Three Books from September (2018) Carnegie, Hamlin, and Bracco

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Hello blog readers.

There is a small tradition at Priorhouse, which involves sharing three books from the month of September.  

Today’s post covers Three Books from September 2018

September 2016 post here 

September 2017 here. 

I am a little late – (ha) but did want to get this post up and out because it is fun to share about books. 

Post Word Count: 1,600

Estimated Time to Read: 15 to 20 minutes  

 

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Before I share the books –  in keeping with my tradition, here is the Delancey Place book excerpt I liked from September 2018: CATERPILLARS TURN INTO BUTTERFLIES (here)

“Even after decades of research, all the details of this (butterfly) metamorphosis are not completely understood.”

“In fact, its life may depend on the strength of its grip. If the soon-to-be chrysalis can’t hang on through wind and rain, it will probably die when it hits the ground, bursting like a water balloon.”

I love that point – about how success is found in “the strength of its grip” – because doesn’t this apply to us humans? Sometimes? – Especially when going through change and growing pains? – Quite often the best strategy is to hang on – keep a strong grip! Success comes from keeping our grip while letting growth and change do their work. Staying stable. Remembering that failure, change, and setback are mandatory parts of success. So let’s not grow weary if we are having one of those “hanging on” seasons.

Keep a strong grip, and smile, because some beautiful phases are coming. 

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BOOK 1:  The Dale Carnegie Course in Effective Speaking and Human Relations by Dale Carnegie 

This Carnegie book was on my mother’s bookshelf. (She has an eclectic collection.  The book I read after Carnegie’s was Pressure Points for Massage.)

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I loved exploring Carnegie’s “course” in a booklet. The old font and old page set up in the book reminded me how far we have come with book publishing. I did not realize the first publication of this book was 1912.

However, this book also reminded me that some things are timeless.

Like sharing information via a book – timeless.

Offering tips for relating with folks, working in business, and effectively speaking – timeless.

My favorite two parts of the book are in the image above.

First: The tip on how to properly talk about yourself.

So many humble people shy away from sharing – when they are the ones we want to hear more from; instead, we tend to get a lot of blabbering from the extroverts or even those high introverts who are forcing thugs by trying to over promote themselves. And i just recently encountered someone who was on that track  – what I call the heavy pursuit (with angst) of trying to get some status and stats – whew -that is a tiring quest – and I am not saying we should not put effort into promotion – but there truly is a “way” to do it.

 I sometimes want to throw up when I encounter ego and that pride where someone thinks they are “all that” – and last week I had the pleasure of watching Chuck Swindoll on YouTube – he is a teacher that I listened to in the early 1990s and I owe him so much for teaching me about laughter, faith, wisdom, and outlook. And in his talk – which was at a seminary – he told the students that some of them would go on to be doctors – and they need to “get over it” – ha – love that. Now again, I am not saying to shrink. NOPE. I am not saying to quiet your song or keep your talents in a closet. But we all know that ego and pride can cause someone to get a superiority complex or get so caught up in self-promoting that they lose other (more valuable) things. 

James Hurst (here) reminded us that pride is a wonderful thing – but can also be a terrible thing. And in Carnegie’s little booklet, he noted this: “Don’t hesitate to talk about your own experiences so long as you relate them with modesty.” 

“Don’t hesitate to talk about your own experiences so long as you relate them with modesty. Audiences are  interested in what life has taught you. Your experiences are interesting when you use them to teach and not to boast.”

Second: The little note from Carnegie. It was short- but  packed with his essence. Especially loved the reminder to “continue to grow” – because this is what wellness is about. 

Growing – staying teachable – and not over-promoting self to get “some” status in this world – instead – finding contentment in doing what we do and if and when it comes time to promote – let us do it with modesty and stay in tune with balance (because pride is sneaky and leaky). 

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BOOK 2: How to Talk So People Listen by Sonya Hamlin 

I love this book so much I am getting yet another copy. 

I gave my last copy away to an acquaintance. She is working with juries and Hamlin’s first book was actually for the legal field, which was called “What Makes Juries Listen” (here)

In this 1988 book (with many updates) Hamlin was ahead of her time when she began addressing our need for dealing with short attention spans and image-saturated minds…. she also has an astute awareness of how people track with a speaker and the communication traps to avoid (simple, effective tips). 

I love this book because she has ideas for growing understanding of working with different generations, cultures, expectations, settings, and needs.

In the section below, I wanted to share what she wrote about “work”and how work should be embraced because we CAN enjoy our work-life balance more (where 3/5 of our waking time is at our job – usually).

I often remind people that the goal in life is NOT to “not work” (unless you have reached retirement) but the goal is to do work that you like and that aligns with your wiring, skills, and current needs. Work is good for humans. So Hamlin offers ideas for identifying and dealing with the hidden emotional agendas people carry around at work.

Oh and in the image, look right below the snippet on work  – see how she mentions status? Hamlin has a social psychologist side and she helps people identify that lust for status and the traps that might come at different life phases. 

 

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BOOK 3:  To The Fullest by Lorraine Bracco (and Lisa Davis)

I have mentioned this book on my blog before – and sometimes I skim the pages because I just like the way this book reads. 

