5 comments about Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time.

1. I agree with other reviewers that the writing could have been tighter, but the story of "Dr Greg" comes shining through.
   
   At the books beginning he is fumbling and struggling to build a first school based on a promise, by its end he's heading a full foundation, supporting hundreds of schools and educating thousands of students.
   
   His unusual childhood, his medical training and his fascination with climbing turn out to make him the perfect person to do this, and the difference he's made is huge.
   
   I was so inspired by the book that the first thing I did when I'd finished reading it was donate enough for a teacher for a year (about a dollar a day) I challenge other readers of the book to also donate - as little as 12 dollars pays for a student for a year.



2. From an Orthodox Baha'i perspective, this book could not have been more welcome and heartwarming. 'Abdu'l-Baha said it best many, many years ago, long before the frightening state that the world has entered into.
   
   `Abdu'l-Bahá laid great stress on Education. He said "The girl's education is of more importance today than the boy's, for she is the mother of the future race. It is the duty of all to look after the children. Those without children should, if possible, make themselves responsible for the education of a child."
   
   -- page 92 `Abdu'l-Bahá, "`Abdu'l-Bahá in London"
   
   Although I do not know whether Greg Mortenson ever heard of 'Abdu'l-Baha, he has certainly taken the principles this great man, the Center of the Covenant of the Baha'i Faith, and put them into practical usage in a part of the world most in need of this Divine remedy. The formal educaton of girls in northern Pakistan and Afghanistan has apparently been almost non-extistent for centuries. Greg Mortenson intends to change that perception one school at a time.
   
   His gripping book describes the impenetrable culture of these proud countries, and guides us through the almost excruciatingly deliberate steps required to at first get a foot in the door, then win the hearts of each village, and finally engage them into the accomplishment of building a school for its children, especially its female children.
   
   What better gift to leave to humankind than the educating of those who have been denied its wonders for centuries. The benefits of this endeavor are apparently already manifesting positive results in the small communities who have participated in this challenge.
   
   One child at a time. One village at a time. One country at a time. And who knows the limitless bounds that may be reached eventually as each of us longs for a better world, without the horrors of warfare.
   
   An Orthodox Baha'i



3. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
   
   I applaud Greg Mortensen for his works, but found the account of them hard to follow, poorly written, and had the feeling of propaganda. It is obvious the book was published to get readers to contribute to his good cause, but it was quite a disappointing read.



4. The title of the book is a reference to the customary way of doing business in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and other parts of Central Asia:
   
   For the first cup of tea, you are a stranger. By the second cup, you are a friend. By the third cup, you are family. It is a testament to the patience and understanding it takes to forge the kind of long-lasting ties to work in this region of the world.
   
   By far, one of the most inspiring books I've ever read. Greg Mortenson single handedly started an initiative to bring education to rural Pakistan. I wish I had gotten a chance to read this before finishing my thesis on education reform for women in Afghanistan - because this story is more directly related to my work than any other book or journal article I used. It shows how one dedicated person can change the world.
   
   Through persistence and a little luck, he made the right connections in Pakistan (and eventually Afghanistan) and in the U.S. with donors. This book recounts his efforts from their inception in 1996 after getting lost in the Himalaya through 9/11 and up to 2003 when the war in Iraq diverted promised American resources from Afghanistan (again). His work survived a kidnapping in Waziristan, several fatwas (that were eventually overturned by the highest mufti in Iran), and death threats (most of which came from his fellow Americans after 9/11 in the form of "how dare you help Muslims").
   
   After getting separated from his guide leading him off the Baltoro glacier in Northern Pakistan after a failed attempt to scale K2, Mortenson found himself in a little village called Korphe in Baltistan, Pakistan. The first Westerner ever to stumble into Korphe intrigued the people. After being nursed back to health and served what little food the people had to offer, he witnessed children in Korphe studying outside, with no teacher and no school, scratching lessons in the dirt. He promised the village elder Haji Ali that he would build them a school, went back to the US, began writing letters and grants while living out of his car. After sending 580 letters, a single $100 check from Tom Brokaw, and $600 in pennies raised by elementary school children was the net result.
   
