I must admit, when I first saw this book on one of our many household surfaces, I was annoyed that my father needed such a book to get friends. He already had a plethora of them. I believed that in order to make friends, you don't need a book. You need experience. When I read this book, I was fascinated by it and I didn't want to put it down. In between my college classes, I eagerly read it - and unashamedly so. It helped me realize the psychology of human beings better than my psych classes, gave me insight as to how people tick, and above all, it emphasized that in order to be a truly likeable person, you have to put these principles to the test and actually change yourself. It isn't a book full of manipulation, it's a book that helps with a lifestyle change.