How to Become an Intellectual by Nick Kolakowski

First of all: If you saw the title of this book and saw the word “Maxim” and immediately thought “oooh, a book about hot chicks”, this book probably isn’t for you. But you might be well advised to read it anyway. Girls dig guys who know stuff.

I’ve been enjoying Nick Kolakowski‘s cleverly written tongue-in-cheek articles on The Huffington Post and when I learned that he had written a book in a similar style, I was interested. I mean, a “how-to” book on how to be smart (or, to at least SOUND like you are)? I’m in! Who needs to get a PhD in classical literature or travel the world when you can just APPEAR to have done so?

Honestly, this book was/is a lot of fun to read and it’s one that everyone who has visited lately and seen it lying around has picked up and gotten a huge chuckle out of it. BUT….it has also ignited some interesting and real conversations about all sorts of topics. I have to say, it’s been a true pleasure to talk about something other than Big Brother XIIIVIX or The Real Housewives of Calcutta for a change. Not that I have dumb friends, oh heavens no! I’m only suggesting that sometimes, there are certain people who take themselves WAY too seriously while there are others who it certainly wouldn’t hurt them a bit to pick up a book instead of the remote.

While How to Become an Intellectual: 100 Mandatory Maxims to Metamorphose into the Most Learned of Thinkers was written as smart humor (Mental Floss magazine anyone?), the truth is, there is a lot of valuable information to be found, some good advice and you might really learn something (I did!)

Personally, I found it to be similar to the “for Dummies” line of books, except for smart people. Because in the end, some people will “get” this book and others will not. How to tell the difference? Protip! – A good sense of humor is a pretty accurate indicator of IQ. 😉