The Geek’s Guide to Dating

Author: Eric Smith
Release Date: December 3rd, 2013
Publisher: Quirk Books
Source: Quirk Books
Genre(s): Self Help, Dating, Non-Fiction

Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Spoilers:  N/A
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Ever since I first heard became of it I’ve been intrigued by Eric Smith’s upcoming book The Geek’s Guide to Dating. I mean, I’m a geek. I’m single. And my mom is always getting on my case about not having a boyfriend. So, of course I’m thinking, “Yo dawg, that sounds sweet.” Okay, so maybe I’m not thinking that exactly. But still. I was definitely interested in seeing what Eric Smith – one of the heads of Geekadelphia – had to say.

Unfortunately for me, this book is definitely geared towards the guys. I pretty much expected that, though. What I actually didn’t expect was for Eric Smith to include a brief almost apology for sticking to the male geek stereotypes. I actually appreciated that. And he’s right. Most the advice he gives – though not all of it – works for both genders. Plus, by being women, we sort of get an instant stat boost on the dating thing because, you know, boobs. (My words, not his. But still. Boobs.)

I don’t really have any real criticisms of the actual advice Smith provided. It’s pretty much spot on and I say that as a girl. We’re like insiders to this stuff, you know? We know what we’re talking about.

So this is my official geek girl endorsement of The Geek’s Guide to Dating and it’s advice. Take the book, adapt it to your own needs and your own geeky self, and you’ll do pretty well for yourself. Not everything will work for everyone. But it’s a good place to start and it’s a good way for you to sort of get an idea for what the sort of dating geek you’re going to be.

Now, a  lot of what is in this book it was pretty much what you would expect with a geeky twist. So if you’ve tried the dating advice book thing before you’ll see a lot of familiar stuff. You just might enjoy the ride a bit more and perhaps feel more inclined – and capable – of taking it all to heart.  One of the things great things about this book was that the advice is really evenly balanced between geeks dating both geeks and non-geeks as well as geeks with experience dating – both good and bad – and those with none at all. So whether you’re new to the dating game or have played a few rounds already there’s something for you in this guide.

There was a lot of ground to cover and this book does it really well. And it does it in a cute, quirky sort of way. Throughout the book you are Player One and Eric Smith is like your not annoying Navi.

Got questions about how to meet girls? Fret not, Player One. There are sections on online dating and how to meet girls as well as a section on how to meet girls in the real world – geek girls and non-geek girls both. Not sure where to take a girl on a first date? Smith has a few suggestions as well as the pros and cons to go with them. Concerned on how to handle the world of social media and just girls and dating in general? Read through all this and you’ll get yourself well sorted. There’s even a bit on sending text messages and deciphering the meaning in the words and timing. If you’re confused on what to wear, what to talk about, how to handle your differences or just anything basic like that you’ll no doubt find at least a fair amount of help within these colorful pages.

It’s not just a dating book for the everyday geek but a dating book that really proper encapsulates dating in the modern era. It’s solid advice no matter who you are but the presentation is what really sells this book. It’s a book for folks like us. It’s worth a read if just for the treasure trove of pop culture references.

And, I mean, have you seen it?

It’s a gorgeous book. The cover is adorable and the entire book is filled with cute little 8-bit illustrations. You’ll be filled with all kinds of classic video game nostalgia as you try to figure out if your princess is in this particular castle. I don’t know, I think just the book look awesome. Seriously, the presentation is fantastic. I mean, even when you remove the dust cover the hard cover is a bunch of 8-bit bricks with an 8-bit heart in the middle. It’s super cute. I know guys might not care about that but it’s probably one of the best looking books I’ve seen in a while.

Lastly, if reading isn’t necessarily your thing, you can always check out the Geek’s Guide to Dating Webseries hosted by Quick Books on their YouTube page. (And maybe check out some of the other videos they have up because their book trailers are awesome.)

Final Thoughts: 
The Geek’s Guide to Dating is a great guide for the lovelorn geek or those of us looking to step out for the first time. Eric Smith offers some pretty solid advice while at the same time writing up a book that’s fun to read. You won’t feel like someone’s telling you what to do or what you’ve been doing wrong. Instead you’re going to get advice from someone who gets it and at the very least you’re get through to the end just for the pop culture readings and illustrations.