Reviews Written By: AIGUNB3M0UPT1provided by Amazon.com |
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 | Shutter Island: A Novel | |
 | "Instant Fan" | 2009-11-05 |
| Shutter Island is a great sales piece for Dennis Lehane. I had never read one of his books before and he has won an "instant fan." I was not able to put this book down except to sleep (which was a bit of a task in itself!. The other reviewers have done a nice job at describing a true psychological thriller that left me with my jaw open at the end of the book. The lead character is brilliantly painted and not with broad strokes. Plotting is excellent the story is utterly believable especially when thinking about it from the last page...back to the beginning.
Pick up Shutter Island. Absolutely fantastic read. Kevin Hogan, Author of The 168 Hour Week: Living Life Your Way 24-7 | ||
 | Stumbling on Happiness | |
| "Stumbling on Genius" | 2006-07-17 |
| It's not just happiness that we don't "see"...it's our entire lives. We miss what is really there because we are looking through biases, beliefs and values that literally change our perceptions. Gilbert writes a wonderful treatise on the flawed perceptions, thinking and conclusions made by the human brain. He offers a few suggestions for greater understanding of the self and moving more effectively into the future...with eyes wide open...but as he notes...the recommendations are things that are very simple and very simple to ignore. If you want to see how human thinking, memory, and our experience is indeed only our experience...then this is the book. Certainly the finest nonfiction read of the year to date. Kevin Hogan Author of The Psychology of Persuasion and The Science of Influence | ||
 | Life's Missing Instruction Manual : The Guidebook You Should Have Been Given at Birth | |
| "Wonderful, pragmatic and inspirational book for everyone" | 2006-03-01 |
| This might be Joe Vitale's finest work today. With the help of a number of powerhouse contributors, Vitale has put together a truly useful instruction manual for life. The theme's of the book cover all aspects of life... including success and wealth. It's not just a feel good book. It has pragmatic, real life bits of wisdom that all can ponder and absorb. I truly love this book. You might want to pick up a few copies for people you love. It IS one of "those kinds" of books. Kevin Hogan Author of The Psychology of Persuasion and The Science of Influence | ||
 | Contest | |
| "5 stars for page turning..." | 2006-01-23 |
| Matthew knows how to keep you turning pages. He writes at break neck speed about some of the most ridiculous "aliens" ever to have come to the planet earth. (of course who am I to cast the first stone....?) Contest has a simple premise. 6 contenstants from six star systems are chosen to battle to the death. This millenium, the location is earth...specifically the NY Public Library. A protagonist that you truly care for and antagonists you truly hate. The book is at times terrorizing and reading before bed on one of the nights didn't leave me feeling all that comfortable falling asleep. Of course that's what the book was supposed to do! Matthew Riley isn't Dickens or DeFoe and he doesn't try to be. He writes to entertain. He writes to make your airplane flight fun. This is not great literature. It's a great read. It's intense and it's hard not to give the star rating the benefit of the doubt. It's five stars at meeting its purpose. Kevin Hogan Author of The Psychology of Persuasion, and, The Science of Influence | ||
 | Safe Strategies for Financial Freedom | |
| "Five Stars for Results" | 2005-06-26 |
| Safe Strategies turned out to be profitable strategies. Along with Bulls Eye Investing, these two books reshaped my thinking about investing for the next five years. This book is filled with useful ideas and I for one am very glad I followed the thinking process therein. So far, so profitable....and that was the only result I was looking for. Kevin Hogan, Psy. D. Author of The Psychology of Persuasion and The Science of Influence | ||
 | Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth | |
| "Eker does good work" | 2005-02-25 |
| As you read through Eker's book, you realize that intuitively you might have "felt" some of these things all along but DIDn't follow through. I very much enjoyed this book. It's certainly one of the better books about building wealth and I think that everyone can benefit from it regardless of their current level of income. For $20 it's hard to ask for much more than the dozens of nuggets of wisdom you get and can use in real life. My rule of thumb is that if you get one idea from a book it's worth five stars and a thousand dollars. That puts this book up there pretty high. Enjoy. Kevin Hogan Author of The Science of Influence and The Psychology of Persuasion | ||
