The Layguide: The Rules of the Game
Tony Clink
HarperCollins, $128
'Women in general lack a sense of humour,' says French novelist Michel Houellebecq, 'which is why they consider humour to be one of the virile qualities.' Of course, that could be satirical - it's hard to tell with the French. However, women will get a laugh out of The Layguide, subtitled 'How to Become the Ultimate Pick-up Artist', and the pathetic levels heterosexual men will stoop to get some. Beyond help are those who believe, as 'The Truth About Women' subsection says, that women are desperately lonely creatures just waiting for a man, any man, to seduce them. Tony Clink, who is not French and may be spending too much time on the internet, thinks this is true as he explains his strategies for 'a lifetime of sexual satisfaction'. Lesley Thomas, who is English, recently revealed in The Telegraph the very few rules men actually need to learn: shave, listen and forget the chat-up lines - try 'Hi' and if she's interested, she'll let you know. 'Wearing good clothes helps,' Thomas continues, 'but not too good or she will assume you are gay, which is a whole different technique.'