Reviews (76)

95% of us need this book
The successful companies are not afraid to confront the problem when it arises and discuss it rationally.
Great pairing Amazon!
When I read "Crucial Conversations" I found myself tearing through it in long spurts, driven by an intense interest in the authors' discussion of how we handle those tough circumstances life throws our way. It makes the case that we all need to understand our style for handling the inevitable duress of a difficult conversation, and they complement theories with excellent, actionable strategies that work well in the real world.
Excellent roadmap
This book is not your everyday self help book.It provides a fail-safe roadmap for tough communications.
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Subjects:  1. Business Communication - General    2. Communication    3. General    4. Interpersonal Communication    5. Interpersonal Relations    6. Psychology    7. Self-Help    8. Business & Economics / Business Communication    9. Popular psychology    10. Conversation   

Editorial Review

We've all been there: We know we must confront a coworker, store clerk, or friend about some especially sticky situation--and we know the encounter will be uncomfortable. So we repeatedly mull it over until we can no longer put it off, and then finally stumble through the confrontation. Read more

Reviews (102)

A must read book!
This is a must read for anyone involved in communications - with your boss, your colleagues, your clients, your suppliers, your spouse or partner, your kids, your friends (have I missed anyone out?).
Terrific, Enjoyable and Useful
Have you ever had a challenging conversation with a spouse, co-worker, friend, or family member that didn't turn out so well?Did you ever wonder how to best deal with a significant person in your life without causing stress when needing to approach a topic? The authors give great advise to handle most conversations that might otherwise cause stress.
Get a Grip on the Dreaded "Difficult Conversation"
Ever dread having to hold a difficult conversation? I recommend this book for as "basic training" for anyone who has faced the prospect of speaking with bosses, co-workers, employees about negative workplace behaviors, skill deficits, attitude issues, interpersonal conflicts, or blind spots.
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Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Communication    3. Conflict Resolution    4. General    5. Interpersonal Relations    6. Interpersonal communication    7. Psychology    8. Economics, Finance, Business and Industry    9. Psychology & Psychiatry / Interpersonal Relations    10. Negotiating    11. Negotiation    12. Negotiation in Business    13. Self-Help   

Reviews (1)

GREAT EXPERIENCE....BROUGHT BACK THE FAITH IN GOOD
THIS BOOK WAS IN OUTSTANDING CONDITION.EVERYTHING WENT SMOOTH, THE ORDER, THE DELIVERY AND THE BOOK.THANK YOU. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Interpersonal Relations    3. Interpersonal communication    4. Language    5. Language Arts & Disciplines    6. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    7. Telecommunications    8. Communication Studies    9. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication    10. Language teaching & learning material & coursework   

Reviews (2)

Overpriced
I found the 5th Edition to be overpriced.The 4th edition offered the same information and much cheaper!

hard book
THis book is extremly detailed and the words are written in a tightly compacted format.
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Subjects:  1. Articulation disorders    2. Audiology & Speech Pathology    3. Communication    4. Language Arts & Disciplines    5. Medical    6. Medical / Nursing    7. Speech    8. Speech And Communication Disorders    9. Medical / Audiology & Speech Pathology    10. Performing Arts   

Reviews (6)

A Short History with snoring
This was a required text for an Intro to Cinema class I took at college. To put it bluntly Gerald Mast is a bore. I've never met the guy so I'm not going to comment on what I haven't seen but I have attempted to read his writings and fell asleep before I could finish the first paragraph. I'm an avid reader and have no indications leading me to believe I have ADD or ADHD but this was simply put the worst text I have ever seen about film. The author's subject matter is not only unappealing but at times also irrelevant. For example, Mast dedicates numerous pages to many shallow commercial filmmakers and leaves one paragraph for Stanley Kubrick. I'm sorry but Stanley Kubrick's impression on the medium is worth more than a paragraph. All in all a very boring read.

Extremely valuable
My accidental encounter with an earlier edition of this book was the catalyst for my taking up film studies. The book is a clear, well written and systematically organized history of movies. It has a comprehensive and up to date bibliography and filmography. Chapters are chronological in sequence, but are organized around a particular theme. The authors introduce major influences in the cinema (whether directors, 'schools', actors or events), identify principal directors and films, and analyse major issues and advances. It is an excellent introduction to the history of movies and great jumping off point for further, more specialised study. It is refreshingly free from post-modernist jargon and abstractions. If you want a comprehensive introduction which is also a good read, I recommend this book most highly.

