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
In spite of a silly title, occasional mature insights into mature acts make for a memorable sexual escapade.
A modern tale of sex, drugs and day jobs from author K. (Honey B., 2012).
As the title suggests rather explicitly, this is a book about marijuana and sex. Narrated by an unnamed grocery store manager who explores naughty pleasures in his free time, the praise of marijuana and beautiful women never diminishes. Whether it’s coupling with a woman who enjoys falling asleep during the act or finding the best way to store quality weed, the narrator never bores of either subject. Always careful to maintain his day job, avoid any romantic complications with his love trysts, and not get anywhere near being caught with an illegal substance, the narrator is free to enjoy himself. After all, the outside world respects him as an ordinary citizen by day, while various women devour him by night: “Margaret was not shy, she slid my hand from her knee up between soft bare thighs to her silk covered mound.” Written in a loose, free-wheeling prose that mimics the narrator’s lifestyle, the story glides from woman to woman and bong hit to bong hit without the burdens of plot or conflict. Though many reflections have the tedious feel of a stoner who can’t stop singing pot’s praises (“Marijuana leads to lingering. The herb makes nipples delicious. Nothing like being naked and doing a doobie. Bong. Bong. Bong.”), the composition as a whole is more mature than what one might infer from the title. The narrator repeatedly praises women for their individual differences and sexuality. Erotic scenes are explicit, though the individuals engaged in them are marked with idiosyncrasies. “In Brenda’s case,” says the grocer, “I could catch her scented signal but on my tongue she felt like thick water, clear but possessing weight, it wouldn’t splash, it would smear.” The narrator never gives much more of himself to the reader beyond his somewhat predictable views on drug laws and oral sex, but his adventure is entertaining for those curious about how an attractive, tough-but-fair store manager might spend his weekends.
In spite of a silly title, occasional mature insights into mature acts make for a memorable sexual escapade.Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2011
ISBN: 978-1463583682
Page Count: 138
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Inspirational historical fiction based one woman’s remarkable life and travels.
Based on a true story, Rodgers presents a moving novel that pays tribute to the power of an adventurous spirit.
In 1938, 17 year old Adriana Blaauw considers leaving behind her family in Rotterdam and move to the island of Java in the (then) Dutch East Indies. Her uncle manages a tea estate, and he and his wife describe their beautiful home at Tjiboeni. After some initial hesitation, the protagonist undertakes the long sea voyage to Java. The story beautifully narrates Adriana’s daily experiences in the Dutch East Indies under colonial rule. She finds happiness in her new home, revels in her independence and ultimately falls in love with an Australian national, Charlie. Despite the beauty and ease of her exotic lifestyle, Adriana is not exempt from heartbreak. The realities of World War II and the arrival of the Japanese put an end to her idyllic life. She and her family spend years in a Japanese internment camp, somehow surviving the violence, starvation and disease to be liberated at the end of the war. Reunited with Charlie, Adriana journeys to Australia, Java, Holland and eventually settles in New Zealand. Based on the accounts and memories of the real-life Adriana Blaauw, Rodgers’ novel is an engaging tale set during a turbulent time. Adriana is a compelling figure, and Rodgers outlines an complete portrait of a woman who struggles with weakness, yet remains a study in strength and endurance. The cast of characters surrounding her, some real and some fictional, depict a period in history that is likely unknown to many American readers. Although Rodgers’ occasionally struggles with language anachronisms that jar the reader out of the past, she does an admirable job of bringing the 1940s to life.
Inspirational historical fiction based one woman’s remarkable life and travels.Pub Date: Nov. 21, 2011
ISBN: 978-1463440626
Page Count: 464
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: July 24, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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