Reading People: How to Understand People and Predict Their Behavior- -Anytime, Anyplace [Paperback]

Jo-Ellan Dimitrius (Author), Mark C. Mazzarella (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 18, 1999

America's top jury consultant, Jo-Ellan Dimitrius, can literally read a person like a book. By decoding the hidden messages in appearance, tone of voice, facial expression, and personal habit, she has accurately predicted the behavior of jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and judges in some of the most celebrated trials of the past two decades. Now in this phenomenal new book, she applies the secrets of her extraordinary success to the everyday situations we all face at work, at home, and in relationships.

How can you "hear between the lines" to detect a lie? When is intuition the best guide to making important decisions? What are the tell-tale signs of romantic attraction? How do other people "read" us? The answers lie closer than we might think. Hair style, clothing, grooming, hand gestures, the neatness of office or living room, the steadiness of the gaze, behavior around subordinates: all of these provide critical clues to a person's integrity, work habits, and sexual interests. Through vivid anecdotes and proven techniques, Dimitrius teaches us how to interpret these signs with accuracy and precision.

Whether your focus is friendship or marriage, career or family, romance or professional success, Reading People  gives you the skills you need to make sound, swift decisions and reap the benefits from a lifetime of razor-sharp insight.  

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

It's true that politicians blink much more frequently when they're lying, but what other behavior clues do people inadvertently give off? If you want to know if you're being boondoggled, how to tell if your date is interested in a serious relationship, or if you should take that new job, Jo-Ellan Demitrius will help you figure it all out. She gives away the tricks of her trade--jury consulting--in this eye-opening handbook for predicting the behavior and revealing the thoughts of others. She's consulted for more than 600 jury trials, including the O.J. Simpson, Rodney King, and John DuPont cases, as well as for Fortune 100 companies. If her name rings a bell, it may be because she's been on Oprah, Larry King Live, and 60 Minutes, among other television shows.

Much more than a collection of tips on reading body language, her book is supremely organized, detailed, and thorough, with lists of physical characteristics, vocal patterns, office props, and conversational behaviors that reveal much more than you'd think. She instructs on how to analyze hundreds of details of everyday living, from the style of the picture frame on your boss's desk to the odd way that an acquaintance swears up a storm, in order to uncover personality traits and predict future behavior.

Demitrius isn't a hocus-pocus intuition hawker; she's more of a scientist. "...over the past fifteen years," she writes, "I have tested this method on more than ten thousand 'research subjects.' After predicting the behavior of thousands of jurors, witnesses, lawyers, and judges, I have been able to see whether my predictions came true....I did not always peg them correctly, especially in the earlier years. But by testing my perceptions over and over, I have verified which clues are generally reliable and which are not." Her advice will prove valuable not just to lawyers but to businesspeople, parents, and anyone curious about their relationships. While the book is mostly aimed at deconstructing the behavior and characteristics of others, it's also useful for job candidates and anyone concerned with projecting the appropriate image. -- Erica Jorgensen --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

Now famous for her role in the O.J. Simpson murder trial, Dimitrius shares the people-reading techniques she developed over 15 years as a jury consultant. In so doing, she provides a wealth of tips and strategies for ferreting out people's real viewpoints, motives and character traits. Claiming that "reading people is neither a science nor an innate gift," Dimitrius advocates sharpening and fine-tuning powers of observation and deduction. Gathering enough information to establish an overall pattern is the key to her method. Differentiating between "elective and nonelective" traits; setting aside assumptions, prejudices and stereotypes; recognizing body language; and identifying meanings behind personal choices of dress and behaviorAall converge to reveal personality, attitude and life experience. Dimitrius rates people on scales of "hardness" or compassion, socioeconomic background and "satisfaction with life"Athe three most "consistently reliable" predictors of behavior, according to her. Whether interviewing a baby-sitter, meeting a new date or selecting a jury, this thorough, detailed guide of what to look for could probably improve anyone's ability at seeing and being seen. Author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1 edition (May 18, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345425871
• ISBN-13: 978-0345425874
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (100 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #595,224 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 56 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars When read thoughtfully and from beginning to end, excellent. January 1, 1999

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I find it interesting that reviewers either loved this book or hated it. I think when read in its entirety, and not as a cookbook to human behavior, it is most helpful and thoughtful. I took from this book the importance of not stereotyping or jumping to conclusions about people. Rather, the authors convincingly state reasons for looking for patterns, observing what people do and say, truly listening to others and projecting to others what you really mean to project. I think the disappointed reviewers who made comments here were looking for ways to make snap judgments and fulfilled their own negative expectations. I was looking for insight and ways to avoid making snap judgments and I found them. Thank you to the authors. I'd love to attend a seminar by these people.

