The book provides solid information on various WLS procedures and lists of questions to ask your surgeon as you go through the process. Highly recommended for anyone considering WLS.

This is a very useful and complete guide for anyone interested in finding out more about the surgery itself or for anyone that wants info after surgery as well. I read many books on this subject and this was one of the best. Complete, informative and easy to read. A must for anyone pre-op or even post-op.

I read every book on gastric bypass surgery that I could find, and this one is by far the best. The book includes everything from the technicalities of the surgery to lists of questions to ask to recipes. I initially borrowed it from a friend, but had to buy it myself because I found it so useful. This is one book I have referenced again and again throughout my WLS experience!

Excellent textbook, clear in its statements, wide in its content, and excellent in quality with its color photos, maps and sidebars.

Although at times it reads like a high school textbook, this is an excellent survey of the Old Testament and ancient cultures. When I first encountered it, I had already studied a lot about the ancient world and the Old Testament and I still found this book to be a worthwhile read.

I recommend this book for any Christian, or non-Christian, who is interested in learning about the Old Testament and how the Israelite culture fit in to the ancient world. There are plenty of pictures and trivia pieces to keep the book from reading like a long essay.

After reading this, you'll gain so much appreciation for one simple fact: the New Testament is completely built upon the foundation of the Old Testament. And to learn the OT better is to know the NT better!

I have been priveledged to actually sit under the teaching of Dr. Beyer! This book was much of our course and I have never met anyone with as much love for the Old Testament as he. This book reads much like one of his classes, but with out the excitement that Dr. Beyer adds. If you ever get a chance, take a class by him and if not, at least get the book!

This game is a worthy FASA battletech product. In the game you recieve two maps, which are identical, 48 Battlemechs which are made from 24 designs, two rule books for beginners and advanced players, dice, game Battlemechs sheets, 144 miniture insignia stickers for the battlemechs and a mail order form.

I found the game very enjoyable. The beginner rules are easy to learn and you can really use strategies to disable opponents. A lot of Role Playing board games I've seen are basically just roll the dice chance games.

With this boardgame the players can really use tactics and strategies to defeat opponents. The terrain types with their advantages and disadvantages really add a sense of leadership with deciding which areas to engage enemy companies from.

The beginner rules give you the basics and are detailed enough to keep players happy until they master these rules. Next you can move onto the more advanced rules. The advanced rules make the game absolutely brilliant. There are so many variables to effect the game with strategy, it's incredible.

However the battlemechs you recieve in the game are only stand up cards. However they are beautifully drawn and colourful. I have purchased 14 miniture plastic Battlemechs to help spice the game up. Doing this can really improve the games realism.

The more players you have the merrier. I have only played with a maximum of three, and it was brilliant. However making teams and having alliances also spice the game up.

There are a few scenarios included to help the role playing in the game. The game allows you to custom battlemechs, which gives you the ability to select weapons, armour, MPs etc. This also helps improve the game because players can create their own 'mech and test their skill against other players.

Another little set back I found was the record sheets for the Battlemechs. The idea is to use a pencil and use the sheets, then erase the pencil marks to preserve the limited sheets. However you can only do that so many times until the sheets are warn out. I scanned the sheets and printed out copies of each one.

The game is solid and enjoyable. It also really helps you learn about the Inner Sphere and Battletech. The game is fun and can be played with just he one set. The games can go for hours and never get boring. The strategy and tactics used in the game really make it a worthy title, where you have advanced knowledge on battletech or are a new player, the game is for everyone. I recommend this title!!

This game is a fairly good representation of the BattleTech universe (and it should be; it's a FASA-endorsed prodcut). Overall, however, the boxed set will not be enough to really play the game. If you purchase this game, you will want to also obtain a copy of the BattleTech Master Rules at least; if not a few of the Technical Readouts, Sourcebooks, and so on.

