▁better ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁for - pro fit ▁industry ▁of ▁pom p ous ▁fund ra ising ▁run ▁by ▁sh ady ▁" ph il anth rop ists " ▁running ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁gu ild s , ▁comm itte es , ▁found ations , ▁le agues ▁and ▁coun c ils ▁for ▁self ish ▁and ▁gre edy ▁purposes . ▁ ▁The ▁focus ▁of ▁the ▁book ▁begins ▁with ▁a ▁young ▁G ide on ▁demonstr ating ▁a ▁kn ack ▁for ▁public ▁speaking , ▁and ▁these ▁skills ▁follow ▁him ▁through ▁his ▁self - mot iv ated ▁and ▁self ish ▁under grad uate ▁years ▁at ▁Adel bert ▁College . ▁The ▁book ▁then ▁pick s ▁up ▁an ▁older ▁but ▁still ▁vac uous ▁G ide on , ▁now ▁a ▁Professor ▁of ▁Rh et or ic ▁at ▁K inn ik in ick ▁College , ▁when ▁he ▁finally ▁meets ▁the ▁girl ▁of ▁his ▁dream s ; ▁young ▁co ed ▁Pe ony ▁Jackson ▁of ▁Far ib ault , ▁Minnesota . ▁ ▁Mot iv ated ▁by ▁vague ▁dream s ▁of ▁importance , ▁including ▁a ▁dream ▁of ▁becoming ▁a ▁U . S . ▁sen ator , ▁G ide on ▁begins ▁his ▁campaign ▁for ▁social ▁asc ension ▁by ▁moving ▁from ▁one ▁job ▁to ▁another ▁with ▁the ▁hopes ▁of ▁meeting ▁" like - mind ed ▁think ers " ▁with ▁vague ▁goals ▁and ▁even ▁more ▁flexible ▁mor als ▁when ▁it ▁came ▁to ▁raising ▁money ▁for ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁causes . ▁Over ▁the ▁years , ▁G ide on ' s ▁path ▁to ▁easy ▁money ▁with ▁no ▁account ability ▁leads