Jennifer McKnight-Trontz: Yes You Can - Timeless Advice Form Self-Help Experts

Chronicle Books

$42

Amazing! Appear slimmer! Feel better! Look younger! Become lovelier! Improve your personality!

Become more charming! See how you score on the Charmometer ... With 200 illustrations taken from advertising and popular books from the 1920s to 1970s, McKnight-Trontz brings us a fascinating coffee-table book which will both expand your mind and reduce your waist.

It's cute and funny to browse in, as much bubble gum for the mind as the original advertisements.

It might lead us to ponder the naive optimism and simplistic solutions offered by the advertising and self-help books of yesteryear.

But stop for a second: has anything really changed?