Rating: 
Summary: An NLP Trainer's review of the book that began NLP ...
Review: For what it is this book is a 10, and it's a hoot to read as well! Even though it's now over 20 years old this is the first (and best-IMHO) book introducing the still cutting edge technology of human communication and cognition - Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP™). As far fetched a claim as it may seem, this is surely a seminal book in the field of human communication, linguistics, perception, cognition and psychology. The impact of NLP™ is present in all of these fields, often with more than a little kicking and yelling. After reading the book you're sure to understand why - Bandler and Grinder hold very little about traditional approaches and academic thinking as sacred. Although it's actually about a shift in the paradigm of how change can and does occur, it sometimes reads more like an exploration into the world of Svengali like magic and illusion. The material is presented in the form of a transcript of a live training superbly edited by Steve Andreas. The book is an example of 'doing' NLP™ as opposed to 'describing' it. It puts you in the training as Richard and John present it. As the editor of the book states in the forward, keep your mind open as you read because the authors are more often then not doing what they're describing. You'll want to read it with your eyes open - sometimes more easily said then done, since what the authors are doing is often presented in hypnotically engaging language. I've talked to more than one person who kept finding themselves waking up a few hours after having read through a few pages in this book. It is best to read this book as you would a novel, continuing through to the end, rather than trying to figure out or understand an individual section before moving on. The material is written is such a way as to resolve itself as you read. This is an example of "nested loops" a teaching technique Bandler and Grinder use extensively. However you get through it, in the end you'll find your thinking about thinking changed, and the journey as well worthwhile as the destination. As they say themselves, this book has nothing to do with theory or even the truth about things - instead it's "all about what works." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Rating:
Summary: An NLP Trainer's review of the book that began NLP ...
Review: For what it is this book is a 10, and it's a hoot to read as well! Even though it's now over 20 years old this is the first (and best-IMHO) book introducing the still cutting edge technology of human communication and cognition - Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP™). As far fetched a claim as it may seem, this is surely a seminal book in the field of human communication, linguistics, perception, cognition and psychology. The impact of NLP™ is present in all of these fields, often with more than a little kicking and yelling. After reading the book you're sure to understand why - Bandler and Grinder hold very little about traditional approaches and academic thinking as sacred. Although it's actually about a shift in the paradigm of how change can and does occur, it sometimes reads more like an exploration into the world of Svengali like magic and illusion. The material is presented in the form of a transcript of a live training superbly edited by Steve Andreas. The book is an example of 'doing' NLP™ as opposed to 'describing' it. It puts you in the training as Richard and John present it. As the editor of the book states in the forward, keep your mind open as you read because the authors are more often then not doing what they're describing. You'll want to read it with your eyes open - sometimes more easily said then done, since what the authors are doing is often presented in hypnotically engaging language. I've talked to more than one person who kept finding themselves waking up a few hours after having read through a few pages in this book. It is best to read this book as you would a novel, continuing through to the end, rather than trying to figure out or understand an individual section before moving on. The material is written is such a way as to resolve itself as you read. This is an example of "nested loops" a teaching technique Bandler and Grinder use extensively. However you get through it, in the end you'll find your thinking about thinking changed, and the journey as well worthwhile as the destination. As they say themselves, this book has nothing to do with theory or even the truth about things - instead it's "all about what works." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Rating:
Summary: Buy It And Let Your Reality Improve!
Review: I first read this book waaaay back in 1981, when a neighbor gave me a copy. And even today, in the new millinium, it is as cutting -edge as it was back then. It is THE book to get started on in learning NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)which, simply put, is teaching yourself better communication. But instead of just being about better communication with others, it goes to the source, better communication with YOURSELF first. I don't mean positive thinking, I'm talking about PRECISE thinking. The more precise and clear you can make your thinking, the more clear and precise you can be understood. Think about that last time you had a bad day, and it seemed as if one crummy thing after another happened. Chances are what REALLY happened was that you were talking TO YOURSELF in negative terms ("why can't I...?") which gave your brain NEGATIVE things to focus on, resulting in NEGATIVE things being the reality you had that day. How interested are you to learn the steps that will not only forever improve those "bad" days, but will start you on a path to becoming someone you always thought you wanted to be, but just never knew how to find yourself? Begin here....but please don't stop here.
Other Bandler/Grinder books I give 5 stars to are "Trance-Formations" and "Using your Brain - For a Change" and "Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson, M.D." (Vols 1 & 2)That's My Opinion, But You're Welcome To It
Rating:
Summary: A great introduction to Neuro-Linguistic Programming
Review: If you plan to start an NLP Practitioner certification class soon, or if you just want to learn more about NLP, then I recommend to you this fine work by Bandler and Grinder. Though NLP is more advanced now and includes topics not covered in this book (e.g., Submodalities), Frogs into Princes will teach you about the power of NLP to transform people's lives. You will get an overview of how NLP enables you to change your thoughts and emotions easily. Buy it and open up a new world of understanding yourself and others.
