"An engaging, highly readable survey of the sophisticated methods of persuasion we encounter in various situations. From television to telemarketing and from self-deception to suicide cults, Levine takes a hard look at all the ways we attempt to persuade each other—and how and why they work (or don't). . . . The next time you wonder what possessed you to pay $50 for a medallion commemorating the series finale of Friends, you'll know where to turn." —Slashdot.org "If you're like most people, you think advertising and marketing work—just not on you. Robert Levine's The Power of Persuasion demonstrates how even the best-educated cynics among us can be victimized by sales pitches." —The Globe and Mail "Levine puts [his] analysis in the service of his real mission—to arm the reader against manipulation." —The Wall Street Journal "This wonderful book will change the way you think and act in many realms of your life." —Philip Zimbardo former president, American Psychological Association