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The Little Red Book of Wisdom


I know, I know, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. But look at this cover. There's nothing to it. There's nothing glossy. There's no picture of the author, wooing us in, saying, 'Look at how smart I am. I can offer you wisdom.'

I received this book as a gift from a friend. When I first read the title, The Little Red Book of Wisdom, I had some questions. Why is it red? Why is it little? Was there not a lot of wisdom to necessitate a larger book? And why did my friend give this book to me? Did I need some wisdom? Am I ... (gulp) ... dumb?

Soon enough I left my insecurities behind and opened up this small book by Mark DeMoss, who runs a public relations firm. I submit that I have learned once again the truth about not judging a book by its cover. I was hooked by the first chapter.

Mark is a Christian, but he does not use the Bible or his religion as a hammer to say why he's so smart or even that his smarts are better than someone else. It is simply his story, which he shares throughout the book while dispensing ideas that are, indeed, wise.

Mark divides the book into 2 parts. The first part is wisdom for your professional life. Though he's clearly big business, the ideas shared here could be used on any level. The second part of the book is wisdom for your personal life. There's everything here, from maintaining boundaries to surrounding yourself with older and wiser people. He tackles topics like integrity, listening skills, and even drinking habits.

The chapters are short, making this a good book to read here and there and refer back to. Oh, and his picture can be found inside the back cover. I'm sure this book can be found at several retailers. I'll let you use your own wisdom to decide where you'll find it.
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