Some authors write in a way to where we get a delightful sense of them. I feel this way with Louis L’Amour – I keep one of his paperbacks in my gym bag and I like to have his story in my head when I want to get away mentally. Similarly, a few times I have found myself skimming To The Fullest to just hear Bracco’s quiet tone and simple reminders about how practical and easy the little steps are for “cleaning up your act” and how we get healthy from the inside out. And this “keto eating” does go against the mainstream – but we can do it and Bracco reminds we can do it WITHOUT it being weird or feeling awkward.

My pet-peeve with this book?

The publisher has photos of her on the front and back covers. It is way too much author photo, especially for those of us who sometimes tug around hardcover books. Constantly seeing her big smile and those cutesy poses (caught in a laugh) is a visual hindrance. And I get that sometimes authors need to be on the covers of their books – especially if it is a celeb and maybe the promo is playing off the fame – but in this case – Lorraine Bracco does not really look like the characters she played in the 1990s (wife in A Few Good Men and therapist in Sopranos). So it is not needed. The inside cover page would have been enough – but it is the third “smiling-filled-with-uncontainable-joy” picture of her… besides that – the book jams as a practical health book. 

Here are some book snippets.  

First – I love what she added about essential oils: 

 

And then many of us have heard this chinese medicine stuff before – but here is some of her sharing the emotional connection to the physical body (the organs). 

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Closing Thoughts for Book Lovers and Authors

~ I was over at Tourmaline’s blog and she had a quote worth sharing – it was in her post, On Measuring Success (here):

“I think the path to creative success begins with a pride in your work. Are you creating work that you love, that fills your creative craving? Maybe your work isn’t always your definition of complete perfection, but can you look at your latest image and think ‘this is it, I’m getting it, this is where I need to be?’ If not, why not?”

~ If you want a blog that has awesome BOOK resources, be sure to check out Chris, The Story Reading Ape (here)

~ Colline Kook-Chun (here) is reviewing a lot of books this year on her blog and she does it so well. 

~ The Book Club Mom (here) has some great book reviews and offers tips to “read this, not that”

~ Norah Colvin  has a fantastic School Days, Reminiscences series (here) with interviews from authors and bloggers. 

~I did have a 4th book from September, How to Read Literature Like a Professor, by Thomas C. Foster (here). This is another book I will always have a copy of on my bookshelf (and will replace it as needed – because yes – I will be giving copies away as situation arises). Also, this is another book I like to skim from time to time because I don’t mind the author being in my head. The author’s smooth demeanor with “humbled intellectual humor” is nice.  Foster is brilliant – but NOT full of himself – and he talks to the reader with ease as his teacher’s heart seeps through the pages while he informs, entertains, and engages the reader. 

 

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 Thanks for reading and I hope you have a wonderful day…

 

Book Info

Bracco, L. (2015). To the fullest.

Carnegie, D. (1912/1965). The Dale Carnegie course in effective speaking and human relations.

Foster, T. (2014). How to read literature like a professor. Berkley, CA: Berkley Books.

Hamlin, S. (1988). How to talk so people listen. 

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32 thoughts on “Three Books from September (2018) Carnegie, Hamlin, and Bracco”

  2. That’s a very full post, Yvette. Thank you. Many years ago, I think, I read Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. I think I learned something from it, but am not sure. This one sounds packed with good advice too. In fact, all the books you listed sound quite interesting. I did go through a phase in which I read a lot of self-help books. I do quite enjoy them but haven’t read so many of late.
    Thank you for the mention. I appreciate it. If you would like to join in at any time sharing your school days reminiscences, let me know and I’ll send you the questions. I’d love to hear your perspectives. 🙂

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    1. Hi Norah – “full post” was a good choice of words for this!
      and laughing at how you said “think I learned something” because a lot of this informational and self-help books are like this – we read and we know it was a good read and then often unable to pinpoint specifics – but I am sure it helped at deeper levels – eh?
      and the non-fiction genre is my fav – especially self-help and informational – although there is some JUNK out there – oh so much crap.
      and thanks for the offer – sign me up.
      –
      and side note on the series – I have bookmarked some and the next day I have off to read and read – I am going to try and cover the back ones. I know many of the folks you featured and look forward to reading more.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. That’s wonderful, Yvette. Thank you. I’ll forward the questions. I know you know others, and I have already featured two other writers included in Lady by the River – Sherri and Mabel. 🙂
        I’m sure you’ll enjoy the posts when you get a chance to read. I find them fascinating.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. well good day to choose for that.
          I will be sure to share a post about it – not that you were asking – but Miriam and Forthemo and a few others did it for me and I would love to help get the word out-
          is it hard to wait the three weeks or is that part of the process for you?

          Liked by 1 person

        2. Thanks, Yvette. Funny thing, releasing a book is my least favorite part of the process. I don’t like to self-promote. I love to promote others, but when it comes to my own writing, I’d rather go into my shell. My father keeps telling me I need to learn to “toot my own horn” but that’s just not me. Is that strange?

