Championed by business tycoon Warren Buffett, utilised by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and exploited by the murderous cult leader, Charles Manson, the self help book, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is almost 90 and has sold many millions of copies since 1936. 

It was a surprise bestseller when it was first published in depression era United States to a readership hungry for advice for making it big in corporate America. It spawned a self-help industry and built its advice on the principle of smiling and sincerity. But is it really selling a form of manipulation?

It's the second title in the series, Books That Changed Us which takes a fresh look at five influential books of the 20th century.

GuestsJoe Hart — CEO, Dale Carnegie training

Adam Ferrier — behavioural psychologist and founder of creative agency, Thinkerbell. He's the author of The Advertising Effect: How to Change Behaviour and Stop Listening to the Customer: Try Hearing Your Brand InsteadGeorge Mladenov — lawyer and political staffer, he's best known for being a two time contestant on the reality TV show, Survivor. His book is How to Win Friends and Manipulate People.