Truth and Lies: What People Are Really Thinking

by Mark Bowden, Tracey Thomson

A fresh, insightful guide to reading body language in the post-digital age

Whether you’re at a job interview or a cocktail party, searching LinkedIn or swiping right on a dating site, you want (no—need) to understand what people are really thinking, regardless of what they’re saying. Understanding what others are trying to tell you with their posture, hand gestures, eye contact (or lack thereof) or incessant fiddling with their iPhone might all be even more important than what you’re projecting yourself. Do they plan on making a deal with your company? Are they lying to you? Can you trust this person with your most intimate secrets? Knowing what others are thinking can tell you when to run with an opportunity and when not to waste your time, whether at work, in a crucial negotiation or on a promising first date.

Bestselling authors Mark Bowden and Tracey Thomson, principals at the communications company Truthplane, illustrate the essential points of body language with examples from everyday life, leavened with humour and insights that you can use to your advantage in virtually any situation.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Audiobook

388 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2018

About the author

Mark Bowden is a world renowned author, trainer and keynote speaker on human communication, body language and behaviour in business. He is the creator of TRUTHPLANE™, a communication training company and unique methodology for anyone who has to communicate to an audience with impact. His communication techniques, in which he trains individuals and groups worldwide, are used by top executives and political leaders around the globe who want to gain an advantage beyond words when they speak. Over his 20 years of experience, he has garnered a reputation for being one of the world's experts in presentation skills training, and he is a highly sought after for his business presentation skills at such universities as international top 10 business school Schulich at York University, Rotman School of Business in Toronto and McGill in Montreal. His client list of leading businesspeople, teams, and politicians currently includes presidents and CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and current Prime Ministers of G8 powers. He is an expert in body language, often appearing in the media to comment on how politicians, business leaders and celebrities present themselves to influence and persuade us.

Reviews

[Mark Blane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoy Mark Bowden on youtube's Behavioral Panel, and his Ted Talk, I did not really overly enjoy this book by him on body language. For starters, perhaps the title is a bit misleading? It did not concentrate on lies so much or deception. Second, it was just a bunch of generalization of behaviors with a spattering of gold nuggets (which is why I am still giving it 3 stars):

1. SCAN - Bowden's technique on critically thinking about any body language that you are picking up so you can analyze it quickly. SCAN is an anacronym standing for: Suspend "S" judgment, take in the CONTEXT "C," ASK "A" what else? and form a NEW "N" judgment and test it.

2. Othello Error - Looking at what could be deceptive body language but given the context it is really non-deceptive

3. Limbic Resonance - Mirroring

4. Tribe Behavior

5. Eyebrow Flash

6. Regulators; and,

7. Dobby Effect and Shifty Eye myths

Beyond, there really is anything gripping or written grippingly here. This is my 3rd body language book I have read, but I am reading 2 others, and one of them is blowing away this book and I am only 15 pages in. I don' know, although you can learn a lot, it was not a very compelling read for me on what I see as a compelling subject.

[Nicolás · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don´t uderstand why if the Youtube channel is so good, the book is so bad.

[Matthew Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couple of good pieces of information but there are other body language books I would recommend before this one.

[Zahida Zahoor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book, it didn’t give me any further insight into ‘what people are really thinking’. The main information I found useful was to stop and take note of what else it could be, what is normal for that person and not to jump to conclusions or judgement quickly. It’s best to make observations, ask the right questions and then make an educated guess when you have more information.

[V · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a terrible book. Very little actual information and stretched out over 37 dry, uninformative chapters.

[Maria Farber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, unfortunately the author vacillates back and forth ,never giving the reader an answer. Not addressing what people are really thinking.

[Henrik Akselsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quite repetitive book, with a quite simple message: Suspend your judgement on body language. It doesn't tell you as much as you think it does. It does this using the coined term "SCAN" (Suspend judgment, view Context, Ask questions and form a New judgement) on a variety of invented situations, and it also contains mythbusters in each chapter to pour cold water on readers that think reading books on body language will turn them into human lie detectors.

