Without Saying a Word: Master the Science of Body Language and Maximize Your Success

by Kasia Wezowski, Patryk Wezowski

One wrong move can undercut your message.

Believe it or not, our bodies speak louder than our words. Postures, gestures, and expressions convey reams of information—and often not what you'd expect. A smile, for example, is usually considered welcoming. But crook one corner of your mouth higher and you project superiority, subconsciously chasing other people away.

Without Saying a Word explains how even the subtlest motions have meaning. Distilling decades of research, the book deciphers these unspoken signals: from facial expressions and fleeting micro expressions to positive and negative body language. Discover which postures and gestures indicate confidence and build rapport—and which reveal disinterest, arrogance, or even aggression. Learn to end off-putting habits, accentuate good ones, and become an authentic and effective communicator.

Exhibiting body language that is open, honest, and self-assured increases your social influence and enhances your skill as a negotiator . . . while the ability to read the emotions and intentions of others is equally indispensable. Whether you're making a presentation, pitching a project, or closing a deal, the right body language can be your best ally.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Audiobook, Business, Science, Communication

272 pages, Paperback

Published July 24, 2018

Reviews

[Deb✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a good book. It had great information about reading body language, both other people and your own. It gave great examples along with pictures. It will be helpful from now on. A lot to think about!

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

90% of it seemed like common sense to me, ended up skipping a few pages 🫢

[Angie Dokos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and helpful. Would probably be more helpful in the print version. But the pdf that came with the audio was helpful. It’s a great quick reference with lots of good points. I enjoyed it.

[Lau Riva Palacio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Súper útil si tienen juntas y quieren darse una idea de que están sintiendo las personas. Te explica las micro expresiones positivas y negativas dependiendo del contexto.

Lo van a amar si vieron Lie to Me.

[Matias Myllyrinne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice compact read on body language and practical tips to reading non verbal cues.

[Arne · Rating 2 out of 5]

So except for standing hands on hips everything else is negative or defensive?

Crossed legs? Creating barriers.
Hands above the head? Dominance.
Hands on face? Hiding something.

I'm surprised there wasn't a paragraph on someone clicking really hard on the email send button and that it's obviously a manifestation of aggression. Proceed with caution.
:)

I kid. Some useful pointers if taken with a healthy helping of salt.

[Anna Jaskiewicz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Used Audible for this one. I was not impressed by this work. I thought this book was going to center more on how to use body language “tells” to get what you want in negotiations. Unfortunately, it seemed like the authors were really dumbing down their content. It read like lists of common body moments and facial expresses with explanations of what they could mean, which I found very bland and unhelpful. The “lists” provided very basic explanations of very common body moments. At one point I think they shared that when someone shrugs their shoulders it means they are unsure.

Although I found most of the content of this book to be common knowledge and thus boring to listen to,
I could see these “lists” being helpful for those who are neurodivergent and have difficulty understanding body language, so for that reason alone I’ll say the book is okay and give it 2 stars. If I hadn’t spent an Audible credit on it, I probably would have DNFed.

[Agnė Domarkaitė-Sugintė · Rating 2 out of 5]

Būčiau davusi vieną žvaigždutę, tačiau trumpi testai knygos pabaigoje šiek tiek reabilitavo mano vertinimą.

Na, apibendrinus:

1. Sausoka, neįtaigi kalba.

2. Neįtikino. Vis dar labai abejoju, ar informacija tikrai teisinga.

3. Nevertinga. Ne ką geriau, nei internetinis straipsnis šia tema. Tiesą sakant, gal net prasčiau.

Rekomenduočiau tik labai nuobodžiaujantiems ir nieko po ranka neturintiems.

[Jaci · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ Interesting book and very useful. I strongly recommend it.
It contains a lot of advice to improve corporal language, so that you don’t send a wrong message to people.
I would've liked to have the physical copy of the book because I listened to the audiobook and there were many postures described that weren’t shown in the PDF file provided with the audiobook. Despite this, the experience was great and I’m sure that I’ll take a look at the suggestions over and over.

[K]

Orientuota į verslo žmones. Daug įvairių situacijų, kurios dauguma atrodo man ir taip atrodo akivaizdžios. Pliusas: priverčia daugiau pradėti stebėti savo kūno kalbą ir ją panaudoti tam tikrose gyvenimo situacijose.