   Then, fellow Mountaineer, physicist and silicon-valley pioneer turned philanthropist Jean Hoerni agreed to donate $12,000 for the school. Mortenson sold everything he owned, and returned to Pakistan, forged business ties and purchased supplies only to discover that the village did not yet want a school - but a bridge. Korphe was inaccessible except for a single hand-pulled makeshift lift cart that spanned the Braldu river. There was no way to get supplies into Korphe. Rather than storming off like many impatient Americans would, Mortenson entered a partnership with the people of Korphe - valuing their opinions, customs, and assessments of their own needs rather than dismissing them as primitive or assuming that an American knows what's best for them.
   
   As Mortenson has said, it took 3 years and a lot of mistakes, but the Korphe school was finally built and has sent many of Korphe's children on to local towns for further education - including many girls.
   
   It's a stunning account of an extraordinary man, who through his humility and respect for the people of the region, worked with them, heeding their input and their cultural norms, was able to do what no other humanitarian organization could -- build schools focusing on girls' education and bring long-lasting, meaningful change to one of the world's poorest and most unstable regions of the world where outsiders are usually regarded with cautious suspicion.
   
   With Jean Hoerni's help once again, Mortenson founded the Central Asia Institute (see link to the left) and has built over 60 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan since 1996 and has provided countless services and monetary support for education in these regions.
   
   He is fighting the war on terror with the only effective ammunition - education. Give people education, and you give them the means to take control of their own lives. In areas where the only free education available is in the form of conservative, fundamentalist madrassas (many funded by the Saudi government), access to broad general education is key to fighting terrorism while forging ties with the very people we're trying to help.
   
   It costs $1 per day to pay a teacher in Afghanistan or Pakistan - Go, do something.



5. Okay, so the writing ain't supoib, but hey, you gotta see the forest through the trees. This is an important book that should be required reading for everyone, as someone in these reviews said, who is educated or uneducated. Who reads or doesn't read. I've chosen to give copies as door prizes at my talks on volunteering overseas. (CAI doesn't take volunteers, sorry.) Yes, "the defenseless sky" and other such phrases cause little bumps in the readers' road, but the story transcends all this surface noise. Greg can easily find a different writer next time, but please let the story continue. And be careful, Greg!

5 comments about Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.

1. Clever, quick, witty. Best of all - I laughed. And laughed. Not for the timid or those who are so PC that they don't know or appreciate sarcasm when they hear it. I think her writing is clear and conversational - it is easy to "hear" her voice in her writing. I am recommending it to all my friends.



2. I wanted a book on audio CD so I bought this book. I have watched Handler's show on E and thought the banter and gossip can be pretty funny and/or interesting at times, so I thought this might give me a good laugh or at least a smile.
   
   I listened to the first CD and by the time it was over I was totally irritated. Mad at myself for wasting my money mostly. You know the feeling when something is so bad or disappointing you want to run screaming from the room? I cannot put into words how profoundly disappointed I am in this book. In my personal opinion, this is not funny. It is annoying and stupid.
   
   I thought I might listen to the second CD just to give it another chance, but after reading some negative reviews here (by readers who had read the WHOLE book) I decided not to waste any more of my time and return this to Amazon for a refund.
   
   I'm still searching for a good book on audio CD.



3. Chelsea continues to portay her exceptional talent and humor. I laughed outloud through the entire book. I had to buy copies for my friends becasue this talent cannot be contained. Bravo!!!



4. I could probably read this in one sitting if it wasn't so funny. I have to keep putting it down to give myself a break from laughing. I don't think I have gotten through two pages before I was laughing, hysterically, out loud.



5. I needed to take a break from all of the mystery books I usually read and the title of this book just caught my eye. I decided to buy it and give it a try. I was hooked after reading the first page. This book is so easy to read, light and funny. I recommend this book to anyone! Great on beach, or when you just need a break and just to laugh out loud!

5 comments about Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.

