The Game

I'm honestly not sure what this book wants to be - it attempts to combine a tell-all expose with an instruction manual with random musings on women, sex, and psychology. It also clumsily attempts to shoehorn in a Hollywood love story.

This book focuses on the underground world of pickup artists, or more specifically, online communities and workshops started by them. Some parts of the book are legitimately interesting - for example, the background on how these kinds of communities come to be, and why men are so driven to be a part of them, were actually somewhat insightful. Sadly, these more interesting notes get lost in a self-obsessed narrative about a protagonist trying to hone his craft and be so mindbendingly awesome that the perfect woman will find him.

Though there are moments of self-awareness, the book seems to lose those moments of lucidity quickly in the pursuit of pretentious bravado. It's noxious and tends to liken people, specifically women, to basic computers that can be hacked with simple exploits.

Pick this book up for Neil Strauss' storytelling. Seriously. This man can hook you. Although the sexcapades of the characters may interest you or not, the characters themselves are a huge highlight of the book. What makes it even more interesting is the fact that all of these people are real, and their hubris relatable. It's a beautiful book which could also be interpreted as a didactic tale, considering (SPOILERS) the eventual disillusionment of Strauss and other members of the community and the realizations Strauss has along the way. You might say you saw it coming, but the story is so well narrated you will feel happy for and feel for everyone in the book on finishing it.