Who?

Anyone interested in face-to-face communication and anyone that might think they could improve there.

When?

Put it in your queue.

Why?

It is a simple and straightforward book about body language.

Best Quote

The problem is that most people spend their lives looking but not truly seeing, or, as Sherlock Holmes, the meticulous English detective, declared to his partner, Dr. Watson, “You see, but you do not observe.”

Review

Joe Navarro’s What Every BODY is Saying is a very good book on nonverbal communication – how you use your hands to convey something or protect yourself, what you feet say about what you’re really thinking, the meaning of arm or facial movements, and more. Navarro goes just in depth enough to make you feel that you have a good beginner’s understanding of body language. Unfortunately, the book suffers a little bit from covering too many topics honestly, so it did drag for me in a few parts.

Some of the things you’ll learn in Navarro’s book are already well known – how people shield their bodies or avert their eyes in certain circumstances. Other things, like how your feet often are a solid giveaway of how you’re feeling, were new and very interesting to me, and in the high points of the book, Navarro had me completely engaged.

Last Word

I recommend this book more as a piece of entertainment for business people than as a must-read business book. Certainly, it has applications for both your personal and professional life, but ultimately, I think you’ll get the most out of What Every BODY is Saying just by taking a step back from your standard business book and enjoying something a little different for a change.