Persuasion, James Borg

Published by Pearson

Buy it now from Blackwell Books

The world’s best-selling book on persuasion

That’s what it says on the cover of the second edition – and I’m baffled. Okay, it’s not a bad book, but it’s not a great book.

For a start, there are some really irritating bits. He quotes the tired old Albert Mehrabian stuff about the relative importance of visual, vocal and verbal information. But he has clearly not read the research, or has not understood it. This then brings into question his interpretations of other research and indeed his assertions throughout the book.

He also attempts to cover body language and memory, but does so superficially. To be fair, each requires a book of its own so I felt he would have been better giving less information and recommending further research; there is no bibliography which would have been a great help.

So, having dealt with my reservations, what is there to recommend?

I found the discussions of empathy, sincerity and listening/attention interesting and useful.

Psycholinguistics (saying the right thing at the right time is Borg’s simplification of this daunting word), difficult people and the personality spectrum are also sections that reward the reader.

On balance, probably a long-haul read that may repay you with a couple of useful ideas, if the airport bookstall has nothing more stimulating to offer.