Not many business books begin with the description of an encounter with a surfer dude. Yet, Farber, a former vice president for uber-management-guru firm The Tom Peters Co., does just that— and then makes the surfer dude the effective"hero"of his book,which reads more like a mystery novel than a management tome.

That's both a strength and a weakness. The informal encounter conceit helps make the book a quick and easy read, no small advantage for any business book aimed at a general audience.On the other hand, what you leaven in the presentation you also tend to leaven in the content.

Farber works hard to wring profundity out of the surfer dude' management advice, which basically consists of a John-and-Yokoish four word mantra—Love. Energy.Audacity.Proof (or LEAP,geddit?). More usefully, they translate into a practical four-step program: Cultivate Love, Generate Energy, Inspire Audacity and Provide Proof.

The bulk of the book consists of a series of encounters—often with the same surfer dude, whose name is Edg—expanding on and illustrating the core philosophy.

Some is inspiring and most is at least entertaining.