 | Real Life Financial Planning: An Easy to Understand System to Organize Your Financial Plan and Prioritize Financial Decisions | |
| "Concise, to the point, real life. Works!" | 2004-11-22 |
| Financial Planner, Todd Bramson, has written an easy to understand, straight and to the point book for developing and implementing your financial plan. Sound advice is woven throughout the text which goes through various investments. The book is a superb read for the person who is just starting in developing a financial plan. No matter where you are on the experience level, Bramson's "Basic Federal Tax Estimator" is a useful tool that in a matter of seconds will help you estimate your tax bill. Highly recommended particularly for the person wanting a fast and easy to understand walk through what can be a very complicated part of life. Kevin Hogan Author of The Science of Influence | ||
 | The Little Red Book of Selling : 12.5 Principles of Sales Greatness | |
| "Worth Far More than the Price" | 2004-09-01 |
| Before you read this review and think you are going to get objectivity. You aren't. I consider Jeffrey Gitomer a good friend. That means he has tons of integrity, cares about people and is unwavering in his desire to give tons of value to everyone he meets. Sometimes he's tough as nails. Sometimes soft as a kitten. So with that in mind.... Jeffrey Gitomer's new book is probably my favorite for a lot of reasons. First, let's talk about the content (isn't that all there is in a book?). He gives specific tips for how to brand yourself (something that I've written about having discovered the same things that Jeffrey has). It's must do stuff. He hammers on value. If the guy on the other end of the phone or conversation says anything but "yes!" the value hasn't been establish. The relationship hasn't been established. Then there is price. How important is it? How do you meet the price concerns? It's here. Maybe most important are his distinctions between success and failure in selling. So the content is excellent. Move to the book itself. It is beautiful. It combines a feel of a school book you may have had ...when you were very young. You open the book and it is FUN. I normally don't talk about illustrations....but they make the book instantly readable and memorable...and in this case that's an exciting part of the book because it brings you back and cements the messages of the book into your unconscious mind. Just flipping the pages gives you instant ideas on how to sell your products or services that Jeffrey probably never intended. The combination of a DIFFERENT feel to the book. Different layout. Everything. Just having the book literally on your desk gives you ideas that are useful. Maybe my subjectivity is overwhelming. The book itself is not profound. It is simply on target and designed at least unconsciously to bury salesmanship into the deepest parts of your mind. Kevin Hogan Author of The Psychology of Persuasion | ||
 | Adventure Capitalist: The Ultimate Road Trip | |
| "Excellent adventure, read, political commentary, investment" | 2004-07-17 |
| Wow! Maybe I'm not as smart as the reviewer who preceded me. I picked up A.C. on the way to Australia. I read it at light speed. To say this book is an eye opener is an understatement. I travel a lot...but not this much! ...no one does! I learned a great deal following the Jim, Paige, videographer and car around the world. I confess there is much of their journey I would never have had the guts to undertake and thus was impressed by some of their choices of travel. Here's some of what you are going to pick up: This book was a lot of fun. Thoroughly enjoyable and a lesson in looking at the world and the USA that sometimes is a bit stern. Loved it. Kevin Hogan | ||
 | The Footprints of God : A Novel | |
| "4.5 stars for another Iles success" | 2004-04-15 |
| No, it isn't 24 or Spandau Phoenix. But you know what? No one can put out five star hits year after year. So 4.5 stars. Iles writes so you keep turning page after page. This time it's about the world coming to the brink of destruction. Woven into this mostly unique (a bit of a spin on 2001 space odyssey in some ways)work about how a machine...a conscious machine might actual find it's way in the internet...a model of the human brain...well it comes off as a real threat as we move forward in the age of technology. The book serves as a warning as well. Technology could get ahead of itself The book is another Iles winner. You'll read this 500 page book in about a day. Excellent. Kevin Hogan, Author of The Psychology of Persuasion. | ||
 | Ready, Aim, Specialize!: Create Your Own Writing Specialty and Make More Money | |
| "Brilliant resource for writer's" | 2003-07-24 |