1. I just finished this today. July 5 holiday weekend and spent 3 hours this morning reading because I could not put it down. This is the best book I have read in some time. Maybe this isn't for everyone, but I loved it from beginning to end. I have traveled as well, not to all the places she has been, but for me it was the insight into individual personalities, characters, that made it riveting. Yes she is self absorbed. But it is about her journey, so that makes sense. This is not a travelogue book, it is about an inner discovery as a result of mixing with people and experiences outside of her previous exposure to the world. If you are looking for a travelogue, go elsewhere. If you are looking to journey with someone through their highs and lows as they put their life back together and discover a world beyond themself, this is for you. I loved the characters. I loved the settings. I loved the entire book and hated when it ended. I don't know if this is great literature. But I think those who criticize this book are people who just don't get what she is talking about. Which is fine, but don't neccesarily judge it by them. If you have been through the feelings she has been through, you will relate to it, and it will have meaning to you. This is a great book for any woman who has ever allowed herself to become invisible because of a man they were with, and now wants to discover who she is on her own.



2. Moments of like and dislike. She tends to ramble on and on. The book starts to get really good and just like that...it's over. Probably wouldn't read again.



3. EG shares her journey about the purpose of pleasure, spirituality and love in her life. This book helped me reflect on my own values. I will re-read it after enjoying the first reading so I can spend more time with the questions she raises in a most entertaining manner.



4. OMG .. what self-absorbed drivel. I am amazed at women who are impressed by this vapid piece of work. The author is a shallow harpy with whom I couldn't have less in common. I can't relate to any of her stupid observations or solipsistic epiphanies. I don't begrudge her not wanting children. It's probably best that women like this don't procreate. It was a massive waste of time to spend MY TIME with a woman whose world ends at the tip of her own nose. What a bore. Don't be fooled into thinking this is even a mildly well-written or amusing piece. It is a text book study in what's wrong with many so-called "sophisticated urbanites" today.



5. I think a lot of the people who have left poor reviews for this book have been a little harsh.
   I read this book as a recommendation and I have to say I really enjoyed it. If you are looking for a yoga-how-to, or a deep philosophical spiritual journey with literary prose, then you are looking at the wrong book. However, if you pick up the book as a good summer read (as I did) and take away from it the easy humor the authors voice emulates I have no doubt you will enjoy it.
   It is not as religious as it seems it is going to be in the beginning either, which again, was a good thing for me.
   All in all, I think you have to look at why you are reading this book before you judge it. I found it cute and entertaining. I will read this author again.

5 comments about My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands.

1. This book is exactly what it says.....a book of one night stands!
   It's the humor that Chelsea tells the story with. The woman is so funny. I am anxious to finish this one now & move on to her new one.



2. This book was a great, peppy, funny, summer-read. I found myself thinking back to my days as a single woman, and being able to relate to some of the things she says or situations she's in. She has a very creative, just-plain-funny way of laying it out there. Am now passing my book around the office for others to enjoy. Can't wait to read more from this author!



3. first of all, i must confess, i'm a guy ... and maybe that's the problem i have with this book.
   
   my appetite to read is usually consumed by world war II, true crime and political-themed books, but i like variety in my reading and add healthy servings of pop-culture, autobiographies and humor to the mix. this book was recommended to me as being "hilarious" and "eye opening" ... so i figured i would read it and be entertained by a woman's perspective of things ... i couldn't finish it soon enough.
   
   to me, this book was nothing but a text version of "sex and the city's" samantha. i'm open-minded when it comes to women and don't have a problem at all with handler's wide-open sexuality (no pun intended) ... the book just wasn't funny and reads more like a girl trying like hell to tell a story like a guy talking to his friends. it was predictable and the recollections appear more embellished to create a disgusting reaction (i did find the skid-mark situation humorous ... until the token panty-eating dog entered the story ... then my eyes rolled)
   
   several years ago, my then-pregnant wife was recommended jenny mccarthy's book about pregnancy, which i also read. mccarthy and handler's books left me with the same feeling ... two gorgeous women, successful comediennes who try too hard being flannel-shirt wearing, beer guzzling, burp and farting machines (kathy griffin is one of the few that can pull this off).



4. Horizontal Life is a funny book about one woman's journey through various beds. Chelsea Handler (of Chelsea Lately and Girls Behaving Badly fame) doesn't hide anything as she discusses sex and all the embarrassing things that happen on the way to, during, and after a one night stand. This book is highly recommended for anyone who likes to laugh at themselves (and others)!