Extremely valuable
My accidental encounter with an earlier edition of this book was the catalyst for my taking up film studies. The book is a clear, well written and systematically organized history of movies. It has a comprehensive and up to date bibliography and filmography. Chapters are chronological in sequence, but are organized around a particular theme. The authors introduce major influences in the cinema (whether directors, 'schools', actors or events), identify principal directors and films, and analyse major issues and advances. It is an excellent introduction to the history of movies and great jumping off point for further, more specialised study. It is refreshingly free from post-modernist jargon and abstractions. If you want a comprehensive introduction which is also a good read, I recommend this book most highly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cinema/Film: Book    2. Communication    3. Film & Video - General    4. Film & Video - History & Criticism    5. History    6. Motion pictures    7. Performing Arts    8. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    9. Films, cinema    10. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication   

Reviews (13)

delivery
the only problem i had was in delivery-- originally i was told it i would recieve the product in about 5 days-- i check tracking and that was confirmed-- item didnt arrive within in 2 days after last projected date and i began trying to locate it--USPS didnt respond to repeated inquiries and niether did amazon.i did infact finally recieve item some 10 days after last anticipated delivery/

Must own for anyone who wants to be successful
It's ain't rocket science, folks. As Earl says, "We are what we think about." It's so simple, yet so many people don't focus on the things that they can control. This CD is required listening for the people who want to take control of their attitudes and become the success that they say they want to be.
MUST READ
Great CD!If you believe in the power of the Universe, this book will change your life.A must read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Language Arts & Disciplines    3. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication    4. Language Arts & Disciplines / Public Speaking    5. Positive-Thinking    6. Public Speaking   

Reviews (60)

Excellent--Reread it Every Year!
This book will open your eyes and give you tools to figure out conversations you have every day!(I also highly recommend another of her books, _That's Not What I Meant!_ about cross cultural speaking, which includes a chapter about men and women as well.)
Worth the read, but use caution
Tannen's book is well done and worth the read.However...it is also imbued with a subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, bias toward a perspective which presumes female modes of communication and other activities to be inherently superior to those of males.Of course, this is a patently false presumption.The examples of female communications/activities are almost uniformly praised and those of males are much more likely to be disparaged, either subtly or explicitly.
Worthwhile for most people, men or women.
This is a very good book for anyone interested in gender differences, particularly with regard to peer expectations, communication habits and social instincts. The author touches upon a broad range of issues, but she also keeps the narrative flowing, using examples extensively. The end result is a book that is both educational and enjoyable.
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Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Communication in marriage    3. Interpersonal Relations    4. Interpersonal communication    5. Psychology    6. Sex differences (Psychology)    7. Psychology & Psychiatry / Interpersonal Relations   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Communication - General    4. Business/Economics    5. Communication    6. Industries - Media & Communications Industries    7. Business & Economics / Business Communication    8. Interdisciplinary Studies   

Editorial Review

A remarkable range of examples for the idea of visual thinking, with beautifully printed pages. A real treat for all who reason andlearn by means of images. -- Rudolf Arnheim ... Read more

Reviews (38)

An outstanding addition to my library
An outstanding addition to my library, Edward systematically explores the presentation of data showing the value of data rich content when it is properly displayed.After reading half the book, I couldn't sit through a presentation without coming up with at least 3 ways to improve it.The illustrations in the book are beautifully rendered and cover a diverse set of subject matter each as interesting as the next.The only topic concerning this book that I struggled with is whether or not to mark it up.In the end, as I do with all of my books I intend to refer back to, I did.

So you thought you knew how to envision information...
I recieved this book along with the most excellent (almost a companion book) Visual Display of Quantitative Information, from my CEO. Since I work a lot with numbers and he had been stressing the importance of presenting data clearly and concisely.
Fleshes out and expands the work Tufte has done on presenting information
"Envisioning Information" by Edward Tufte further fleshes out and expands the work he has done on presenting information.This volume is best suited for designers of complex information such as maps or schedules. As with his other books, it is richly illustrated with many colorful examples of well and poorly designed information displays.
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Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Business Communication - General    3. Communication    4. Communication In Groups    5. Computer Graphics - General    6. Design - General    7. Graphic Arts - General    8. Graphic Design    9. Language    10. Language Arts & Disciplines    11. Statistics    12. Visual communication    13. Computer graphics software    14. Industrial / Commercial Art & Design    15. Mathematics   

Reviews (46)

Essential Reading For Husbands and Fathers
Alright, besides being a great read for women, the book should be required reading for husbands, brothers, and fathers of sisters and mothers...(hey, that's all of us?)
Okay if you read textbooks for pleasure
There was some interesting information in the book, but it was a pretty dry read overall.Most of my book club didn't make it past the first 25 pages, and only two of us finished it.

