as the German 'Übel' are widely considered to come from a Proto-Germanic reconstructed form *Ubilaz, comparable to the Hittite huwapp- ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European form *wap- and suffixed zero-grade form *up-elo-. Other later Germanic forms include Middle English evel, ifel, ufel Old Frisian evel (adjective & noun), Old Saxon ubil, Old High German ubil, and Gothic ubils. The root meaning is of obscure origin though shown to be akin to modern English 'over' and modern German 'über' (OE ofer) and 'up' (OE up, upp) with the basic idea of "transgressing". (from wikipedia)

The concept that Peck puts forth of Evil it is fundamentally the transgression over the will of others; interfering with freedom of other; imposing ones will over others - all by the mechanism of ego. This book is a wakeup call for the many millions of people in this world who simply feel they must exert their selves over others. It begins with our current Politicians, moves through our Religious institutions, and descends into our business and relational world. It means that we suffer from one- upmanship, power plays, power lunches, excessive competition, and the list goes on... All of this for the sake of the out of control ego.

I'm not into the exorcism thing - different strokes for different folks- but Peck did a good thing by writing this book.

For anyone who has suffered at the hands of others........2007-08-23

This book is for all those wrestling with the pain of personal betrayals by people who should love and protect them. Those who are struggling to understand why others keep hurting them will find solace in this book. It offers an unflinching look at the ugly truth behind many people's motivations. It is simply not realistic to pretend that "normal everyday people" are incapable of monstrous, though subtle evil. Subtle indeed. This subtle, insidious kind of evil can occur continuously behind the thinnest facades of any family or organization without ever being acknowledged for what it is. The fact that it is often not overt enough to be openly identified as evil often leaves victims without a way to cope or understand. The covert cloak of obscurity and denial under which this kind of evil operates is perhaps one of its most damaging and confounding aspects.

This book was a page turner for me. Dr. Peck's style is direct, straight-forward, and to-the-point while still being entertaining and colorful. He confronts his patients the same way in the book. I found myself saying "yup," "exactly!" and "Uh-HUH!" often and at times burst out laughing. The book is also heartbreaking in describing some of the evils Dr. Peck illustrates.

I'm glad I read this book. It has given me that "missing piece of the puzzle" that had prevented me for so long from letting go of some past abusive relationships. I could finally admit, yes, those relationships were just as bad as they seemed. People did treat me with malicious intent. They did wish to harm me. The past was exactly what it looked like and there definitely is such a thing as evil. Thank you Dr. Peck for giving the world a much needed light on this truth.

Overall, A Herculean feat.......2007-08-11

In this book, Dr. Peck begins the Herculean feat of charting a course for the recognition, analysis, and healing of evil. In essence, he clears away some of the brush and thistle along humanity's winding ingress to understanding why we commit and are affected by diabolical behaviors. Other than the exquisite writing style that unfolds throughout the book, I found the subject matter covered a brave foray by its author. Admittedly, the subject of evil (i.e., of what it is comprised, its prevalence and characteristics, etc.) is an uncomfortable one to dissect and analyze, much less discuss. When doing so, we essentially confront our own fallacious, entropic tendencies. Due to the fact that Dr. Peck walks the tightrope in attempting to fuse nosology (science) with theology (a lofty task, indeed), he defiantly places his own reputation on the line. This is nothing greater or less than sublime. As a scientist and writer, I can certainly appreciate such bravado. Indubitably, most great thinkers must question the status quo in order to disengage assumed barriers of knowledge and truth. Though a Christian, Dr. Peck demonstrates a patulous attitude to all belief systems that bespeak the virtues of clemency (e.g., he reveals details of exorcisms of which he partook, alongside "loving" atheists and agnostics). Often deferring to other experts (e.g., philosophers, writers, priests, saints, shamans, and all who have taken keen notice of "evil"), Dr. Peck does anything but place himself on a pedestal. Rather, he perceives himself as one of many, who is merely attempting to enable a paradigm shift in the field of psychiatry. Beyond this, however, his greater mission is to break some ground in the realm of human love.