5. This book is hysterically funny! I read it cover to cover in one sitting and I'll probably read it again!

5 comments about Audition: A Memoir.

1. This order is long overdue and has been charged to my Visa card. I am a regular customer of Amazon but when I inquired about my order (and used the avenue you instructed me to use) I got a cold, "it is not our concern" answer. I realize that I am dealing with a dealer but your service is at stake too. I can not afford to lose nearly $20 on an order. I just hope that you will at least try to help resolve this.
   
   Darlene Elliott



2. I found this book to be interesting.. and entertaining and have a lot of history tucked in to the pages..
   Ms. Walters has talked to some amazing people.. and it was interesting to hear her talk about it..



3. I've never been a great fan of Barbara, but this book made me one. Loved her view of the past 40 years of encounters. Her determination made a difference for women.
   Extremely well written; couldn't put it down.



4. I absolutely adored this book!
   
   I wasn't aware that Barbara Walters played such a "ground breaking" role for women in the communications industry! Not to mention all of the diplomats, celebrities and real people she interviewed. What a resume!
   
   It was extremely interesting to me to hear about "the story" behind the interview. As well as how she worked extremely hard to get where she is today.
   
   I would highly recommend this book!



5. If you like Barbara Walters and want to continue to like her; DO NOT READ this book. If I could have selected zero stars, I would have. I am totally turned off to someone I thought was a wonderful journalist and a powerful woman in her field. I cannot imagine what she was thinking when she wrote this book. First of all, it is not written well at all. It follows no chronological order what-so-ever and it is often very difficult to determine if we are talking about something that happened last year or in 1972. I found myself constantly re-reading and revisiting earlier chapters to determine what period in time I was reading about. I know you can't really know someone from a written account but by her own words, she lost any respect I might have had for her. Her affairs with married men, her arrogance at her abilities, her lack of parenting that caused her daughter many years of hardship, her selfishness with regard to her parents and her mentally challenged sister... it all disgusts me. I found myself actually getting angry at her cold heartedness and lack of humanity. Since I really can't find a single nice thing to say about this book and I don't want to give away any of the daunting details for anyone who might be looking for an awful book to read, I'll leave it as that.

5 comments about The Glass Castle: A Memoir.

1. I bought this book per a friends recommendation for a good vacation read. It was an excellent memoir of a life that most of us never even imagine happens to many children out there. At the time time it is humorous and a very fast and enjoyable read.



2. This is not the kind of book I would normally read, but my wife recommended it so I decided to give it a try. From the moment I started, I could barely put it down.
   
   Author Jeannette Walls gets you hooked in the first half of the book with disturbing and funny tales of her peculiar childhood. Her parents, though clearly smart in an academic sense, avoided steady work and conventional lifestyles, keeping the family perpetually poor. They often "skeedaddled" out of town in the middle of the night to avoid bill collectors.
   
   Walls and her three siblings had to learn to be self-reliant early on. She was cooking her own hot dogs at age 3 (resulting in getting seriously burned), she learned to shoot a gun at age 4. All the kids learned how to forage for food in dumpsters and garbage cans -- they had to, since the refrigerator was frequently empty. Once, Walls fell out of the car when the door flew open on a hard turn, and her parents almost didn't notice.
   
   Her parents were selfish, unstable and irresponsible. But just when you're ready to hate them, they do something right.
   
   Walls' father was an alcoholic whose parenting philosophy was illustrated when he throws Walls in deep water repeatedly and literally expects her to sink or swim. He's horrid with money, but later on, miraculously comes up with $1,000 to keep Walls in college.
   
   Her mother was artist who seemed to have little idea of how to raise children, and really didn't care. But she did have a love for books which was passed on to her children.
   
   The second half of the book takes a turn for the grim, when the family finally settles in a depressing and unfriendly small town in West Virginia. The kids get in fights, they help their mother shoplift, their roof leaks so bad that Walls' brother has to sleep under a rubber raft. They forage for food yet again.
   
   If the book had started this way, I might have been turned off. But by this point, I was hooked and found the story tugging at my heart. I read eagerly all the way to the end to see how the Walls children would turn out.
   
