| Best-selling book The Game was written by | | | | Durden in an apparent homage to the film's |
| writer and the (self-titled) greatest Pick-Up | | | | main character. |
| Artist in the world, Neil Strauss. The Game | | | | |
| charts the author's rise as he delved into | | | | Publication of The Game was wrought with |
| the sub-community of Internet-based seducers | | | | harsh criticism from many diverse interest |
| and Lotharios facing up to his own fears and | | | | groups. Members of the seduction community at |
| anxieties about interacting with women- even | | | | the heart of the book became increasingly |
| if only to ask directions on the street- to | | | | anxious that their sub-community would have |
| bedding adult film stars and Hollywood | | | | the glare of the mainstream shone upon it |
| celebrities. | | | | highlighting their practices leaving them |
| | | | open to inspection by the very audience they |
| The Game featured the most prominent Pick-Up | | | | wished to keep their activities hidden from. |
| Artists and Seducers from across the globe | | | | Some went so far as to suggest that Strauss' |
| and though not intended to be interpreted as | | | | intentions were geared towards and influenced |
| a 'how to' guide to picking up women it still | | | | by the financial rewards of the book's |
| managed to capture acclaim by featuring on | | | | publication as well as the opportunity to |
| the New York Times best sellers list during | | | | further his own writing career. |
| September and October 2005 and was the best | | | | |
| selling book on in a short space of time | | | | Criticism was also leveled from feminists who |
| after its release. Others making guest | | | | claimed that The Game was written with |
| appearances of note include socialite Paris | | | | undertones of misogyny as the rating of the |
| Hilton and pop star Britney Spears- who | | | | appearance of women using a scale of 1-10 to |
| Strauss actually claims to have exchanged | | | | judge their value in the eyes of Pick-Up |
| telephone numbers with during an interview | | | | Artists objectified women. This was, however, |
| for then employers Rollingstone magazine. | | | | countered by Neil Strauss who argued the |
| | | | claim that men were, in the same vein, |
| Sub-plots and adjacent story lines are | | | | 'valued' according to attractiveness by women |
| integral to The Game with the author | | | | using signals such as wealth and that rating |
| chronicling his pursuit of a military-style | | | | a woman's appearance was merely an attempt at |
| sleep regime and overt references to pop | | | | verbalising an evolutionary process that men |
| culture such as the alignment of the plot to | | | | undertake when assessing the suitability of |
| the film Fight Club- incidentally, a famous | | | | potential mates. |
| Pick-Up Artist takes the pseudonym Tyler | | | | |