Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22879 in Books
• Published on: 1975-12-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• 352 pages

Customer Reviews

The Most Useful Book That I Have Ever Read
Many years have passed since I first bought and read Dr. Smith's revolutionary book. I have never found any techniques so universally applicable for dealing with people who don't care about fairness or my feelings. I have successfully used the broken record and fogging techniques to deal with manipulative relatives who want to tell me what to do "to help me" and self-disclosure and the broken record to convince store employees to accept back defective merchandise even if their store policy "doesn't allow" them to do this! This book taught me how to stand up for myself and stop trying to solve everyone else's problems (the store's agreement with a manufacturer or distributor)and focus on getting what I have paid for. I am smiling as I write this because I have just returned from a trip to a major toy retailer whose store manager refused to take back a defective stroller "because you don't have the box." Needless to say, after using Dr. Smith's methods, the manager gave me full credit on my credit card within fifteen minutes. I never needed to become unpleasant or raise my voice. Dr. Smith should be cannonized by the "doormats" of the world. You will be doing yourself a favor if you buy this book!

A must read
So many of us have difficulty asserting our true feelings. How many times have you blown up at someone about something that has nothing to do with the real issue?

This book teaches you that it is okay to express your needs. In an easy to read style Manuel Smith explains the tools that you can use in day to day life to help you be more assertive. He backs his theories up with solid examples that will give you the confidence to put them into practice.

Being assertive doesn't always mean you win confrontations, but after reading this book you will be able to confidently say "No" without feeling guilty.

The book where my life started to change
This books gave me a completely different prospective on communicating with other people. In a moment in my life when I was desperate to rise to the heights of sophisticated office politics and "fit" into them I learned that there are other ways to realise my goals and achieve what I want - and a better and simpler. This book is about being assertive, non-manipulative and not allowing to be manipulated either. Once you understand the concept it is brilliant and simple - and applies universally in all life situations. Although I thought that some of the examples of personal liberty provided by the author were somewhat extreme - this only proves the point of the book about not doing what you "should", i.e. don't take it as a literate instruction how to solve your problems.