Rating: 
Summary: tell me something I don't know
Review: Of the four books I read recently about reading people, this one was probably the least valuable. Most of the information given was pretty obvious, and her advice basically boils down to 1) Be aware of the other person's behavior and 2) trust your instincts. Most of the book contains such "in-depth" insights as "Honest people are generally relaxed and open. Dishonest people aren't." DUH! Her list of behavioral indicators for various traits is rather long, and she makes the basic mistake of pigeonholing certain characteristics as indicators of specific traits. She also doesn't deal with such topics as neurological problems or cultural differences. Some of her advice is a bit iffy, too; for instance, she says early on, "Learn to reveal something of yourself. To get others to open up, you must first open up to them." Not good advice if you're dealing with a conman or sociopath. If you really must, read the key points at the end of each chapter.
Rating: 
Summary: An enjoyable, easy read for the open-minded
Review: I read the book before I read the reviews online, and I must say that I'm quite shocked that there are people who didn't appreciate Jo-Ellan's book for what it had to offer. There are a few major complaints against the book, and I will address them as I recall them. First, people say that the book reinforces stereotypes. Well, with a title like _Reading People_, I'm not sure how one can pretend that this is such a surprise. The whole point of the book is to categorize and identify different types of people in hopes of "reading" them, so the subject lends itself to stereotypical thinking. That said, there are NUMEROUS occasions on which Jo-Ellan points out that forming permanent impressions based on snap judgements obstructs your ability to accurately understand someone. Flexible and open judgement is best when it comes to predicting behavior. (And it wouldn't hurt when it comes to reviewing books online either!) Second, people say that the book is filled with common sense. I could say this of several best-sellers in the same genre, and it wouldn't mean that the information contained within them is worthless. The world moves so quickly these days that it's hard to sit down and take stock of what is supposed to be obvious. Jo-Ellan includes the common sensical possibilities because, simply, the obvious can -- or does not have to be -- the case. For example, a man might keep his hair close cut because he is conservative, because he is forced to by a dress code at work, because he is in the armed forces, because the cut is flattering, or perhaps for some other less overt reason. It is important to list as many possibilities as possible, again, to keep an open mind, and those possibilities always include the obvious. Third, there is talk that Jo-Ellan only accounts for American personalities. Most of her audience is American and would find that her focus on us is appropriate and useful. (Note: being a trial lawyer, she IS likely to talk about her area of expertise. Her references to trials are not at all complicated and are easily applicable to several "real-life" situations. Also, I don't think her choice of a career has much to do with the quality of this book, no matter HOW disgusting one thinks being a lawyer is.) If you are truly interested in knowing how folks in other countries think, feel, and behave, then take Jo-Ellan's advice: travel to the countries of interest, observe, and keep a database of information. Take note of common behaviors associated with telltale signals, but keep that mind ajar. I found that the best thing Jo-Ellan's book has done for me is to increase my awareness and interest in people. Of course her book doesn't have "all the answers", but it certainly puts things in perspective. I find myself increasingly more attuned to other people's behavior, which has helped me understand their personalities. I deny the book a five star rating because it isn't phenomenal. It is a fun eye-opener for people who aren't looking to know every detail about every person they will ever meet. Glean from it what you will. Approach the book knowing that it is not the definitive resource and that it will sometimes include what you think you already know, and you'll be pleased with the results.
Rating: 
Summary: Reading People: How to Understand People and Predict....
Review: Persuing a career in law, i never thought a simple book such as this one would captivate such a large part of my interest. This book covered things that we encounter on a daily basis. Because I am very much involved in the family aspect, I completely felt and understood Dimitrius when she mentioned struggling with her family life and was excellent in her professional life. Sometimes, we tend to overlook what we take for granted and this book goes great with coinciding both personal and professional life in understanding them both.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: To quote the author, you can't judge a book by its cover. In the airport bookstore, this book looked very promising. The author's specialty is picking jurors, often in high profile criminal cases. The cover promises the book will tell us "how to understand people and predict their behavior." It seems plausible that such an author would have some useful information to impart to those of us who would like to do a better job of understanding the people around us. The book, however, has a couple of shortcomings: First, most of the "people-reading" tips are pretty obvious. For example, the author tells us that if a person prominently displays alcohol in their house, there is a good chance they like to drink. Or that people who brag a lot are probably insecure and self-centered. For this I paid $15! Second, the book lacks focus. Part of the book tells how people's dress, mannerisms, actions and so forth give clues to their character -- and in fairness, some of the author's thoughts in this regard are interesting. But then the book wanders off into the self-help genre, telling us how to use our new-found people reading skills to improve relationships. I suppose this sort of material sells, but it has little to do with the central premise of the book. In short, my advice is to save yourself some money and pass on this one.
