Customer Reviews

The Gentleman's Guide to Life: What Every Guy Should Know About Living Large, Loving Well, Feeling Strong and L ooking Good

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

In essence, this book defines a gentleman as a person who can effectively mask his lack of taste and knowledge in an effort to get close enough to women to have sex with them. I've never read a book that used the word "sneer" so many times. It prides itself on its "let's-update-bubba" tactics, and largely advocates lying about one's life as a means to convince others that one is actually a well-mannered, educated, broad-thinking individual. I am disgusted and appalled that I wasted my money on such a low-brow, puerile piece of trash as this.

This book is mediocre. The book is really more about the author's opinions than advice suitable for applying to life and useful tips. He has some hits, and some misses. The best chapter, Living Large, contains some handy hints and good general knowledge. Likewise, the author develops material that is either irrelevant or treats to tritely. The section on how to goof off at work is silly, and the two sentence description of "How to make friends at work" is useless. The section on clothes, Looking Good, contains basic advice, but needs more diagrams or pictures for better clarification. The chapter of "Feeling Strong", basic health advice, is a collection of elementary advice. The last chapter, "Loving Well" on relationships, is nothing new.
Therefore, this book contains a few gems, but the majority of it is basic advice peddled elsewhere or the author's opinions that may or may not be suitable for your life.

I saw this book in my friend's car while he was giving me a ride and I started flipping threw it. I was immediately amused and intrigued so I borrowed it from him and finished it in one day (he finds this strange). I found the author's writing style engaging and many of his comments useful for both sexes. I decided to buy my boyfriend a copy even though he's not much of a reader because I'm sure he'll enjoy it and maybe even learn something (my fingers are crossed)! In sum, this is a comprehensive and candid book and it would make a great gift for any clueless guy.

The author seems to go in details that are useless at points. The best sections are about living well and looking good. He should have left the exercise tips out, we all can read them in the muscle magazine from where he got it in the first place.

This is not to say that the book is not helpful, It certainly is to those who really need help in dressing decently and getting some knowledge other than football scores. On the whole a years worth of GQ subscription would be a much better choice than buying the book.

The author makes some really valid statements that are right on and easy on the eyes. He distills the subject matter into a highly potent brew that can help any of us, who were not born into the "lifestyles of the rich and famous" to at least not make a fool out of ourselves when placed into situations requiring some finnesse. I have read it a number of times. His wit alone is worth the cost of the book.

If you like to read GQ and want to become more than what you are then I highly suggest this book for you. Most of the other reviewers seem to be down on this book. I don't understand why. I really liked it. I read it twice.

Here is a quote:

(When asking about wines...)
"Do not say, 'What's your best stuff?'
"Do say, 'I know we'd like a pinot noir. Would you recommend a domestic or French? What's the best value?'
You are conveying some basic knowledge, a big dollip of humility, and a genuine concern that you not spend the month's rent on drinks. The sommelier will appreciate this and do you right."

This is my kind of book. To the point, and offering guidelines for actionable pleasures.

Sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek. I suppose as a humor book, it's OK, but I'm sorry I wasted my money on it (and I wish I had read the reviews before I did, because it looks like many readers had the same reaction).

I checked this book out (did not purchase it, fortunately) after reading a tacky article by the author on MSN.com about how a woman can best "romance a man". I actually checked out the book because I could not believe, after reading the MSN article, that the author had really written a book on how to be a "gentleman" and I had to see for myself what it had to say. It was as tacky as the article in MSN. A true gentleman is true to himself and is who he says and appears to be.

This book is for those who wish to
imitate gentlemen... and the title
is indeed misleading !

I will not say more , as I do not wish
to insult the publishers.

I think we'd be better off going to church. I normally have all the dates I want, some of them so hot I'm actually embarrassed a bit, but after reading this bad boy, my success rate fell off, until I got it out of my head. Fortunately, that didn't take too long!

Too much of this advocates cheating and cutting corners. It is not a guide to a gentlemanly lifestyle. This author does not know what a gentleman is.