This book definitely is not one to read in one sitting. It's highly academic in nature and the language used reflects that. It's also not one to read in bed before turning out the light; it requires actual study for the material to sink in, as befits a textbook.

That said, the content is good. There is a definite feeling of "this is the *proper* way to do it and no variations will be accepted," but of course that's not the way of the real world. As stated in the preface it's based on global best practices as described by the Project Management Institute, but many of us maintain there is no such thing as "global best practices". Best practices are what work best for you in your specific situation and are by no means global.

My only other quibble is that the book is highly focused on the Waterfall method of project management, with exactly one chapter covering Agile methods at a very high level. This may be suitable for someone bidding on a government project, but my experience is that the optimum is a hybrid of the two methods (a term not to be confused with "methodologies"). Waterfall is too inflexible, Agile can be too unfocused if not done properly.

To summarize into a book jacket-length blurb: this book does cover the essentials of project management, but all essentials are not presented equally and reality tends to be glossed over. ( )

I received this book for free in exchange for an review.
This is a very interesting and helpful book. With comprehensive topics, concise writing, and helpful templates.

I read the 5th edition but for some reason cannot add it to my library so I am adding the 4th edition as it should be very similar. As a project management professional that has recently retired, I found this book to be a terrific guide for new and existing PMs. ( )

Disclosure: I was provided this book for free in exchange for my honest review. This review is based on the forthcoming 5th edition.

I've recently begun the process of studying for my PMP certification, and wanted a small book that would lay out the basics of Project Management to serve as a refresher/reference guide as a study. This book delivers very well on its promise of outlining the essentials of project management without a lot of extra fluff. I especially liked the case studies and exercises at the end of the chapters to help apply the information that had just been presented and (hopefully) cement it in the reader's brain.

The writing in this book is clear and concise. I would recommend it mostly for beginners or individuals who have largely experienced informal project management, though, as I think most with experience in formal project management would find this book too into-level to be particularly useful. ( )

A good comprehensive guide to project management. The templates are a great extra that comes with the book. ( )