ONE-UPMANSHIP

by Stephen Potter

Being Some Account Of The Activities And Teaching Of The Lifemanship Correspondence College Of One-Upness And Gameslifemastery.

Genres: Humor, Fiction, British Literature, Self Help, How To

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

Stephen Meredith Potter was a British author and broadcaster. He popularised the term 'Gamemanship'.

Reviews

[Georgie-who-is-Sarah-Drew]

"One-Upmanship" is now so mainstream that it has its own definitions in the Oxford & Cambridge dictionaries, and (less illustriously) in Wikipedia: "the term refers to a satiric course in the gambits required for the systematic and conscious practice of creative intimidation, making one's associates feel inferior and thereby gaining the status of being one-up on them."

Stephen Potter's books (Gamesmanship, Lifemanship etc) were the product of the late 1940s & 1950s and should by rights be period pieces by now. And it's true that the focus on men (there's scarcely a serious or sensible woman in sight) and the absence of any modern technology does date them—slightly. But Potter's a master at modelling the subtle jockeying for position that still happens in offices today. Who sits where? Who brings who coffee—and how? Crucially (because otherwise Potter's books would be little more than mildly interesting management handbooks), Potter is funny. Here's Potter's overweight couch-potato alter-ego "Odoreida" (in 'The Art of Not Rock-Climbing') alternately patronising and condescending to an eager acolyte:

[Such-and-such a climb is said to be difficult.]
Odoreida: Frankly, I'm frightened of it.
Acolyte: Don't blame you. Hardly any holds of any kind, are there?
Odoreida: Well, the holds which do arrive, arrive well. Not holds perhaps—certain helpful rugosities...But...no, I've got my family, and I think if one's got a family....No. For me it's out of bounds.

Or perhaps I just think this is funny because my father absorbed Potter's books through every pore and (in his eyes) was One-Upmanship Man. Then we grew old enough to find the books and became the One-Upmanship children.

[Manny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The successor to Gamesmanship and Lifemanship . It's becoming a little formulaic, but there are still plenty of good bits.

One of my favorite sections describes how to give presents that the recipient will loathe. It's Christmas, and you hand your unsuspecting victim a packet that turns out to contain a hearing aid.

"But I don't have a hearing problem!" they say, surprised.

"Ah, let me show you how it works!" you explain. You fasten it to their ear, then, with your mouth well away from the microphone (Potter's italics), you recite:

There was a boy, ye knew him once,
Ye cliffs and islands of Winander...

"Where?" they ask, before they've had time to think about it.

"WINANDER," you reply. "Handy little thing, isn't it?"

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

One-Upmanship, oh yes.

The title of the book, and the lithe-and-lively concept of One-Upmanship, have given me a lighthearted alternative to sneering. Ever since I read this book in my teens, I've had a handy term for private consolation: One-Upmanship. Oh, yes.

Braggarts there will always be. But witty writers like Stephen Potter? Not nearly often enough.

[Jeff Crompton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third of Stephen Potter's quietly diabolical and brilliant Gamesmanship/Lifesmanship books. The concept of Lifesmanship is easy to grasp, but difficult to explain succinctly. It consists of an attitude and set of strategies by which the Lifeman can, in whatever situation he finds himself, inspire discomfort and confusion in his fellow man, and thus place himself in the "one up" position. One-Upsmanship explains how to remain one up in various situations: in a business meeting, while driving, while fishing, hunting ("Game Birdsmanship"), bird-watching ("Bird Gamesmanship"), etc. I particularly enjoyed the gambits of U.S.Manship, defined by Potter as "how, when visiting Britain, to appear to be quite happy to be one down, while actually remaining one up." The American visitor is advised to praise, as quaint and charming, some tacky Pseudo-Tudor structure that the English find embarrassing, or alternatively, something that the Brits proudly consider modern and up-to-date.

The humor here is very British, and very mid-20th-century British, so it won't appeal to everyone. Very few readers today will get every reference in this 60-year-old book. I certainly don't, but can fill in a lot through context. I've loved the Lifesmanship books, including this one, for years; they're extremely funny in their own subtle way.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

'[...] Miltoning, sometimes described as the art of not writing Paradise Lost before fifty.'
wryly amusing. Ideally suited to a medium length train journey, not least because it outlines the art of Railway Gambits.

[Bookguide · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did start reading this book, but it wasn’t as funny as I’d hoped. The humour is rather P.G. Wodehouse-ish, but as it’s about how to get the better of everyone you meet, it lacks the charm. You can’t help but think that anyone who employed these tactics would be utterly unbearable, which is really the whole target of the satire, of course; a sort of send up of the self-help book. Nevertheless, too stolid for me. But that’s just my opinion. I found a note inside (pictured). It means:
Prize
for hard work and paying attention
presented
to
ANJA
during a visit to the
library
Peace Palace
[in the Hague]

[David Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quirky book with much humor appropriate to its time and place (Britain). It would take a great comedian - like the late Robin Williams - to offer a modern version of this book (although perhaps David Walliams could also author such a piece).

[Martin Willoughby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Old fashioned but still witty.

[Rajhesh Panchanadhan]

Being Some Account Of The Activities And Teaching Of The Lifemanship Correspondence College Of One-Upness And Gameslifemastery.

[Justin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seems like an instruction guide on how to be a horrible person

[Stuart Haining · Rating 3 out of 5]

7/10 3% FPPP MT-10% Classic life skills reprinted from the 1952’s original.

[Lila · Rating 5 out of 5]

The classic. The humor can be a challenge for an American: too many class-oriented in-jokes. But this is a wonderful addition to the language.

[Mark Speed · Rating 4 out of 5]

My interest stemmed from a 1970s series based on these writings. Although they're intended as satire, there's many a true word spoken in jest. The volume is a little thin, but it's quite funny. The humour lies in the fact that one can see these games in any organisation - from school to workplace. I've certainly met plenty of people with the one-upmanship mindset. Timeless humour.

[Alanseinfeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

Humour of its time, but, still very funny and enjoyable. A good companion to "Lifeman-ship" and "Gamesman-ship". The chapter on "winesmanship" could be used very well today! Check the film "School for Scoundrels" with Terry Thomas and you'll get a good idea of all the ploys of Lifemanship.

[Mani · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book for every young person to read. A droll account of the strategems and machinations that the wise one-up man or woman deploys with devastating impact upon the unwary and uninitiated. Be prepared for success as a Lifeman with these priceless nuggets of practical wisdom and age-old advice.

[SteveMcI · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not much, dated. Wouldn't rush back to read others by the author.