Blog!: How the Newest Media Revolution is Changing Politics, Business, and Culture

by David Kline, Dan Burstein

A collection of essays, interviews, and commentary about the political, business, and cultural aspects of blogs and blogging.

Genres: Nonfiction, Research

320 pages, Hardcover

First published September 22, 2005

About the author

David Kline is a business consultant, journalist and author, the founder of Waterside Associates, a major Silicon Valley PR firm, and author of the Rembrandts in the Attic, a seminal work in the field of IP strategy.

Reviews

[YoSafBridg · Rating 2 out of 5]

blog! how the newest media revolution is changing politics, business, and culture by David Kline and Dan Burstein is a collection of essays (mostly reprinted from various sources) and interviews with some of the most influential bloggers (as of 2004 and 2005 that is) about how the blogosphere has developed, where it currently stands, and where it might be headed; and how it is impacting the arenas described (which seems to be pretty much everything doesn't it). It's rather interesting how the same subjects, people, and incidents seem to keep popping up~it's been said there are a million stories in the naked city but it is my contention that there are really only a very a few and they are retold over and over again~it is the voice you tell those stories with that is really important. And individual voice seems to be what makes blogging so important, that and blogs are a way to connect so many of these as-of-yet unconnected links. And the pendulum swings back again.
Some have suggested that this is an absolute revolution that is going to change everything, maybe completely take over all other media. It is much more likely it is just going to restructure things. The reality of blogs is that about 90% of them are teenage diaries, and that about 66% are abandoned within four months. Of the over four million blogs currently inhabiting the blogosphere, about 10% are getting the most hits, being linked to, read, etc. But even if your blog only has a readership of family and friends (or four of five strangers) you have influence. That other 90% may prove just as important as (or maybe more important than) the top 10% (do i sound like i'm trying to convince myself? i'm really only writing for myself anyway...)
Blog On!
did you ever notice how in these avatar thingies of mine the library background is always empty~like there's never a crowd scene? I suppose the yahoo folks think that there would Never Be a crowd in a library, NOT SO (except, of course, maybe, on a day like today, but, then again, i'm not there today either, am i???)

[Mike · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even considering the fact that this book was written in 2006, before the explosion in popularity of Twitter (and, to a lesser extent, Facebook), this book is simply not very good. Organized into sections, I found the authors' introductions to the sections unnecessarily lengthy and dry. The actual sections themselves are a combination of interviews the authors conducted with influential bloggers (written in question-and-answer format) and many articles simply reprinted from other sources. While there were a few moments where it was interesting to read a tidbit about some blogger's personal life, this was one of those books I had to force my way through and I won't be sad when I take it back to the library. Six years after its publication, you can find much better out there.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I wasn't sure what the point of the book was, but then I got the gist of it. A little, perhaps, like reading and writing blogs for the first time. At first I just didn't get it. But then I did. Liked the listing at the back of all the blogs they think worthwhile. Made it easier to get a grip.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a series of interviews and articles by key figures in the blogging world. I really loved this book. It really opened my eyes to a lot of aspects of blogging. I gave it a four because even though it is only 5 years old, especially some of the parts on politics seemed dated, but I doubt that there is a more up-to-date book with the same scope and insight.

[Krishna Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

The authors do a good job of presenting the blog phenomenon and how it has increased in prominence and importance. It also discusses the role of traditional media and its relationship with bloggers. The book provides different viewpoints through interviews with many different personalities. Blogs relating to politics, business and culture are addressed.