Rating: 
Summary: Good to Better
Review: This book creates an interesting parallel between advertising and success. The author obiously has very extensive knowledge of advertising as he refers to it on almost every page. It is an informative book and gives great insight to the world of creativity and how to use it to your advantage regardless of what or who you work for.
Rating: 
Summary: Simple yet inspirational
Review: This book is a very simple book with a powerful message. You can probably finish reading the entire book in 20 minutes. However, the lessons that are taught in this book are quite memorable. Each "chapter" contains a life lesson in a very succinct and graphic format. Each lesson probably has less than 10 sentences long but i must confess the lessons really stick in your mind and i often find myself revisiting it again whenever self-doubts arise. It's definitely worth checking out.
Rating:
Summary: Simple yet inspirational
Review: This book is a very simple book with a powerful message. You can probably finish reading the entire book in 20 minutes. However, the lessons that are taught in this book are quite memorable. Each "chapter" contains a life lesson in a very succinct and graphic format. Each lesson probably has less than 10 sentences long but i must confess the lessons really stick in your mind and i often find myself revisiting it again whenever self-doubts arise. It's definitely worth checking out.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of inspiring quotes but is it worth the price?
Review: This book is packed with wisdom and insights on how to succeed in any creative based business. It will inspire you and push you to heights you never knew you can reach However, the way it is written/presented makes it one of tthe greatest rip-offs of the year. It is basically a collection of one liners and phrases. Not that what's written are rubbish (it is very helpful) but some are obvious common sense. It is a very quick read, I managed to read the WHOLE book in a bookstore while standing. This where I balk at recommending this book for purchase. Borrow it from someone or wait when for it in the bargain bin or used books section because spending for the cover price is not worth the content.
Rating:
Summary: Very inspiring book with the title proving the point
Review: This is a very inspiring book for open-minded people. If you do not believe in yourself and don't want to listen to anyone who tells you how great you REALLY are, do not waste the money.If you do - you'll find plenty of common sense gems in this book (like "If you get stuck, draw with a different pen"). One can say: "If they are common sense, why do I need this book - I have enough of common sense myself?". Sure you do. That is why you are where you are, right? :-) Pick up this book to remind yourself about what you know and get inspired about what is possible. Some people complained that the title is very self-promotional. It is. And that is the point of the book and the title: "It's Not How Good You Are, " (let's say it refers to the reality of sales of the book) "It Is How Good You Want To Be: The World's Best Selling Book by Paul Arden" (it wants to be very good - it wants to be the world's best-selling book). Who knows - it might just as well become one...
Rating: 
Summary: Not for everyone, short of a book
Review: This isn't a book, but a collection of vague ideas, in huge font, aimed towards those in the advertising/marketing field. Of course, this isn't evident from the blurb or the title, misleading one into thinking that it is a motivational book for all.
The ideas are few, haphazardly linked, and the message simple and obvious. You may find use in this if you are in the above line of work, but even then, I think there are much better books on the subject than this.
Rating: 
Summary: Useful, but too much hype
Review: What a book - beginning with what is the title supposed to be saying? "The world's best selling book" - is this the best selling book in the whole wide world? What about the Bible, or many other blockbusters? Or is it just a (as in one of many) best-seller? Could this be prosecuted for mis-representation? Then the flyleaf compares this book to Sun Tzu's "Art of War" and Machiavelli's "The Prince" - ok so he's not exactly modest? There are some useful comments, such as 'develop a complete disregard for where your abilities end'
'don't promise what you can't deliver'
But then the second half of the book becomes exclusively about the advertising industry, with very little benefit to anyone else. The cover doesn't say where he got his experience, so you don't get warned its about the advertising industry. But the best thing was right at the end, "Life's Creative Circle" showing the stages of life from 0-100, eg
30-40 = 'hell bent on success',
40-45 = 'repeating success',
45-50 = 'trying to keep up with the 25-year-olds',
50-60 = 'reinventing yourself'.
Not everyone would agree with all the descriptions, such as 75-85 = 'youth regained', as that's not quite the case for the 50%+ of the population who don't live that long, but it gives some ideas. The book is cheap, but if it was $5 more it wouldn't be worth it.
Rating:
Summary: Useful, but too much hype
Review: What a book - beginning with what is the title supposed to be saying? "The world's best selling book" - is this the best selling book in the whole wide world? What about the Bible, or many other blockbusters? Or is it just a (as in one of many) best-seller? Could this be prosecuted for mis-representation? Then the flyleaf compares this book to Sun Tzu's "Art of War" and Machiavelli's "The Prince" - ok so he's not exactly modest? There are some useful comments, such as 'develop a complete disregard for where your abilities end'
'don't promise what you can't deliver'
But then the second half of the book becomes exclusively about the advertising industry, with very little benefit to anyone else. The cover doesn't say where he got his experience, so you don't get warned its about the advertising industry. But the best thing was right at the end, "Life's Creative Circle" showing the stages of life from 0-100, eg
30-40 = 'hell bent on success',
40-45 = 'repeating success',
45-50 = 'trying to keep up with the 25-year-olds',
50-60 = 'reinventing yourself'.
Not everyone would agree with all the descriptions, such as 75-85 = 'youth regained', as that's not quite the case for the 50%+ of the population who don't live that long, but it gives some ideas. The book is cheap, but if it was $5 more it wouldn't be worth it.
Rating:
Summary: What drivel
Review: Yes it has some cute quotables and no doubt some value to a dim-witted 8th-grader looking for success. It could not have taken Paul Arden more than 15 minutes of thought to put together such a waste of paper. My firm sent this out to all senior management - it's on a par with that other tome - "Who moved my cheese". It's simple pop-psychology for the masses - keep clear... if it were free and printed on toilet paper you might want to consider using it - if you know what I mean.
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