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        3. No – that is more common than you think.
          trust me – and I think the key is to promote it with a few interesting tidbits – like the why someone will benefit –
          And not sure if this will help – But it helped my approach –
          I realized that I was not “pushing a book” – but instead, I was “sharing a valuable resource” and it was something that could make lives better –
          what also helped me – was to set a certain number of poromotion posts and then stick to it – and I also tried to make the posts relate to the reader and share a piece of me or a tidbit worth their time.
          I learned that from following bloggers who promo books. Sometimes they just show their cover or tell us it is for sale here or there. And so I started skipping their book posts – especially if it was the fourth of fish time I saw that cover or their face.
          However, when a book promo post came with something worth my time to read – I found myself going to those blog posts and reading – and sometimes buying.
          –
          but it is very natural to have reluctance to promo – it is hard to switch gears and go from creator to then promoter –
          but try to be objective and maybe pretend a friend asked you to promote for them – how would you do it it if it was for someone else?
          and sometimes what I want to hear in a book promo – is a little nugget that connects to where a name came from – or where an idea was birthed – anyhow – I will email you and maybe do a formal post in August – cool?

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    1. actually – it might have come across more serious than it is –
      I feel quite the opposite –
      Carnegies book was a quick read and simple bullet points really – which were just reminders for living with excellence in a way.
      Then Hamlin’s book – I think is a must read – the sections are small and you can start anywhere in the book (again, she was ahead of her time because have you heard the current younger generation prefers skimming to reading long passages and many textbooks today have very short paragraphs and mulit-leveled headings – compared to the heavy text of textbooks past) – and so her tips are light but helpful – like how to deliver bad news – and how to receive it –
      oh and Bracco’s book is also not too serious – she was just sharing about healing from he inside out and she has tons of little snippets in boxes with people who have changed their eating (no grains and no sugar) to experience mental clarity and more health.
      anyhow, my writing may have made these more serious.
      lastly – you know how you recently shared about used books coming with interesting page bookmarks? well the “how to read lit like a professor” (which by the way – is also not too serious – the author really just helps us see themes and has an entertaining side – it is a refreshing read) well in the phot oI added of it – that was from a used bookstore and it had like 100 pink post-it notes as page markers – we were laughing at how many the former owner used – and I left them just for fun

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  5. Your book choices are wonderful. Kind of trippy but I think you overheard my husband and I this morning when we were talking about what you mention: “But we all know that ego and pride can cause someone to get a superiority complex or get so caught up in self-promoting that they lose other (more valuable things).” Yep, this was the topic of the day, wondering why other people are so into themselves and why we aren’t the same way.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Ally – that was cool to read – how that quote connected to the topic of the day. And whew, it can be exhausting to feel the energy of those who are ” so into themselves”

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  6. All I can say is yikes!

    I didn’t even put it together when I read this, and then your comment! Sorry, I’ve been writing this morning in between sneaking peeks and I get very oblivious to the most obvious things.

    Yes, I blame writing. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

        2. I have no idea why, but I’ll see if I can work on it.

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  9. An interesting read. I wondered what I’d find on Amazon, for reading on my tablet, and discovered lots of Dale Carnegie based books there, so selected two, with kindle unlimited, to see how they’ve passed on his ideas. The Bracco book still sports the same cover photo – now from the knees up, in vibrant colour and so full of zest that she practically bounces! Hamlin’s jury book was available.

    I enjoyed reading your thoughts and the images. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. oh thanks for letting me know what you found for kindle – nice – and I had to laugh at the way you said it because that was how I felt – was like she would jump (or bounce) off the page.
      A few years ago the “catch you in a huge smile” was trendy in photography and I never liked it for professional stuff.
      Now – in my opinion, Bracco is opposite in her book. Her voice and tone (with Lisa Davis) is subdued – natural and even calming. Which is why I like to sometimes skim the book – keep me posted if you discover anything good worth sharing via kindle versions

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I was too stingy to pay $12.99AU for Bracco’s book, and my local library doesn’t have it, so I’ll never know. I’ve got lots of real books on my shelf that I haven’t read in decades – no doubt I have something with the same calming vibe.

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        1. well
          it might not be calming for you… it really connects with me because of this phase in my life.
          i have two copies –
          i will save one for ya
          but try getting a louis L’amoure book – and read one! just one and see if his charm doesn’t pull
          you in

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  10. We all know those people who interrupt and talk over others, and I am always so curious as to what goes on in their heads that they can’t wait 9 seconds or 9 minutes… sometimes I think it’s attention deficit, but usually I think it’s needing the focus to be on them, to hold court, or to exert one-up domination.
    Lavender is my thing and has been for about 20 years. At this point, I think I’m married to lavender. I sometimes cheat on lavender, adding something a bit more bright, or even more earthy, but I live in lavender.
    I do have a friend who lives the keto way and doesn’t talk about it all the time. I seem to know a lot of people who are walking billboards for it, and while I appreciate their “success”, really, I want them to go away so that I can enjoy my toast and jam in peace 😉 However, I appreciate the sentiment of “Oh no thank you, I’m off bread” when sharing a meal, because just as important as company, I need everyone to enjoy their food.

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