[Lawrence Fructuoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without Saying a Word by Kasia Wezowski is a very fascinating book that delves into the science of body language and the messages it can convey. This book is mainly about how people can communicate better if body language is able to be understood better, and that learning to read body language is almost like learning a skill. An example of this is with leaning forward when sitting down listening to something, like a lecture or a class session. Leaning forwards can indicate that you are interested in the topic and can also make you absorb the information more. This book overall is very well written, by showing this information in a very concise way while keeping the readers' attention. This overall gets an 18/20, it is so informational and gets to the point and shows examples of what the body language looks like with little illustrations, which is very helpful. I would recommend this book to people who perhaps are a bit socially awkward, or people who don't get body language in general could benefit greatly from reading this book.

*Re-Read review*
The book I re-read for December is called Without a Word by Kasia and Patryk Wezowski. The book is about how body language can be read and understood as if it were another language, and how there can be different meanings for most body mannerisms. This book is still very fascinating to read and really helpful to understand people and how they are as a person. This book also still goes into very deep detail in most things that have to do with body language, and even goes into facial microexpressions. I give this book an 18/20 because of how informational it is, and how helpful the information is. I would recommend this book to anyone struggling with social cues, or making new friends, since this could give a general idea on how a potential friend could be.

[Mahmoud Ghoz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the book and the information flow and how the author sums everything after each chapter. I wish I can watch a video about some parts that will help a lot.

Listening or reading the book is never enough to understand the topic.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 some interesting points and things to consider

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better in print with illustration

[Aurika Kubiliūtė · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kai kurie skyriai atrodė visai nereikalingi ir laiko gaišimas, tačiau keli buvo ganėtinai naudingi. Daug priešpriešos ties teigiamomis kūno rekacijomis ir neigiamomis, nėra per daug į jas įsigilinta.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well explained, very detailed. It's a lot of information to take in, and would probably require multiple readings and practices before it stopped feeling overwhelming. I did like that the authors pointed out there are many reasons why people might do something, so crossing arms might simply mean the person is cold or spilled coffee, and they constantly encourage the reader to consider everything in context.

[Mike Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just too much info. After a while, it seemed like it was just a list of facial expressions and what they mean without any context on how to apply it. Not a bad book, but maybe only in small chunks. (The PDF for the audiobook helped a ton. Actually, maybe just review the pdf instead of reading the book)

[Sandra Vosburgh · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a writer I found this book a good source for giving my characters movement, action to break up dialogue, and a way to show, not tell, what the character was experiencing at the moment.

[Ari Faye · Rating 1 out of 5]

I feel like I've read everything in this book on 'how to screw that presentation' articles online for free. (And with shorter easier to read explanations.) Long story short, apparently every bit of body language derives from predator/prey instincts such as 'here's my neck I trust you to not kill me' and 'I showed you my wrist so I don't have a dagger'. Unless, of course, you're female in which case any posture listed as 'dominant' for a man is now 'totally flirting with you'. And you should respond by looping your thumbs through your belt with your fingers 'placed on either side of your sexual organ' (a direct quote from the book) to show that you're interested in her, too! (Please don't.)

If you need help understanding that having an open posture and making eye contact shows confidence, or you really want to know how many stances apparently originated from an instinctive need to 'protect one's genitals', then maybe you'll like this book. The illustrations aren't even great, but you'll probably get the point. But it'd be quicker and easier to just read one web article on public speaking or how to interview.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars (liked it)

Picked up as an "Audible Daily Deal" and a possible training reference. A very clear and concise overview of non-verbal communication cues, including descriptive physical presentations, applicable circumstances, case-study references, and illustrations of specific real-world individuals (e.g. politicians). Of course, there is a degree of personal preference as it relates to such communication. One gesture about which I have a more positive view than the book is (relaxed) clasped hands which I think can present well during office meetings and media appearances sitting at a table, especially with multiple people. Above all, this book notes an obvious, but often overlooked, point that thoughts are inevitably reflected in non-verbal communication so being continually conscious of that is the critical first step. A great introduction for those new to considering non-verbal communication with more depth and a set of good reminders for all.

[Anne Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this book not nearly so much as to better my chances in a negotiation, but to get a better idea of how body language reveals what others may be thinking in a social context. What I'm finding useful about the book, though, is how it can assist me in bringing my fiction writing to a better expression of what my characters are thinking/feeling. The only reason I gave the book only four stars rather than five is that I would have liked to see more actual photos, rather than drawings. Another bit I found lacking was any discussion of how a person's potential handicaps might affect how their body language is read. Examples: Is the person's constant foot-shuffling because they're nervous, or because their feet hurt? Is that half-smile a sign of contempt, or does the person have a partial paralysis of muscles in their face? Still, the book is one that will remain in my personal library, both to restudy and to use as a resource.

