How You Can Be More Interesting [Hardcover]

Edward de Bono (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

(New Millennium Press) A guide to developing a more beautiful mind that interests others. Shows how to develop the inner self through creative thinking. Offers challenging exercises that develop skills in finding connections, looking for alternatives, and pursuing provocative lines of thought. DLC: Thought and thinking.

Editorial Reviews

From AudioFile

The author's prescription for being more interesting is to think in creative, divergent ways; to draw associations that most people don't think about; and to dazzle your associates with your mental flexibility. The 74 verbal exercises are time-consuming but will certainly wake up creative neurons. Written by an expert on thinking and problem-solving, the program is read at breakneck speed and will seem relentless if you're not invested in its objectives. Though it's a useful way to loosen up your thinking, look elsewhere for broader advice on how to attract or connect with people. T.W. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: LPC Group (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893224066
• ISBN-13: 978-1893224063
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,460,998 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Edward de Bono is regarded as the leading international authority in the field of conceptual thinking and also the direct teaching of thinking as a skill. He originated the concept of "lateral thinking," which is now officially recognized in the Oxford English Dictionary-and which contributed to the success of the 1984 Olympic Games. He was a Rhodes Scholar at oxford and has held faculty appointments at the universities of Oxford, Cambridge, London, and Harvard.

He has written twenty-seven books, which have been translated into twenty languages. These include: Opportunities; Lateral Thinking for Management; Future Positive; Atlas of Management Thinking; Wordpower; Children Solve Problems; Tactics: The Art and Science of Success; Conflicts: A Better Way to Resolve Them. He has also made a ten-part BBC series called "De Bono's Thinking Course" and two other television series.

Dr. de Bono's instruction in thinking has been sought by many of the largest corporations in USA, Canada, Europe, and the rest of the world. These include: IM, Exxon, Shell, BP, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Prudential, General Foods, Bell Telephone, Northern Telecom, Monsanto, DuPont, and ICI. He has given seminars all over the world, from Helsinki to Buenos Aires, from Toronto to Tokyo.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Unceasing, Simple Exercises in Lateral Thinking, September 1, 2003

By 

Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 109,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How You Can Be More Interesting (Hardcover)

I am a big fan of Mr. de Bono's, but I was very disappointed in this book. I suggest that you stick to his books about creativity.

My two-star rating of this book is a combination of a three-star rating for the printed version for a young person with limited training in thought processes and a one-star rating for the Recorded Books audiocassette version.

This book begins with an intriguing premise: We should spend as much time and effort making ourselves interesting as we do with working on our physical appearance and clothing.

The book is all down hill from there.

I listened to the audiocassette version, and found it infuriating to be asked to compare long lists of random words and make connections. Since I listen to audiocassettes while I drive, this meant continually pulling over to write down the lists . . . then write out the answers. It took me half an hour to do the 10 minutes to or from work some days. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE AUDIOCASSETTE VERSION! Mr. de Bono should know better than to authorize such a version, unless he was going to develop different exercises that could be done easily while listening.

In the first half of the book, Mr. de Bono makes a point of stripping out subjects of normal interest such as emotion-laden topics, direct references to personal lives, and gossip. He also excludes using one's special knowledge to make one more interesting for the purposes of this book.

So the book is basically for someone who knows very little and wants to have free-form speculative discussions with little connection to reality. I assume that he has someone like a high school student in mind. Otherwise, the references and assignments are an insult to anyone who has studied any forms of thinking or communication.

I won't go so far as to say the book is boring, but I will say it isn't very relevant. Are you going to turn to your companions at dinner and suggest that they write down random lists of words and then connect them? I don't think that will make you sought out as an interesting dinner companion.

In terms of making someone more interesting to others, I suspect that reading a book containing little-known facts about human psychology and behavior would be a better use of your time.

Otherwise, this book simply encourages the uninformed to remain that way in a speculative haze of words.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A workbook, rather than a book you just read and put away, September 5, 2005

By 

W. Lee (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How You Can Be More Interesting (Hardcover)

This book is really a workbook, and not the normal kind of book you read and then perhaps put down and forget about, without implementing in your life.

De Bono suggests that you do 1 exercise a day (1-2 pages), so it will take you a while to get through the book. It's not something you read in 1 or 2 sittings.

I noticed that after doing the first 5 or so exercises I did change my way of thinking when talking to people - in my mind I would have 2-4 backup conversation topics, which arose out of what we were talking about - it was a strange effect to notice this in myself.

However you should note that you need to keep doing his exercises and keep practicing and exercising your brain, as when I stopped after having done these 5 exercises the effect went away after a few weeks.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Look elsewhere!, December 27, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: How You Can Be More Interesting (Hardcover)

It is an odd experience to read a book about being interesting that is neither inspiring nor interesting itself. The text mainly consists of excercises to get the reader used to developing concepts or alternatives around given information, which the author says is the basis of creating interest. Each excercise takes one page, then the author give his answer, which is almost always tedious and dull. Sorry, but I don't feel this book is likley to be avidly read by many people!