
Title : Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
Author : Robert Cialdini
Rating : 3 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Good, but not totally convincing or that useful
I bought this book for two reasons - one to make myself more alert to sales techniques, and two to see if there are any useful insights to glean that could be applied to other areas of life.
On both counts the book delivers. Having recently been pitched to at work by a media tracking agency and nearly taken the bait (didn't in the end) I immediately recognised the use of reciprocity and scarcity to try and harry me into signing up. That alone was worth buying the book for, and I will definitely use that insight in future.
In addition, the chapter on consistency is also very useful. I've been involved in trying (and failing) to get people behind certain campaigns in the past. As such the discussion about getting people to make small commitments to establish a self image which they then feel the need to act consistently with both rang true on a personal level, and seems like something worth trying out in future.
So why only three stars? For one I did not find elements of the book convincing. The section dealing with newspaper coverage of suicides is the bit that really troubles me. Some of the data seems both to be limited and have been interpreted quite loosely. I would need a lot more convincing that the stats are being interpreted reasonably, it looks far too rough and ready. Given that this book is really about behavioural biases surely it should be extra careful about interpretaion of data as this is something we humans tend to be very bad at, always looking for patterns that aren't there and so on. That then leads me to query the hypothesis built on top of the data and to be honest I find myself not buying it. That also makes me query whether other chapters suffer from similar flaws.
Secondly, the book isn't actually that useful once you get your head around the key techniques because, as a previous reviewer says, simply having the knowledge that you have biases doesn't make them go away. To be really useful the book should have spent as much time reinforcing ways to resist the influence of biases as it does explaining what they are.
That said it is very readable, and I got what I wanted from it, but it could have been better.

Title : Sink Reflections
Author : Marla Cilley
Rating : 3 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Great system - poor book
I came across Flylady last year, starting with the BabySteps, and found very quickly that I could keep my over-cluttered home clean and tidy by following these routines - this was a great help when my flat went on the market, as it would be ready for viewings with a simple 'swish and swipe' each morning!
I bought the book to help me move onto the next stage of Flylady - decluttering, zone cleaning and the control journal - but I was really disappointed. I found the book poorly laid out (the chapter on babysteps introduces a number of new steps, numbering them would have made the book easier to read and the routines easier to follow) and the tone of writing grated on me after a couple of chapters - too many references to God and how cleaning your home will demonstrate to yourself and your family how much you love yourself and them (I'm not a lazy frump with a filthy house, I'm just a busy full-time worker who can't keep on top of the housework and can't afford a cleaner). All of the recommendations in the book, and more, are already covered on the Flylady website.
The Flylady system does work, but I would recommend saving yourself a few pounds and using Flylady.net instead of buying the book. 5 stars for the system, 1 star for the book itself.

Title : S.U.M.O. (Shut Up, Move On): The Straight-Talking Guide to Creating and Enjoying a Brilliant Life
Author : Paul McGee
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Asolutely fantastic
this book is absolutley fantastic it is easy to read and easy to understand. i agree wiv the last reviewr the best self book i have ever read

Title : Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life CD: Living the Wisdom of the Tao
Author : Dr Wayne W Dyer
Rating : 5 Stars out of 5.
Summary : Magnificient Book!
Tao Te Ching written by the mythic figure Lao-tzu contains wisdom that is difficult to describe.
As you read the words, they speak to you of a reality that is beyond words and yet mysteriously transmitted through words. What a wonderful paradox!
The words function to point to a reality beyond them. A reality that cannot be named or described but it can be felt as a presence in nature, in silence and in other spiritually moving moments of inspiration. Tao Te Ching describes this mysterious eternal Tao.
The text of the Tao Te Ching frees us from intellectual grasping of ideas to the actual reality or presence beyond our mental constructs. Reality is often filtered by our mental screen and we often create a closed reality based on our mental perceptions, beliefs and prior conditioning. In the open words of Lao-tzu, we can experience reality itself as a Whole that is Indivisible and Mysterious.
Lao-tzu's teachings are simple and natural still our grasping mind finds them difficult. This is where Wayne's book is indispensable for relating these teachings to contemporary understanding and making them accessible for Western readers. You can also sense Wayne's sincerity in living the wisdom of the Tao and that gives his words conviction. He is not merely discussing abstract ideas but relating them to his own lived experiences.
This is a magnificent book that every spiritual-seeker needs to have in their library for its inspiration and depth. I've also been reading an unusual spiritual novel about overcoming personal pain and finding your inner center called "Nexus: A Neo Novel."
Other Related Resources:
1: http://geejay.mebuyanpeaceproject.org/?p=94
2: http://labrada.com/blog/12-week-lean-body-challenge/the-5-simple-steps-to-participate-in-the-labrada-nutrition-lean-body-challenge/
3: http://www.kickinger.com/news/?p=127
4: http://www.livewiththrive.com/features/inspiring-women/vicki-harvey/
5: http://www.supertouchart.com/2008/08/05/nycmedia-magicbe-kanye/