Varsity's Choice

How to read a person like a book

by Alan Liu

Daily communication focuses not only on conversations, but also on expressions and gestures that people tend to miss their meanings. Experts in negotiation Gerard I. Nierenberg and Henry H. Calero decipher body language for readers as a communication guide.

People show their attitudes through clusters of gestures. With detailed observation and prolonged analysis, everyone may be able to read others' thoughts.

Body language is normally presented under the subconscious state of mind. People are always unaware of or even neglect signs and gestures although they have come across them in different occasions.

For instance, with arms swinging freely, people are usually happy and light-hearted, whereas a fast walking pace often indicates urgency. People show their confidence by talking without hand-to-face gestures like covering mouths or scratching heads. However, these gestures emerge when they feel uneasy or doubtful.

Callers speak in different tones depending on who the receivers are . It is interesting to find out that their gestures and facial expressions are, in fact, signals to interpret whom they are talking to.

Most gestures covered in this book are easy to understand yet they are too subtle to be noticed. Hence by spotting the hidden messages, people can figure out why others are reacting to them in particular ways and how to respond appropriately.

The authors illustrate various postures and signs through diagrams and plain
English, offering readers an easy guide to improve their understanding of others and add insight into daily situations.

They also stress the importance of the unspoken language: “Our function as human beings is to increase our expertise and to become so human that we see ourselves in other people.”