Alan Alda writes with humor as he shares his own experiences in learning more about communication. Anyone involved in communication within their organization should consider reading this book. Or, listen to the audiobook, either way, it is a good read.

'If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating' by Alan Alda is a refreshing take on non-fiction books, and the topic seems more timely than ever.

With plenty of stories and examples from his own life, Alan Alda talks about the importance of communication. We all think it's important, but we are increasingly bad about it. The author includes ways to become better at communicating and empathy with others. Through a series of acting exercises and games, the reader can learn to understand, then be understood.

I've been a fan of Alan Alda in his acting roles and as an author. He writes with humor and candor. He is self-deprecating when he needs to be, but not needlessly. The book is very readable and the subject is important.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

I like the easy-going voice used by the author in this one. Some great lessons in communicating effectively.

This is a great book that talks about making sure you are speaking the same language as the person you are trying to share information with

If you've read the synopsis, you'll know, hopefully, that this is not a humor book, though it contains some definite laughs. Alan Alda writes in a conversational style, which, once I settled into the rhythm, made this book on communication resonate. I didnt feel lectured, even though he was offering tips and tricks to improve empathy and overall communication skills. His personal anecdotes were scattered throughout the book and I enjoyed , as well as, learned from, them.

Alan Alda is a gifted and versatile actor and also a great communicator and lover of science. The book is truly about improvisation and empathy; and how he used those skills to create a better way for scientists to communicate their research and work. The book was nicely laid out, interesting with a good amount of stories and research and some helpful little tips. I think I would have liked to see more tips on how to apply the lessons to everyday life.

Alan Alda, perhaps best known as the star of M*A*S*H, has a new book titled IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU, WOULD I HAVE THIS LOOK ON MY FACE? He was interviewed on PBS NewHour last night:

Embedded interview here [can be found at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAkqWGO1T-c

Alda builds on his experience hosting PBS's Scientific American Frontiers to stress the importance of listening – really listening with eyes, ears and feelings. As founder of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University, he points out the importance of empathy, personal connection and trust in communication. His message combines an appreciation for science (saying we need to understand it better so as to support it more) while sharing insights associated with the Humanities, like the acting world's "mirroring" and other improv exercises. IF I UNDERSTOOD YOU, WOULD I HAVE THIS LOOK ON MY FACE? seems particularly timely and useful in an age when so (too?) much of our communication tends to be through screens.

I was really only familiar with Alan Alda from M*A*S*H, so this book was a pleasant surprise. He translated insights from improv and other fields to helpful methods for improving communication at many levels. The structure of the book didn't always flow for me, but I enjoyed the anecdotes and hope that some of the tips will translate into me communicating better with those around me.

I have always enjoyed sAlan alada ad an actor and he is also a great writer. I enjoyed this book more than the last one of his I read. Laughter is great for the soul.

Infelt the book was very sliw and never developed enough to keep my interest

If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look On My Face?
Many years ago I saw Alan Alda on a TV show, something about scientific frontiers. While that’s mentioned in this book, he focuses on one particular subject, that of empathy.
It all started with an encounter at the dentist’s, where the man couldn’t get his point across to his patient because he couldn’t stop thinking like a dentist. From there Mr. Alda moved to doctors, stating, “People are dying because we can’t communicate in ways that allow us to understand one another.” Another great quote is, “Not being truly engaged with the people we’re trying to communicate with, and then suffering the snags of misunderstanding, is the grit in the gears of daily life.” There’s some fascinating points where he talks about using acting practices to get doctors and others to communicate better. It didn’t take long for the realization to hit: “Developing empathy and learning to recognize what the other person is thinking are both essential to good communication.”
Here’s a little hint to make this book more interesting: read it in his voice, feel it reverberating inside your skull.
Most of the chapters are small, some only describing an encounter, story, or lesson that led to his conclusions, but it seems to work fine. In explaining how to better explain things, he explained everything really well. Even a book about making communication accessible can be full of jargon, but thankfully this one wasn’t.

Random House and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? This is my honest opinion of the book.

If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face? is a tome about the key to good communication between individuals and describes more meaningful and powerful ways to relate to one another. Information that is difficult and hard to grasp can be literally lost during communication, inevitably leading one party to be confused. Alan Alda tells readers how communication can break down because of a lack of engagement, leading to "snags of misunderstanding". There are two keys to real communication: empathy and learning to recognize what the other person is thinking. Using a person's body language and tone of voice, not just their words, will help people to relate to one another.

Alan Alda demonstrates communication skills that he has learned in his many years as an actor, host, and producer, giving readers a personal snapshot into this famous actor's life in a meaningful way. As a lover of science, Alan Alda has not only previously hosted the Scientific American Frontiers television program for eleven years, but also helped science students at the university level gain the crucial communication skills that they need for success in the workplace. This interesting book can help all readers, despite their backgrounds or personal goals, achieve greater empathy for others and techniques for better communication in their lives.

5++ stars

Every single person on the planet should read this book. Alan Alda (who is a phenomenal writer) has written a highly informative book about the importance of communicating better. He then goes on to provide innovative and creative ways to help people do so. He is a natural storyteller, and the book is so entertaining that I completed it in one evening. Alda uses miscommunication stories from his own life to demonstrate how important it is for people to understand each other, and the issues that arise when we don’t. A major focus of Alda’s is teaching empathy. Relating to others creates empathy, and from there the desire to understand and cooperate is born. He also focuses on improving communication through listening with our eyes, using a story to make a point, eliminating confusing jargon, and paying close attention to what the other’s person’s face is telling us.

If I Understood You is one of the most informative and useful books that I have read in a long while. After I finished it, I immediately emailed my daughter’s teachers suggesting they use it to support a creative combined math and science class that she took last year. I also think the techniques will help me with my own relationships, including my husband, children and friends. I highly, highly recommend this book to everyone. This book would make a great gift, and our world (and particularly our country right now) would be such a better place if everyone followed his ideas. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved all things Alan Alda for a long time and this book sure didn't disappoint me. He made me laugh out loud in several places and I so appreciate the sensitivity that Mr. Alda is able to display. Great book!

This book was good. Kind of boring in the beginning and, to be honest--the end as well. But the middle was fantastic. I grabbed a couple of things I could apply to my own job at a call center. Until facetime irreversibly installs itself into our society, I don't see my customers. This can obviously put a damper on communication sometimes. Getting even a few things to bring to the table and improve my life is a bonus.

But also, it kind of bothered me that this guy just kept on bringing things up about himself instead of the topic he was supposed to be writing about. Apparently he is or was famous and boy, he does not let you forget it.

This is a wonderful book on the art of communicating!

Growing up I loved watching Alan Alda. Between MASH reruns and Scientific American Frontier in every class in high school, I feel like we have a great bond. I was super excited to pick up his new book from NetGalley. Full disclosure, even though I read the title, I thought this would be more memoir rather than non-fiction science book that it ended up being. This book was filled with interesting facts and philosophies on communication and empathy, though it just wasn't my jam. I enjoyed the personal stories thrown in occasionally and just wished it had more. I would recommend this book for people who love science and are fascinated by how communication can change the world.

I think I was seven years old the year that M*A*S*H debuted and I've loved Alan Alda ever since. As a former communications major, I found this book especially interesting and enjoyable to read. And hey, it's Alan Alda.

I have read his previous collections and this really stands up to them. Alda gets better with age.