- Paperback: 142 pages
- Publisher: Portfolio (April 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1591841216
- ISBN-13: 978-1591841210
- Product Dimensions: 17.7 x 12.3 x 1.3 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 307,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Never heard of Paul Arden before borrowing this book, and now that I have read it - about 30 minutes later - I don't much care if I never hear of him again.
It is entertaining. You can tell it is by an adman, as it is very well laid out graphically and short. In fact, it is really short. There are those who are allergic to text - to reading, really - and prefer to look at pictures. They should like this. But for others, they might feel short-changed. There is nothing in this book that isn't in a lot of other books. If you haven't read many "self-fulfilment" books, you might find it enlightening, but I can't say that I did.
Of course, by producing a book that contains perhaps ten pages of text at best, Paul Arden is no doubt practising what he preaches - doing what most authors wouldn't dare to do. You don't like it? Gotcha! You must be a reader who thinks inside the box.
But what really annoyed me was the smugness of the author. There is a page on ego and how marvellous it is to have a big one; a thought that would appear to come straight from Arden's heart. Where I really started to feel annoyed was when Arden tells you not to go to university but learn in the university of life instead. University is, apparently, for people who are too pusillanimous to know what they want to do with their lives. Fine then. Let's pick up medicine, quantum physics, molecular biology and law as we go along. How facile can you get? The fact that he should even have included this thought casts doubts on the whole text. Oh, but he just wrote that to provoke me and make me reassess my life. Gotcha again! It's exactly the same mechanism as that employed by gurus of sects the world over.
I also started doubting the wisdom of this book when the cover proudly proclaims that Arden is going to write his next book explaining the meaning of God in the time it takes to make a taxi ride, despite more human endeavour having been spent thinking about this than anything else throughout the ages. There is clearly no limit to his ego and gall.
My advice: think the opposite. You thought a book was something you bought to read at home. Don't. Go to a bookshop, read the book in the shop and fail to buy it. As Arden points out, stealing other people's ideas is a great thing to do. Alternatively, you could just thieve it - seeing as Arden scorns those who play by the rules. This may be a bit tricky from Amazon, though.
It is entertaining. You can tell it is by an adman, as it is very well laid out graphically and short. In fact, it is really short. There are those who are allergic to text - to reading, really - and prefer to look at pictures. They should like this. But for others, they might feel short-changed. There is nothing in this book that isn't in a lot of other books. If you haven't read many "self-fulfilment" books, you might find it enlightening, but I can't say that I did.
Of course, by producing a book that contains perhaps ten pages of text at best, Paul Arden is no doubt practising what he preaches - doing what most authors wouldn't dare to do. You don't like it? Gotcha! You must be a reader who thinks inside the box.
But what really annoyed me was the smugness of the author. There is a page on ego and how marvellous it is to have a big one; a thought that would appear to come straight from Arden's heart. Where I really started to feel annoyed was when Arden tells you not to go to university but learn in the university of life instead. University is, apparently, for people who are too pusillanimous to know what they want to do with their lives. Fine then. Let's pick up medicine, quantum physics, molecular biology and law as we go along. How facile can you get? The fact that he should even have included this thought casts doubts on the whole text. Oh, but he just wrote that to provoke me and make me reassess my life. Gotcha again! It's exactly the same mechanism as that employed by gurus of sects the world over.
I also started doubting the wisdom of this book when the cover proudly proclaims that Arden is going to write his next book explaining the meaning of God in the time it takes to make a taxi ride, despite more human endeavour having been spent thinking about this than anything else throughout the ages. There is clearly no limit to his ego and gall.
My advice: think the opposite. You thought a book was something you bought to read at home. Don't. Go to a bookshop, read the book in the shop and fail to buy it. As Arden points out, stealing other people's ideas is a great thing to do. Alternatively, you could just thieve it - seeing as Arden scorns those who play by the rules. This may be a bit tricky from Amazon, though.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Ironically for a book that seeks to encourage new and radical ways of thinking it is full of the same old clichés, platitudes and generalisations. It's got some good pictures, but it's finest quality is it's brevity; you don't waste too much time reading it.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is Paul Ardens other main inspiration book and is very much like 'Its not how good you are...' infact several ideas are the exact same in both books.
Paul Arden again presents us with a 'you are what you make yourselves' book aimed at raising peoples belief in their own potential and abilities. Arden uses a series of interesting case studies and quotes from significant people or personal acquaintances to illustrate his various ideas and perspectives on modern business ethics, behaviours and ideals.
Again a very short bullet style book with point after point, if read right through it should take around an hour at most to read though longer to take in. As with 'Its not how good you are...' may not be suited to everyone but its worth the look for the cost and potential benefit you may get from it.
Paul Arden again presents us with a 'you are what you make yourselves' book aimed at raising peoples belief in their own potential and abilities. Arden uses a series of interesting case studies and quotes from significant people or personal acquaintances to illustrate his various ideas and perspectives on modern business ethics, behaviours and ideals.
Again a very short bullet style book with point after point, if read right through it should take around an hour at most to read though longer to take in. As with 'Its not how good you are...' may not be suited to everyone but its worth the look for the cost and potential benefit you may get from it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
It's ok and usefull if you need some guidelines
Very light reading. Readable in a day or a weekend.
The advices are very focused but one can extrapolate them to any subject. All in all, a nice book
The advices are very focused but one can extrapolate them to any subject. All in all, a nice book
Published 1 month ago by Cesar Rafael
hmmmm
Not exactly a book but more a very well put together collection of thoughts. Dont't exactly agree with Arden's idea of skipping universrity and instead, learning as you go along,... Read more
Published 5 months ago by bd
Great Value.
This book was bought as a gift for a family member ad she loved it. It was as Described and was of excellent value,the services was fast and the book arrived before it was... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Johns Dog Grooming
A swift, inspiring kick in the pants
Paul Arden doesn't have all the answers, but in this book he's assembled a slick cocktail of insight and attitude. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Mr. P. Trippenbach
book review
the product i purchased was as i expected. it was a good read. it also came in very good condition .
Published 9 months ago by christiec16
For the confused.
I'm 18 and I'm figuring out what to do with my life. I've had knock-backs from uni and job opportunities. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Lahh
Think opposite
A brilliant book, the best one from Paul Arden.
Straight forward messages, clear and catchy.
If you are a designer or not...read it!
You won't forget it.
Straight forward messages, clear and catchy.
If you are a designer or not...read it!
You won't forget it.
Published 14 months ago by kati
Very 'lite' reading
Not a book for taking on holiday or sitting down to read cover to cover. A nice addition to your bookshelf/coffee table though, with the odd thought provoking short insights along... Read more
Published 15 months ago by TM11
If you think about not buying it, buy it! If you think about buying...
Fantastic book if you are atall interested to explore alternative views and have any thoughts about breaking out of the status quo mindset. I would say 'just buy it'. Read more
Published 18 months ago by J K Forsyth
One word... inspiring!
If you are a manager... a designer... a marketer... a business owner... you need to read this book. It will change your work and your life. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Jason D. C. Sullock
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