| OK, so you want to be a writer? Here is the book you are going to start with! You will find crisp, fresh advice from an author who walks her talk. Ready, Aim, Specialize shows you specifically how to build a successful writing career. You are going to learn how to get interviews, get interviews with EXPERTS, and learn how to get from interviews...to print...and paid. The text is up to date and will be a resource you will use every week in your career as you break into the hottest markets!Kelly James-Enger shows you how to win in a challenging field! Kevin Hogan, Psy.D. | ||
 | Intuition: Its Powers and Perils | |
| "Excellent overview of intuition, decision making and risk" | 2002-12-09 |
| Myers brings together a lot of research into a very readable book about "knowing." Myers explains to some degree how we know...and why we are likely to be correct. This is well documented although perhaps not as thorough as Sources of Power or Strangers Unto Ourselves by Wilson. Nevertheless there is plenty of meat here. Then he talks in much greater detail about how and when our intuition is likely to fail us. This is much more enjoyable reading and thorough in scope. Myers gives a significant amount of attention to ESP, psychic intuition and gambling, all of which are evenly presented and well thought out. If you have an interest in decision making, intuition, risk, and how we "think" this is a brilliant introduction. | ||
 | Streetwise Relationship Marketing On The Internet (Streetwise) | |
| "Excellent Treatise on E-marketing!!" | 2001-12-26 |
| I've been marketing and selling on the internet since 1995. There is one specific idea in this book that IF you actually use it, you will almost certainly triple your business. (No kidding) I definitely wish I would have had this book 5 years ago. However, I have it now and the fundamentals are superb. Parker takes you through the strategies that bring people to your web site and develop a web site that gets people to come back again and again. I absolutely love this book and strongly suggest you pick it up. ...Isn't it worth it to gain some powerful, usable and workable strategies that will make you 1000 times the investment?! It's a no-brainer! Kevin Hogan... | ||
 | Pajama Sam 3: You Are What You Eat From Your Head to Your Feet | |
| "Superb" | 2001-12-26 |
| How do you rate a kids game? Simple: Do they hear you when they are playing? (No.) Do they cause trouble during or after? (No.) Do they just scream when the present was opened? (Yes.) My son can't take his face away from the scream from this wonderful game. Take it from a Dad. If your child is 3-7, this is THE game! Kevin Hogan... | ||
 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | |
| "WONDERFUL!" | 2001-12-26 |
| She (my daughter) screamed with delight when she opened the package then proceeded to play this brilliantly written game for house. I imagine this game will be playing on our CD for months. Faithful to the book, your kid (and you when they go to bed) will love this game. 100% certain. Kevin Hogan, | ||
 | Katastrophe | |
| "Brilliant, fast paced action, thought provokin" | 2001-12-26 |
| I have two very strong interests: Hypnosis and World War II. This book blends the two themes into a brilliant and satirical story. The book starts fast. A college professor is hypnotized and in front of a party quotes Hitler. He is Hitler! Or is he? No one would believe that Hitler has been reincarnated...right? The Manchurian Candidate was this fun/exciting/powerful and I promise you that you will turn pages in this book until 4AM for three consecutive nights when you finally finish it. The book has no holes and it makes you wonder when they will make a movie of it! 100% five stars. No hesitation. This is a winner! Kevin Hogan | ||
 | Elvis Presley - That's the Way It Is: Special Edition | |
| "This is why..." | 2001-09-25 |
| This three CD set is one of the finest releases a music fan could hope for. Truly this Elvis Presley, not only the "King of Rock n Roll," but really the King of Music. You hear it all: Rock, gospel, blues, country. It's all here. It's all brilliant. The live CD's are a treat that you will play over and over again. If you have never listened to an Elvis CD and want to know what the fuss is all about this is a great place to start. The ballads are hauntingly beautiful. The rock pounds and the country is unforgettable. This is why Elvis Presley is the idol of every musician. It's all here. Enjoy. Kevin Hogan... | ||
 | 24 Hours | |
| "Gripping Suspense Thriller" | 2001-09-05 |
| This is one of the fastest reads you will ever have. I put the world aside for one day as I read through this taut story of three people who kidnap a little girl. The parents refuse to play the game of victim by the kidnappers rules and it might backfire. Iles writes suspense as well as anyone in the world. His meticulous research into kidnappers minds, strippers (did Greg get a write off for that?) and the field of medicine makes the read completely believable and intensely heart pounding. This book rates with Spandau Phoenix as one of Iles finest and ranks as one of the best suspense thrillers you and I will ever read. Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
