Influence vs The Catalyst: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Persuasion, Psychology
Influence
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Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding field of influence and…
The Catalyst
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“Jonah Berger is one of those rare thinkers who blends research-based insights with immensely practical guidance. I am grateful to be one of the many who have learned from this master teacher.” —Jim Collins, author Good…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate The Catalyst highest: The Catalyst 4.3 · Influence 4.1.
- Influence has the widest readership — 253 ratings behind its score.
Scores by source
| Influence | The Catalyst | |
|---|---|---|
| Hardcover | 4.2 (253) | 3.6 (7) |
| Google Books | 4.0 (15) | — |
| Apple Books | 4.5 (11) | 4.5 (93) |
Reception
| Influence | The Catalyst | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 253 | 93 |
| Editions | 28 | 7 |
| Film adaptations | — | 1 |
| Wikipedia attention | 640 | 1652 |
| Pages | 302 | 288 |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: Influence or The Catalyst?
The Catalyst has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Catalyst 4.3/5, Influence 4.1/5).
Which is shorter to read: Influence or The Catalyst?
The Catalyst is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: The Catalyst (288 pages, ≈ 5 h 20 m); Influence (302 pages, ≈ 5 h 36 m).
Which is harder to read: Influence or The Catalyst?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — Influence: Moderate; The Catalyst: Moderate.