This is one of the best books that I have read. It consists of 48 chapters, each one discussing a common scenario where a patient can be difficult. When you read this book you start recalling memories of almost the same situations you went through yourself. You will realise after reading the book that it would have been much more useful if you had read this book before graduation from medical school. You would then have been more skilled in handling similar situations from the start of your career.
The way this book is organised makes it very attractive to read. Each chapter starts with a problem, illustrated by a dialogue between the doctor and the patient, representing day to day phrases and responses in clinical practice. Then the authors give the principles for handling the situation, followed by procedures for applying them. Next, they talk about the pitfalls to avoid and finally end with a pearl of wisdom for that particular scenario. This is usually the message that you need to take from the chapter. After each chapter, the authors provided references to selected readings for those who are interested to read more in depth about that scenario. The language of the book is simple and easily understood. The book also contains several illustrative photographs that show the gestures and position of patient responses. The physical structure of the book is very handy and it can be easily carried in your pocket.
It is very hard to say much that is negative about this book, but since it was published by people who are living and practicing at United States, they have used scenarios common in their culture. These might not be applicable for people with major differences in culture, attitudes and beliefs. However, this is not the case in most of the chapters and you can easily skip a chapter if you feel the scenario is not related to your practice.
I highly recommend this book to all practising physicians and medical students and it is a good choice for faculty who teaches communication skills for health care providers.