// Book comparison

Abundance vs Never Split the Difference

Which should you read? A side-by-side comparison of Abundance by Peter Diamandis, Steven Kotler and Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss.

At a glance

Abundance Never Split the Difference
Rating ★ 4.8/5 ★ 4.9/5
Pages 400 288
Reading time ~10.0 h ~7.2 h
Published 2012 2016
Author Peter Diamandis, Steven Kotler Chris Voss
Category Innovation & Technology Personal Effectiveness
Publisher Free Press HarperBusiness

Choose Abundance if…

  • You're interested in innovation & technology.

Choose Never Split the Difference if…

  • You're interested in personal effectiveness.
  • You want the higher-rated book (4.9/5).
  • You prefer a shorter read (~7.2 hours).
  • You want the more recent perspective (2016).

Key takeaways — Abundance

  • Utilize Incentive Prizes and Gamification to accelerate your organization's R&D, attracting the world's best non-traditional problem-solvers to your strategic challenges.
  • Leverage Dematerialization, recognizing that technology allows you to provide high-value services (like cameras or GPS) at near-zero marginal cost by turning them into software.
  • Focus your organizational mission on Solving Grand Challenges, aligning your firm's growth with the most urgent needs of the 'Rising Billion' for massive strategic impact.
Read full Abundance summary →

Key takeaways — Never Split the Difference

  • Utilize Calibrated Questions (e.g., 'How am I supposed to do that?') to force the other party to help solve your problems while giving them the illusion of control.
  • Apply Labeling to neutralize negative emotions and reinforce positive ones, creating the psychological safety needed for the other party to share 'Black Swan' information.
  • Master the art of Mirroring to build an immediate emotional bond with your counterpart, encouraging them to elaborate and reveal their true strategic priorities.
Read full Never Split the Difference summary →

The verdict

If you want the higher-rated, shorter read, start with Never Split the Difference. If you specifically need personal effectiveness, Abundance is the better fit. Both summaries are free — no signup required.

❓ FAQ

Is Abundance or Never Split the Difference better? +

Never Split the Difference has the higher reader rating (4.9/5 vs 4.8/5), but "better" depends on your goal. Abundance focuses on innovation & technology, while Never Split the Difference focuses on personal effectiveness. See the verdict below.

Which is shorter, Abundance or Never Split the Difference? +

Never Split the Difference is shorter (288 pages, ~7.2 hours) compared to Abundance (400 pages, ~10.0 hours).

Should I read Abundance or Never Split the Difference first? +

If you want the quicker, higher-rated read, start with Never Split the Difference. Otherwise read whichever matches your current goal — both summaries are free on BookHubs.