The concept works to some extent, but it's surprisingly boring along the way. I kept waiting for the audiobook to end, but it goes on and on and on and on and on, with little progress, although with quite a few interesting tidbits here and there.

Some of the examples seems very contrived, like the example where a co-worker seems to work up an uncontrollable rage for reasons that seems totally unconceivable for the us, the readers.

All in all a bit of a disappointment. I don't think I will think much about this book after finishing it, unfortunately.

[Michelle Arostegui · Rating 4 out of 5]

amazon review: Whether you're at a job interview or a cocktail party, searching LinkedIn, or swiping right on a dating site, you want (no - need) to understand what people are really thinking, regardless of what they're saying. Understanding what others are trying to tell you with their posture, hand gestures, eye contact (or lack thereof), or incessant fiddling with their iPhone might all be even more important than what you're projecting yourself. Do they plan on making a deal with your company? Are they lying to you? Can you trust this person with your most intimate secrets? Knowing what others are thinking can tell you when to run with an opportunity and when not to waste your time, whether at work, in a crucial negotiation or on a promising first date.

Best-selling authors Mark Bowden and Tracey Thomson, principals at the communications company Truthplane, illustrate the essential points of body language with examples from everyday life, leavened with humor and insights that you can use to your advantage in virtually any situation.

[Jane Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great choice as a book on non verbal communication.it’s written in easy chapters with summary sections in grey for you to remind yourself of what you’ve just read.

It goes through genuine deception, dating, friends and family, working life with a summary.

I THOUGHT I could have done without the dating section BUT to learn about the power plays of people, it was really useful even for non-daters!

These two have written a FUN accessible book which is different from any other book I have on body language and I have a few of them.

Great read, easy to pick up and fascinating to learn.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read that taught me quite a few tidbits of how to possibly interpret others non-verbal communication. It was especially interesting, to me, with regards to communication in online spaces. I had no idea the level of intricacies that professional social media stars have to consider when posting for their massive audiences, and no doubt this book only scratches the surface of these.

[Isabelle K · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭑

I’m surprised at the low-ish rating for this book. I thought it was very informative and interesting.

I appreciated how the book was written in a gender-neutral POV. Often times, informational books are written in the perspective of a man, which this was not.

Could have gone without the mention of Donald Trump several times, or the frequent run on sentences.

[Peg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Similar to other reviews, I enjoy the You-tube channel Mark is a part of, I just wanted more from this book. It really just delivers how to use his SCAN method, and then gives multiple examples of it in use.

[Oliver Ho · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought it was interesting and useful. I liked the application of their basic process across a variety of situations.

[John McPhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

A great summary of interesting topic. Loved the anecdotes. Thought some of the background and theory could have been leaner.

[Nathan Brant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mr. Bowden is an engaging speaker - this is a solid intro to usable body language interpretation.

[Jim Bostjancic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Self-help tips to contend with confusing signals in our current world filled with mixed messages...

[EricheBooks]

DNF. Polygraphs are junk science. Out from page one.

[Angelo Rodriguez · Rating 1 out of 5]

Un libro para olvidar, pésimo en explicaciones y soporte, una agonía de leer y demasiada repetición de las mismas cosas

[Liz DeLise · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you've taken any communications courses or are familiar with any body language things etc don't waste your time with this book.

[Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but not satisfying

[Downbadreader29 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a good book, I have some good insight over human behavioural patterns and the fun part is can observe and be perspective about it, thanks to the method SCAN.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this at crime con where I met the whole Behavior Panel. I didn’t give 5 stars just because I skipped the whole dating section.

[ieva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not get much out of this book. Just general knowledge. Abit disspointing. Tittle is promising but cant say book given me any brilliant thought to think over.

[Justin]

Book was very situational and not generalized

[JP · Rating 4 out of 5]

Superb book!
The Author took the universal body language and interpreted with his precise writing
What was amazing he changed our perception with proper evidence to accept the truth of his example
The book was a real surprise
Enjoyed the journey
This book will never disappoint you...