Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

Socrates was famous for being an annoying gadfly who went round Athens asking awkward questions like “but what is justice?” He died for it but luckily we don't have to. We can learn to ask “better questions” and through them learn more about ourselves and our beliefs and how to challenge other people in a genuine way to understand their point without antagonism. There is much here to consider and reflect on and I found it fascinating.

“Questions are like tools. The right ones can allow you to get into a thoughtful discussion and explore another person’s point of view.”

How often in a conversation are we planning what we are going to say next while the person is still talking? This is not thoughtful listening. One of the quotes Ms Wiss uses is how we use facts like a drunk uses a lamppost - not for illumination but for support. I really like that and it might well become my new mantra. There is a lot of learning in this book but it is actually an easy read as the writing is clear and there is no attempt to show off but merely to engage. I’d recommend it if you are becoming frustrated at friends or family who have polarising views - and in the current world there are rather a lot of those.

I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review

A RECIPE FOR ASKING GOOD QUESTIONS: Key ingredients. Take curiosity as your base. Add a dash of not-knowing. A teaspoon of naivety. A pinch of desire for a deeper understanding. A helping of patience. Keep your opinions on ice. Leave your empathy on the shelf. A generous stretch of time. An empty head and eyes wide open. You’ve developed your Socratic attitude.”

I couldn’t resist a book rather unfortunately titled ‘How To Know Everything’. It’s rather misleading and the nicer title of ‘Socrates in Sneakers’ was its original Dutch title. That aside, it’s an immensely readable book, starting with the author’s journey into Socratic philosophy and developing into a very practical self-reflection on the way we ask questions and how to do it more effectively.

Elke Wiss is a practical philosopher and teaches Socratic dialogue within companies. After understanding WHY we are so bad at asking questions, Wiss shares skills to improve including when to ask ‘upward questions’, towards the abstract, such as “Why is that?” and ‘downward questions’ that root around specifics, such as “When did this happen?”

It’s the type of book that ends up with lots of underlining and post-its of quick reminders around the desk area!

Perhaps the book should have been called "How to Know Nothing" but I suppose that would be more difficult to sell! Wiss explains how the Socratic method can be put to practical use to learn (and, I would suggest, to teach). It's true, too often when we think we are in a dialogue it's really just two monologues as each party thinks of the next point they want to make instead of really listening. And too often conversations are shallow and unsatisfactory because we don't ask good questions or because we're afraid to appear impertinent or demonstrate our ignorance.

It's a fine line between a conversation-starting question and a conversation killer (and Wiss illustrates this with examples from Socrates himself) so there is lots of practical advice to keep the reader right. I was reading this at Easter and the story of Jesus joining the two on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection with a provocative conversation-starting question immediately took my mind to this book. Indeed Jesus first public act as a 12 year old was to spend time with the teachers in the temple hearing them and asking them questions. I'm sure Jesus wasn't a student of the Socratic Method but he was certainly an exponent.

How to Know Everything is a reminder of the power of good questions for both learning and teaching and a warning against making do with apparent shortcuts.

Recommended - thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a book based on a questioning style - the Socratic method - which is used by psychologists and counsellors. Lots of practical advice that you can easily implement.

Questioning is not interrogation - this isn't aimed at interrogators: but at people who want to improve their listening skills and who want to get others to open up to them. Asking the wrong questions leads to one word answers, or doesn't elicit the response required - by using a Socratic format, it gently encourages the person to talk and be more open.

A good book for anyone who has to manage and help people - managers, HR professionals, medical and nursing staff, teachers, to name just a few.

My first encounter with the Socratic method of discussion and learning. Uncomfortable reading for a start - “Do I do that?!” I surely do!
This book should be prescribed reading for…well, everyone.
I found it very interesting, if a little slow and repetitive at times. I particularly liked the practical examples.
But I suspect I won’t put much of it to use - I don’t want to lose all my friends!

This was a really interesting book to read that gave me a lot of food for thought.

In an increasingly polarised world, the ability to ask effective questions and engage in meaningful dialogue, seems to be slipping away. Those who shout the loudest to prove their point seem to be admired. But to counteract the divisions in this world, it is essential to take a step back and learn the skills to question and challenge effectively and respectfully.

This book sets out the fundamental characteristics of good questions, the 'Socratic attitude' which can lead to deeper and more in-depth conversations. Conversations that are not about offering advice, or opinion, but that focus on the recipient and draw out deeper meanings behind their answers.

Offering practical tips and common pitfalls, this is a very accessible read and the techniques apply to individuals as well as corporations - the whole world would benefit from developing a Socratic attitude in my belief.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this title in return for an honest review.

This is an interesting read if you are interested in practical philosophy and the art of asking questions. This book takes the idea of asking questions in conversations and turns it into so much more. Breaking the art of questioning down into 5 different parts this book teaches you what a good question looks like, how a bad question can lead us down a cul-de-sac and how people react when their initial thoughts are challenged by your line of questioning. It teaches us how to be better listeners, how to ask none judgmental questions than actually elicit a greater understanding of people's thought processes and how to identify when people are being evasive. This book is full of helpful tips and exercises so that we can examine our own behaviors and apply the ideas to have more enriched conversations.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.