From Library Journal: "A 26-year veteran of The New Yorker, Menaker here probes the origin and subtexts of everyday human interactions, exploring how conversations take shape and progress. At their best, they're a form of art, but conversation is not always smooth and charming. For people who often find their way into conversational pitfalls, Menaker packs an entire chapter full of advice. He differentiates between conversation that's aimless and purposeless and, among other topics, takes aim at name-droppers. In the hands of a less-skilled writer, this topic could have drowned in textbook-style overanalysis, but Menaker's book is filled with ample doses of humor and should be especially welcomed by wordsmiths and conversationalists."