Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as I had hoped
Review: The idea behind Incomplete Education is brilliant. The execution is not. The authors try so hard to be cute and clever that they're annoying. After the first 30 pages i just couldn't stand it anymore.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book but don't take it too seriously!
Review: This book was given to me as a gift upon completion of my MBA to "round out" my education. I read it cover to cover and enjoyed it very much (I am ordering a new copy because a friend "borrowed" it). I had great fun with the witty commentary. In fact, at times, I thought that absurd analogies actually helped explain esoteric and abstract concepts in a more simple and understandable manner (maybe my philosophy prof should consider these methods). I understand the criticism of many people who claim that the book is a shallow and "incomplete" coverage of the topics - it absolutely is. Reading the section on opera by no means makes one an expert or replaces the experience, nor does it intend to. Instead, I think it either gives a novice a fun introduction or presents the expert with a funny perspective on what they already know. So, having been to both Wagner and Mozart operas, I enjoyed reading how they could contrast the two in layman's terms (a great chapter, I might add). Simply put: If you are capable of not taking it too seriously, you'll love this book. If not, don't take yourself too seriously, and then buy it!
Rating:
Summary: A worthwhile read, though very American in outlook.
Review: While this book gives the reader a few kilometers' head start on the road of knowledge for several liberal arts fields (Art History, Film, Psychology, etc.) its wink-wink, "isn't it funny" outlook on the book's subject matter that is not, well, American, eventually becomes tiresome. For instance, did the Canada entry in the Political Science section really need an "eh" joke? I thus sulkingly axe one star from my rating.Dispite this gripe, I feel this is a book I'll turn to again and again for factoids and nuggets of knowledge that us science types with hyperspecialized college/university degrees didn't get the chance to learn at school. After all, this book made me discover the painter El Greco. I afterwards even bought a reproduction of his A View of Toledo. How's that for unintentional advertisement?
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