Cheap Conversation Piece (Book) (PAUL LOWRIE, BRET NICHOLAUS) Price

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Customer Reviews of Conversation Piece

not that good
Sorry, but I bought this book because I love the "if" books and I thought this would be cool too. Basically it's a pretty lame imitation of those books. Yes there are some good questions, but most of them are pretty standard. And it seems sometimes like the writers treat you like a little kid. Shoulda saved my money.

Tired of Making Standard Small Talk? Try These Questions!
You will find some of the most interesting personal questions you have ever read in this book. You can use the questions in several ways: to amuse yourself; to stimulate even more intriguing questions; to grow closer to those you care about; and to ask others you know less well the same questions as a way to become acquainted. As a result, you should find your dinner table conversation much enlivened! As the authors say, " . . . This book was designed to make your conversations more creative, interesting and exciting."

The questions are in no particular order, and you can browse or go through from 1-320 in numerical order.

Here are a few of my favorites (with their numerical order noted in parentheses):

(320) "If you could add any question to this book, what would it be?"

(70) "If you could change the custom of shaking hands, what would you replace it with?"

(131) "If you had to choose your own epitaph of seven words or less (besides name and dates), what would it be?"

(181) "What bit of knowledge/advice do you have that you wish you could pass on to everyone else?"

(184) "What fear do you most want to be rid of forever?"

(213) "What is something that you enjoy that is a chore for most other people?"

(215) "What world record would you most want to establish?"

(273) "What is one of the simple pleasures of life you truly enjoy?"

In a group setting (perhaps like in a parlor game), you are encouraged to give everyone 60 seconds to answer before going on to the next person, unless the people involved want more or less time. The authors suggest that if you don't know what the answer is, you should imagine what the answer might be if you knew and be as creative as possible. If you get onto a subject you love, you can just stay on it. You don't have to go on to another question.

I think these are great stallbusting questions because they can make you aware of your complacency. If there are things you love, and you are not doing them, what's wrong? The epitaph question is a good start on considering your life's purpose. Are you living it? If you have a terrible fear you want to get rid of, what are you doing about it? As I went through the questions, I saw direct or indirect attacks on over 35 stalls that drain joy and accomplishment from life.

I suspect that you will get more good out of this book if you do the more stimulating questions with someone you love. That can be a great way to draw you closer together. In a way, this can be like some of the exercises in Relationship Rescue. In that book, you are encouraged to answer the questions first for yourself, then as you think the other person will answer them. Then you compare actual results, and discuss what it all means.

Enjoy getting to know yourself and others much better! BE SURE TO ACT ON WHAT YOU LEARN!