"Good Facts, Bad Philosophy"
Lanchester presents excellent observations of what happens when risk is removed from finance. He tries to validate his personal beliefs that Socialism is necessary to keep capitalism honest. Removing risk from finance is actually a manipulation of capitalism and is the direct cause of financial collapse. Lanchester thinks capitalists no longer have to be nice to others because there is no socialism to compare their actions to - a Karl Marx as yardstick, if you will. He suffers the same inattentional blindness many liberals suffer. (Watching the basketball - missing the gorilla) Watching the harmful escalation of bad behavior of "bankers" while missing the increasingly complex but well intended regulations which pushed those bankers by moving the cheese. There are no perfect regulations. It is always best to connect self interest to behavior as directly as possible. Allow banks to fail - caveat emptor doesn't work is everyone is protected from negative consequences.
Still, Langton is an excellent narrator. The book is a pleasant listen.
"More technical than title implies"
This book is great for anyone interested in psychology or just wanting to better understand others. Narrator Sean Pratt is great - very listenable. The content is serious science and based on mostly recent research.
More practical than The Psychopath Next Door.
N/A
David Lieberman gives several conversational evaluation methods that are very usable.
Nicely organized and nicely presented.
"Infomercial Material"
If you've listened to as many business audio books as I have, you know the stories of Ben & Jerry, Honest Tea, Stoneyfield Farms, et. al. That's all you get with this book is the stories. Where is the insight? Where is the application and common truths for the rest of us. With a title like Inspire, I shouldn't expect more than a few mildly inspiring stories. I've been spoiled by the likes of Seth Godin and Tom Peters with inspiration followed by action items and lessons learned. Jim Champy writes in a simple style, lacking depth and insight. It leaves you wanting more. A "How To" book it is not.
Stow Lovejoy does a very nice job narrating this (un)inspiring business book. If you are going into the yogurt business: read/listen to this book. For the rest of us, time is much better spent elsewhere.
"Good Topic Disappointing Presentation"
My expectations were high. This is a topic that I could sink my teeth (or ears) into. Why is everyone so committed to being wrong? People seem to become so happy with a position, an idea, an answer, that it no longer matters to them that the answer is wrong. Ayn Rand used the term "blank out" to describe the way people stop responding when they would have to concede a point or when they break a chain of reasoning to get to the answer they prefer.
Ms. Schultz certainly appreciates the many ways we humans arrive at the incorrect. She is well researched and of broad perspective. Her book includes psychological, biological, and neurological aspects of self deception. From a philosophical perspective, she points out that it is impossible to say truthfully that "I am wrong", because we can only realize that we were wrong by adopting a new idea different from the old, wrong idea. She quotes many great and some terrible thinkers on the subject of being wrong. The quotes are the best part of this book.
The frustrating aspect of this book is Ms. Schultz' organization of ideas. Just as a concept is being developed just to insert a distracting non sequitur. It gives the effect that she wants to make a point that has nothing to do with the concept that was being developed. I wait and listen patiently for the digression to end and the thoughts to be completed. Unfortunately, she doesn't return to the original thought - ever. Apparently, she feels obligated to begin her chapters on the topic, but feels no such obligation to conclude the chapter on the same topic.
In a paper book, we might be able to deal with the author's meandering by turning pages until we find the topic or a new topic to bridge the continuity on our own. In an audio book, we lack the resources to compensate for her inconsistencies. It becomes maddening to encounter the unclosed loops, unjustified digressions, repeatedly.
I listen to approximately ten audio books per month.