The power of persuasion : how we're bought and sold / Robert Levine

"e;An engaging, highly readable survey of the sophisticated methods of persuasion we encounter in various situations. From television to telemarketing and from self-deception to suicide cults, Levine takes a hard look at all the ways we attempt to persuade each other--and how and why they work (or don't). . . . The next time you wonder what possessed you to pay $50 for a medallion commemorating the series finale of Friends, you'll know where to turn."e; --Slashdot.org "e;If you're like most people, you think advertising and marketing work--just not on you. Robert Levine's The Power of Persuasion demonstrates how even the best-educated cynics among us can be victimized by sales pitches."e; --The Globe and Mail "e;Levine puts [his] analysis in the service of his real mission--to arm the reader against manipulation."e; --The Wall Street Journal "e;This wonderful book will change the way you think and act in many realms of your life."e; --Philip Zimbardo former president, American Psychological Association