However, this game is also pretty easy to learn (especially compared to many of the other wargames that I've tried). One thing to be aware of is that much of the action takes place in your head: there are (obviously) no laser-lights and so forth, but plenty of dice-rolling ;-)

This game really is good, if you enjoy BattleTech or are looking for a beginner's wargame. I started with the MechWarrior 2 game, read many of the books, and then began this game, and I was surprised how well it kept the feel of the other components of the BattleTech universe. Also, even if you don't play the game, the sourcebooks are a wonderful way to learn about your favorite factions.

This game, ultimately, lives up to the BattleTech name and does it justice. A final note: if you play this after starting MechWarrior 3 (or vice versa) you will notice similarities, since the 'Mech 3 game was based upon the pen-and-paper BattleTech game. Playing this game helped me understand the 'Mech creation system in 'Mech 3 far better than I had beforehand.

Mostly, an enjoyable game for just about anyone.

I began playing Battletech when the 2nd edition rules were the newest around, and have stayed with it ever since. It is a well thought out, easy to learn game system that is still entertaining due to the infinite setups that are possible. The newest boxed set fixes the one problem I had with the earlier boxed set, the cardboard figures,as the current set comes with plastic miniatures. Metal ones can be purchased for almost every FASA designed 'mech through gaming stores. I have played dozens of different wargame systems, and always come back to Battletech.

-Greg Morris-

It was a pretty good book, but it was a little too high level. If you are new to CRM this book is pretty good, but if you have picked anything up from the various business magazines then it is not as useful. I would have liked to see more specifics discussed regarding implementations and possible pitfalls.

If you are new to CRM this is a good book. If you have some experience with CRM, as I do, this lacks detail. The book is definitely just for CRM beginners.

It is a quick read - about 3-4 hrs total cover to cover. The text is all double spaced so the 208 pages goes by very fast. Thus, the value for money is a bit questionable.

The story about 3 roommates that threads its way through the book is a good example of a how a small enterprise gets involved with CRM, however much of the rest of the book's theory and advice is geared to larger organizations.

The author really concentrates on CRM vis-a-vis customer service representatives. He does not touch on sales force automation or marketing aspects of CRM systems at all. This despite the author telling us of the necessity to include sales and marketing in the CRM implementation and buy-in.

Still, it is a good book overall.

Never has a business trend been more popular, more expensive and less understood than customer relationship management, or CRM. The costs of CRM can be astronomical, and while the benefits also can be great, they are often less easily to predict, due to the complexity of the systems. Byron Bergeron breaks down CRM into its component parts, and in so doing, helps the reader grasp just what makes the price so high, and why it might all be worthwhile. In his discussion, Bergeron touches on the major suppliers of CRM technology, the need for employee training, implementation issues, and virtually every other factor an executive might need to consider in evaluating whether or not to undertake a CRM program. We from getAbstract highly recommend this comprehensive work.

I am a college student studying Web Design, so I bought this book to help me get through reading that has technology terms that I'm not familiar with. Most of the time, this book has the term that I'm looking for, and gives a basic definition. It's a quick, handy reference and it's very easy to use.

In our world today technology seems to be the driver behind just about everything: entertainment, communication, and even getting your job/homework done. In such a technical environment, techno-lingo is unescapable: bits, bytes, digital, DSL, cable modem... Let's face it! Our lives are surrounded by terms we sometimes understand, but other times don't have a clue about.

This is where this dictionay comes into play. It's the perfect companion for both the casual user who just wants to understand what X technical term heard over the newscast, or read in the technology column of the newspaper means; or for the tech-savvy who wants a quick answer to a term he/she's faced with for the first time, as a starter, or a quick refresher of something not seen in a while.

As far as research books, the newer the better. This one was published in 2000, and since I'm writing in Sept. 2000, you can't ask for more than that. As an editor for an online high-tech news publication, I find the dictionary indispensible. I keep trying to test the book by looking up terms I think it won't include, but it hasn't let me down yet.

For me, this book was more useful to explore my spending habits. When do I spend my money? Why? What are ways to circumvent this spending? In terms of the actual plan to get out of debt, I found it less helpful to me than other books on the market today (Of course, I encourage that you read as many books on this subject as you can check out for free from the library).