Rating:
Summary: Turn Your Frog into a Prince
Review: Most of us mimick frogs by saying "ribbit" and when we say that we usually mean "frog" in the most general sense. We are pretty sure, however, that frogs really dont say "ribbit." As humans we hear the sound and desparately try to make meaning out of it in order to understand it. A frog sound is then generalized into "ribbit," which now stands as the meaning, while the frog itself is the symbol. We have learned this process some time ago as children. All frogs then say the same thing. In our minds we only hear one sound a frog can make. It may even be questionable that when a frog utters a sound, we can wonder if we heard the noise or our own minds uttering the sound "ribbit." The reverse of this is true, that all objects that utter the sound "ribbit" must be a frog and therefore there is no difference made among any frog. We have been so successful at talking with other humans about the sound "ribbit" that we carry it over into any other animal types that makes strange sounds and generalized them into words. The squawk of a crow, the trumpeting of an elephant, or the laugh of a hyena are other such cases in which sounds have been generalized (and to some degree nominalized) into meaning/symbol relationships. The usefulness of this pattern of learning is as a stepping stone to create meaning/symbol structures in our brains for recognizing various life forms. When it is relied upon as a reality map, it fails completely because there is no differentiation involved in more complex life forms, like humans. In the realm of human interaction, it would be a mistake to speak to all humans using the same meaning/symbol structure. If every human that greets you says "hello" and you take that meaning and apply to the symbol of the human, your responses to the world are going to be very limited. Your ears, eyes and tactile sensations must be senstitive to varying patterns of human life when observing. I know from experience every human does not sound out "hello" to me upon a greeting. I also know that every time the sound "hello" is spoken, it is not directed towards me to respond to. I have to pay attention to where the sound is coming from as well as the particular human that expresses themselves in this form. The English language may be a more complex form of "ribbeting" which makes it easier for us humans to distinguish one sound pattern from another. With our vocal cords we can create a far greater range of sounds than a frog can. Because of the varied sounds, we can equally match the number of responses to that sound. Furthermore, we can respond in number of sounds to any one particular sound. A "hello" does not need to be responded to with another "hello." Parrots have a limited vocal and neurological response repertoire, which is why they mimick the sounds they do. Humans on the other hand are able to respond fully to the situation utilizing a much larger range of responses that can alter, vary or change the behavior of the human they interact with. The one variable that allows humans to make that change is through choice, which is essentially a metaprogram of two or more consciously availalbe programs to run within the system. It is decision making at its most elite because within the program is a place that allows learning to occur from the reaction to the response. By having acute sensitivity to your senses, you can learn about reactions to your responses from varying humans, and, furthermore, you also learn about your own behaviors. The frog does not say "ribbit." Does it say anything that has content value? Probably not. The frog does not impart intellectual information. For it, it is totally useless to the frog. No, the frog sends a message, both to itself and to fellow frogs. The message is not transcribable, but rather process oriented, to order, direct and illuminate to the other frogs of its secrets that it has discovered. The frog does this to interact and become intimate with its environment and become more and more involved in its own life as well as the life of others. When a frog has illuminated other frogs of its discoveries, the other frogs chant along the same song of the mysteries. Yet, the frog that made the discovery does not see itself as a frog, or think of itself in those terms. It has grown up. When the other frogs hop along and gather around to sing along, they surround it in reverence that, this is not a frog anymore, but a prince.