As Dr. Peck defines it, "Evil is in opposition to life. It is that which opposes the life force." In other words, it is not just that which is linked to murder of the corporeal body, but destruction of the spirit, as well. "Evil is that force, residing either inside or outside of human beings, that seeks to kill life or liveliness. And goodness is its opposite."
Unlike some other reviewers, I do not believe the case studies he features are meant to influence readers to submit to a brazen concept of evil. If the latter was true, he could have chosen more dramatic examples of patients with whom he has worked. Additionally, he could have described high-profile cases (e.g., those regurgitated a million times over in the media). Rather, I feel that he painstakingly chose muted examples, to demonstrate the insidious, covert, deceptive, confounding, and prevalent nature of evil in seemingly "normal", "healthy" and "law-abiding" people. In most societies, many people who are (overwhelmingly) evil (or who are influenced by evil) are never caught in the midst of the atrocious acts they commit. Most parents who are devious and abusive to their children do not have criminal records; in fact, many of them are model citizens in their communities. Most child predators will live their chronological lives, without conviction (both literally and metaphorically). Amidst personal and professional stomping grounds, many maleficent manipulators and sadists are so adept at combining surreptitious with deceptive natures, they leave their abused victims scratching their own heads and asking themselves, "What just happened here?" In fact, as Peck notes, evil has freer reign (and is more difficult to pinpoint) when committed by groups. Although I found Peck's chapter on Mylai (as an example of group evil) a bit overwrought, I also perceived it as apropos, considering the war we are fighting in Iraq, 24+ years post publication of this book. NOTE: Although Dr. Peck did not mention it, one of the best novels (my favorite, in fact!) that describes the highly influential and powerful nature of evil on both individuals and groups is Bulgakov's work, Master and Margarita.

Most of the time when we are initially confronted with evil (in other people), we just "feel" that things are remiss. I agree with Peck, that in time, repulsion serves as a natural reaction to those who are evil. I also concur that the study of evil can be dangerous, as a certain faction of the population can employ measures of ostracism to justify their own concepts of what is repulsive. Perhaps, this is what Peck meant by "...the end does not justify the means. If we kill those who are evil, we will become evil ourselves. If we attempt to deal with evil by destroying it, we will also end up destroying ourselves, spiritually, if not physically." As Peck describes, the latter premise is a Strangelovian (Peck's favorite word, by the way), nihilistic vacuum, from which one, who not only wishes to recognize and understand, but also eradicate evil, can never escape. Beyond hope and faith, only love can truly serve to annihilate evil, and keep it at bay. At first bite, this tastes very Christian (1 Corinthians 13), which may seem offputting to non-Christian readers. Yet, most leaders of great religions have admonished the same. My personal conviction is that when enough people speak in cacophony, in order to hone in on that which is true, one should find where the harmonies occur. Therein, the divine will be found.

To be perceptive is to be TRULY SHARP.......2007-07-25

The one thing that I pride myself on are my keen perceptions. You know when you meet someone for the first time, but there is an aura that puts you ill at ease. You try to put your finger on it, yet you remain baffled. Well this book explains those "gut feelings", if you will. I was aware enough throughout my life to know it wrong to ignore my center senses. This book will teach beyond this primitive awareness. Pay attention to what this book teaches, choose wisely, and pass on your wisdom to those you value.
ELRoe

Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: GET OUT THE SHOVEL -- WHY EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG

Average customer rating:

Sock It To 'Em Journalism
Do you know what you know you know
He's right about education.
Some good, some bad: use discretion
Stossel for President

Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: GET OUT THE SHOVEL -- WHY EVERYTHING YOU KNOW IS WRONG
John Stossel
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Media Studies | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Godless: The Church of Liberalism
Give Me a Break : How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media...
Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies: Issue by Issue Responses to the Most Common Claims of the Left from A to Z
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming (and Environmentalism)
100 People Who Are Screwing Up America (And Al Franken Is #37)

ASIN: 1401302548
Release Date: 2006-05-09

Book Description

A mericas favorite investigative reporter, John Stossel, tackles our favorite myths in his characteristic style and challenges us to look at life differently. Myths and Misconceptions covered in the book include: lIs the media unbiased? lAre our schools helping or hurting our kids? lDo singles have a better sex life than married people? lDo we have less free time than we used to? lIs outsourcing bad for American workers? lSuburban sprawl is ruining America. lMoney makes people happier. lThe world is too crowded. lWere drowning in garbage. lProfiteering is evil. lSweatshops exploit people. John Stossel takes on these and many more misconceptions, misunderstandings, and plain old stupidity in this collection that will offer much to love for Give Me a Break fans, and show everyone why conventional wisdomeconomic, political, or socialis often wrong.

