Customer Reviews

Ultra-Solutions: How to Fail Most Successfully

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Paradox is always interesting. The myth of more is better informs this (American) culture so deeply that messages that this book delivers are very important.

Contrary to a previous reviewer, I found Watzlawick's style to be light and amusing. It does not read like an English paper, but rather a series of jokes, anecdotes, and explanations that I always found entertaining.

I'd put it right next to Waiting for Godot.

A very good humorous book about antipatterns of life. In opposite to the other books of P.W. it is written for the non-scientist. Unfortunately the translation might be not the best, thus if possible, read the German original

I bought this book because I had to do a paper on this author for my Psychology class. I learned a great deal from writing the paper and this book is by far my favorite one that I bought to do the paper. His ideas are interesting and humorous as well. I still remember certain parts of this book after having read it about 3 years ago so thats a plus. Sometimes in my conversations with others I bring up some of his points that really do make a lot of sense and are very enlightening. I really thought I would be bored reading a book such as this but it was not boring at all, I had a lot of fun doing this paper. Did I get a fabulous grade on the paper? No, but the fact that I learned a lot was enough of an advantage for me.

I AM NOT SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THE CANADIAN CUSTOMER REVIEW WAS ONE OF IRRITATION; WHILE THE GERMAN CUSTOMER REVIEW WAS FULL OF PRAISE.

THIS IS NOT A BOOK FOR YOU, IF YOU ARE A N.AMERICAN COLLEGE GRAD WHO BLENDS IN PASSIONATE MEDIA-SPUN OPINIONS WITH LARGE DOLLOPS OF PERSONAL IGNORANCE; AND WHOSE READING RANGE STOPPED SOMEWHERE SHORT OF YOUR PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOKS PLUS 'WHO MOVED MY CHEESE'!

THE GERMAN REVIEWER ALSO PUTS HIS FINGER ON THE PROBLEM THAT THIS IS A TRANSLATION FROM THE GERMAN INTO 'AMERRYENGLISH'. PERHAPS SOMETHING HAS BEEN LOST IN THE PROCESS, BUT NOT MUCH FROM WHAT I CAN SEE.

IT HELPS IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH KARL POPPER'S WORK, EVEN MORE SO IF YOU BELIEVE THAT POPPER WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT EPISTEMOLOGIST OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

WATZLAWICK IS A POPPER POPULARISER WHO DOESN'T PATRONISE.

DON'T TOUCH THIS BOOK, IF YOUR IDEA OF A GREAT TREATISE ON MANAGEMENT IS 'THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER', OR IF YOU IMAGINE THAT PETER DRUCKER IS MUCH MORE THAN A WSJ COLUMNIST.

BUT, IF YOU TAKE DECISION-MAKING SERIOUSLY, BELIEVE THE 'PETER PRINCIPLE' STILL APPLIES, EVEN MORE SO TODAY THAN WHEN IT WAS WRITTEN (BY A CANADIAN, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN), THEN THIS AMUSING LITTLE GEM WILL DELIGHT YOU.

WARNING: WRITTEN IN 1988, IT PREFIGURES THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WITH UNCANNY ACCURACY. THE TITLE SAYS IT ALL. IN A NUTSHELL, HIS EXPOSITION, AS I READ IT, PREDICTS THAT A VERY NASTY SHOCK IS NOW LOOMING FOR AMERICA, WHICH WILL ONLY ADD INSULT TO THE TERRIBLE WTC INJURY ALREADY INFLICTED.

WHAT A TRAGEDY THAT 'ULTRA-SOLUTIONS' ISN'T ON GEO'S NIGHTSTAND, AT A TIME WHEN AMERICA NEEDS BRAINS INSTEAD OF BOMBS.

This books reads like a first year english paper. The author is more interested in exploring his nascent writing skills, that he forgets that someone will actually have to read it.

If only the author actually got to the point and described what he calls "Ultra Solutions" in a manner that wasn't so annoying, this would be an ok book. The content is potentially interesting, but is wrapped in so much fluff that I found it impossible to finish the book.