   This isn't one of those memoirs where the author whines. Walls tells her stories with graceful detachment, offering colorful details, but doesn't ask for pity.
   
   On the whole, "The Glass Castle" shows the resilience of children. Despite their strange and difficult upbringing, it's remarkable how well Walls and her siblings turned out.



3. One of the better books I have picked up this summer! The author keeps you engaged through an awesome retelling of her childhood. This is an excellent book for a book club discussion!



4. A fellow West Virginian, I have read this book twice, and seen Ms. Walls in person twice at local speaking engagements. She is the real deal. Her story is inspirational to all of us, and teaches us valuable lessons in today's world of fortune and excess. Her no-nonsense, positive, practical attitude is one which we should all emulate. She chose this attitude in the face of dire circumstances which toughened her into the successful woman she is today. This book articulates with consistent, logical tone the true story of a poor family's struggles in the Southwest and eventually in Welch, WV. The story is unbelievable as her parents make outrageous choices which contradict what is best for their children. The Walls children were hungry, cold, and ridiculed by peers. However they were too proud to let it show, even refusing hand outs. Instead of letting their upbringing ruin her life, Ms. Walls instead sees her hardships as gifts, with a lesson in toughness hidden inside. This book has helped me to look at people differently, with more compassion and understanding. She has helped me understand a parent's impact on a child's life...her parents, although neglectful and selfish, never put their children down or abused them, always believed in them, and taught them the self-reliance and responsiblity that today's children lack. Let us all take our children demon-hunting and give them the gift of the stars in the night sky.



5. WOW! I seldom read non-fiction, but after I saw this book's reviews, I had to give it a try and it did not disappoint. The story is of the author's childhood and growing up in a terribly dysfunctional family with an alcoholic, but brilliant, father, a frustrated and "out there" mother, and three siblings that, along with the author, try to survive some of the most heart-wrenching situations you can imagine......from hunger to cold to sexual abuse. The author tells the story dispassionately, which is amazing to me. If you grew up in a dysfunctional home, you'll find yourself somewhere in this book. If you felt neglected or abused, you'll find yourself here. Though I keep thinking the parents must have done something right as the children, with the possible exception of one, pulled themselves up out of the worst kind of poverty, and have successful lives. It's hard, however, to think of the parents with much compassion. If you came from a dysfunctional background, read this book! You'll find it fascinating! You may also find it disturbing, which is why I gave it four stars instead of five. I will think about this book for a long time...not necessarily a good thing!

5 comments about I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell.

1. Tucker Max is no Shakespeare (that's why there are 4 stars up there). It should also be noted that this book is not to be taken seriously at any time. There are things that this man has done that are probably illegal in many states. That being said the book does seem to be able to be engrossing, and at times even having a hypnotic affect. The questions begin to rack up what will happen next? ect. Be warned though that you should not attempt to take the whole book in at once, you will be repulsed! really! But if taken over a period of time it can most definately be tolerable if not down right fun.



2. When I bought this I had no idea that I could laugh so hard all by my self reading a book. I'm only five stories far (53 pages) and all of them have made my day. This guy can be so mean and still be outrageously fun. The way he shares his crazy adventures makes you feel like you were there the whole time! Consciences apart, this is the book to buy if you want to have your own moment of shallow fun.



3. Not many books can capture my attention long enough to read an entire book, but I read this book cover to cover. At its most basic level, I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell is a memoir about a young man's drinking adventures. Tucker knows something very important about the art of seduction--be mean to girls and they like it. There are some very funny stories within this book that you will definitely enjoy reading. My major criticism is that the writing seems immature, it's written more like a script than a story. But perhaps that is the best way to describe immature behavior that is so funny.



4. I have always read Mary Higgins Clark books only, but I dont have much time to read anymore with 2 kids and one more on the way. I bought this book after reading a piece of it on Amazon and losing it! I also liked that it is short stories of his different situations and I can pick it up and start and end whenever I have the time. I only wish I had more time because I don't want to put it down. He is pretty much a pig, but as my husband said - it takes two, so the women are going right along with it. I love his honesty! It is the funniest thing I have ever read - I take it along to the waiting room for my Dr's appointments and I have to hold in the laughter while I am sitting there with tears in my eyes!!!!!!