50 of 54 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing January 20, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

To quote the author, you can't judge a book by its cover.

In the airport bookstore, this book looked very promising. The author's specialty is picking jurors, often in high profile criminal cases. The cover promises the book will tell us "how to understand people and predict their behavior." It seems plausible that such an author would have some useful information to impart to those of us who would like to do a better job of understanding the people around us.

The book, however, has a couple of shortcomings:

First, most of the "people-reading" tips are pretty obvious. For example, the author tells us that if a person prominently displays alcohol in their house, there is a good chance they like to drink. Or that people who brag a lot are probably insecure and self-centered. For this I paid $15!

Second, the book lacks focus. Part of the book tells how people's dress, mannerisms, actions and so forth give clues to their character -- and in fairness, some of the author's thoughts in this regard are interesting. But then the book wanders off into the self-help genre, telling us how to use our new-found people reading skills to improve relationships. I suppose this sort of material sells, but it has little to do with the central premise of the book.

In short, my advice is to save yourself some money and pass on this one.

47 of 52 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable, easy read for the open-minded January 17, 2001

By "c_kim"

Format:Paperback

I read the book before I read the reviews online, and I must say that I'm quite shocked that there are people who didn't appreciate Jo-Ellan's book for what it had to offer. There are a few major complaints against the book, and I will address them as I recall them.

First, people say that the book reinforces stereotypes. Well, with a title like _Reading People_, I'm not sure how one can pretend that this is such a surprise. The whole point of the book is to categorize and identify different types of people in hopes of "reading" them, so the subject lends itself to stereotypical thinking. That said, there are NUMEROUS occasions on which Jo-Ellan points out that forming permanent impressions based on snap judgements obstructs your ability to accurately understand someone. Flexible and open judgement is best when it comes to predicting behavior. (And it wouldn't hurt when it comes to reviewing books online either!)

Second, people say that the book is filled with common sense. I could say this of several best-sellers in the same genre, and it wouldn't mean that the information contained within them is worthless. The world moves so quickly these days that it's hard to sit down and take stock of what is supposed to be obvious. Jo-Ellan includes the common sensical possibilities because, simply, the obvious can -- or does not have to be -- the case. For example, a man might keep his hair close cut because he is conservative, because he is forced to by a dress code at work, because he is in the armed forces, because the cut is flattering, or perhaps for some other less overt reason. It is important to list as many possibilities as possible, again, to keep an open mind, and those possibilities always include the obvious.

Third, there is talk that Jo-Ellan only accounts for American personalities. Most of her audience is American and would find that her focus on us is appropriate and useful. (Note: being a trial lawyer, she IS likely to talk about her area of expertise. Her references to trials are not at all complicated and are easily applicable to several "real-life" situations. Also, I don't think her choice of a career has much to do with the quality of this book, no matter HOW disgusting one thinks being a lawyer is.) If you are truly interested in knowing how folks in other countries think, feel, and behave, then take Jo-Ellan's advice: travel to the countries of interest, observe, and keep a database of information. Take note of common behaviors associated with telltale signals, but keep that mind ajar.

I found that the best thing Jo-Ellan's book has done for me is to increase my awareness and interest in people. Of course her book doesn't have "all the answers", but it certainly puts things in perspective. I find myself increasingly more attuned to other people's behavior, which has helped me understand their personalities.

I deny the book a five star rating because it isn't phenomenal. It is a fun eye-opener for people who aren't looking to know every detail about every person they will ever meet. Glean from it what you will. Approach the book knowing that it is not the definitive resource and that it will sometimes include what you think you already know, and you'll be pleased with the results.