[adldesigner]

I read it also, and I found it quite interesting. Particularly the historic tidbits, which the author uses to put the rules into context.

In Venezuela for example, many of our politicians actions can be analyzed and compared with some of the book's stories.

I wouldn't be to eager to dismiss it as a Machiavellian Field Guide -although Machiavelli appears quite a lot throughout the book-. Many of the examples, in a less drastic way, happen all around us, all day long. So being prepared, can't be bad, right?

I wouldn't use the book word-for-word for my daily interactions.

That being said, this is a book I wouldn't swap out of my personal library at all.

PS: LOL @ the Rules of Acquisition! Thanks for the link, LogicHoleFlaw.