The book is literally a compilation of 8 of the best papers on project management ever published. Hence the papers can be read independently. If you are a student at some University, you should be able to trace the individual papers to their source in your University library and print them at a much lower cost than the price of this book. The price was the only disappointment for me and since I am not a student, I couldn't do what I suggested above.
The eight different topics addressed by these papers in the book are -
1. Conflict Management
2. Contract Administration
3. Negotiating
4. Time and Stress Management
5. Team Building
6. PM Roles and Responsibilities
7. Organizational Development Approach
8. Organizing for Project Management
Based on my own personal background, I found the first five topics noted above the most interesting and the topic on Time and Stress Management the most useful. A lot of people I have talked to have not really found the time to read this book before taking the PMP but I would recommend reading it thoroughly once you have passed the PMP. I am finding that this book provides a very useful way to consolidate one's PM knowledge. PMI publishes 'Project Management Journal' and 'PM Network' on a regular basis that are also absolutely essential for any project manager. I have actually kept these publications from years back and they are one of the most prized possessions of my PM library. Enjoy reading these papers and the above mentioned publications!
The book is unreadable and there is no INDEX!
If you are trying to LEARN about Project Management then avoid this book like the plague.
I use it in my PMP classes at Oak Associates, Inc. www.oakinc.com