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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Good book, isn't quite up to the hype
Neil Strauss is a phenomenal writer, and with such salacious and dramatic material, this is a hard book to put down. Yet I didn't get the life-altering must-read book of the year experience so many others did. I'm sure it is a heavy read for anyone early in a path to self-improvement, but the lessons are nothing new. You must learn to face and accept the demons of your past, become right with yourself before you can be right with anyone else, and try as you might you can't rationalize away behaviors and actions that severely hurt yourself and others. It did, however, bring about a new favorite phrase: "Trauma brings drama."
Neil Strauss is a phenomenal writer, and with such salacious and dramatic material, this is a hard book to put down. Yet I didn't get the life-altering must-read book of the year experience so many others did. I'm sure it is a heavy read for anyone early in a path to self-improvement, but the lessons are nothing new. You must learn to face and accept the demons of your past, become right with yourself before you can be right with anyone else, and try as you might you can't rationalize away behaviors and actions that severely hurt yourself and others. It did, however, bring about a new favorite phrase: "Trauma brings drama."
Brought this book in Oxford.
I seem to be the minority here. Namely one of whom really didn't enjoy the book. The beginning of the book seemed promising, then it quickly disintegrated. Few problems I had with this book:
1. I didn't think the story of his parents were his to tell. Simply dissecting the most private part of their soul open for the world to see, for his own profit, was simply disgusting to me. And that's just one of the thing he did that appalled me.
2. Yes I understand he is the villain in the story. But how am I suppose to even feel just a silver of empathy for the guy when all he does is 'me me me'. His feelings, his childhood, his past, his arrogance and enormous ego? So he cheats, lies, wants to have sex with any random women and throw away commitment and love with little regard, but I'm suppose to feel bad for him because he feels bad doing it?
Piss off.
I seem to be the minority here. Namely one of whom really didn't enjoy the book. The beginning of the book seemed promising, then it quickly disintegrated. Few problems I had with this book:
1. I didn't think the story of his parents were his to tell. Simply dissecting the most private part of their soul open for the world to see, for his own profit, was simply disgusting to me. And that's just one of the thing he did that appalled me.
2. Yes I understand he is the villain in the story. But how am I suppose to even feel just a silver of empathy for the guy when all he does is 'me me me'. His feelings, his childhood, his past, his arrogance and enormous ego? So he cheats, lies, wants to have sex with any random women and throw away commitment and love with little regard, but I'm suppose to feel bad for him because he feels bad doing it?
Piss off.
This makes me sad …but I appreciate Mr Neil Strauss for showing his life experience and giving us a different perspective as life is really too short for us to explore everything
The Truth: An Uncomfortable Book About a Vain Man Indulging his Narcissism.
Holy moly this really resonated with me considering the last five years of my love regarding relationships. I had a really fun time reading this book and got very emotionally invested. It's obviously not for everybody and I understand a lot of people have issues with Neil Strauss based solely on the fact he wrote The Game, but I would encourage anyone who's struggled with love and monogamy in the past to give it a shot as it's definitely worth your time.
challenging
reflective
tense
slow-paced
When an author or book gets as much attention (good or bad) as a Neil Strauss, you can bet I'll check it out. This follow up to his previous tales of picking up women focuses on the troubles of building a relationship. I say relationship loosely, because much of this book is discovering what doesn't work. As a guy in a relationship, it's hard not to find at least some takeaways in the sea of bad decisions made here. Even some insights into where motivations come from which were unexpected. I don't know that I'd recommend this though, except to someone looking to test their own boundaries on whats normal.
This book is arguably even more absurd than its predecessor. It takes sex addiction rehab, swinging, Eastern-tinged ritual orgies, doomed polyamorous arrangements, and a whole lot of chaos for the author to come to the conclusion that maybe he shouldn't think exclusively with his little brain. It's astonishing it isn't written in blank verse, such an amazing journey of self-realization should've only been put to paper as an epic poem. Like Sisyphus pushing his rock, Neil Strauss tries to justify that the summum bonum of human experience is living life like you're a cross between characters from Porky's and Eyes Wide Shut, i.e. that man's Platonic form is to be A Horn Dog ™. After realizing the futility of his journey, he sees the error of his ways and returns to his ex-girlfriend and has a kid with her. How shocking to discover they were divorced but a few years after this book's publication! I thought he was a changed man, for Christ's sake! I don't think this book is meant to be comedic, but it certainly was for me. It was a reality show between a front and back cover, and I'm a sucker for trash, what can I say?
This book was intriguing. I really loved the first part, when he was in rehab. I think I learned a lot about myself and how we form relationships and thought patterns through his experience. The middle was sometimes a bit much and I thought at times about putting it down. I wondered, if someone got to the parts about polyamory and open relationships and put the book down, they would think that it is a great idea. I was at times thinking, I can't read this book from a man's perspective...he objectifies women so much. Making statements like "The sex gets old and so do the women," using it as his motivation and inspiration for not being faithful. Like men don't get old too? However, I persevered and I actually really enjoyed the ending. I think Neil went on a great journey and the hard parts of the middle really come together to turn him into a new man at the end. I actually cried at the last few chapters, so thrilled to see him come around, seek out Ingrid and be a good man and a good husband. I think I learned a lot from this book in the end, about how men think and how we should all probably be in therapy.
This was an ARC I received through Goodreads this summer and I just finished it over the weekend. Interesting take through a man's journey to come to terms with monogamy or the other options. Different format and plenty of dark/deep discussions on social norms and expectations.