The way proposed to get out of debt or at least so you stop living off credit cards is good and sound, built up through a week-by-week program. However, some of the activities I don't believe will benefit all people who pick up and read the book. If you're way in over your head, getting calls from collections and STILL debting, definitely check this one out, but if you're like me and are not yet at that point, just read the first half to get into the psychology of your spending behaviour.

Lots of terrific info that can help you get out of debt. A change of attitude about money is important. This book is the answer to your money woes!

It's obvious that Mr. Bryan and Ms. Cameron know what they are talking about from page one, and, thank goodness, they have been able to explain (to me) my own lifelong struggle with money handling!!! Now, with insight into the origins of my money dilemma, I have been able to make my money work with my life for the first time! Whew! What a great relief!!! I understand now that this is a learned behavior, and yes, I used money to "fill in the blanks" that I thought I had. Now I realize I really don't have any "blanks", that I'm really quite marvelous in many ways (why haven't I been able to see that till now?)! I just had this painful and debilitating old habit I'm now glad to be rid of for good. So, BRAVO, Cameron and Bryan...and many, many thanks!!!

Historians still consider the late Richard Hofstadter one of the great American historians of the 20th century. His voluminous output when he worked as a professor at Columbia continues to draw readers and researchers both inside and outside of academia. "The Age of Reform" is Hofstadter's analysis of Populism and Progressivism in American history, which the author defines as a period running roughly from 1890 to 1940. This historical treatment won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1956, although it is difficult at times to see why. If we accept the idea that historians should always strive to lift themselves above their own biases and personal backgrounds, we must conclude that Richard Hofstadter was little more than a prejudiced city dweller who sought to tar American rural movements with an overarching label of anti-Semitism. Fortunately, new work concerning the Populists is available, work that patently refutes many of this author's scurrilous claims.

The author claims that Populism sought to reaffirm the American agrarian lifestyle in an age of increasing industrialization and urbanization. He attacks what he refers to as the "agrarian myth," or the idea that the backbone of American society was the benevolent, hard working farmer; an idea once advocated by none other than Thomas Jefferson. Hofstadter scoffs at the Jeffersonian idea of democratic virtues imbued by working with the soil, going so far as to conclude that Populism, which was a political movement by farmers and their associates to challenge what they saw as hegemonic behavior directed against rural areas by the cities and governmental organs, was deeply and irrevocably devoted to anti-Semitism in its most virulent strains. "The Age of Reform" cites Populist leaders Mary Lease and Ignatius Donnelly as two of the more strident proponents of rural anti-Jewish discontent.

While it is obvious that there was an element of anti-Semitism swirling through parts of the Populist movement, this animosity in no way formed the foundation of rural discontent. Farmers' concerns encompassed a host of disturbing issues, including railroads, the banking industry, corruption in politics, and moral values. Hofstadter commits a grave error in claiming that racial motives constituted the sublime principle for the millions of farmers who harbored a beef with the political system. Author Peter Novick, in his superb treatment of American historians, unearthed a letter proving that Hofstadter admitted to greatly exaggerating his claims about anti-Semitism among America's rural population. If one takes this claim to its logical, and disturbing, conclusion, the author of "The Age of Reform" essentially misrepresented his evidence in order to support a theory. That this is an egregious crime worthy of professional exile has had little effect on the endless accolades accorded Richard Hofstadter over the years. If lesser mortals were to commit such an indiscretion, they would find themselves drummed out of the discipline with great haste.

The second part of this book concerns Progressivism. According to Hofstadter, the concern of the progressives didn't involve a disbelief in the system of American society and government, but rather their position in a world increasingly fraught with the tectonic changes of industrialism. Specifically, Progressive initiatives involved status, as diverse sections of the populace attempted to find a new role in a changing country. As an example, the author refers to the clergy as one of these classes threatened with change. In an increasingly secularized culture, and one in which social scientists and the industrialists rose to undreamt of heights in social influence, those who worked for the churches lost considerable clout. Those men of the cloth wise to the changes in America embraced the reform minded social gospel in order to regain influence over the masses. In short, the changes in American society during the turn of the century led to a restructuring among all classes, not merely the working class or farmers. When a response to industrialism became necessary, everybody responded to it in some manner in an attempt to preserve their social station.

