Here's a few of the many five-star reviews of The Secrets of Consulting:

This is a wonderful book. The paperback version has been a valuable resource for many years. - Keith Pitty

I love this book for so many reasons not related to consulting. I think it's a fantastic book on the secrets of effective communication, tips and tricks when trying to complete a task with another human being and on just being a better human.. I think everyone should read this book. I've given it to people in many different fields, some having nothing to do with software, consulting etc. It's a must have in any library! - Marjie C.

In contrast to many other books with promising titles such as "how to XYZ in 21 days" or "Succeeding with XYZ", this book really does stand up to the promise of providing the "Secrets of consulting" (or at least some of them).Chapter after chapter Jerry Weinberg unveils the principles and truths behind being a successful consultant. He does this in a humorous and appealing ways, using stories and examples from multiple domains, making this book not only informative and educational, but also a fun experience for the reader.

Since the very beginning of this book, I got a feeling that I could trust what the writer says (writes), and as I continued to read on, This trust had increased more, even when some of things written are a hard to implement and require self discipline and character, I do believe that by following the principles offered I can (and will) be a better consultant and of a better service to my customers. I could already detect myself using some of the stuff without deliberate intention.

I would claim that this book is a must have in every consultant's library.The only regret I have about reading this book, is that I haven’t done it 5 years ago. - Elad Sofer

I am enjoying this book. While I look forward to applying these rules in my work as a Test Lead, I think they will also help in my interactions with consultants in my workplace.  This is a very thought provoking book written in a humorous style. I only wish I have read it before I tried to be a consultant myself.

For me, a recently started consultant, this book provides a font of knowledge and experience very useful. As it is says in the book, the book itself is a kind of a consultant in paper.

Not being a native English speaker, sometimes I find it hard to motivate myself to read books in English (except for educational materials required for my professional development). However, this book had been continuously recommended by my most trusted friends, so I decided it is worth making an effort -- and never regretted.

First, it is one of the most in-depth and comprehensive books on psychology of consulting written by non-psychologists.The exquisite art of giving out advice, while respecting the decision maker's sensitive ego and fragile self-esteem, is almost extinct nowadays. The ability to accept advice without anxiety or offense and apply it effectively is also a rare talent. Under these conditions, consulting becomes a misused and undervalued marginal practice.

As a client:- Have you ever quietly stewed, as those smarty pants claimed that they can teach you how to manage the problems which had plagued your business or your life for many years?- Have you ever envied those megabucks the consultants get just for blabbering and giving out commonsense advice?- Have you ever thought their hourly pay is a racket, because under such conditions they are not interested in solving clients' problems?

As a consultant:- Have you ever woken up in cold sweat screaming: "OMG, everything is wrong! My whole life is one big mistake!"?- Or have you ever wanted to see your clients as a captive audience, forcefully exposed to all that good, wealth and happiness you intended to bring them?This book will lighten your burden, really. It will be helpful and inspiring for those new to consulting, but also will cheer up and comfort the experienced consultants.

Second, this book provides handy framework for thinking about consulting and your own role in it, your personal input, achievements, failures, expectations and so on, as a complex system. Thus, it enables further re-evaluation of personal experience and the exploration of new ways to apply it to your consulting practice.

Third, I certainly cannot overlook an important bonus: this book seemed very kind and funny for me. I don't know whether it is a benefit worth mentioning, but this book left me in a much better mood, yeah.

Finally, to those studying English as a foreign language -- tons of nice idioms served in a comprehensible context are awaiting you in this book! - Natalia Zhdanova

I think this is the fourth (or possibly fifth) copy of this book I've purchased. I normally, with great fervour in fact, hoard my books; oh I'll quite willingly point to where I think "the great stuff is" but my copy? No way. For some reason it's been different with this book since I purchased my first copy sometime almost three decades ago. I've thrust it into the hands of people who I thought needed. And I guess they did - for I never got the copies back! I know I have a paper copy (still my first love) in my library but I JUST HAD to purchase the lean pub version so now, as I start to read it for at least the seventh time (I know I read a couple of my copies a couple times), I will have it with me always.Thank you, Gerald M Weinberg for the Raspberry Jam. - David HC Soul

More Secrets of Consulting is a sequel or extension to The Secrets of Consulting, but the two books may be read in either order. One reviewer said: "Just buy this book and improve your life. I add Mr. Weinberg to a short list of those authors and persons in my life that have made me a better person and provided some direction to the chaos of the universe."

Another reviewer said: The "Consultant's Tool Kit" of the subtitle is actually a complex metaphor. Each component of the toolkit is a metaphor for a certain aspect of your personality and personal capabilities. For example, the wishing wand is a metaphor for understanding, and being able to ask for, what you want from a professional relationship. The chapter around this metaphor first explores why most people either don't know what they want or are unable to express it, and suggests ways to make your wishes clearer. It places this in a professional context, contract negotiation, and emphasizes how the personal ability to express and value your wishes will help you negotiate more successfully.

In a similar way other chapters focus on developing wisdom and new knowledge, managing time and information, being courageous with your decisions, learning how to say yes and no, understanding why you and others are in the current situation, and keeping yourself in balance, avoiding burnout and other self-destructive conditions.

These are all important not only to consultants, but to anyone trying to establish a more satisfying professional or personal life by managing problems, by self-improvement and by better handling their relationships to other people.

Michael Larsen said, " More Secrets of Consulting" is a gem of a book, and remarkably quick reading.. Needless to say, a single read through will not impart all the wisdom and experience of this book, but there's much to ponder, and it's my hope I'll be able to put much of this in practice in my most recent venture. Perhaps a year from now, I'll be able to come back and see how well I did :).

Matthew D Edwards wrote: "Developing MORE of your soft and thinking skills. This builds on the first book in this series and is the same caliber, class and application value as the first. More insight from a consultant/leader/teacher with years of experience.

Randy Given said, "This book is much better than the original 'Secrets of Consulting.' The original was released quite a while ago, and you can tell that the author has learned a lot in the meantime, and is better at presenting it. I would have given the original three stars, maybe four. This book I give five stars. Some of my bias may be that this book is more at the level of my current software consulting experience. Some of the topics (e.g., burnout) are sorely needed right now! It is good to see good books at good prices again. If you are a consultant, at least give this title a try.

Charles Ashbacher said, "If you were to buy this book and the previous one, 'Secrets of Consulting,' and read them, then your next step should be to place one in each of your hip pockets. For that is the only part of being a consultant not covered in these books. Wrapped in the guise of folk wisdom, the advice given here could and should be part of a business degree. For, no matter what the circumstances and the size of the companies represented on both sides, a business deal still reduces down to individuals who trust each other enough to 'like' each other in the business sense.

In many ways, you are being paid to tell your customers when they are not right and to do anything other than that is a moral breach of your contract. Weinberg spends a great deal of time in explaining how to deal with this critical situation and that advice hits the dime-sized target.

No one writes business advice better than Weinberg. If he ever decides to give up writing about business, he could make a career out of writing personal self-help books. It will be on my top ten books of the year list.