Customer Reviews:

Sock It To 'Em Journalism.......2007-10-08

This is the book version, for the most part, of Stossel's 20/20 and other tv consumer reporting. It is an attack on a lot of the cherised myths of the left but also takes shots at others. It is a very entertaining read and a real eye-opener in some cases. The exposes and rebutalls of liberal and left-wing myths and beliefs are a great counterpoint to what much of the liberal media peddles. However, the presentations are obviously one-sided. Stossel never gives the other side an equal opportunity to respond in kind or in full. The transcripts presentation from on air material are the ones that have obviously been chosen to portray Stossel's targets in the worst light possible. Can the mistakes be so lopsided against one side? I addition, since I am aware in some cases of much more complex issues that are not discussed, it leads me to wonder how much I should know but don't, and is not being shared by Stossel, that might give me a more balanced view. I guess in the end Stossel is preaching to the choir on the ideological issues, and as a member of that choir, in some cases, I found myself rooting for him as he shed light on some of the issues where logic and reason has failed to prevail. To be fair, there is plenty here also on non-political consumer issues, some of which are also entertaining and enlightening. I highly recommned the book, but peharps a read of the other side on the more controversial issues is required for a fair and balanced understanding.

Do you know what you know you know.......2007-09-24

I work in a major book store and have only read a small fraction of the book -- particularly on global warming. However, his staement on the melting of the icecaps makes total sense -- if you fill a glass with ice, then fill it with water and set it down, letting the ice melt, does your glass of water overflow? NO! It doesn't. About three quarters of each and every iceberg is under water, so if they all melted at once, how much would that effect the water level of the oceans/seas of the world? Zero!
I will read the remainder of the book at some point, because of that one entry. Yes, we the depletion of the world's foiliage threatens our extention, but we haven't used more than a quarter of our forests, so I do not buy all the tree-hugger's nonsense. Stossel was dead-on with his exert on the icecaps, so that's reson enough to read onl

He's right about education........2007-09-18

John Stossel is right about education in America. Compared to many other countries, our college-level education is equivalent to a high school education. He's also right that schools don't need more money to teach. A lot of the money they already have is being paid to the teachers who don't teach anything. These teachers have tenure; this makes it very hard to get rid of them, even if they are terrible teachers. I know this from experience. And many other people can probably remember at least one teacher like this, ones who don't do their job but get a check anyway because they're tenured.

I think it's pitiful that so many students graduate from high school without having learned to read. This is not a joke that Stossel made up. I have been out of high school for four years and can remember many students who couldn't read at their own level. I recently learned that it is illegal to hold back a student until they get to the third grade in Kentucky. This is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. A friend of mine who is an elementary education major told me that in a class of twenty-five third graders, only a few of them could read. The rest were able to read words like "the," "and," and "but." I don't understand why they wait until the third grade. They should tackle the problem immediately. Apparently, this idea is from the No Child Left Behind campaign.

Stossel's book could've been better if he had used more schools as examples. Using primarily South Carolina and New York as examples was not the greatest idea. He could've examined several more schools across more states.

Brandon Simpson

Some good, some bad: use discretion.......2007-09-15

Stossel brings us to many topics where conventional "wisdom" is less wise or true than most think. This is a good thing! His goal of exposing truth is laudable; however, his performance is mixed.

The good: He does a good job of exposing certain scams and myths in our society. For example, his history of how diamonds became popular is fascinating and seldom-told. It makes you rethink your opinion of those sparkly little rocks. His "consumer cons" section is the best part of the book by far; if you only have time to read one part, read that chapter.

The bad: His arrogance wears thin very quickly. Also, some of his arguments are unconvincing; he often takes examples (which may or may not be extreme) and uses them to formulate his entire argument. We often do not hear what experts on various sides have to say. The book has a wham-bam feel that doesn't delve deeply into any particular issue, so don't let your research stop with this book.

Finally, I quickly got tired of his way of describing others. He uses very little nuancing, nor does he substantiate many of his descriptors. For example, he derisively calls college-student activists "rich" without presenting any proof. (Hey, you might say, he just means that they are richer than sweatshop laborers. Well, he should say that, then, because it sure sounds to me like he's just using "rich" to discredit them in the eyes of the public by making them seem like pampered idiots.)

Overall, just remember that Stossel is not a neutral party; he picks what information to include, which arguments to showcase, and what direction or slant to take that material. That's simply the nature of this genre. Be suspicious of his loose descriptors and his smug perspective, but be open to his ideas- they may surprise you and change your thinking!

Stossel for President.......2007-09-09

I have always admired and respected (not always agreed with) John Stossel's observations. After reading (and verifying) many of his observations and claims in this book I'd be willing to vote for him as Commander-in-Chief (a Libertarian - for the first time in my 54 years). Keep up the excellent reporting and writing - the mirror you hold up reflects all of us at our most stupid and inane. You prove (yet again) that Common Sense is an uncommon commodity. U.S. Voters - Get Out the Shovel!

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