Amazon rip off
The book I ordered was fine...the problem I have is with Amazon...you're charged shipping from each vendor you purchase from and that amounts to ridiculous shipping charges.I was to receive free shipping because my order was over $30...I paid dearly for shipping because there were two different vendors. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Family & Relationships    3. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    4. Family Relationships    5. Family/Marriage    6. General    7. Interpersonal Communication    8. Mothers and daughters    9. Parent And Child    10. Parent and adult child    11. Family & Relationships / General   

Reviews (11)

What every woman should know!
I read about this book - actually, I consider it a textbook - when searching for tools on expanding my career. I usually wouldn't buy something like this, and instead look for similar information from free 'Net sources. But on a whim, I bought it, and am so glad I did. I'm not even halfway through and what I've learned already has helped me to speak and express myself in a way that gets people's attention, and has improved my professional image. One of the best tips, which comes early in the book, is catching myself using the "I think/like/don't like" phrase when I want to discuss facts. I do it, so I don't look like a know-it-all. Dr. Mindell, however, shows several ways to express facts without appearing as though I have all the answers.
Review by the Business Librarians of the Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh
The lights go down. The speaker strides confidently towards the podium, pauses and makes eye contact with the audience. And from the very first moment you know, instinctively, that it's going to be an excellent presentation. An experience like this reinforces your desire to create your own unique aura of self-confidence. What can you do to make this happen?
Not Helpful
I bought this book at a womens' leadership conference a couple of years ago.I read it cover-to-cover and decided to try the skills covered when communicating in my office.My supervisors' opinions of me changed drastically - they began to view me as surly and defiant.I didn't think any of the verbage alternatives were rude, but in the organization where I was working, the higher-ups expected you to consider them omnipotent and not have an opinion of your own.Ultimately one should consider their audience and adjust their language accordingly. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Communication - General    4. Business Life - General    5. Business communication    6. Business presentations    7. Business/Economics    8. Businesswomen    9. Communication In Business    10. Language and languages    11. Self-esteem    12. Women & Business    13. Women In Management    14. Business communication & presentation    15. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication    16. Public speaking / elocution    17. Women's studies   

Reviews (1)

What happened to editing?
Although I found this text interesting, and mostly informative, the practice of editing seems to have slipped through the cracks.And for this purpose, I offer my eye for future editions!The order of content, as well as combining similar themes, could have been a bit more well thought out. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Politics/International Relations    5. Public Relations    6. United States    7. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication   

Reviews (2)

The Meta-Politics Primer
Lakoff and the Institute take their reader through just about every major political debate, explaining how deep framing affects surface framing on each and how both progressive and conservative frames understand the deeper issues behind the policy debates - issues like self-reliance, common good and the morality of property ownership. They then show how to frame progressive arguments in ways that conservatives and biconceptuals (moderates) can easily access and in ways that they can relate to and agree with, while still remaining authentically progressive. He then makes one final point - that framing has to be repeated, time and again and across the board, until it becomes as pervasive and automatic as the conservative narrative has been, and then more so.
Another excellent book by George Lakoff and The Rockridge Inststute
As are all their books, Thinking Points; Communicating Our American Values and Vision by George Lakoff isn't disappointing. Well written and easy for anyone to read and understand, Dr Lakoff reiterates the differences between Conservatives and Progressives; "The Strict Father" model and "The Nurturant Parent" model, and why these differences are at such odds in our political system today.
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Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Language    3. Language Arts & Disciplines    4. Political Ideologies - Conservatism & Liberalism    5. Politics / Current Events    6. Political Science / Government / General   

Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Communication (Specific Aspects)    3. Computer Books: General    4. Computers    5. Computers - General Information    6. Cryptography    7. Information Technology    8. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    9. Computers / Information Technology   

Reviews (3)

A very mixed bag of articles to read with eyes wide open
"Basic Communications of Intercultural Communication" is a collection of thirteen essays on a variety ofcross-cultural topics, mostly those affecting people of different nationalities or speaking different languages. The quality of the articles is very uneven. Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication
This is a must read book, especially for those dealing with intercultural communication, both in the areas of foreign language learning and business management. I read some of the articles twice even three times and found the them very inspiring for my teachings as they provided a strong foundation on cross cultural understanding; moreover they have helped me a lot in highlighting the sensitive matters in intercultural communication to my class. I assume anyone dealing with people from different cultural background need to know the arts of intercultural communication, as misunderstanding might result in losing the business. I am quite positive that this book will also be of great help for managers, business people who have to deal with their foreign partners.

