The Paradise Lost of Seduction Literature: A Review of Bang by Roosh V

This review was originally published at The Spearhead on October 2, 2009.

As a general rule, 90 to 95 percent of the pickup artist literature available today is garbage. Most of these clowns are snake oil salesmen hocking overpriced e-books and DVD box sets containing info you can just as easily find online for free. There are, however, a select few books on game that are worth buying, and Bang, Roosh’s entry into this expanding field, is one of them. If The Mystery Method is the Bible of seduction literature, Bang is the Paradise Lost, and is a title that anyone interested in improving their success with women should buy, post-haste.

The first great thing about Bang is that it’s a book. Not a dinky little PDF file that you have to read on your goddamn computer or spend reams of ink printing out, but a corporeal, dead-tree and print BOOK. You can put it on your nightstand, stick it in your bookshelf, and carry it with you to peruse when out and about. If you put a premium on being able to hold a book in your hands while you read, like I do, Bang is a godsend.

And merely from the standpoint of diction, Roosh’s book is miles ahead of its competitors. Anyone acquainted with the seduction community knows that it’s a swirling cauldron of nerdiness and weirdness, with its own vocabulary of terms like “HB10,” “IOI,” and “neg hit.” Hell, the obnoxiously pretentious term “pickup artist” was invented so these geeks could pretend to set themselves apart from the rest of us grinders. In contrast, Roosh writes like a normal human being instead of a social retard. You won’t have to worry about coming across an undefined three-letter acronym every other page, necessitating a trip to the glossary and taking you out of the moment. He even refers to men who sleep with a lot of girls by the normal term: “player.” Solely in this regard, Bang is a much better read than almost all of the seduction literature on the market.

But if style is queen, then content is king, and Bang more then delivers in this regard. Roosh’s major innovation is the use of unscripted material in his game alongside standard canned material. For example, he introduces the concept of the environmental opener, which is a way of opening a girl with a line based on what’s happening in the surrounding environment. Additionally, he also writes on conversational threads, a way to hold a conversation with a girl that is both natural and holds her interest. The book is also rich with examples that allow you to contextualize the lessons. Given that scripted lines eventually become played out as dudes use them on chicks over and over, the ability to incorporate unscripted material into your game is a necessity if you want to stay on the circuit. If you’re having trouble in this department, you’d do well to pick up Bang for that reason alone.

Finally, as a beginner’s handbook to handling women, Bang is easily one of the best resources available. In the book, Roosh breaks down the process of seduction in a coherent game plan that anyone can follow. The meat of Bang is broken down into different chapters: Internal Game (the attitudes you must internalize before you set out to approach women), Early Game (the stages of approaching, opening, and getting a girl’s interest), Middle Game (what you should do on a date), and Late Game (getting her to have sex with you once you’ve gotten her home). And unlike *certain* guides that expend too much ink on early game and almost nothing on the other aspects of seduction, Roosh devotes equal time to each section, breaking down everything in meticulous, loving detail. He even goes so far as to outline the most efficient way you should disrobe your woman once you’re making out in the bedroom. And if that isn’t enough, Roosh includes a handy appendix at the end for dealing with specific situations, such as the best way to approach a girl at a coffee shop. If you’re new to game, Bang is an absolute must-buy.

The biggest problem with Bang is its laser-like focus on approaching in bars and nightclubs. This is a failing with seduction literature in general, so I can’t really blame Roosh for this, but even still, it’s disappointing. While Roosh does include pointers for non-alcoholic venues both in the main text and the appendix, they seem more like afterthoughts. As I’ve written before, there is a dearth of worthwhile day game information available now, and whoever writes a comprehensive manual on the subject will be raking in the dough (hint hint).

But aside from that minor dent, Bang is a more than worthwhile entry into the seduction market. If you’re starting out in the game or looking to take your skills to the next level, Roosh’s book is a invaluable resource and a must-read.

Click here to buy Bang.

NOTE: This is a review of the first edition of Bang. For my look at the expanded second edition, click here.

Tagged as: Bang, Roosh