Good counsel, solid and concise, and not just for selling.
The latest in lawyer and investment adviser Solin’s (The Smartest Investment Book You’ll Ever Read, 2009) Smartest series, this one geared to improving sales.
Solin seems to stretch the definition of sales to its broadest limits by suggesting that lawyers are, in essence, salespeople. Don’t many lawyers depend on reputation, referrals and success in past cases? This claim aside, and despite the highly readable book’s brassy title, Solin says that a healthy sense of limitations is more likely to bring sales success than unbounded, often unfounded self-confidence. Studies show, he says, that people with slightly lower self-esteem prepare better and are less prone to the perils of overconfidence. He savagely debunks self-help gurus who preach that visualizing success will magically make it happen. That’s hokum, he opines. There’s no substitute for the hard labor needed to get to the top or anywhere near it, and many at the top are only there due to the fact that they worked harder and longer. Solin makes all his points with wonderful clarity and bolsters them with references to studies and reports, ending most chapters with a “What’s the Point?” box that summarizes the preceding material so there can be no doubt about what he’s trying to convey. His holistic approach seems to transcend the mere improvement of sales; since, as studies show, happier people are better salespeople, the author whizzes through what it takes to be a happier, more relaxed and effective human being. Convinced by research he did for the book that a secular form of meditation is relaxing and focusing, he awards the subject an entire chapter. Elsewhere, he emphasizes the crucial importance of empathy and making an emotional connection with customers. In his mind, successful salespeople are never data-dumping pitchmen, but rather question-askers and careful listeners who refrain from interrupting; they couch all they say with extreme sensitivity for what their prospective customers want out of the deal. Practicing empathy, Solin says, not only improves a salesperson’s ability to execute this sales technique, but makes for overall personal happiness.
Good counsel, solid and concise, and not just for selling.Pub Date: March 3, 2014
ISBN: 978-0986047800
Page Count: 277
Publisher: Silvercloud Publishing, LLC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 10, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A discerning historical journey that could use more context.
A Westerner recalls his journey into China’s interior in the late ’80s.
Schwartz’s 1987 journey into China’s interior balances “a China of the mind against the stirrings of a culture hungry for modernization.” It’s clear from the outset that his trip is no vacation. In addition to partaking in the calming meditative practice of zazen, he documents the political and economic discord of a nation in transition, while also exploring his own psyche on the 10,000-mile unescorted trek. The excursion, pursued with academic vigor, is a culmination of his early fascination with China. His intense studies also provide a reprieve from strained relations with his father and struggles with sexuality. He achieves varying degrees of success with his objectives: spending a night in a Chinese monastery, ascending a Buddhist holy mountain and a pilgrimage to Lhasa, Tibet, all against a backdrop of dao (the way), te (innate power) and wu wei (effortlessness). In his earnest writing, Schwartz describes people who have often lost their connection to history in favor of consumerism. The lamentation is mostly detached as he insightfully recognizes sociological and cultural constructs, such as an escaped pet bird symbolizing flight from oppression. Refreshingly, Schwartz doesn’t sermonize; readers will be presented with frustrating travel minutiae—he fibs to obtain a better train ticket and gets annoyed with temporary travel companions—rather than arcane lessons in philosophy or religion. The detailed descriptions of frustrating ticket purchases help illuminate the difficulty in reaching the ultimate destination, geographically and psychologically, yet some details, such as the items on food menus, aren’t as intriguing. Other times, Schwartz’s account is (perhaps unintentionally) humorous when it diverges into seemingly mundane observations, as with the amusing anecdote of Schwartz helping robed monks sweep while he wears his Tang Dynasty T-shirt. (The monks recognize that they’ve got “a live one.”) The 25-year-old account could have benefitted from comparisons to China today. As it stands, the scant one-page afterword is hardly sufficient for giving this journey a broader perspective. Still, the astute religious survey and portrait of Chinese–Tibetan relations will make the book useful for historians, travelers, natives and cultural explorers.
A discerning historical journey that could use more context.Pub Date: April 25, 2012
ISBN: 978-1470094898
Page Count: 260
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An entertaining, well-organized account for fans.
A pioneering Latin actor chronicles his life on and off the stage and screen.
Sometimes acting is heart and soul; other times it’s technique. Henry Darrow says he’s given himself over to both, but, perhaps more pointedly, he embraces his roles as work. This “lightning in the bottle” was so dubbed because of his obvious love of labor, as well as his renowned versatility and resilience in the professional and personal realms. His satisfaction in acting derives not only from starring roles, but also from the so-called little parts. The tenacity to “out perfectionist nearly anyone” helped him become the first actor of Puerto Rican heritage to star in a TV series. That gig on “The High Chaparral” was preceded by a 10-year personal climb, an ascension attentively recounted in the first third of the book. The middle section is even more detailed, covering various aspects of the western series that catapulted him to fame. The final third covers his life post-“Chaparral,” including not only his TV roles, but also his role as an activist promoting Latinos in the industry. Darrow and Pippins skillfully intersperse the historical context with thoughtful analyses and often-lighthearted vignettes regarding various gigs and circumstances. Darrow’s contemplation of an Anglo name change, for example, is managed amusingly; however, the deeper subject of ethnic identity is treated with focused consideration. The authors adeptly blend such identity issues with the broader entertainment landscape in which, ironically, Darrow’s career direction was partially the result of the western genre’s decline and a backlash against violent programming. Nonetheless, the biography’s unfolding often reflects Darrow’s penchant for performance. The collection of his quotes can sometimes seem less than remarkable, although a train of thought regarding emotion is particularly inspiring. However, maintaining interest in Darrow’s life after “Chaparral,” including his smaller TV roles, could be a drawback for casual readers.
An entertaining, well-organized account for fans.Pub Date: Feb. 29, 2012
ISBN: 978-1593936884
Page Count: 392
Publisher: BearManor Media
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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