In a way, I understand Hofstadter's concern about the dangers of mass political movements. Look at the author's ethnic background; he was a Jewish-American who worked closely with other Jewish-American scholars in post-WWII America. What Jew wouldn't look for the seeds of an anti-Semitic basis in any political movements with Hitler's final solution still looming large in the popular mind? Populism in its expressions never resembled the scenes in "Triumph of the Will," but even a slender reed of anti-Jewish thought amongst the few was enough to set off alarm bells in the minds of Hofstadter, Daniel Bell, and others. "The Age of Reform" contributes an explanation of one facet of American Populism, but fails to convince me that anti-Jewish sentiment was the driving force of the movement. Hofstadter and company saw brown shirts instead of bib overalls, Nordic warriors instead of the Joads.

All is not lost with Richard Hofstadter, as there is plenty here and in his other works that sparkle with his easy prose style and all-encompassing eye for detail. One of the things I love about this author is how he discusses these obscure writings from various historical figures. In "The Age of Reform," Hofstadter discusses in some depth Ignatius Donnelly's apocalyptic novel "Caesar's Column," a discussion that made me instantly want to procure a copy. His observations on such literary obscurities are always a lot of fun, inspiring the reader to investigate these topics further. In short, when one reads Hofstadter, don't always take his word as gospel just because historians continue to adore him. "The Age of Reform" is an important work on Populism and Progressivism, but it certainly isn't the final analysis on these fascinating subjects.

Hofstadter ranks with Bancroft, Beard, and Tuckman as one of the great scholars of American history. AGE OF REFORM definitely shows why; his scholarly, permeating style impresses his words into your mind, changing both your scope and sense of American history. In this book, he tracks various reformist groups that shaped America, starting with the Populists of the late 19th century and ending with the New Deal reforms of FDR.

Hofstadter's thoughts on the early 20th century Progressives and New Dealers conform with the writings of most other historians. It is Hofstadter's section on the Populists that has always generated the most controversey, both in the past and still today. In the first third of the book, Hofstadter writes of the American "agrarian myth" and how the Populist farmers sought the "lost agrarian ideals" of Jefferson and Jackson. He emphasizes how the Populists were basically reactionary whiners who impetuously thought themselves deserving of some special privelage, simply because they were farmers, the supposed "All-American" profession. Hofstadter goes further by describing the Populists as jingoistic proto-facists. By use of effective documentation, he shows this "dark side" of Populism, with its demagogic rants against politicians, urbanites, Britons, Jews, and immigrants.

Although Hofstadter indeed is very effective in his writing and documentation, he fails in the aspect of fair historical analysis. When one reads AGE OF REFORM, one should always remember the Populists from a broader perspective than Hofstadter's biased urban views. In truthm, the Populists are one of American history's unfortunate losers; like the Loyalists and Native Americans, the Populists failed in almost all their immediate objectives; their leaders, like William Jennings Bryan and Tom Watson, are best remembered as lost crusaders. They lost because they were simply ahead of their time; they were New Dealers in a time when the New Deal was ignored and not accepted. The Populists lost in their present because their reforms were meant for the future; thus, at least the future should appreciate and judge the past correctly. Although Hofstadter writes an enthralling historical work, his unjust view of the Populists should not be taken by modern readers as absolute truth.

It's not every book that can change one's thinking about a political movement and a period in history, but Hofstadter's book did just that for me when I first read it many years ago. It's an incisive critique of the populist and progressive movements that sprang up in the last quarter of the 19th century and exerted strong influence on American politics until the onset of World War I. But Hofstadter's great achievement is that he sets both these movements in historical perspective, showing us that no movement flowers without roots.

