Book - 11

The book 'You're Too Kind - a brief history of flattery' by Richard Stengel. true to its title is informative about flattery. Though like any other thesis on any subject, is not so interesting at places but one can, always skip those details.  It also provides other side of some self improvement books (How to win friends and influence people by Dale Canegie). This is the moral of the book.

'Ultimately we must embrace flattery to redeem praise.  Small flatteries are part of the mortar that holds society together.  It is one of the daily rituals that help make civil society what we want it to be.  Flattery is one of those little things which, even if it is insincere, makes everyday life pleasant in tiny, incremental ways.'

Epilogue gives tips.  Here are the best tips ones. First on how to flatter without getting caught'

Find something you really do like. If you're a bit squeamish about making things up out of whole cloth, find something you honestly admire, and praise it. May be even a little more than it deserves.
Never offer a compliment and ask a favor at the same time. When you charge for a compliment you make the receiver wary.
Flatter people behind their backs. The virtue of this is, they don't suspect you of flattery.  It makes its way to them through a third party - "He said you were brilliant" - and suddenly your target thinks much more highly of you.
Mix a little biter in with the sweet. In other words, blend a tiny criticism with huge paise, e.g., "I thought the play moved a little slowly in the first act, but apart from that I thought it was better than Long Day's Journey into Night."

Continued >-----