Rating:
Summary: We live with people, might as well learn how to read them
Review: This book is set up to help you (1) understand people (2) discover meaningful and reliable patterns (3) provides information on what outward appearance says about the person (4) she explains symptoms of Honesty and Dishonesty, of Boredom, of Depression, of indecision and much more. * Reading People is a great book for people in all kinds of roles, from leaders to people looking to enter into a relationship. she accurately described my friends and myself based on clothes, body language, voice, speech, life style, etc. She makes a living from reading people and this makes her book that much more creditable. * Most importantly she teaches you how to look for consistent because she says the longer a person engages in a particular type of behavior, the more likely it reflects a core belief or quality. She tells you what a particular behavior might mean, but as I mentioned earlier, throughout the whole book she stresses to look for consistent behavior, speech, and appearance. Life is full of deceitful people so she explains how to spot a hypocrite, by simply observing how he treats other people around him, including waiters. You will only get results based on your effort to understand people. Its a little guide to understanding just when is seems that people couldn't be more confusing, this book make people look much more predictable and more understandable. Bottom Line: If you are interested in having little advantage or you desire to know what to expect from the people you know and meet, read this book because this is exactly what she teaches you, including examples from her job.
Rating:
Summary: Reading People by Dimitrius
Review: The book is excellent for the money. It will help glean the dynamics of behavioral patterns in people. The author describes modes of behavior in face-to-face, telephone and written memoranda. There are patterns to be discovered. These patterns are striking traits, extremes, deviations from the norm, predictive traits and a whole host of behaviors too numerous to list here. Do you deal extensively with people? If the answer is yes, this book will help you. The author even classifies people by hair style:
Men with short hair tend to be sports oriented, highly structured
while trendy and sometimes conservative. Women tend to be artistic and some want attention. Honest people tend to be relaxed. Dishonest people talk fast with changing voice patterns and sometimes they lean forward. Attentive people have good eye contact. They stand still. Frustrated people utter repetitively.
Good listeners do not interrupt. This work is a classic if you are willing to review the contents carefully and apply the techniques dispassionately.
Rating:
Summary: "A different look at an interesting subject"
Review: I spent a great deal of time reading this book, as it is rather deep reading. The authors job is to pick jury members. She has picked members from such famous cases as O.J. Simpsons murder trial. This book outlines characteristics the authors have observed over many years of jury selection. This book should be read by personnel directors, as well as managers, landlords, and anyone interested in the study of human behavior. My only complaint: This book was written from the viewpoint of a jury selector, with a narrow focus on finding a person to either acquit or convict the subject on trial. Over all, this book rated 4 1/2-5 stars. To really comprehend this book, one must read it again and again, as well as practice-Reading People.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting--- but not quite striking
Review: I was in a profession for 41 years that I met people and spent approx. 45 minutes with them and had to read them immediately. I found the book interesting but sometimes explaining that your reading of a person can be one way or the other and that you must watch for all traits and decide which is best. Using S.P.E.E.D requires more time than I ever had. I did learn from the book as understanding people remains a interest for me. I would hope they would write another book and learn from the reviews to be a little more definite in their advise.
Rating:
Summary: Couldn't keep me interested
Review: This book is informative, but the author uses entirely too many words to get her point across. I'm very interested in learning about body language and was eager to read the book, but constantly found myself putting it down and forgetting about it. It just couldn't keep me interested.
Rating:
Summary: Great expectations
Review: I read this book to help me with character development. Dr. Dimitrius writes with great authority, if not excrutiating detail about jury selection. But I found a lot of profiles share so many similarities that it got confusing. Most behavior and appearance clues are something the average person already knows. And Dr. Dimitrius is careful to remind the reader that (whatever it was on the list) is not enough to make an accurate conclusion - repeatedly. The mention of the Rodney King and O.J. Simpson trials were also tedious. What I hoped to gain from this book is to read people then possibly anticipate how they will act and react. But I feel all the information stops at identifying what a person possibly is. Maybe I was expecting too much.
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