You start noticing things you used to ignore.
A coworker leans back when a certain topic comes up. Someone crosses their arms during a conversation. A date suddenly becomes less expressive when you ask a particular question.
After reading What Every BODY Is Saying, you may start paying attention to those small changes. Joe Navarro’s book gives you a framework for understanding nonverbal behavior—what gestures, postures, and movements can reveal about what someone is feeling.
But body language is only one part of the picture.
What someone says, how they say it, and what is happening around them can matter too.
That’s where a different kind of book comes in.
What Every BODY Is Saying: Why It Became a Go-To Body Language Book
There’s a reason What Every BODY Is Saying remains so widely recommended. Joe Navarro draws on his FBI experience to explain how nonverbal cues work in real life, not just in theory.
The book teaches you to:
- Recognize comfort and discomfort signals
- Understand how the limbic brain drives nonverbal behavior
- Notice small changes in posture, gestures, and movement
- Use observation to read people more accurately
If your interest is learning the fundamentals of body language, this is an excellent starting point.
But some readers finish the book and realize something else: body language is one piece of a larger puzzle. What about facial expressions? Voice and tone? Behavior patterns in context?
Books That Take Your Interest in Body Language Further
The books below all explore nonverbal communication, but each takes a different direction. The right choice depends on what you want to understand next.
1. How to Read Someone’s Mind — Miles Carter
Best for: Going beyond body language
If What Every BODY Is Saying made you more aware of posture, gestures, and other nonverbal cues, How to Read Someone’s Mind expands that observation into other parts of everyday communication.
The book looks at body language alongside facial expressions, voice, speech patterns, and context, helping readers pay attention to more than a single gesture or expression.
What you’ll learn:
- How facial expressions—eyes, brows, lips—reveal emotional states
- What body language, posture, and movement patterns communicate
- How tone, pitch, and speaking speed reveal emotions and intentions
- How context and behavior patterns help you understand what you’re observing
Why it complements What Every BODY Is Saying:
| What Every BODY Is Saying | How to Read Someone’s Mind | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Body language and nonverbal behavior | Body language + face + voice + context |
| Core question | What are this person’s nonverbal signals? | What is this person communicating beyond words? |
| Key emphasis | Gestures, posture, movement | Observing patterns across multiple cues |
| Best for | Understanding the body | Understanding the broader behavioral picture |
A gesture doesn’t give you a direct window into someone’s thoughts. Someone crossing their arms doesn’t automatically mean they’re defensive, and avoiding eye contact doesn’t prove they’re lying.
The useful skill is learning to notice patterns, changes, and context instead of treating one signal as a definite answer.
How to Read Someone’s Mind
Miles CarterPractical tools for reading body language, tone, and hidden intentions in real time. Spot what people aren’t saying — before you trust the wrong person.
2. The Definitive Book of Body Language — Allan and Barbara Pease
Best for: A broad introduction to gestures and nonverbal communication
If you want a comprehensive reference on body language, this book covers a wide range of gestures, postures, and movements. It’s practical and accessible, making it a good companion to Navarro’s work.
3. The Dictionary of Body Language — Joe Navarro
Best for: A quick reference for individual nonverbal cues
If you liked What Every BODY Is Saying and want a reference guide for specific gestures and expressions, this book catalogs common nonverbal signals. It’s useful for looking up particular cues when you notice them.
Which Body Language Book Should You Read Next?
| If you want to… | Start with… |
|---|---|
| Go beyond body language and explore facial expressions, voice, and context | How to Read Someone’s Mind |
| Get a broad overview of gestures and nonverbal cues | The Definitive Book of Body Language |
| Use a quick reference for specific body language signals | The Dictionary of Body Language |
| Learn the fundamentals of nonverbal behavior | What Every BODY Is Saying (if you haven’t read it yet) |
From Body Language to the Bigger Picture
Imagine you’re talking to a coworker about a new project.
They say, “Sounds good,” but their voice becomes noticeably flatter. They stop making eye contact, lean back, and give shorter answers.
One signal doesn’t tell you what they’re thinking. Maybe they’re uncomfortable with the idea. Maybe they’re distracted. Maybe they’re worried about something unrelated.
The point isn’t to guess instantly. It’s to notice that something changed.
That’s the difference between looking at one gesture and looking at the whole interaction. Body language gives you one set of clues. Paying attention to facial expressions, voice, and context gives you a more complete picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some books like What Every BODY Is Saying?
It depends on what you want next. The Definitive Book of Body Language is a broader overview. How to Read Someone’s Mind expands body language into facial expressions, voice, and context.
What should I read after What Every BODY Is Saying?
If you want more on body language, The Definitive Book of Body Language or The Dictionary of Body Language are natural extensions. If you want to broaden your observation to include facial expressions, voice patterns, and behavioral context, How to Read Someone’s Mind offers a complementary direction.
What’s the difference between body language and reading people more broadly?
Body language focuses primarily on gestures, posture, and movement. Reading people more broadly includes facial expressions, voice, speech patterns, behavior in context, and the patterns that emerge across multiple interactions.
Keep Observing Beyond the Body
If What Every BODY Is Saying helped you notice body language, you might be ready to pay attention to other signals people send without realizing it—through their face, voice, and the patterns that emerge over time.
How to Read Someone’s Mind
Miles CarterPractical tools for reading body language, tone, and hidden intentions in real time. Spot what people aren’t saying — before you trust the wrong person.
Practical tools for reading body language, tone, and hidden intentions in real time.
