If you think that Tim Ferriss or Neil Strauss have invented being a so-called "Investigative Writer", think again. Long before "The Game", "Emergency", and "The 4-Hour" series have even been conceived, there was another writer who was paving the way for this genre. His name is William Fili and he wrote books that are helpful, based on personal experience, and deeply human. Of course, some of the books he penned do not fall neatly into this category, like his most excellent "Passage to Valhalla II", which I personally think is a recommended reading for anyone who is interested in World War II. Unless, of course, you think of it as a self-help book for surviving being a gunner on a B-24 Liberator and then a POW.

This book is a one man's journey of self-improvement, dutifully recorded and documented, with all the obligatory "before" and "after" pictures. When getting beyond the mark of a "middle-aged", he decides to improve his appearance. Getting a referral from his physician, he gets under the knife to fix the bags under his eyes and at first, he is satisfied with the improvement. After the second operation to tighten up his neck, some of the problems start to show, an earlobe, eyebrows, etc. This starts him on the path that involves visiting more specialists, learning to ask the right questions, trying to find lawyers who specialize in medical malpractice, delving into the murky world of insurance carriers and investigating a possible government intervention in cases like his own.

While Mr. Fili is doing all of that, he is writing this very book. Pressed for time to get the copy into the press, he is torn between his fair, non-conflicting nature, the harsh realities of the downside of the world of plastic surgery, and his desire to finally be through with this experience. Quote: "I had to get on with it too. I had a book to get to press, and I couldn't write the end until I had written the final chapter of my own experience. I simply could not leave my readers hanging in mid air, wondering if, in the end, someone did fix up my face for me, or if I was still walking around with a misshapen ear lobe, a lopsided neck and irritated droopy eyes."

Mr. Fili summarizes his experiences for the reader, draws conclusions, and gives very practical recommendations at the end of this book. Before you say - this is dated, please try and remember the recent celebrity "botched plastic surgery" scandals. If even the celebrities get the wrong end of the stick sometimes, what makes you think that we, the regular folk, will fare any better? I think the message in this book and the advise still stand strong.

The language is appealingly simple, almost conversational. One would think there would be a lot of complaining in a book such as this but instead we find quiet contemplation and mature reasoning. Perhaps it's true that earlier generations were made of sterner stuff. The attention to the detail author demonstrates and his very human approach in retelling his experience get my recommendation.

William Fili has recorded his complete journey through getting a face lift and has delivered quite a detailed account of the process. With clever cliches and a little wit thrown in, 'Face Lifts: Is There One in Your Future' is a go-to guide for acquiring all the necessary resources for a face lift. Not only is this book for people wanting a face lift, this book appeals to those not interested as well. I, myself, and not getting any work done but I enjoyed the book. It was an informative read and I learned quite a bit about the process that I never knew. I commend Mr. Fili for documenting his entire process and sharing it with others so they might learn from his experiences.

Publication date is misleading. Amazon's description says this item was published in August, 2011. The book itself gives a copyright date of 1977 and the latest reference cited is also 1977. That is 37 years ago. That is a very long time in the domain of plastic surgery. There may well be good information in this book--just don't buy it thinking it is a current work.

As part of the aging demographic, topics like face lifts have gained a great deal of credence and attention from me.
This book is extremely well written and treats face lifts as a serious medical topic. This is a very refreshing approach in this field. After reading this, you will be well prepared to tackle the intricacies of the medical procedures associated with face lifts.
I would recommend this book highly- it is very enlightening and educational.

Focused on a narrow market, I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading this book. I was pleasantly surprised by the honesty and candor created by the authors in their effort to direct those who are facing a serious medical procedure. As a Baby Boomer, I know the reality of facing the unknown and prefer to have some guidance before placing my life and well being into the hands of the medical establishment. I would recommend this book to anyone facing or contemplating plastic surgery. At least here you'll get a first hand account of what you need to do and look out for.