Gian Luigi Longinotti-Buitoni's premise is that the best way to sell products is to tap into customers' emotional impulses, which can override their rational thinking. It's a good theory, as proven by how effectively the CEO of Ferrari North America used it in writing this book. As a reader, you can't help but get swept up in the pages of description of wondrous products from the likes of Ferrari, Tiffany, the Ritz and Cohiba. And when you do, it's easy to overlook the fact that the book is slightly repetitive and presents ideas that are far from radical. However, Longinotti-Buitoni's anecdotes about the development of the Ferrari brand name, as well as those of other high-end companies, are sure to delight marketing and advertising practitioners. We [...] recommend this book to professionals in those fields, who will find useful insights, especially in the excellent summaries that come toward the end of each chapter. A clear introduction and a well-executed concluding chapter also help clarify the ideas. There is probably more passion than substance to Selling Dreams, but in the end, isn't that what it's all about?

By page 5, I was entranced by this book. In keeping with its theme, SELLING DREAMS looks at the role of luxury in our lives from the broadest possible perspective. It offers fascinating anecdotes from craftspeople who combine art and business in the realms of cars, movies, food and drink, watches, hotels and more. I was especially pleased to see the illuminating perspectives from great philosophers alongside shrewd business analysis and cultural insight. A very unusual and worthwhile book that I already plan to reread. - Marcia Yudkin, Ph.D., author of Six Steps to Free Publicity, Persuading on Paper and other books