Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be part of a secret society of seduction experts who gather in “lairs” to perfect the art of seduction? Well, “The Game” by Neil Strauss is just that: a seedy but compelling tale that chronicles his exploits into the world of pickup artists.
What makes this book such a compelling read is that he perfectly identifies with whom I assume to be his target demographic: lonely, single men with lackluster dating lives.
That’s because he perfectly embodies this archetype. Being a balding, vertically-challenged writer who lacked the social skills to properly interact with women, he too was just another sad sap simmering in sexual frustration.
That was until he had a chance encounter with Mystery, a lauded pillar of the seduction community who soon became his mentor and ambassador into the world of pickup artists.
In “The Game”, Neil Strauss talks about his personal transformation from hopeless nerd to the established dating guru that he is today. I think that his narrative style really strikes a chord with so many men out there because his own journey is an inspiration to others in the same situation.
Another interesting part of “The Game” is that Neil Strauss also talks about the colorful characters he encounters along his journey. You’ve got all sorts of geeks-turned-Cassanovas in this book, all of whom are richly detailed by the author.
Again, these guys are the perfect mirror image of the book’s audience. Like any good piece of literary work, there’s bound to be at least one guy you’ll probably see yourself in, so another point goes to Strauss for pulling this off.
Furthermore, “The Game” doubles as a pickup manual for budding seductionists as well. While he never says the lessons to be learned outright, Strauss works them into the various misadventures in the book.
This is a really novel way to teach a guy about the basics of picking up women – not only are you entertained by their tales of debauchery, you’ll also glean a lot of useful insights.
Honestly, some parts of the book are a bit hard to believe, but then again real life can be just as crazy. Nevertheless, you’ll have to suspend your disbelief for just a bit.
Whether or not all the events did transpire is beside the point anyway. What matters is that Neil Strauss has come out with a skillfully assembled tale in “The Game”.
There are plenty of twists and turns while warning the reader of the potential risks that comes with territory.
Oh yes, there are plenty of them here. This is yet another aspect of the book which makes it all the more hard to put it down. Any worthwhile story always has some moral warning, and Strauss talks about the downside to the dangers of taking it too far.
Well, hopefully my little review got your attention – you’ll definitely get a kick out of “The Game” so make sure to look for it the next time to drop by your local bookstore.