THE ART OF PERSONAL PROBLEM-SOLVING

The title is something of a decoy: Mr. Levenstein deals with problem-solving more as a science, than an art, applying some of its disciplines (he is a lawyer and professor); also the problems with which he deals are predominantly those which one handles on an intellectual (on the job) rather than personal (domestic) level. He also assumes that his readership is intelligent, not just hopeful and confused to begin with, and he applies a good deal of scientific technique and historical and psychological data to the amplification of his points. The material deals in some detail with goals (the ""felt need""); looking for, handling and systematizing facts in context; interpreting less tangible areas, abstractions, generalizations, visualizations, etc. and finally different types of solutions and the approaches to them. Names (St. Francis, Bertrand Russell, Einstein, William James et al) dot the text and there is considerable exemplification at a higher than John Doe level. One might suggest a market of executives, administrators, etc.