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides a nice introductory to medium level information on reading nonverbal language. The book is clear and concise, not caught up in academic debates.

I appreciate it the insistence that the author took on reading various body cues in context of the situation and length of relationship. Well some of the information contained is coming knowledge come available to most socially a depth individuals, much information would be new.

Given that about 80% of individuals believe that they are above average in a variety of cognitive and social abilities, a large percentage of people would benefit from a book or training program in this area if they frequently work with people. To go deeper in this area and be confident about gaining true competence in reading nonverbal gestures and facial expressions, I recommend seeking training programs put on by Dr. Paul Ekman’s group.

[Jacob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this so soon after Talking To Strangers was interesting, given how much Gladwell tears apart the science of body language, lie detecting, and Paul Ekman's microexpressions in that book. This one is all about the "science" of body language and what you can tell from someone's body language!

Despite the unreliability of body language, information about common body language interpretations is still useful, especially from the approach of this book. It's teaching you less about reading other people's body language (which is less reliable) and more about how to control your own body language to come across better to other people (which is still going to work in most cases).

The bottom line: be energetic and positive ;)

[Mia Jo Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whenever I see a new book on body language, I try to obtain a copy. They all have interesting insights and observations about how people communicate. This one does, too. In fact, it contains decades of research, but that research is clearly and simply explained. The actions and expressions talked about are also understandable and easy to picture.

The book does what it should do—it communicates. I loved straightforward descriptions as well as the recaps and short summaries at chapter ends.

Clearly, Without Saying a Word will be a go-to-reference for me. If you like people-watching and learning about how we, humans, communicate, I recommend you add this to your reading list.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an extremely practical guide of effectively reading body language. With multiple real-life examples and recaps at the end of each chapter, summarizing the items discussed, it really guides you through how to best interpret other's gestures, movements, facial expressions and tics. This is invaluable in negotiating, debating, arguing, selling, presenting -- practically any scenario in which you might find yourself. Both the book and the audiobook come with printouts of the body language recaps, as well as a few examples to test yourself on your newly gained skills. I found this to be a very helpful book.

[TJ Totland · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ebook was a good practical guide of effectively reading body language. With several real-life examples and summaries at the end of each chapter, reviewing the items discussed. It really guides you through how to best interpret other's gestures, movements, facial expressions and tics.

This is invaluable in practically any scenario in which you might find yourself. Both the book and the audiobook come with printouts of the body language recaps, as well as a few examples to test yourself on your newly gained skills. I found this to be a very helpful book and wish I could study and practice it in more detail.

[I'mogén · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another of my Audible downloads that I noticed was set to expire soon!

It was refreshing to have a break from the fantasy fiction and digest some non fiction. Despite Without Saying a Word not being my usual type of non fiction, I thought it would be helpful in learning the art of body language better, for me personally within social and professional scenarios; not to become a world master or anything, but just to better have conversations flow.

It was an interesting listen, although very straight to the point and dry, I still feel as though I have come away with some knowledge gained.

Pick it up, give it a go & enjoy!

[Edy Gies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good book. I often feel socially awkward and this didn't help that because now I'm thinking about my body language on top of all the other things that are running through my mind. In some respects though, it was very helpful, because I learned ways to trick myself into feeling and looking more confident. I also know that I am very empathetic and tend to mimic people's body language but this book explained that is how to demonstrate openness encourage people to open up to them which explains why people open up to me so quickly.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was similar to a book I had already read on body language. I like how the chapters were arranged in a logical order. I liked the narrator. I also like how the examples referred to she and her as opposed to most examples that default to he and him. I like that she gave you examples to practice what you learned at the end. And then she explained the examples. That was very practical. I learned a lot but I would have to really pay attention and watch these things in slow motion to really get good at reading people.

[Chad Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is some very good information in here, but this is NOT a standard business or self-improvement book with a few key principles, elaborated upon and illustrated with memorable stories and examples. No. This is a dense collection of very specific pieces of knowledge, which will fly by if you listen to this. This is more of a textbook than an audiobook. The content can be valuable, but you are likely to get little benefit from listening to it read. I'd advise getting the book or e-book and setting time aside on a regular basis to study a few pages of it at a time.