What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People (Paperback)

by Joe Navarro (Author), Marvin Karlins (Author) "Whenever I'm teaching people about "body language," this question is invariably asked..." (more)
Key Phrases: pacifying behaviors, limbic reaction, thumb displays, United States, New York, Latin America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School—This book illustrates which nonverbal clues telegraph untrustworthiness and deception and which radiate sincerity and compassion. In this fascinating take on body language and the ability to decipher it for use in everyday life, Navarro emphasizes that while knowing the reasons for certain behaviors—like touching one's neck—can be useful in "reading" people, they are not foolproof barometers of deception. A former FBI agent who commonly used these techniques to help crack cases, the author cautions about jumping to conclusions and encourages using clusters of nonverbal patterns to help discover whether a person is lying or just under stress. One chapter is devoted to the brain and its limbic system, which controls those involuntary quirks of behavior. Black-and-white photos illustrate different points throughout. This book is a worthy research tool, and a good addition to larger collections.—Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, MI
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Review
"A masterful work on nonverbal body language by an exceptional observer. Joe Navarro's work has been field-tested in the crucible of law enforcement at the highest levels within the FBI. I cannot praise the book enough." (--David Givens, Ph.D., author of Crime Signals and Love Signals )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (April 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061438294
• ISBN-13: 978-0061438295
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #544 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

54 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book, a must read for people wanting to understand the Reasons Behind our body language., November 12, 2008

By	Matthew Richardson (Lake of the ozarks, MO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Just finished the book this week, and I must say I am quite happy with my purchase! This is a great book that gives a very nice understanding of the limbic part of our brain (A part that reacts without conscious thought) and the reasons behind our body language to understand WHY the brain reacts with these certain resposes in our body language. One of the biggest troubles i'v had with body language is memerising what all the parts mean. But with this understanding of the Limbic brain I can now understand the WHY behind all the parts, and like other reviewers have said, this makes memorising SO MUCH easier as it changed the way I look at Body language.

For anyone really interested in body language, I would recommend you buy this book which will give you a great base understanding of the science behind our body language And then buy the "Definitive Book Of Body Language" Which in my view is like the "encyclopedia" of body language, These are the Must reads for Body language in my view. The combination of the two is really a knock out punch for a very good foundation in the understanding of Body Language.

23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Be More Aware of Messages you Send and Receive, August 10, 2008

By	Steve Berczuk (Arlington, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This book can not only help you to be more aware of when to probe further about whether what someone says is inconsistent with what they may be feeling, but it also can help you be more aware of the messages you may be sending by your gestures, posture, etc. One of the things I like most about this book is that the author sets the expectation that you won't be able to know the "truth" based only on body language but that awareness of body language will help you to understand when you should be paying attention to other details of your interaction with someone. Anyone who works with people, especially in a customer-facing role, would benefit from reading this book.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Advice from a 30 year law enforcement vet- BUY THIS BOOK!, April 15, 2009

By	D. Fraser - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been in law enforcement for close to 30 years on a large agency- I am always on the lookout for useful tools of the trade that I can use and pass along to my investigators. This book is great! It is packed with useful information. No, I am not a shill for this book and do not know the author- although I have met many professional law enforcement investigators who have written good books and manuals. I am impressed with the insights and natural techniques contained in this book. I am ordering a copy for all the investigators in my unit, I am that impressed with this book. Sure, there is always something about any book that does not satisfy a reader- but I honestly must say there is little about this book that I didn't like.