I love the idea of this book but ultimately I think the very topic doesn't suit my learning style. I learn best when there's an overarching system I can arrange new facts into - but gestural communication, when not codified into a sign language, is an inherently piecemeal thing. So I mostly enjoyed reading it but ten minutes later couldn't remember a thing.

Generally I found the explanations really useful and interesting. Just occasionally they were a bit too jokey-jokey, and a few times I'd have liked a little more: for example when he explained what a gesture means, but I didn't feel I had a good grasp of what context it'd actually be used in; or when he mentioned that women should avoid using a pair of gestures, but not why (would people think we're gay? sluts? foreign weirdos? incredibly rude?) ( )

Serious and funny. Every gestures are explained with photograph(s). I don't know if these photos are easy enough for non-Japanese to understand how to do it, but overall, this book is pretty good.