Scan barcode
pdwhite's review against another edition
5.0
A very thorough look at how the world is being revolutionized today and what needs to be done to prepare ourselves and our children for the world of tomorrow.
sams84's review against another edition
1.0
This book pained me and I am so glad that I only bothered to attempt to read the e-book version (as downloaded from GR). Not only is it not brief, it is not really a history of the 21st century, focusing more on events in the 1980's and 1990's (note these are the 20th century Friedman). I found the book both condescending and highly irritating and one that seems to have completely missed how things are changing now in favour of local goods and services (or they are in the UK at least). Friedman is obviously and very vocally in favour of globalisation and tries to make the reader believe that not only is it a neutral and beneficial thing but it will solve world poverty and can be used for the benefit and protection of the global environment (this last had me incensed that someone can be so naive). I also found the repetitive nature of this book rather annoying and the constant name dropping of all the big executives and exotic places he's been to was getting quite ridiculous by the end. If globalisation is your thing then this is the book for you but if you prefer a more local approach to goods, services and life in general you may want to avoid this one.
joshgroven's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
3.75
zoo wee mama, this dude ❤️ globalization a little too much
danoreading's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed reading the first couple chapters of this, but after a while I just gave up. I did not read the last quarter of the book. The author repeats his thesis *way* too much and it aggravated me. Each chapter seems to say the same thing in a slightly different way. The book was not written as well as some of the other adult nonfiction titles I've read recently and the subject matter, while interesting, was not intriguing enough to sustain my interest.
kmthomas06's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this though it took me forever to read it. A lot of what Friedman is talking about we've seen happen over the decade since he first wrote this book. I was especially intrigued by his discussion of uploading and the power it gives to everyone to become a reporter, a whistleblower etc. In terms of my work, it also provides challenges to preserving the history of the little guy. He mentions MySpace, Second Life and lots of other content creating sites that are no longer with us or have changed drastically. Who archived all that material before the servers were turned off? Primarily an economics based book, I found a lot to think on in terms of my own work as well. Also, in one of the later chapters, I found one of the best descriptions I've ever read for understanding the Muslim world and the many forces at play in it that lead towards acts of terrorism. In the wake of the attacks in France, it was a particularly timely discussion to read and think upon...and it was written in 2007. I think at the end of the day what I found both impressive and depressing what how relevant the book still was. But also hopeful; it is a book that above all has hope that we can figure our the whole flattening of the world thing and make it work.
meglybcoul's review against another edition
2.0
Semi-interesting. Should be viewed as a historical artifact that reflects peoples' thoughts in the early 2000s rather than anything relevant to life today.
neonbuffalo's review against another edition
2.0
Poorly written and repetitive. Combine those two and it makes for arduous reading. I feel as though I read the same book 4 times over.
Dear Jesus,
Please don't allow Thomas Friedman to write version 4.0. If this happens I will consider that a sign of the Apocalypse.
Your BFF,
Noel
I'm so tired from laboriously reading this book that I can't even continue to discuss the awfulness that is this book. For a chapter or maybe even two I thought it was good, and then that chapter got longer and the words looked the same only with different sentence structures... you see how annoying it is when one says the same thing over and over...
If you must, read chapter 2 and you'll get the essence of his perspective.
Dear Jesus,
Please don't allow Thomas Friedman to write version 4.0. If this happens I will consider that a sign of the Apocalypse.
Your BFF,
Noel
I'm so tired from laboriously reading this book that I can't even continue to discuss the awfulness that is this book. For a chapter or maybe even two I thought it was good, and then that chapter got longer and the words looked the same only with different sentence structures... you see how annoying it is when one says the same thing over and over...
If you must, read chapter 2 and you'll get the essence of his perspective.