Review 29: How to Win Friends and Influence People

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What kind of person am I? I don't even know how to make friends? And influencing? That sounds a bit... odd. Admittedly, these thoughts may have crossed my mind before opening this book. But like the next guy, I'm just looking to get better and further and nothing takes you further than the right connections. And what do you need to get those connections? Bingo. So I put those thoughts aside fast enough and dug in. The first thing that might hit you is how corny this book is. Don't worry, it's not you, it's the 1930's. Let's just say that feminism wasn't really high on Mr Carnegie's list of things to consider. If you manage to get passed the banality that is the 1930's and you are able to put this book and its ideas through a 21st-century prism, it might have some value for you. Some things, if you have any social skills at all, may seem utterly obvious. So what makes it worth your time? The copious amount of examples that drive the points home. Choose the points that work for you, take the examples and work on improving yourself. It's technically a workbook. With that in mind, you might get something out of it. If not, you'll still walk away with a much keener insight into 1930's social mores and the enviable position of the woman in those times.

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