Customer Reviews

Practice of Public Relations, The (11th Edition)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've been using this book for about a year, as a professor teaching Public Relations. I like it, and the students always say it's a great book. It has just enough theory, plus a lot of practical application. The high point, and what students like best, is the series of case studies. There's one in each chapter, 20 in all. I know from personal experience, having spent 15 years as a "PR Man," before turning professor, that these cases are real-life examples of what to do, and especially, what not to do! Entertaining and interesting, while still being an excellent text. Much better than other books sometimes used for Public Relations courses.

I'm a graduate student in non-profit management and have always found that the best classes are the ones that use primary materials - no textbooks, please! Well, I suspend my usual reticence with this book by Seitel. I have NEVER had an easier to neogotiate, well-written textbook in all my days as a student. Seitel is meticulous in his notations, all case studies are very current (within the last 5 years), and questions emphasize the basic material but provide food for thought. The additional references and book reviews alone are worth the price of the book.

An must read for PR students and practitioners alike. The Practice of Public Relations offers insights into the minds of today's greatest PR professionals -- and the companies and careers that have been created and crushed by them. Nowhere else will you learn in such practical detail how public relations can change everything, from politics to corporate America. Each chapter is filled with advice from long-time industry professionals, tips on how to make your company look good, and ideas for taking advantage of today's technology to get ahead of the competition. A great way to learn the profession or brush up on your skills. Five stars to Mr. Seitel, the industry master.

This textbook is quite possibly one of the finest I've ever used. It is written in a very accessible, friendly style that made reading assigned chapters less of a chore than other textbooks. At the same time, it is not "dumbed" down.

If more textbook authors used Seitel's book as a guide, maybe more students would actually take the time to read their assignments. Both intellegent and accessible, in some spots even humorous, Seitel has given the student a wonderful resource.

Any good teacher/professor knows that if information is more accessible, it can be retained that much better.

Seitel presents several examples of PR success and PR disaster. From the classic "R-O-L-A-I-D-S Spells Relief" PR campaign to the Exxon Valdez PR disaster, each accounting is explained and with the pros and cons of how the PR was handled, and what should or should not have been the course of action.

Seitel also looks at political PR, the history of the profession, different types of PR campaigns, and other important facets of the PR world.

This is an excellent reference for the student, and should be on his bookshelf long after he has an office in the PR Department.

This book is of unvaluable for anyone wishing to be a successful PR manager or executive. It is, moreover, very interesting for writers, journalists, managers, lawyer to read it. Indeed, it is for me the bible of PR for its being comprehensive, informative, full of related cases and examples, and most important, readable. The last chapters dealing with the Internet and IT role in PR seem the most important part of the book. I recommend that everyone take a journey in that book

The layout and language of this extremely expensive textbook, written by one of the most seasoned and successful PR practitioners, unfortunately makes this book almost unreadable. Not only is it completely boring, but the language makes the topics seem very vague and disconnected from practical PR practice.

Chapters in this book are much too long. One can infer from the title of the book that it will cover PR practice in great detail, however, the most important topic the book covers "the execution of public relations" only gets 112 pages of a nearly 600 page book.

The book is very good for beginner, it gives an overview of PR and shows the student how to apply it in real life by explaining cases and developing creative thinking. I think that for a more profound view other books should be consulted. I liked it as a first dip in my immersion to PR.

I think one of the best ways to get to know the world of PR. To the point at each chapter, with numerous examples & case studies, offering a theoretical base and also a successful real life approach.

I don't know how Seitel does in the field, but he certainly failed miserably as an textbook author. The information in this textbook is highly unorganized. There are times you will find stories and examples without proper introduction and writer's analysis/conclusions. If you look at the reference section of the book, you found most of the sources were from NY times or some local newspaper. This book is definitely everything but academic. I don't think any wise professors would feed their students with junk like this.

Check this out:
"The problem is that e-crooks are not only difficult to stop, but also difficult to define, at least in legal terms"(P136). Does this sentence even make sense logically???

As much as I appreciate Mr.Seitel's enthusiasm to be an amateur writer, I don't think majority of the readers enjoyed getting their intelligence insulted at the same time.

This book was the foundation for my introduction into public relations class. It was easy to read and contained all of the relevant information for the class. The book contained many examples and recommendations to other books for additional reading. For a public relations student, this book will equip you with the core information needed to be successful.