Rich with engaging stories, surprising examples, and a practical method toevaluate the truth or effectiveness of any analogy,Shortcutwill improve criticalthinking, enhance creativity, and offer readers a fresh approach to resolving some oftoday's most intractable challenges.
John Pollack, who won the 1995 O. Henry Pun-Off World Championships, was a presidential speechwriter for Bill Clinton. Earlier, he worked as a foreign correspondent in Spain, as a field assistant in Antarctica, and as a strolling violinist on Mackinac Island. His books include The Pun Also Rises- How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics, Cork Boat- A True Story of the Unlikeliest Boat Ever Built, and The World on a String- How to Become a Freelance Foreign Correspondent. He lives in New York City.
Praise for Shortcut:
“John Pollack is the William Safire of his generation. In Shortcut,
he blends his encyclopedic knowledge, hard-earned experience in
politics, and deep love of words to craft a book that consistently
rewards the reader with keen insights into the wonders of how
language shapes our thinking.”
—Jake Siewert, global head of communications for Goldman Sachs
“As a historian, I have been professionally trained not to use
analogies. But as John Pollack demonstrates in this eye-opening,
mind-blowing, puzzle-solving book, comparisons and analogies infuse
our thinking, infect our decisions, and inflect our efforts at
persuasion. Once you lower your guard to Pollack’s clever forays,
you will never undervalue the power of analogical reasoning
again—or ignore the risks of using comparisons too sloppily.”
—Jack Rakove, professor of history and political science at
Stanford University, winner of the Pulitzer Prize
“In the battle for public opinion, the best analogy usually wins.
Shortcut shows us how—and why. It makes you think before you
speak, literally. This is a great book, particularly for people who
care about communicating effectively.”
—Loretta Ucelli, White House Communications Director for President
Bill Clinton
“Like a hot knife through warm butter, Pollack’s clean prose cuts
to the heart of the matter: We communicate, think, learn, and
discover through analogies. Filled with captivating and
entertaining examples, from falling apples to toppling dominos, the
book teaches us how to best use analogies to win hearts, convince
minds, and just have fun. Sure to float your boat.”
—Scott Page, director of the Center for the Study of Complex
Systems at the University of Michigan
“Pollack takes us on a fascinating journey through the shortcuts of
the mind, revealing the immense power of analogy as a psychological
device affecting our lives in intricate ways.”
—Daniela Schiller, PhD, neuroscientist at Mt. Sinai School of
Medicine
“Our minds work like supercomputers, processing impossibly vast
amounts of information, creating patterns and parallels to make
sense of all the data. Shortcut reveals how, through analogies
(like the one in the previous sentence!), we understand our world,
and, ultimately, ourselves. A fascinating read.”
—David Zweig, author of Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in
an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion
“Pollack offers up an unparalleled feast of analogies, digging deep
into his extensive experience as a writer to show why analogy is
important, how it’s constructed, and what makes it effective.
Shortcut is to analogies what The Joy of Cooking is to
brisket.”
—Benjamin Bergen, director of the Language and Cognition Lab at the
University of California at San Diego and author of Louder Than
Words
“Anyone who has ever tried to find the right analogy to win an
argument, to settle a dispute, to persuade squabblers to
compromise—or who wants to avoid making things worse by using the
wrong analogy—should read this insightful book!”
—Suzanne R. Butler, PhD, JD, member of National Academy of
Arbitrators
Praise for John Pollack’s books:
“He tells us, with a clarity unusual for the subject, how the mind
works.”
—The New York Times
“The best books on language are the ones that encourage us to
reexamine what we think we know, and The Pun Also Rises . . . does
exactly that.”
—The Boston Globe
“Pollack’s . . . quest seems not merely charming but
heroic.”
—The New Yorker
“Written in a style of singular grace and impact.”
—Washington Times
"John Pollack is the William Safire of his generation. In
Shortcut, he blends his encyclopedic knowledge, hard earned
experience in politics, and deep love of words to craft a book that
consistently rewards the reader with keen insights into the wonders
of how language shapes our thinking."
—Jake Siewert, Global Head of Communications for Goldman Sachs
"As a historian, I have been professionally trained not to use
analogies. But as John Pollack demonstrates in this eye-opening,
mind-blowing, puzzle-solving book, comparisons and analogies infuse
our thinking, infect our decisions, and inflect our efforts at
persuasion. Once you lower your guard to Pollack's clever forays,
you will never undervalue the power of analogical reasoning
again--or ignore the risks of using comparisons too sloppily."