Hofstadter is at his best in revealing that the populist movement played -- and preyed -- on the longing of Americans for a pastoral, agrarian past that was ironically little more than myth by the end of Reconstruction. In an increasingly industrial, urban America, the populists were able to set themselves up as downtrodden victims of various villians, chief among them the railroads and the banks.

Yet Hofstadter convincingly argues that the farmers of the West were eager to become businessmen in the boom years following the Civil War, when land and capital were cheap. It was not until they were battered by the economic slumps that are an inevitable part of a market economy that the agrarian movement began demanding government intervention to reign in capital and portraying agriculture as especially worthy of special attention.

The populist's appeal to the little man, dwarfed by powers beyond his control, played well in some segments of the U.S., but Hofstadter portrays a darker side of populism, exposing its anti-foreign and anti-Semitic leanings. Reading about the populist's railings against foreigners and their dark hints of conspiracy by vast economic and political powers, I heard echoes of the speeches of Pat Buchanan.

As for the progressives, the urban reformers who overlapped to some extent with the populists, Hofstadter cogently points out that this middle class movement was in large part a reaction to the growing influence of immigrants in large American cities. The middle class, he argues, was feeling squeezed between the waves of immigrants, who were increasingly catered to by machine politicians, and the new and enormously rich industrial class. The progressive movement was an attempt to wrest back some measure of political strength by undercutting the power of the bosses with "good government" and to reign in the economic clout of the industrialists through reform.

This is required reading for the student of American history. We have produced few historians who match the stature and achievement of Hofstadter, and this book is one of his best.

Several years ago I read the Artist's Way and it changed my life. For years after that I searched for of the same but nothing was available until I came across The Artist's Way at Work. This book of course follows the same guidelines as the first book but I feel is more suited to those who work in large offices and organizations. I was a little disappointed as it did not really apply to my situation although I found some parts helpful in dealing with some of the people around me. Certainly for those people who work in a large company and have not read The Artist's Way this would be a good book to start you thinking in different directions.

If you've read the Artist's way, this book will seem very familiar. However, don't stop there. The different flavor of this book makes it worth pursuing in addition to the Artist's way. I went through the Artist's way book and then took a 4 week hiatus and then jumped into this one. I have been doing morning pages for over 6 months now. They have value to me, even more than the 45 minutes of sleep, I give up each day for them

This book is strongly geared toward the working world. As with the Artist's way book morning pages and time-outs are necessary to help you work through these and other issues. In addition this book is arranged in a similar weekly sequence with excercises and a weekly check in.

PUTS THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH IN PERSPECTIVE:
This book unlike the Artist's way, deals with personal interaction not just personal creativity. Let's face it we all work with people and how we relate to them does influence our ability to get the job done.
As the Artist's way does, it also recognizes there are certain people (crazy makers) that complicate our lives, there are also personality types and roles we all play in any interaction. This book gives great tips on how to recognize these and work with them.

IDENTIFIES WHAT MIGHT BE SLOWING YOU DOWN AT WORK:
Similarly, with working with people, we have priorities to adjust and readjust. If we are stuck in a point in our career, maybe these need adjusting. This book if you objectively do the exercises helps us understand where some or road blocks might be.
Sometimes we are the road block.

IN GENERAL LIKE THE ARTIST'S WAY, THIS BOOK LEADS YOU TO EXAMINE YOUR LIFE
For the most part the Artist's way presses the reader to examine what they want out of life and how they can get there. Also it helps you to understand what your true desires are, not just what you think you want.

LIKE THE ARTIST'S WAY, THERE ARE QUOTES TO PONDER IN THE MARGINS
It is a small thing but like the Artist's way there are quotes in the margins from famous people. It makes you think the confusing path we are all on, is one many have taken. Some of the quotes really connect.

