If you play single-line guitar in standard tuning, these are interesting, relatively musical exercises, and flexible enough to do in a variety of styles/feels. You don't have to be a Pat Metheny fan to benefit from this book (I'm not, particularly). Knowing who he is or how he plays is irrelevant.

I can tell that working through this book would help my playing. And it is a good insight into how an expert relates to his instrument and to the 12 tones. But I'm not sure I really have it in me to make the most of it.

Me, I like healthy food. But when people complain about eating "health food", I suspect they feel like how I feel when I half-heartedly play these etudes.