Lifestyle Book Review

How many of you have gone to desperate measures for a date? C’mon now – fess up. People will go to extremes when they want to shed their lonely single life, but you can gain valuable dating advice from many experts. Much of this advice is either free or very inexpensive as well as easy to obtain. For example, after learning about people like David DeAngelo the dating guru, you may ask yourself is he the real deal?

If you haven’t heard of this man, you should get yourself acquainted with him ASAP. He is the author of the e-book entitled “Double Your Dating – What Every Man Should Know About How To Be Successful With Women”. The guide is written in a fun, informal manner and provides 9 different chapters within 3 parts. Part 1 is entitled “How To Think About Success With Women, Part 2 is entitled “How To Communicate With Women” and Part 3 is entitled “Exactly What, When, And How”.

Well, you should get a copy of this book and learn from David DeAngelo, the dating master. He will answer questions you have probably been dying to ask, but didn’t know who to ask. Topics of every nature are covered from the underlying motives of women and how men usually find women to personality traits that attract women and signs that a woman is interested. If you are currently single, you should check the book out and learn some helpful tips. If you are already in a relationship, why not peruse the book and keep a copy just in case things don’t go so well later on.

Many other books and guides have been written about the subject of dating. However, David DeAngelo, the dating guru, manages to cover a wide range of topics in his 90-page book. If you aren’t happy with what you read, you aren’t taking a very big risk. You can always explore some of the many others so-called dating experts that have become very popular lately. If you are strict with yourself about following some of the advice in the various books, you are sure to see positive results. You just need some patience. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day, so you can’t expect your dating situation to improve instantly and gain instant gratification.

Paco Underhill published his book “Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping” in 1999. Today it remains a modern classic for understanding the psychology of consumer purchasing behavior.

Here is a summary and critique the book’s main points:

1. Purchasing behaviors can be studied: Underhill and his team opened the eyes of CEO and retail managers everywhere with their unique approach of meticulously observing people as they shopped. They brought techniques from anthropology and merged them with economics to create a new science.

2. Retailers still have much to learn about why people buy: Most CEOs that Underhill spoke with knew a whole lot about how store revenues but very little about what actually made customer purchase. For example, one CEO he spoke with believed that about 99% of people who visited their stores made purchase. When Underhill revealed that the correct statistic was only 48%, the CEO was needless to say enthralled with the possibilities.

3. Sellers can benefit from understanding buyer behavior: Buyers have a certain way of walking through a store. A specific way of using their hands, looking at signs, taking breaks while shopping. Sellers who understand these behaviors can gain a huge competitive advantage.

4. You can always sell more: Your best customers are your current customers. Find ways to upsell. Entice them to the back of the store. Keep them in the store longer.

5. Women and men shop differently: For example, men tend to go into a store, look at a large shelf of items, pick one, and quickly leave. Meanwhile, women are actually more information-intensive, reading the label for each possibility before making a purchase.

6. People use all five senses to decide on a purchase: The more of the five senses to which a seller can appeal, the better. People want verification with their whole body before buying a product.

7. Shopping on the Internet is different: Okay, this one is a “well, duhhh, Mr. Underhill” today, but remember this book was written in the late 1990s. Underhill does list some truisms about the advantages of shopping on the Internet which are helpful reminders.

Underhill’s book certainly opened my eyes to what retailers know and do not know about what makes people buy. My only problem with his book is the writing format. Underhill’s writing is actually pretty good, but it lacks periodic summaries of main points to really drive home the reader’s understanding.

Developing Spiritually Strong Families

Janell Rardon has draws from twenty years of ministry, research, and personal experience in writing “Rock-Solid Families.” In her illustrations she has included observation she has made of successful Christian families. The book communicates commonalities found in strong spiritual families.
Rardon has developed twelve foundation stones for building strong families. Each chapter deals with an important foundational principle in producing solid families.

In the first chapter Janell emphasizes the need for vision and a written family mission statement. Core values, a clear purpose and a determined discipline all play a part in establishing the focus for this vision. The chapter endnotes provide important references and suggestions for future reading. The book is well researched. Illustrations, charts, and exercises enhance the value of the book as a user friendly study guide on parenting. Biblically based principles and strong in spiritual applications add to the practical nature providing a no-nonsense approach to parenting. Or, as the subtitle of the book suggests, it is about “Transforming an Ordinary Home into a Fortress of Faith.”

Janell recounts illustrations from her life and lessons she has learned through these experiences. Her openness and vulnerability in sharing from her heart add to the genuineness and reality of her writing. The chapters on the devotional life, prayer, spiritual success, and obedience were especially meaningful and challenging to me, personally. Her suggested action steps in these chapters are helpful for planning future devotional times for family worship times or personal quiet times. An important appendix provides additional suggestions for personal worship.