 | The Children's War | |
| "A Monumental Achievement" | 2001-07-29 |
| In part this is the story of a young man who has escaped and been caught up in a world that he did not create nor want to participate in. A world of war where there are no winners and very many losers. The young man Peter, has no life and is made a slave in Germany. The story is in part a search for himself and a search for the meaning in the world he finds himself him. The story is also of a group of Polish Resistance to the Germany that should never have been. It is a story of a little girl and the love she sees in Peter. It is also a not so subtle reminder of the world in which we live. 21st century slavery is reality in this work of fiction that overlaps with reality in so many places it makes you uncomfortable at times....The premise is that Hitler won. The German's have control of most of Europe and very little resistance from an ignorant America. Every assumption you have about slavery and servants, war and peace, love and hatred, values and beliefs will be challenged. As you read the book, you begin to thank god that Hitler didn't win but then you have this haunting suspicion that there is still slavery and politically endorsed murder and genocide happening as you read (Kosovo, Yugoslavia, Africa, etc.)Your mind wanders to Milosevec and you realize this book is all too real. The lessons the author reveals are enormous. JN Stroyar is a passionate writer. Having spent time in Poland meeting real people as she has, I can attest to the spirit and the intensity with which she imbues her characters. This is truly a masterpiece. Children's War comes in at about 300,000 words and will take you about 40 hours to read. It may be the best time you have invested in reading in a long, long time. This book meets every expectation you could have in a dramatic sense. If it were required reading in high school...it just might change the world. Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
 | Spandau Phoenix | |
| "Brilliant, fast paced, scorcher." | 2001-06-14 |
| Rudolph who? Who knows. The story is sooooooo fantastic that you will have a hard time distinguishing reality and fantasy in this amazing work of fiction. This is easily one of my favorite books of all time. Iles paints brilliant characters who move quickly in an intricately woven plot. How does the "evil spirit of Facism" continue 40 years after the war is over? This book is convincing in it's presentation of this idea (and many other subtle and not so subtle political ideologies) that will have you thinking and rethinking your views of the current geopolitical scheme of the world. There is nothing negative to say about this book except that it ends... Absolutely brilliant. Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
 | The Dark Side of Man | |
| "Superb" | 2001-04-14 |
| Michael's book is grounded in rock solid science and I just love this book. If you want to understand huMAN nature, this is one of the fine starting points. The subject matter is incredibly controversial and he handles it very well. Rape, violence, genocide, war...all the stuff men are good at are discussed here. The author's reasoning is compelling. This book is among my 100 all time favorites. Buy it, read it... | ||
 | The Brethren | |
| "Fabulous" | 2001-04-14 |
| Loved it. This is one of Grisham's best. It's as good as The Client and The Firm. As good as Pelican Brief. It reads very quickly. The two very distinct plots ultimately weave together into a Jim Dandy of a story. This is airplane reading at it's finest. I spent two 4AM nights speeding through this one. Superb plotting, excellent pacing, believable AND memorable characters. Enjoy! Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
 | DARWIN'S DANGEROUS IDEA: EVOLUTION AND THE MEANINGS OF LIFE | |
| "Superb" | 2001-04-14 |
| This wonderful book is a treasure for the ages. Dennett says, "Darwin's dangerous idea is that Design can emerge from mere Order via an algorithmic process that makes no use of pre-existing Mind." I thought that was a pretty swaggering statement until I read his reasoning. Dennett is a superb thinker and a marvelous teacher. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned a great deal about Darwinism and evolution from this tome. Simply superb. Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
 | Power Money Fame Sex : A User's Guide | |
| "Fabulously in Your Face" | 2001-01-31 |
| Gretchen writes with a wonderful "in your face style" that I found refreshing. The title of the book is not only an author's "Keyword Dream" but the book answers the how to questions implied in each of those words. This is not fluff reading. If you are easily offended by the way the world really is out there, read another book. If you want to see life in the fast lane, here it is. This book is a winner. Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
