Quite truthfully, this book doesn't deserve ANY stars. Yes, it was required reading for a graduate class in communication. If you are required to read this book, first of all, my deepest apologies. Secondly, have a dictionary handy. Most of the words in this book require one. It's almost as if the writers pulled out the thesaurus as they were writing and looked for the biggest words they could possibly put in place of simpler words. My professor (who holds a PhD) couldn't even understand this book. If you don't have to read it, don't. It's a great snoozer for those nights when you can't sleep or a paperweight (although it's not that attractive either).