Title: The Art of Hunting Humans

Author: Sidney Mazzi

Genre: Self-Help/Psychology

The human mind has fascinated countless experts in various fields, from biology to psychology and everything in-between, since time immemorial. The Art of Hunting Humans continues in the same vein in its attempt to help readers understand why people behave the way they do. In addition, its objective is to help people use this understanding to effectively gain advantage over their fellow human beings.

The chapters are laid out in a sequential and logical manner. It explains individual concepts, which will be used later on, in separate sections before moving on to the actual self-help part of the book. It makes the book easier to follow, even though readers may benefit from reading certain chapters twice just to make sure they fully grasp what is being explained.

Most readers will already be, at least in some way, familiar with the concepts being presented in this book. The idea that past experiences shape how we perceive our realities, and that the same situation may mean different things to different people, is nothing new. The book simply reframes these already known facts within the context of using said facts to “hunt” other people, adding a new twist to an often-studied subject.

The idea of people as prey can seem somewhat aggressive and hostile. The book makes no qualms about its intent to help readers manipulate and one-up their intended opponents. However, readers know from the outset what they’re getting into when they crack open this book.  In a way, the straightforward method in which human perception and motivation are dissected for this very purpose is almost refreshing in its honesty.

Despite the nearly confrontational nature of some of the chapters, the author manages to keep things lively and almost humorous. The writing style is conversational. Sidney Mazzi adds personal touches here and there to draw readers in and to compel them to listen to his arguments. He also makes use of examples and metaphors to emphasize some of the points he’s trying to make.

However, he has the tendency to present these examples as universally applicable truths. This may put off some readers, as it can also be seen like an oversimplification of the complexity of the human psyche. There was also a noticeable lack of references from other experts in relevant fields, which could have lent more credibility to the author’s more provocative statements.

Both the stimulating tone and language of the book were perhaps meant to intrigue and titillate readers. Indeed, some people will feel compelled to finish this book if only to refute some it claims. Conversely, the author runs the risk of alienating and antagonizing his audience, some of which may object to him describing humans and human behavior as “ridiculous.”

Whether or not they agree with its assertions, whether motivated by the need for a deeper understanding of humanity or something less altruistic, the one thing that cannot be denied is that readers will find this book interesting. It will simultaneously polarize and bring people together, if only to engage in a debate about its merits. Deceptively simple and almost terrifyingly accurate, it is an unflinching examination of what drives human beings and is a worthy addition to the self-help genre.

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.