Smyslov_Fan, I see we have many similar interests! I graduated from Sofia university with an excellent dyplom in history. And I'm also a big fan of Smyslov, especially after he crushed me nicely long ago after... 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dc 3.e4 Nc6 4.Nf3! Bg4 5.d5 Ne5 6.Bf4 Guess who was Black!

1. Frankly, 3.e4 b5 4.a4 is not "so" bad. It's just better for White because of free development and spatial advantage. There are no forced variations - White plays chess, well, eying Black's king.

2. In2, I was "extremely optimistic about 3... Nc6 in the first edition of the QGA book" because it offers interesting tangled play and because Black found  a couple of very good ideas in problem before lines like 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be3 or 4.Be3. However in positionally correct openings White always has some sound strategical line which ensures him normal play with possibly a slight edge. The riskier Black's strategy is, the bigger White's edge could be. I think that 3...Nc6 is a good compromise as it is complex while remaining objectively solid enough, perhaps up to a level of 2600. Higher up I suppose Black is doomed to struggle. At that level 3...e5 4.Nf3 ed4 5.Bc4 Bb4 is probably more viable (I personally do not trust in 3...e5 4.Nf3 ed4 5.Bc4 Nc6 6.0-0 Be6 because of 7.Be6!. White still has reserves for improving there).
All that is a bit too academical. Every one should find his own line depending on his style. For instance I feel claustrophobic in KID and it is not sexy at all to me!

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I took Semkov to task for this on another thread, and he said that they are making improvements.   

He also said that it may not be that important since many of the readers are non-speakers of English.  But that is specious, since with non-English-speaking readers, it is even more important that the English be correct!

And yet, in spite of the very uneven English, I think that practically all the Chess Stars books are worth owning.

Semkov

Did you regard 3...b5 as so bad in the e4 lines that you did not bother to include it?

I see from chesslab.com that it still gets played, and does not do all that awfully.

I like it when Black plays 3...b5 instead of e5, but the variations tend to get sharp quite quickly.

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Having the QGA in one's repertoire is certainly useful but I wouldn't want to have it as my only weapon if only because I think it could be hard to play for a win in the tedious dxc5 variations.

I think the QGA is unfairly underrated, its an ideal defence for Club players.

Sure its not sexy like a KID, Grunfeld or Benoni but its reliable and fairly solid without being passive.

Toppy

BTW, 

About the QGA:   

I often play the White side of 3.e4!? and have found 3....Nc6 to be the most challenging defense.  It is so challenging that if I think my opponent has made a special study of that opening just for me, I will play 3.e3! in order to get a quieter game with a smaller but probably more lasting advantage.