5. OMG! This is the best book I've read in a long time. It's really funny. It was hard to read because I was laughing so hard I was crying. Tucker Max is my new freakin idol.

5 comments about Such a Pretty Fat: One Narcissist's Quest To Discover if Her Life Makes Her Ass LookBig, Or Why Pie is Not The Answer.

1. For anyone who opts to read books instead of watching reality TV may be skeptical of Jen Lancaster's book and her continous references to television, mainstream culture, and her self enduced fat.
   
   buuuut- this lady's self deprecating humor is great. She's human and flawed, and doesnt claim or try to be anything but who she is. I also get the feeling that Jen dumbs herself down so that the reader gets to the end of the book taking away so much more than just another narcissist view of themselves. I'm glad I gave it a chance.



2. Jen is a self discribed narcissist who wakes up to realize, after years of stuffing her face...that she is Fat. She bacially whines throughout the book on how hard it is to loose weight and makes everyone around her pay for it. She is sharp witted and funny lots of times, but I wondered more than once that some of her "snarky" dialouge comes out of her imagination rather than factual events. She comes off as a cartoon chartacter, not a real person. She claims "fear" is what has kept her from growing-up, but she never lets the reader into what that is all about. She criticizes Weight Watchers Meetings because they talk about "feelings" too much and felt "those people" needed therapy. She may want to use some of her royalties on a good shrink. She is clearly a legend in her own mind. I was disappointed because what could have been a thoughtful, insightful journey ends up wetting the bed. She is a walking sterotype of the "bitter fat girl" who projects her own fears on to others. In her journey to loose weight she makes fun of the homeless, disabled and the poor and at the end, although more fit is still fat. It is hard to have sympathy for her when others, call her a "fat b" I think it is a sad commentary that weight loss is such a triumph and worthy of publishing..I am all for living healthy and spreading education about obesity but really these "personal accounts" are boring and pathetic. I am not sure why this book got published....I mean I go to Target all the time, do others really want to read about it??? All and All I got suckered in by marketing and what appears to be false, contrived reviews...a poor memoir*
   
   * The footnotes are a distraction and stupid, save your money



3. Book starts a little slow, but the last half is very funny. I found myself having to share some of the excerpts with whoever was in the room with me! I definately recommend!



4. I don't know if I've ever read a book that made me laugh this hard. Even though I'm from Chicago and loved hearing the names of all the attractions and suburbs, it's her writing that's so wonderful. I am going to immediately buy and read her other books!



5. Just like her other two books this one is an amazingly funny tale of Jen's life. It made me laugh out loud!

5 comments about The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists.

1. I picked up this book along with Strauss' sequal how to book(s) "The Rules of the Game" with the intention of learning the secrets of the much discussed topic of this book, PUAs (otherwise known as Pickup Artists). What I got was something entirely different. This book is more or less Strauss' diary of events when he emersed himself into the PUA lifestyle. I was really suprised at the humor that Strauss directs at himself and his fellow nerdy PUAs who have turned socializing into something that seems more like computer programming. The terminology alone that these guys use really shows you what kind of life the majority of these guys lived before becoming PUAs (for the majority I envision nerdy computer programmers).
   The only reason I gave this four stars instead of five is because I did a little research on the internet after reading this book and one of the main characters named Extramask (who is actually now a comedian named Barry Kirkey) stated that Strauss never met him in person or went to the seminars with him like is described in the book. If that is true than all I can say is that I am deeply disappointed as Extramask a.k.a Barry, was one of the funniest people that I have ever read about and I would lose a lot of respect if Neil actually just wrote down what people told him about Barry.
   What's funny though is after reading this I don't think I would ever want to be a PUA. The majority of these guys are very superficial and are looking for superficial women to validate themselves. Still, I would recommend it to a friend, who would learn a thing or two about the community and get a good chuckle every chapter.



