Buddy Jim, Being the professing athiest that you say, you spend a healthy amount of time devoted to the critical and necessary cause of disproving something that you are completely sure does not exist. And I am absolutely captivated by your vast knowledge and understanding of Scripture and the deep meanings of which you openly take pot shots (and to the dismay of some, are oft correct!). Even more impressive is that you know more about much of the Bible and church history, from a slightly different angle, than many people that are regularly in the pews. Equally as interesting, and amusing as well, is that the name "Satan" you say you pay homage to....comes from the very religion, Scripture and God you try to deny exists! Yuk Yuk Yuk Snort! Big Digital Hug, Peter B.

Well, I expected wild, border-line demented and bizarre...and you did not disappoint! Your imagination is to be applauded, although one must wonder, what and how much happened along the way to get you to discover the viewpoint from which you write? I was swept away, not solely by the places the actual text took me, but was mindboggled by trying to imagine what it took for the author to be able to present and express it in this manner. I'm glad this is humor and the author is not serious, although his answer may differ slightly! And there was just enough truth intertwined to make us all cringe a few times in some fashion or form. Very Unique. Peter B.

This can be read as a joke - some of the reviewers have treated it as simply witty writing. And so it is witty writing, but it is also well researched, and the subject is well understood and well analysed. I think this could be a very successful published book. To be backed.

Ha ha ha ha ha. Sorry about that. I seriously want to be a charlatan. All writers do, dont they. Too tired to read more now but on my WL and I'LL BE BACK!

I seldom read non-fiction that doesn't involve football, but do want to be rich, so read the first chapter with a degree of excitement. I remember opening that first e-mail from Nigeria, and the sinking feeling later that day when I discovered thousands of people had received the same message. This is interesting and fascinating stuff, though I thought Girlingites had been made up (sorry about that) until I checked with my pal google. I never knew Casanova was a con-man, and only got a third of the way through Tony Robbins Awaken the Giant Within (my own particular giant within having been put to sleep years earlier). This is going on my WL as I expect to be better prepared to make that elusive fortune by the end. Well-starred. Good luck with this.

Don’t believe this charlatan! He makes you think that charlatanism is easy. In fact, charlatanism—especially one of the religious type—demands high self-discipline and constant vigilance. Also, you must not be accident-prone because falling down the steps or dipping your tie in the soup would terminally injure your dignity, which is an indispensable tool of the trade. This is the reason why I’m not a religious leader. I hope this book will be ready for the Christmas market because I know plenty of fools who would benefit from finding it under the tree. And reading it, of course. No, wait! They would take it seriously! A remarkable piece of thoughtful entertainment, flawlessly written and a delight to read.

This made for an enjoyable coffee break read which is exactly what you want, unless it is to become seriously rich. I think I am doomed to be a failure. This should be issued to every child when it leaves school! :) Emminently readable and entertaining.

Thank you for your comments. Is it possible to interest you in my scheme for remedying all the world's ills? For a small contribution I shall reveal the secret. Dr. Williams [QUOTE] I enjoyed this very much, especially ‘the tables with handy tips’. Your arguments are very ‘well researched and illustrated by examples from history’s great charlatans’ (many of whom I had heard of but never met). The footnote referring to real books was a master stroke and the fact that Dr Williams FIAC had spent valuable time reading some of them very reassuring. I am backing and recommending this guide because I believe any author who has no criminal convictions and is not currently wanted by the police is worth supporting. John [ENDQUOTE]

I enjoyed this very much, especially ‘the tables with handy tips’. Your arguments are very ‘well researched and illustrated by examples from history’s great charlatans’ (many of whom I had heard of but never met). The footnote referring to real books was a master stroke and the fact that Dr Williams FIAC had spent valuable time reading some of them very reassuring. I am backing and recommending this guide because I believe any author who has no criminal convictions and is not currently wanted by the police is worth supporting. John

Hi Jim, Thanks for your welcoming message and I hope you will find time to look at Change of Circumstance. The arrogance of the English middle classes and their general disdain for, supposed, lesser beings is not a characteristic that I find at all appealing and as such this is not a story that really grips me. However, it is for this very reason that I think it is so well writtten. You capture from the start the blinkered life of your characters in such a way that I started to dislike them from the off and that is what I ask of any book. The characters must evoke emotions in the reader and yours certainly do. What's more you do it with a tongue in cheek humour that makes me wonder how much you like them yourself? I wish you every success. Your story deserves it. Carl

Your book will be my guide to life, living and surviving :) Thank you. You are a genius

Great title, terrific pitch and a very worthwhile book. I approve wholeheartedly and agree with just about every word in it. This means that either you are a supremely persuasive charlatan yourself, or there is something in what you say! Of course, there have been many books about charlatans before, but this is nice in that it presents the topic in a humorous and original way as a spoof self-help book. I like it very much. My only comment is that there is a lot of material here, and it is easy to lose track of where one is in the big picture. Each step has a title and a list of contents, true, but I think it would help to have some additional pointers to help orient the reader along the way. For example, at the end of the very first chapter, you could summarize the Steps that are to come. Each subsequent chapter could start with a short introductory paragraph summarising what has been established so far and where the current chapter is going to take us. For example, Step 2 could start by summarising what the reader will have achieved from Step 1: namely, deciding on a field of operation. Now, for Step 2, the reader needs to identify his/her potential customers/victims/gulls, the good news being that most people are remarkably gullible - even the most intelligent, etc, etc. Then summarize the key/ideal features of a charlatan’s “customer”. And so on, before launching into the details. Anyway, a big thumbs up from me!

Hah hah hah!!! The pitch is genius in itself. But this is also informative for those who do not wish to become victims themselves.

Oh yes, yes, yes! I want to be a charlatan! The very fact that I 'want' to become one, surely, of necessity, makes me, at least, a worthy candidate! heh heh. This is without doubt the best first chapter of a self-help book that I have ever read: funny, clever and achievable!!! Seriously, this is a funny, learned, cynical piece that deserves to be read (if not studied!!). I'm popping this on my bookshelf right away. What larks! All the best, Ceeds 'JOE'S NAN'