—Jack Rakove, Professor of History and Political Science at
Stanford University, Winner of the Pulitzer Prize
"In the battle for public opinion, the best analogy usually wins.
Shortcut shows us how—and why. It makes you think before
you speak, literally. This is a great book, particularly for
people who care about communicating effectively."
—Loretta Ucelli, White House Communications Director for President
Bill Clinton
"Like a hot knife through warm butter, Pollack's clean prose cuts
to the heart of the matter: we communicate, think, learn, and
discover through analogies. Filled with captivating and
entertaining examples, from falling apples to toppling dominos, the
book teaches us how to best use analogies to win hearts, convince
minds, and just have fun. Sure to float your boat."
—Scott Page, Director of the Center for Study of Complex Systems at
the University of Michigan
"Pollack takes us on a fascinating journey through the shortcuts of
the mind, revealing the immense power of analogy as a psychological
device affecting our lives in intricate ways."
—Daniela Schiller, Ph.D., Neuroscientist at Mt. Sinai School of
Medicine
"Our minds work like supercomputers, processing impossibly vast
amounts of information, creating patterns and parallels to make
sense of all the data. Shortcut reveals how, through analogies
(like the one in the previous sentence!), we understand our world,
and, ultimately, ourselves. A fascinating read."
—David Zweig, author of Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in
an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion
"Pollack offers up an unparalleled feast of analogies, digging deep
into his extensive experience as a writer to show why analogy is
important, how it's constructed, and what makes it effective.
Shortcut is to analogies what The Joy of Cooking is to
brisket."
—Benjamin Bergen, Director of the Language and Cognition Lab at the
University of California at San Diego and author of Louder than
Words
"Anyone who has ever tried to find the right analogy to win an
argument, to settle a dispute, to persuade squabblers to compromise
— or who wants to avoid making things worse by using the wrong
analogy — should read this insightful book!"
—Suzanne R. Butler, Ph.D., J.D., member of National Academy of
Arbitrators
Praise for Pollack's The Pun Also Rises
“The best books on language are the ones that encourage us to
reexamine what we think we know, and The Pun Also Rises…does
exactly that.” – Boston Globe
“[Pollack] tells us, with a clarity unusual for the subject, how
the mind works.” – New York Times
“Brief but compelling.” – Los Angeles Times
“A fun, cogent argument in favor of a dubious, often-damned art.” –
Kirkus Reviews
“Anyone with an interest in language is going to find this book
fascinating.” – David Crystal, author of How Language Works
“Punderful!” – Ben Schott, author of Schott’s Original
Misellany
“It’s fascinating and funny.” – Brave New Words
"Refreshingly witty, intelligent and informative.” – Rundpinne
“Whether you are a practicing punster, interested in language, or
just hungry to learn something on the beach this summer as you lie
on the sand-which-is there… Pollack’s book is fun and informative.”
– Detroit Free Press
“…an engrossing history of the pun.” – The Globe and Mail
(Toronto)
“If you’re at all interested in language, and how it has shaped
humanity, read this book. You won’t be disappointed.” – Reading
Through Life
“One of those simple pleasures of the book world: a thoroughly
entertaining book that’s also academic, so you can feel smart and
learn new jokes at the same time.” – The Huntsville Item
“An entertaining and illuminating exploration of how wordplay
evolved to be much more than a cheap linguistic thrill or the
product of bottom-feeder copywriters.” – Brain Pickings
Praise for Pollack's Cork Boat: A True Story of the Unlikeliest
Boat Ever Built:
“As the boat bobs down the Douro River to the cheers of the crowd,
Pollack’s absurd quest seems not merely charming, but heroic." –
The New Yorker
“A surprisingly charming memoir.” – Esquire
“Fascinating and extraordinary.” – The San Francisco Chronicle
“Written in a style of singular grace and impact.” – The Washington
Times
“This buoyant nonfiction adventure saga is bound to float any
armchair adventurer right of the winter doldrums.” – Boston
Herald
“An adventure whose goofiness is exceeded only by its fun.” –
Detroit Free Press
Praise for John Pollack’s books:
"He tells us, with a clarity unusual for the subject, how the mind
works."
—The New York Times
"The best books on language are the ones that encourage us to
reexamine what we think we know, and The Pun Also Rises . . . does
exactly that."
—The Boston Globe
"Pollack’s . . . quest seems not merely charming but
heroic."
—The New Yorker
"Written in a style of singular grace and impact."
—Washington Times
|
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
