Review of "The Lost Art of Listening" by Michael P. Nichols

"To listen is to pay attention, take an interest, care about, take to heart, validate, acknowledge, be moved... Appreciate."

Having attended a number of seminars on listening, which tend to boil down to "you really have to listen hard," I'm not sure that it is possible to produce a course book or pamphlet on how to listen.  Nichols does not do a bad job.  He does cover all of the traps that people who think they are listening fall into.  He does tend to go on at length about these problems, but possibly can be forgiven, since he is writing, rather than speaking.

He does provide the standard advice.  He does cover what you should be doing to respond, and confirm, to the speaker, that you are listening.  He does provide the basics, and it is up to the reader to actually follow his advice, and really listen.

Saying that Nichols covers too much is unfair.  He does go into much greater depth, and examines more complicated situations, then most people would realize are possible.  Therefore, while it is too bad that there isn't a quick and easy book, or booklet, about listening, this is a sort of graduate level course in the subject.  It's something that most people need to learn the basics of, but Nichols provides a much more in-depth guidance, his examinations are extensive, and his guidance is very valuable.