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Trust Me, I'm Lying: Confessions of a Media Manipulator Hardcover – July 19, 2012

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Ryan Holiday (Author)
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Ryan Holiday (Author)
4.3 out of 5 stars 313 customer reviews
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 259 pages
  • Publisher: Portfolio (July 19, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 159184553X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1591845539
  • Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (313 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #375,402 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Top Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsA Must Read
By Jade Craven on November 22, 2013
Format: Kindle Edition
I avoided reading this book because I had read some of Holiday's articles online about how HARO was flawed. I'm a digital native and a blogger so I was aware of these flaws, and didn't need these pointed out to me.

I have never been so glad to be mistaken. This book is primarily about how businesses can manipulate the blogosphere in order to get 'credible' publications to cover them. I consider myself to be an ethical blogger and I found myself nodding constantly when he brought up examples. Heck, I've been caught up in PR firestorms online so have first-hand experience about a lot of what Ryan said.

The book structure is flawed, as others have said. At times, it feels repetitive. It was brilliantly written though, which I know is a contradiction. There was a number of times I just wished he'd get to his well-written point.

I've read the other reviews and I suspect the anger is moreso because we've been manipulated, rather then a flaw in writing. It does make a lot of digital content creators - and those that consume online content - look like morons. And, it can be hard to shake the feeling you are being manipulated. I recommend shaking off those feelings. Everyone who works in marketing/PR needs to read this book so they know the rules of the new digital landscape. If you aren't aware of these techniques, they can be used against you.

Highly recommended. You don't have to use the techniques he talks about. You just need to know about them.
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4.0 out of 5 starsValuable, Eye-Opening Read
By Bradley Bevers VINE VOICE on July 24, 2012
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
This book makes the other books I have read on social media and blogging virtually worthless. Holiday lays out more effective plans, proven by his track record, and pulls it off for less money. If you have any interest in business, social media, or blogging than it is a must read.

That said, I think it does ultimately fall short of its potential for a few specific reasons. The good outweighs the shortcomings, but there are people I won't recommend the book to because of them. First, the good.

The Good

* Ryan Holiday can write. He is a great writer, and this is a refreshing read.
* Gut-wrenching info on the structure of today's media. Literally made me sick to my stomach at points.
* Content is very strong, delivers high value for the money. If you are thinking about getting this, get it - you will get the best marketing advice you have read for a pittance.
* Well-researched, funny, and an entertaining read.

The Bad

* The structure of this book is a little muddled. It's really three books in one. First, it is a confession of what Holiday has done for his clients. Secondly, its a book on how you can do it yourself. And lastly, its a book that proves that you should not do it and should actively fight against how the media is structured.
* Because of the three-books-in-one, I have found that I have fewer people in my sphere to recommend it to. There are many people that I wish I could give the warnings about the media portion to, but the other parts of the book would be useless to them. For me, and probably for any entrepreneur, the whole book is valuable - for the general public, not so sure.

The Ugly

* The writing is very good, the content is excellent.Read more ›
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1.0 out of 5 starsThe mask is off !
By Amazon Customer on August 2, 2012
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
Make no mistake. This is not some reformed offender coming clean after some soul searching, as the author is attempting to project himself. And no, this book is not a free manifesto to download to help us clueless masses get enlightened about the ways of the media. No sir! This is a man with an overpriced product to sell, a man out to remove money from your pocket using the exact same tricks he deployed in his book for his clients.

In the book he talks about Jeff Ritze (one of his many fake profiles) who went about planting deceptive stories (using fake email addresses) in the media to help his clients manipulate public perception, sell more and make a fortune.

The author continues to use that self-same deception to now sell THIS book.

In the book's description he says, "Why am I giving away these secrets?...I'm pulling back the curtain because I don't want anyone else to get blindsided". But alas, he goes about promoting this book using the exact same fraud that he describes delivering for his clients.

Here are some of them...

----------------
1) Fake profiles
----------------
'C.L.Mershon' was the FIRST person to give this book a 5-star review. CL Mershon then hangs out in the comments section, answering questions from readers, bending over backwards to resolve their queries, as if he were the CUSTOMER SUPPORT person for the book! And if that was not enough of a giveaway, he then religiously UPDATES his review to bring you Ryan Holiday's "LATEST" exploits in the media. :)

----------------
2) Assistants that neutralize enemies on the net
----------------
One of the reasons I updated this review is to inform readers about the speed with which people swarmed in and marked my review UNHELPFUL.Read more ›
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5.0 out of 5 starsA damn fine book.
By Amazon Customer on November 20, 2013
Format: Hardcover Verified Purchase
"Question the incentives of every author" is what I took away from this book, along with a more complete understanding of why I see so much of the same garbage in the news.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Great book ... Good source of information

Published 2 days ago by Raymond J Brewer
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

Truly horrifying in light of the recent election.

Published 25 days ago by Alexandrous Ballard
5.0 out of 5 starsTells the Truth About Liars

Holiday blows the lid off how the media brainwashes us at all levels, including so-called news media such as Fox, Limslob, Hammity, CNN, NBC, CBS. Read more

Published 25 days ago by John Sherman
5.0 out of 5 starsPrescient, meticulous tear-down of the modern media

Few ideas change my daily perception of things as the ploy in this book. Ryan meticulously deconstructs the why, how, and when of those pesky click-baits we're such suckers for. Read more

Published 28 days ago by david weiss
5.0 out of 5 starsMost insightful book on how some blogs manipulate their readers ...

Most insightful book on how some blogs manipulate their readers. I think i would read it again if Ryan would update it as a lot has happened in the media this year.

Published 1 month ago by Thomedy
1.0 out of 5 starsRyan Holiday's Book is Severely Overrated

Nassim Nicholas Taleb writes, "Want someone to read a book? Say it's overrated."

Ryan's Holiday book is severely overrated. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Hamrick Brands
5.0 out of 5 starsFive Stars

the shocking truth of the main stream media revealed

Published 1 month ago by Daniel Deely
3.0 out of 5 starsI thought it was really good content, but the writing style seemed a...

I thought it was really good content, but the writing style seemed a little tedious and repetitive. I think the book could have been 1/3 smaller, had the same impact and been a... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Michael E. Yeager
1.0 out of 5 starsoff I'll say that some of the information in this book was useful...

First, off I'll say that some of the information in this book was useful since it explained how the online blogging industry works; I had thought about starting a career as a... Read more

Published 3 months ago by Amazon Customer
4.0 out of 5 starsFour Stars

so far so good

Published 3 months ago by Amazon Customer

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