Customer Reviews

The Little Red Book of Wisdom

5 star:		(56)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I read 2-3 chapters every morning while sitting on my patio w/ the dogs. Each morning I walked away w/ something positive.

Much of the advice reminded my of lessons my father taught me while growing up that I didn't really listen to. I'm glad I had the chance to hear it again while my dad is still around, so I could thank him for it.

I expected this book to be focused on business-related principles. I thought that because I found it in the business section of my local bookstore. However, there is a mixture of wisdom between pratical, professional, inter-personal and spiritual. With that said, the emphasis is spiritual.

Additionally, I thought the book was going to contain shorter tidbits of wisdom. You know, kind of punchy pieces to ponder. Instead the book includes mostly personal stories from the author's own life, and as a result it ends up being biographical and anecdotal.

I liked the chapter titled 'Buy some stamps' - Reclaiming the lost art of letter writing.' However, instead of focusing on why letters don't get written much anymore and how meaningful they can be, I wish the chapter gave more pratical advice for what makes a memorable letter and how to proceed in writing one.

Here are some of the other chapters I liked...

1. A Matter of Death and Life - Life is brief
2. Stay Under the Umbrella - Keeping your focus in life
4. The Amazing Power of Understatement - Under-promise, over-deliver
5. Work Less, Think More - Good thinking requires some effort
9. Good People Are Everything; Money Isn't - Building a winning corporate culture
16. A Proverb a Day - Wisdom for every aspect of your life in one short book
18. Shut Up and Listen - Learning to listen more than you speak
20. Anticipate Deathbed Regrets - Take steps now to avoid regrets later in life

The Little Red Book of Wisdom is one of those books that after you read it, you'll say "I think I knew all of this already", but it was good to be reminded of it. The book provided a lot of interesting stories that a lot of people might find surprising. Every chapter has good insight in it and it's something that many people can learn from. His practice of reading a proverb a day is a habit I am trying to form myself. It's a really good book that I recommend to everyone to remind themselves of life's curveballs and routes that should be taken.

The Little Red Book of Wisdom is a great book to keep by your bed and read one of the short chapters before turning in for the night. It will definitely inspire you and provide you with food for thought during the next day.

The Little Red Book of Wisdom is a wonderfully written motivational book which balances personal experience with scripturally based truths. It also includes tremendous insights into how to run a business. Anyone who reads this book will want to work for Mark DeMoss! It provokes a wide range of emotions within the reader. I laughed out loud with some stories, while others brought tears to my eyes! If you have read Andy Stanley's book, The Best Question Ever, then you will love this book as a great follow up!

The Little Red Book of Wisdom provides a BIG helping of practical advice for life at home and at work. Well written and easy to read, the book will almost certainly challenge your thinking and instigate at least one new positive habit (mine are writing more letters and thinking more before I start working). If you are looking for a graduation gift, a First Communion gift, a confirmation gift, or just a "hey, you're my friend and I care about you" gift, you can do no better than Mark DeMoss' "Little Red Book of Wisdom."

I was visiting a Christian organization a few miles outside of Atlanta, and people would not stop talking to me about the book I was carrying. Or rather, about the man whose name was stamped on the book. "Am I the only person who hasn't heard of Mark DeMoss?" I asked, as one pastor began to comment. He laughed, "Mark lives five miles from here." "Oh...of course he does."

I was on the home turf of The DeMoss Group, and to my surprise everyone who knew Mark DeMoss spoke well of him, as a person and a professional. This was a minor consolation to my concerns.

To write a book on business or self-help is one thing; and to write a book of wisdom is another. Wisdom trumps truth: what we know about philosophy, science, etc. It is the very best of these things, being the application of experience, knowledge, and good judgment. So to sell something and call it wisdom is a bold gesture.

He had a positive introduction from the neighbors, but as I reread the title I thought again, "This better be good."

Wisdom is Knowledge.

Splitting it down the middle, the first half of DeMoss's book is wisdom for "professional life". It reviews the principles that guided The DeMoss Group (a public relations firm) to professional success. If you are a connoisseur of business books you will recognize some of the early points. For example, "stay under the umbrella" (Chapter 2) is nearly identical to Jim Collins' hedgehog concept in Good to Great. Other pieces of wisdom include: adversity leads to strength (Chapter 3), spend time thinking, not acting (Chapter 5), and write letters by hand (Chapter 6). Each chapter has one major take-home point, which is always backed up by an artfully told story.

Wisdom is Experience.

The second half of the book gives wisdom for "personal life", and as one flips though the short chapters (around 2000 words), one begins to see how very autobiographical the book really is. About half the vignettes that saturate the work are from Mark's own experiences.

Also, while the book is divided, most of the wisdom applies to both professional and personal life. This makes me wonder, could distinguishing these sections be a ploy to capture both the business and self-help book markets? Moreover, is the book's size--a meager 7x5 inches--not a symbol of modesty (a wee-little book), but a ploy to capture male readers who won't open a full-scale tome? Perhaps modesty would be a paperback, not a bright red, cloth-wrapped, hardcover. Is this the Pretentious Little Red Book of Wisdom? Sure, I'm paranoid, but I have a right to be suspicious. The book is written by a marketing expert.

Wisdom is Good Judgment.

Some of DeMoss's wisdom is basic, though not pedantic. Some wisdom could be considered old hat, though I can stand a refresher course in principles I am still working to apply to my life, especially when the writing is good. In the end, Mark DeMoss's first book is a pleasant journey that can be taken in short 10-minute sprints. And with that it follows its own advice to under-promise, and over-deliver (Chapter 4).

Not a page turner, but a great read for men, or anyone, who wants to pass along good family values. Easy to read short chapters, that do not contain any really new information, but great perspective and life examples from a leading Christian businessman. Great book for a discussion starter for men's small groups. I have already purchased several additional copies to pass along to others.

Contrary to what one earlier reviewer said, while I do not personally know Mr. DeMoss, I do not think he drops names for the sake of pride. Rather, I found his comments about his perspective on some famous people to be enlightening.

"The Little Red Book of Wisdom" is around 170 pages and contains 23 chapters on topics that while many of us may be familiar of, it does not hurt to be periodically reminded of the wisdom contained in the chapters. While Mr. DeMoss writes from a Christian perspective, readers of various religious backgrounds will benefit from the book.

Among the points covered in the book include:

1. True freedom is the discipline to stick to doing what you're called to do and saying "no" to everything else.
2. Great leaders are great servants.
3. Good thinking requires time alone and being quiet.
4. Make technology a friend instead of a trap.
5. 4 essential motivators of work.
6. 4 phrases, when used properly, can open up opportunities.
7. Ultimately, everything belongs to God.
8. Dare to honor God with your "firsts" (money, time, etc.) and watch Him bless you!
9. Watch the tendency to talk too much and learn to listen more.
10. It is not wise to travel alone with a member of the opposite sex.
11. Be careful not to sacrifice your family and relationship with God in the process of becoming "successful".
12. Worry is useless, so why do it?

Again, while the book's contents may be common knowledge, we need to be periodically reminded of these insights lest we stumble.

Read, enjoy and be encouraged. Highly recommended!

Bought 3 books, had the oldest child read one first. She has passed it along to co workers, gave one as a gift. Have made the practice of reading one chapter of Proverbs per day. Very good book. Each home in America should have one.