As in previous works (Roles Speakers Play, Podium Humor, Instant Eloquence), Humes begins with a few introductory words and then unreels a new collection of pithy anecdotes. This time around they're organized according to subject--Commitment, Preparedness, Success--and feature more of the famous. There's E. B. White's complaint to the Reader's Digest (""Unlike a vanilla bean, I do not want to be extracted""), Lyndon Johnson on changing winds (""in politics you've got to learn that overnight chicken shit can turn to chicken salad""), and Naval Academy football coach Eddie Erdelatz on limited performance (""A tie game is like kissing your sister""). As before, a respectable chicken-dinner selection.