Artful Dodging: Easy, Proven Techniques for Mastering Any Room

Have you ever had that 'friend' who called 8 times a day ...and kept saying on the machine...."are you there? Pick up.... are you there." Or someone whe keeps asking you to volunteer at their club....and you have zero spare time. You feel guilty saying "no"??? This book is funny, light hearted, and I love it. I can't believe this is out of print. There is a reviewer who says, "when is it o.k. to lie?" I politely disagree, due to the fact this author has a chapter titled....the 7 Dodging Sins. Things you should not do to dodge folks... i.e. never returning their calls. She just teaches you a crafty way to return the call. I vote- BUY IT.

Let's face it, every once in a while there are situations and people in the world that we just want to avoid. Thankfully, Jeanne Martinet has recognized this and provided us with "Artful Dodging", a quick and humourous guide to gracefully disentangling yourself from unpleasant situations. Other reviews give this book low marks for encouraging lying, which I suppose it does. But then again, if you always tell the truth about everything to everyone, why on earth would you need anything this book has to say? For those of us who lack the ability to regularly dish out potentially painful truths ('To be honest, I don't want to go out to dinner with you because I find you incredibly irritating and your table manners are Cro-Magnon'), this book can be a lifesaver.Martinet provides a wide range of strategies for extricating yourself from awkward situations that require no theatre training to pull off. She also gives you ways to prevent the need to dodge, such as the preemptive strike. Her anecdotes of these strategies in action, both working and backfiring, provide great humor and make this a quick read. I heartily recommend this book for anyone who's looking for a gentle way to avoid dreadful dinner parties and overwhelming acquaintances.

As someone who travels often and is naturally prone to the sorts of predicaments that require dodging -- artful or otherwise -- I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Jeanne Martinet dispenses advice with such wit and intelligence that I read the book in one sitting, a feat I was able to pull off thanks to her clever suggestions for ducking the usual interruptions and intrusions. Martinet's blend of stylish writing and brittle social commentary has made me a fan ever since "Art of Mingling." Can't wait for the next one from Jeanne Martinet!