To give you the full flavor of the book, here is the Table of Contents:

INTRODUCTION: Entering the gate

FIRST TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK ONE: EMERGENCE
Morning pages/Creative Collegue/Secret Selves/Listening to the Chorus/Inner Mentor/Check-in/Creativity Contract

FIRST TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK TWO: THE ROAR OF AWAKENING
Timeout/The Dialogue/Archaeology, Round One/Archaeology, Round Two/The Us and Them list/Imaginary Lives/Affirmations and Blurts/Customized Affirmations/Dumping the Albatross/Walking your Wisdom/Check-in

SECOND TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK THREE: SOARING
Secrets/Watching the rapids/Wish list/Leadership Quiz/Explore a sacred space/Secretly I'd like to.../Watch the picture, without the sound/Filling the form/Check-in

THIRD TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK FOUR: THE ABYSS

Admitting our emotions/Anger as a map/Metabolism/Footholds for optimism/Countering our Critics/True confessions/Define your inner wall/Workaholism Quiz/Bottom line/Signposts/The Fraudian Slip/Check-in

THIRD TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK FIVE: SURVIVING THE ABYSS
Personal accounting/Emotional solvency/Counting/Luxury/Lapping up Luxury/Nasty Rules/The dream account/Explore your feelings about God/Going to take a miracle/Wondering/Check-in

FOURTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK SIX: THE PEARL OF WISDOM
Body English/At the wheel of a new machine/A letter to the self/Positive/Negative poles/Media Deprivation/Reconnecting the Dots: Detective work/Beyond price/Meeting the inner rebel/Check-in

FIFTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK SEVEN: LEARNING (AND TEACHING)
Being a Beginner/The jealousy map/Creativity Quiz/Feel, Think, Wish/Getting Current/The Hidden Resume/Becoming right sized/Taking note/Nuturing nutrients/The forest environment/Check-in

SIXTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK EIGHT: TEACHING (AND LEARNING)
Roles, Biosketches, Family Functions, Containment, The power dance, Unmasking, Machiavelli, Practicing the present, Mentor magic, Going sane, "Dear Boss", Stopping the Spiral, Releasing Resentments, Check-in

SEVENTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK NINE: OWNING OUR AMBITION
Clearing fear, Contacting Clark Kent, Local color, The resentment resume, Blasting through blocks, Succeeding with Success, Framing our lives, Check-in

EIGHTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK TEN: LIVING WITH PASSION
Positive Inventory, Laugh or Lament, Box Seats, Heartbreak Hotel-Loss as a Lesson, The net of nurturing, Check-in

NINTH TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK ELEVEN: THE LEDGE OF AUTHENTICITY
Name your poison, Creative U-turns, Ten-minute time outs, Valuing our values, The Ledge of authenticity, Exercising our options, Creativity center, Choose a spirit mentor, Spirit Mentors, Check-in.

NINTH TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK TWELVE: RESTING IN AUTHENTICITY
Trusting trust, Mining our mystery, Building a house, Suceeding at success, Playing at play, Every picture tells a story, Gratitude, Checkin.

Epilogue
Suggested Reading
Acknowledgements
How to reach us
Index

I find this book to have a plethora of practical, useful suggestions for thriving instead of surviving in the workplace. The workbook format stimulated my thinking about how we can get beyond our usual progammed "survival" techniques and find new ways ways to address old problems. I also have found it helpful for stimulating creative opportunities in my own life. This book is just what the doctor ordered for those of us who aren't satisfied with just getting by and collecting money. Not only is it a pathway to uncovering and discovering a fresh kind of meaning to work, it also offers us a real chance to forge new directions in both our professional and personal lives.

I'm a former paralegal currently in law school, and one of the more difficult things about dealing with the law is making your writing sparkle... in the most succinct way possible. This book can help. With countless examples and snippets of wisdom culled from top legal minds, Bryan Garner has put together a fantastic resource. He takes the reader through the entire process of writing to the court, from brainstorming to the million (or 100, at least) ways to polish a document.

This isn't a book that rehashes writing tips you'll find in more general guides--it is specifically geared toward the delicate craft of legal writing. Admittedly, this is a somewhat pricey tome, but it's worth every penny.

