Worthy Sequel to Wells's Classic Novel

Massacre of Mankind by Stephen Baxter is a sequel to H.G. Wells's The War of the Worlds. Fourteen years after the first Martian invasion described in Wells's book, Earthlings have learned a lot from it and harnessed Martian technology. However, the Martians have learned too, and are preparing for a second invasion which will be even more deadly than the first.

Massacre of Mankind is a pretty good sequel to The War of the Worlds. For me, it was interesting to read a book by a modern author according to his interpretation of Wells's classic.

The Power of Persuasion

To get anywhere in life, one must be persuasive and clearly state their objectives. Unfortunately, not many people know this fine art. That's where Jay Heinrichs's book entitled Thank You For Arguing comes in. Heinrichs uses practical examples from regular people as well as famous historical figures such as Aristotle and Abraham Lincoln to lay out this fine art. At over 400 pages, this book contains a wealth of useful information on how to get your point across. The author outlines various techniques used to persuade people very clearly. He also delves into the why behind the techniques and explains the psychology that makes this particular technique work.

The Art of Negotiation

Negotiation plays a very crucial part in our lives. Whether debating with your family where to go for vacation, making a large purchase, or making a multi-million dollar business deal, it is vital that we reap the maximum benefit while also being mindful of the other party. Thankfully, Peter B. Stark's book The Only Negotiating Guide You'll Ever Need provides crucial information on the art of negotiation. Originally published in 2003, the book has been updated with the latest research in the field. It is comprised of two parts, the first deals with negotiation itself: the psychology of both parties, the styles of negotiation, the skills you need to negotiate, while the second part offers practical situations and describes the tactics you can use to successfully close the deal.

Overall, this book is very informative. It is very concise, yet offers a wealth of advice. 

The Physics of Everyday Things

For those who wondered how things from electric toothbrushes to airplanes work, James Kakalios' book The Physics of Everyday Things explains it. The author's premise is clever; he takes the reader through a person's typical day. After each short vignette with the object in bold, Kakalios then explains how that particular object works and the physics behind it. His explanations are quite clear for those without a science background, however, there could be more diagrams. Nevertheless, The Physics of Everyday Things will serve a purpose to those curious about technology.