The usefulness of this book really is in its compactness. It's easy to carry and allows a traveller to express basic concepts easily. It is not a guide to learning the language in depth but rather, could be used as an aid to such a guide. It really is more suitable for travellers to Indonesia who would like to express basic ideas in the local language simply.
The book is divided into sections covering different topics. These include eating and drinking, social etiquette, times and sessions, personal pronouns, religion and culture, social chatting, social relations and family, Indonesian names and verb prefixes.
While the information presented is limited, what is there is enough to help you out in difficult situations while travelling. However, I found it hard to intuitively find the section I require quickly without resorting to the contents or index page. I resorted to sticking post it notes at the start of each section and labelling them with the chapter topic so I could find what I needed fast while I am waiting in queues, conversing with service people, etc. This proved successful.