The No Asshole Rule as “Like Garlic to a Vampire.”

I just got an interesting note about how one person uses The No Asshole Rule as a defensive tool at work. I have edited his email a bit for length and to protect the innocent (and the guilty):

“I’m currently working in a pretty toxic office that has a certified A-Hole in a senior management position. Even though this person should be a professional colleague and teammate, this person has gone out of her way to be rude, dismissive, and insulting, using all of the techniques you cover in your book. Her attacks are largely targeted at me for some unknown reason. I’ve never done anything to her or said anything offensive to her or about her to others. I’ve tried on several occasions to reach out to her with my assistance on projects where I have significant expertise, but she has quite rudely dismissed all my attempts to try and work with her as a teammate.

 I noticed an interesting phenomenon when I started leaving your book on the front of my desk. Her attacks seem to become less frequent after she noticed the title of the book (like garlic to a vampire). Until I am ready to move on to a more civilized workplace, I am employing your A-Hole avoidance practices to minimize exposure to her toxic attitude. They are working well and have made coming to work a more tolerable experience. I am also working hard to catch any A-Hole behavior that I may be about to perpetrate against others in the office. The best way I know is to try and stay humble and not let my ego fly out of control.
It really is a shame to see how this one person is killing morale and productivity in our office.

 This really could be a great place to work. The problem is that this person is a typical know-it-all who actually does know quite a bit. Her ego is too big to admit when she does not know something and she goes into A-Hole mode to blame other people when things go wrong, or don’t go her way.”

 It sounds to me like this manager is handling this quite maturely and wisely – applying many of the tips for people who are trapped with an asshole boss or in a nasty workplace, with the ultimate goal being to get out.
I would also love to hear from other people who have used the book as a defensive shield, or in other ways, at work.