 | The Developing Mind: Toward a Neurobiology of Interpersonal Experience | |
| "An Understanding of Interpersonal Experience" | 2001-01-31 |
| Siegel writes clearly and accurately. He is passionate about the mind and it's development. This book is written at a college level which means your average reader won't be picking it up. You'll take a grand tour of brain/mind development, memory,attachment, emotion and interpersonal relationships. This is must reading for the clinician and parents who want to do it right. This book deserves 6 stars but there are only five to offer. This was a wonderful read! Kevin Hogan,... | ||
 | Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters | |
| "Yes, Yes, Yes!" | 2001-01-31 |
| Life Strategies is wonderful. It is rare to see the wisdom of the ages distilled in such a clear cut and easy to read manner. McGraw writes in a simple and easy to read style that keeps you turning the pages. Phil gives you projects to do...that if you do them you really see yourself moving in the right direction. I love this book and recommend it without reservation. Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
 | Influence: Science and Practice (4th Edition) | |
| "Outstanding" | 2001-01-31 |
| Edition after edition. They all sell. Why? Because this is a superbly written treatise on the subject of influence. This book and Aronson's Social Animal both rate among my 50 favorite books of all time. Cialdini's influence was enormously influential in my work in the field of persuasion and you can't say enough wonderful things about this text. Cialdini writes with clarity and authority about one of the most important subjects in the world today. A mega-winner. I have bought dozens of copies of this book for clients. It sets the standard. Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
 | Elvis Day by Day : The Definitive Record of His Life and Music | |
| "Elvis is....Elvis" | 2001-01-14 |
| Elvis Day By Day is not perfect. The depth of the book doesn't match say, The Beatles Anthology and it could have. It doesn't have the striking pictures that other books in the genre do. But let's not get to critical. Ernst Jorgensen has almost singlehandedly revitalized the music of Elvis into mainstream America and Guralnick, while not always perfect has presented an accurate image of Elvis. Many little things add interest to this book. These include the many photos of documents that Elvis signed. Also, some unreleased and rare photos.I could have suggested more quality photos and experiences from the 68-72 era. The day by day in these years could have been better chronicled, in my opinion. I thought the picture of Elvis on stage live with Tom Jones was quite neat and worth the price of the book. Overall this book is excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it and any fan will be delighted to have it on their coffee table. Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
 | The Meme Machine | |
 | "Spreading the word" | 2001-01-14 |
| This is a very good book. Problems first: Blackmore jumps between science and speculation throughout the book and that was frustrating at times. I was not absolutely certain about the books identity as I read it. What was in it for me? I personally liked three specific parts of this book. 1) I really enjoyed the sections on evolutionary psychology and those related to sexual selection. Blackmore excels here and I felt like we were really moving! 2) Her arguments about altruism are compelling. 3) Her toying with the new agers was very fun. Now, should you own this book? You bet. Memetics is in it's infancy. From D.D. to R.B. we learn useful ideas that ultimately give us a better picture of the world we live in...and create everyday. | ||
 | Elvis Day by Day | |
| "Elvis is....Elvis" | 2001-01-14 |
| Elvis Day By Day is not perfect. The depth of the book doesn't match say, The Beatles Anthology and it could have. It doesn't have the striking pictures that other books in the genre do. But let's not get to critical. Ernst Jorgensen has almost singlehandedly revitalized the music of Elvis into mainstream America and Guralnick, while not always perfect has presented an accurate image of Elvis. Many little things add interest to this book. These include the many photos of documents that Elvis signed. Also, some unreleased and rare photos.I could have suggested more quality photos and experiences from the 68-72 era. The day by day in these years could have been better chronicled, in my opinion. I thought the picture of Elvis on stage live with Tom Jones was quite neat and worth the price of the book. Overall this book is excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed it and any fan will be delighted to have it on their coffee table. Kevin Hogan, ... | ||
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