Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear by Frank Luntz (list price: $24.95; 2007 Hyperion).
In Words That Work, Luntz provides a glimpse into the world of the professional wordsmith. Without question, he brings sufficient credibility to write on this topic authoritatively. His experience crafting and re-crafting messages for the wealthy and powerful is well known --- he's considered among the best in the business.
And that is what really irritates me. Luntz describes the scientific process of manipulating the message for maximum effect. In essence, he's bragging about manipulating you and manipulating me. There is something really troubling about the idea that the content of a message is ultimately less important than the packaging.
My minor irritation disappeared rather quickly though, because I realized that the information and techniques he described were absolutely critical knowledge. If only to avoid being the dupe of the next advertisement or political campaign, I needed to know the words that worked for politicians and advertisers. I needed to defend my small island of individual choice.
Although Luntz provides very awkward prose in a few small sections, the overall book is well written. I found the real life examples and practical suggestions very interesting, and yes, useful. I wouldn't label Words That Work a comprehensive how-to guide, but Luntz delivers a very practical and entertaining overview that will be useful to readers today. Words That Work is a worthwhile read.
In Words That Work, Luntz provides a glimpse into the world of the professional wordsmith. Without question, he brings sufficient credibility to write on this topic authoritatively. His experience crafting and re-crafting messages for the wealthy and powerful is well known --- he's considered among the best in the business.
And that is what really irritates me. Luntz describes the scientific process of manipulating the message for maximum effect. In essence, he's bragging about manipulating you and manipulating me. There is something really troubling about the idea that the content of a message is ultimately less important than the packaging.
My minor irritation disappeared rather quickly though, because I realized that the information and techniques he described were absolutely critical knowledge. If only to avoid being the dupe of the next advertisement or political campaign, I needed to know the words that worked for politicians and advertisers. I needed to defend my small island of individual choice.
Although Luntz provides very awkward prose in a few small sections, the overall book is well written. I found the real life examples and practical suggestions very interesting, and yes, useful. I wouldn't label Words That Work a comprehensive how-to guide, but Luntz delivers a very practical and entertaining overview that will be useful to readers today. Words That Work is a worthwhile read.
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