Rating:
Summary: Turn Your Frog into a Prince
Review: Most of us mimick frogs by saying "ribbit" and when we say that we usually mean "frog" in the most general sense. We are pretty sure, however, that frogs really dont say "ribbit." As humans we hear the sound and desparately try to make meaning out of it in order to understand it. A frog sound is then generalized into "ribbit," which now stands as the meaning, while the frog itself is the symbol. We have learned this process some time ago as children. All frogs then say the same thing. In our minds we only hear one sound a frog can make. It may even be questionable that when a frog utters a sound, we can wonder if we heard the noise or our own minds uttering the sound "ribbit." The reverse of this is true, that all objects that utter the sound "ribbit" must be a frog and therefore there is no difference made among any frog. We have been so successful at talking with other humans about the sound "ribbit" that we carry it over into any other animal types that makes strange sounds and generalized them into words. The squawk of a crow, the trumpeting of an elephant, or the laugh of a hyena are other such cases in which sounds have been generalized (and to some degree nominalized) into meaning/symbol relationships. The usefulness of this pattern of learning is as a stepping stone to create meaning/symbol structures in our brains for recognizing various life forms. When it is relied upon as a reality map, it fails completely because there is no differentiation involved in more complex life forms, like humans. In the realm of human interaction, it would be a mistake to speak to all humans using the same meaning/symbol structure. If every human that greets you says "hello" and you take that meaning and apply to the symbol of the human, your responses to the world are going to be very limited. Your ears, eyes and tactile sensations must be senstitive to varying patterns of human life when observing. I know from experience every human does not sound out "hello" to me upon a greeting. I also know that every time the sound "hello" is spoken, it is not directed towards me to respond to. I have to pay attention to where the sound is coming from as well as the particular human that expresses themselves in this form. The English language may be a more complex form of "ribbeting" which makes it easier for us humans to distinguish one sound pattern from another. With our vocal cords we can create a far greater range of sounds than a frog can. Because of the varied sounds, we can equally match the number of responses to that sound. Furthermore, we can respond in number of sounds to any one particular sound. A "hello" does not need to be responded to with another "hello." Parrots have a limited vocal and neurological response repertoire, which is why they mimick the sounds they do. Humans on the other hand are able to respond fully to the situation utilizing a much larger range of responses that can alter, vary or change the behavior of the human they interact with. The one variable that allows humans to make that change is through choice, which is essentially a metaprogram of two or more consciously availalbe programs to run within the system. It is decision making at its most elite because within the program is a place that allows learning to occur from the reaction to the response. By having acute sensitivity to your senses, you can learn about reactions to your responses from varying humans, and, furthermore, you also learn about your own behaviors. The frog does not say "ribbit." Does it say anything that has content value? Probably not. The frog does not impart intellectual information. For it, it is totally useless to the frog. No, the frog sends a message, both to itself and to fellow frogs. The message is not transcribable, but rather process oriented, to order, direct and illuminate to the other frogs of its secrets that it has discovered. The frog does this to interact and become intimate with its environment and become more and more involved in its own life as well as the life of others. When a frog has illuminated other frogs of its discoveries, the other frogs chant along the same song of the mysteries. Yet, the frog that made the discovery does not see itself as a frog, or think of itself in those terms. It has grown up. When the other frogs hop along and gather around to sing along, they surround it in reverence that, this is not a frog anymore, but a prince.
Rating: 
Summary: A Revolution in Cognition?
Review: Published 20 years ago, founder of NLP, this book was edited entirely from audiotapes of introductory NLP workshops. Amazing and interesting view on cognitive behavior and communication. It is a dramatic new approach to traditional psychological therapy, a turn around to say the least. The imperative is that each individual has the potential for change and that each and every single piece of behavior has a positive function in some context. People process language at the unconscious level, and typically the counscious mind is the one that knows the least about what's going on in their behavior. The mechanics seems rather complex for the reader who has his first approach to NLP but ther is an abundance of other books written on this subject which will broaden your possibilities of applying this technique on a professional or personal level.
Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: RICHARD BANDLER IS A TRUE GENIUS OF OUR TIME. FROGS INTO PRINCES IS AN OUTSTANDING INTRODUCTION INTO THE WORLD OF NLP AND TRUTH. IT LEADS THE READER TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE BRAIN RUNS AND WORKS. IT IS A GOOD INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIOUS WORKS OF BANDLER AND GRINDER LIKE THE STRUCTURE OF MAGIC.
Rating:
Summary: A Rare and Valuable Find
Review: This book, which is the first official book on NLP, was definetly a hallmark in the changing of my thought process on psychotherapy, and psychology. Although quite basic NLP is presented, "Frogs Into Princes" is a book that must be read at least once a year, just like some other NLP books such as "Using Your Brain", "Change Your Mind","Trance-Formations", and "Reframing" just to list a few. It must be read once a year not due to any possible negative consequence upon the reader, but rather for the surprises and excitement of "missed" information, and "looked over" concepts that has not jumped out of the page to said owner. This is first book I have read on NLP and I highly recommend it especially as a beginning book on NLP. It is humorous, has a fresh style, and is quite informative. Eventhough some of the information presented in "Frogs Into Princes" is basic, they are building blocks for more advanced NLP techniques. This book, as well as NLP as a whole, as well as the other previously mentioned classics, I believe are underrated and underappreciated by the psychological and psychiatric community.
Rating:
Summary: Best introduction to NLP and Bandler
Review: This is the book to read if you are starting to explore NLP, but I believe the reader will get most out of it with some prior NLP training such as a practitioner course. Books don't teach NLP well - you need to experience it firsthand. Easy to read, replete with powerful stories and demonstrations. However, it focuses exclusively on the therapeutic benefits of NLP, appropriate for the time it was written, but nowadays NLP has a much wider applicability in the world of business, achievement and personal change. It is still a must read for any student.
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