Silman's How To Reassess Your Chess

I was recently going through this book and I enjoy reading it but whenever I apply it to my games it all seems a bit artificial. Like saying that let's improve this piece or open this diagonal but the opponent does something else and it all falls apart. I am not able to practically apply anything. And the text book positions never occur.

I tried to read HTRYC, but I gave up very quickly after having a similar sort of difficulty. However, I am only about 1500, so it might be that I am too weak in other areas to be able to use the ideas very effectively. That explanation seems less plausible for someone with your rating.

I have had the same experience with that book. It makes me think, why do people still continue to buy that book ?

"How to Reassess Your Chess, 4th Edition was designed for players in the 1400 to 2100 range." - IM Jeremy Silman (2010)

If that means that the book is most useful for players somewhere near 1750, it would explain why I had trouble with it.