Thank you for wasting my time

I am a fan of Thomas L. Friedman’s work. I loved The World is Flat and figured that Thank You For Being Late was going to be another home run. I’m saying a solid single at best.

The first third of the book was interesting, but it really just read like a 2.0 version of The World is Flat – not a lot new, just updated. This book is the equivalent of an actor turning in a “payday” movie – just a cash grab to make money off his name.

The other thing that was very annoying was how sure Friedman was that the reader didn’t know any of his insight. Several times, he wrote things like, “… but you didn’t even know that was happening” or “but you weren’t aware of that” etc. Most of these references were to changes in the world of computers, chips, internet etc., all of which have been in my bailiwick since they started. I agree that most of his audience probably wasn’t up to speed on one or two of his “insights” but his self-importance assumption that his readers didn’t know anything was insulting.

What could have simple been an insulting short book, took a turn to further annoyance in the second third. There, Friedman switched to political ranting disguised as journalism. He went on about global warming and how all the exponential growth of technology etc. was speeding up our planet’s demise.

How was the final third? I don’t know. I couldn’t see trading my most important asset (time) for more condescending drivel. That is one of the great things about audible. If you don’t like a book, you can return it – and I did.

by Chris Doelle

PS. Update: I wrote this before running out of things to read.  In the meantime, I finished this book and the final third was actually pretty good. Friedman got off politics and back on tech. It is worth a read, just ignore the preaching.