This volume is by far the best work available on legal writing. Most of Prof. Garner's advice applies not merely to briefs but to memos, letters, and other persuasive or analytical forms. His chapters take you through every step of writing, from the earliest, painful efforts to collect your thoughts, through outlining, issue-framing, structuring an argument, and finally the specifics of sentence structure, word choice, and punctuation. Unlike many writing manuals, this book places emphasis where it is really needed: not on mechanics, but on the large structural tasks that can make or break a project. While some of Prof. Garner's formatting suggestions may not be acceptable in many jurisdictions, his more general advice -- the real reason for buying this book -- will be helpful everywhere.

Bryan A. Garner, editor-in-chief for the latest edition of Black's Law Dictionary, is one of America's foremost proponents of the "plain English" movement in the law. In The Winning Brief, Mr. Garner distills the principles found in his seminars and his other books (such as The Elements of Legal Style) and channels them toward one goal: helping the reader write better legal briefs.

The Winning Brief presents its advice in the form of 100 tips, each followed by quotations, commentary, and examples. The tips follow the chronological order of a writing project, from initial brainstorming to proofreading. The tips are listed inside the front and rear covers for quick reference.

Mr. Garner's advice has contributed directly to my practice. I have applied his advice in writing four summary judgment motions; two were granted, while the other two led to favorable settlements for my clients.

The reader is sure to find at least one or two tips that can be applied immediately to a current writing project. Not only that, but Mr. Garner's advice can be applied to other non-fiction writing projects. In sum, I heartily recommend this book to all attorneys who hope to be more persuasive in their writing.

This book got me started on picking up women and it does provide a good basic foundation. The problem is that the author goes overboard with the "honest" approach, and if you follow him perfectly, you will come across as a "wuss" (to use updated terminology). I don't believe in lying and manipulating when picking up women but the approach here won't work on real babes, especially the younger ones (he tells you to stay away from girls 25 and under!)

The problem with the book is that it was written in the late 80's and it focuses almost exclusively on the stereotypical smoke-filled bars and dives where the author was employed. There's a certain kind of women that hang out in those places. Here in L.A. and other big cities, babes hang out in dance clubs, malls, and other settings. The author doesn't show you how to apply his techniques in those other places. He is dead-set against clubs and thinks they're a waste of time. That may be true for some guys but for a lot of guys who are pick-up artists (with techniques that can be learned), clubs are great.

Also, his approach is geared almost entirely on meeting women for serious relationships. That's not going to work if you're out there just wanting to meet girls for fun. If, as the book's title says, you're learning how to pick up women, then it should also shows you how to pick up women for short-term flings. Most guys in their 20's aren't really ready for serious relationships anyway!

Despite the above deficiencies, there are some good things about his techniques. First, I love his eye-contact sequence approach. That has saved my dignity many times over. Secondly, I like the fact he firmly admonishes you not to buy girls drinks when you meet them. This is great advice for all pick-up artists. And thirdly, his advice for not having sex on the first date is a good strategy.

This is a good book by an author who's observed how the game works. A bartender for many years, he's watch guys strike out and guys score, and noted the differences. And, he's been on both sides of the issue.

The book instructs how to maturely pick up women by relating to them on an emotional level instead of just physical.

A valuable aspect is the author's view denoucning those who are out there picking up women (or at least trying) just to get laid. In the long run, such people end up miserable, emotionally hollow and one dimensional, devoid of interesting qualities.

The one aspect I'd wish the author develop is opening lines. The author clearly (and rightly) states there is no such thing as a perfect, opening line, and that everything is context dependant. However, I would like a couple of examples of men, in different situations, of what they said in the beginning. How do you start a conversation from scratch with someone whom you'd like to get know better? What do you actually say, or at least what have other people said? The author helps you in your conversation once you get started, but the first words out of your mouth is still up to you.

It's an awesome book. It talks about women like they're people, and it is giving me insight into how to understand, interact, connect and communicate with women. It's like showing me what was the missing piece [of the way I was behaving/acting/interacting] before..

It's very good. Accessible.