A fundamental reference I return to again and again.
This book was my initial introduction to the field of intercultural communication and I seem to return to it often as a reference point in thinking about new intercultural works that I wish to more deeplyunderstand.The chapter on marginality by Janet Bennett is particularlythought provoking and helpful around personal identification issues relatedto biculturality. I strongly suggest this book to anyone seeking tobetter understand intercultural relations.I can't seem to keep it off mydesk and get it back on the shelf. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Communication    4. Cultural And Social Anthropology    5. Intercultural Communication    6. Interpersonal Relations    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Communication Studies    10. Cultural studies   

Reviews (2)

Great interactive CD
The interactive CD includes websites, video clips, audio clips, and tests, that increase interest in the subject matter.It's fun.

Interpersonally...
...I read this book for an undergraduate class and thought it was very good.One problem-- the final chapter was too brief, they should have split it into three like the previous edition. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Communication    2. Interpersonal Communication    3. Interpersonal Relations    4. Language    5. Language Arts & Disciplines    6. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    7. Textbooks    8. Communication Studies    9. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication    10. Social, group or collective psychology   

Editorial Review

Jack Griffin argues that it's vital to sell yourself--and your ideas--every day. In Read more

Reviews (10)

Is this a vocabulary review?
I was more interested in reading about different perspectives in the business environment, and the most effective way to communicate between different roles. I did not buy the book to memorize long lists of words and phrases - the "good" ones and the "bad" ones.
Excellent and essential book for everyone
I started teaching people to make PowerPoint presentations around 1992. Around 1995, I realized that many people were talking about themselves, so I suggested that the most important word they could use was "You." In 2003, I realized that people who wanted to be accepted by their audience should use the word "We." And then I picked up this book and read that the the three most important words in a business person's vocabulary were "we," "us," and "our." And that was on page eleven. At that point I was sold.
Good ideas for the tongue-tied.
This is an excellent book for anyone who thinks of the right response about three days too late.This book also provides a good framework on which to base verbal communication.It is especially useful for anyone that is shy, non-assertive, non-confrontational, or simply wants to put forth a professional image.I use it as an example in my Customer Service and Career Search classes and the students love it!Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Communication - General    4. Business communication    5. Business/Economics    6. Communication    7. Communication in organizations    8. Oral communication    9. Business communication & presentation    10. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication   

Reviews (2)

Great PR Piece
This is a great PR book. It has all of the essentials for PR writing along with general PR information. I would highly recommend it if you want an in-depth study of the field, or just brush up on genereal info.

good book
As a Public Relations student, I found this book to be extremely helpful.It demonstrates the proper way to write so that you can lear effective style and techinque.I have found that this book, along with Guerilla PR Wired by Michael Levine, create the foundation for my studies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Authorship    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Writing    4. Communication    5. Industries - Media & Communications Industries    6. Language    7. Language Arts & Disciplines    8. Media Studies    9. Public Relations    10. Business & Economics / Industries / Media & Communications Industries   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Communication    4. Human Resources & Personnel Management    5. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    6. Management - General    7. Negotiating    8. Skills   

Reviews (3)

Great Resource for Researchers
This is a terrific compilation of research into nonverbal communication. It is a thoroughly sourced review of writings on nonverbal topics, tending toward a psychological, academic tone.
Classic work in the field of nonverbal communication
Dr. Knapp has been a distinguished scholar in the field of communication for the past 35 years. This is a very small sampling of his honors: He is a Fellow of the International Communication Association and has served as its President. He received the Distinguished Scholar Award from the Speech Communication Association in l993 and served as President of that association in l989-90. Dr. Knapp is the author of many articles and several books besides this one, including: Interpersonal Communication and Human Relationships (with A. Vangelisti) and Handbook of Interpersonal Communication (with G. Miller). Dr. Knapp has acted as consultant, lecturer, and trainer for over fifty different business organizations, voluntary groups, and government agencies. He is currently a Professor in the Communication Department at the University of Texas at Austin. ... Let's "talk" nonverbally!
It's enough to read the table of contents - and you're amazed, astonished of possibilities to communicate without the words! I just can't imagine how it would be to read the whole book... Super, turbo, extra, lux! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Body language    2. Communication    3. Language    4. Language Arts & Disciplines    5. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    6. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication    7. Media, information & communication industries