2. After watching a few episodes of the reality TV show The Pickup Artist, I decided to buy this book. I bought this one instead of Mystery's Method because Strauss wrote Jenna Jameson's autobiography which is in my mind excellent credentials. Still, my expectations were not really that high and I anticipated nothing more than a book filled with pickup lines or some sort of humorous dating guide. But The Game is much more than that. For starters, it reads like a story and has a fascinating plot and a diverse range of characters. Mystery is by far the most interesting character, but most of the other pickup artists are also entertaining to read about. The book begins with the author meeting Mystery and being introduced to a world he did not know existed, a place where guys without handsome looks or fat wallets can pickup hot women through technique and seduction. Mr. Strauss sets off on a journey where he transforms himself from a geeky writer to become one of the most talented pickup artists in the business. One of my favorite messages in the book is, "Don't be yourself, be your best self." This means you don't have to change who you are to pickup women, but you have to be willing to maximize your potential. This book is a great read and one that I will read again many times.



3. This is one of the best books I've ever read, both because Neil is an amazing author, but also because of the science it talks about. I've learned more about human sociology and psychology since reading the book than at any other time in my life. As mystery says so often, this isn't about picking up girls, but becoming better men. As a result, women are attracted but to get their you have to become a better person.
   
   The stories in the book are hilarious, exciting, and make you want to read the book in one sitting.



4. This book is not a how-to book, like some of my friends thought upon seeing me with it. What this book is, is an entertaining story of a man's journey in this community. He is a guy that many an average man can relate to, and learn from along the way.
   
   He shares his story while imparting some lessons along the way. Not to mention, it was very humorous!



5. A few years ago I was the archetype of the lonely man. I came very very close to commiting suicide in fact, because I felt trapped in isolation. I wanted friends, and I wanted lovers but I had no idea how to get them.
   
   This book quite literally saved my life, in my darkest hour this book introduced me to the concept that being SOCIAL, making friends and being liked was a skill. Until I read this it had never occurred to me you could practice those things and get better at them.
   
   
   This book started me on a path towards self-improvement in which I eventually realized EVERYTHING in life is a skill. Everything can be practiced you can learn how to be better at anything. Even being happy.
   
   The Game is not a how-to book, it does not teach you all the techniques of pick-up. It's a true story about how some of the first pick-up artists started out. But the Game is an excellent introduction into a sub-culture of men devoted to making their own lives better. It's a primer to the IDEA that if you want to be more happy, or more sexy, or more attractive, you CAN be. You do not need to stay miserable.
   
   Pick-up is ironically, about much much more than getting laid. It turns out that learning to love yourself (which ends up attracting women anyways) is also its own reward.

5 comments about Infidel.

1. Until it was finished, this book became a part of me--- I could not put it down. Ayaan's culture was an incomprehensible combination of love, support, backwardness, cruelty, and control. To watch her grow and develop into an independent and autonomous young lady, was to see a flower beginning to bloom. It made me thankful for having been born in the USA and for the parents I had.



2. Submission and degradation of women in the Muslim faith is certainly not a new or unrevealed topic, but this personal account by Hirsi Ali brings insight and understanding that one can not achieve through news articles and other written factual documentation. I applaud Ms. Ali for her courage to come forth and expose the errors of her former religion (which is no easy task) with the hope that the atrocities against Muslim women will eventually come to an end. Women of all faiths and nationalities should read this book and more like it to remind us that we still have a long way to go to accomplish true equality with men.



3. An incredible story by a gifted writer. One of the best books I have read in many years.



4. This book relates the heroic story of a young woman and her struggle to
   live out her life in freedom. It starts with her terror at 5 yrs. old being held down and circumcised along with her sister and brother. This episode will haunt her the rest of her life. She then struggles to get an education and stands up for what she believes women are entitled to--freedom to pick the man they want to marry and freedom to choose a career in life. Her harrowing flight to escape an arranged marriage to a much older man is vividly detailed as she struggles to reach Holland and her asylum. Her life is threatened but she holds firm to her beliefs. She also reveals the Koran and its teachings that make women second class citizens. A fascinating and fast moving book about her life and struggles in the Moslem culture and her religious journey that eventually makes her an atheist.



5. [..]. This book is a real eye opener. I reveals much about the cultures and lives of people living in the Middle East, as well as parts of Africa such as Somalia, and the Netherlands. I really enjoyed reading this book as it was a great eye opener.