The Geek's Guide to Dating by Eric Smith

Sometimes, it reads like Player One barely interacts with society, but even if you live in a man cave, there’s still a gal out there for you who’s waiting for you to say ‘hi.’ And if you use this book as a drinking game every time there’s a reference to something geeky (popular ones are Scott Pilgrim, video games and Star Wars), you will be drunk within the first 10 pages.

Smith spends most of the book on how to find a date, asking her out, and getting ready for the date (more than just showering, but please, always shower), but he also talks about if the date blossoms into a relationship and then if it ends. Smith, a self-declared geek, is not asking anyone to change just to get a girl, he’s just showing you what will work best with your options, no matter what kind of geek you are (Book worm? Internet Guru? Gamer? Film Buff? Comic Book Collector?) He discusses tips on online dating, such as the best kinds of pictures to use, how to write the best ‘about me’ and how “complimentary adjectives like ‘cool’ and ‘awesome’ get nearly twice the response rate of physically focused words like ‘sexy and ‘beautiful.’” But have no fear, he also explains meeting someone IRL (“be friendly, not creepy”), you know, like at the comic book store, the book shop, or the weekend convention. I’m not a geek guy, but I know that this book should be read with a sense of humour.

The Geek's Guide to Dating by Eric Smith