This book is by A.J. Jacobs of The Year of Living Biblically fame. It’s basically a funny take on the fact that we’re all becoming too connected to computers, especially the Internet. Sir Jacobs, being a satirist by nature, introduces the plugged in generation to real life. While this is meant as a joke, I wonder if it won’t be true in a couple of generations. I’m probably part of one of the last generations in modern American who will remember not having the Internet. I know my kids won’t, especially if they’re disabled because technology can overcome a lot of difficulties that disability presents. I don’t plan to deny them this technology. I do, however, worry about its influence and whether they will stay inside all the time instead of going out and being in nature or engaging in other real life activities.
I think if you need to take a plane, this is your book. It’s only 117 pages long, just perfect for a cross-country flight for fast readers like me. It took me fourteen days to finish the book, but that was because I was reading it to put me to sleep. I have a ritual. Every night before actually going to sleep, I read a real physical book for 10 minutes. I don’t why this works, but it does the trick 90% of the time.
A bit of a warning, however, you shouldn’t read this in mass transit if you’re embarrassed by having strangers see you laugh out loud. Being a liberated woman I have no such problem in this area. I would rate this book 7.5 out of 10. If you’re like me, it makes you ponder a future you may not like, but if you don’t want to think and just want to laugh, it works for that too. This is in direct opposition to movies like Milk which force you to think whether you want to or not.
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