Electronic Life [Hardcover]

Michael Crichton (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 209 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1st edition (August 12, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394534069
• ISBN-13: 978-0394534060
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #591,250 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Crichton was born in Chicago in 1942. His novels include Next, State of Fear, Prey, Timeline, Jurassic Park, and The Andromeda Strain. He was also the creator of the television series ER. One of the most popular writers in the world, his books have been made into thirteen films, and translated in thirty-six languages. He died in 2008.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars C'Mon!! This Book is Probably 15-18 years old!, August 14, 2001

By 

Madrasi (Montana) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Electronic Life: How to Think About Computers (Mass Market Paperback)

Electronic life was published before anyone even knew what dotcom was or what www stood for. It was a forward-thinking, visionary, consumer-oriented book about one writer's thoughts about how computers would be in our lives in ways we couldn't even imagine -- and guess what? He was right!

Is is not out of date? Yes -- that's why it's out of print by the publisher. Before people start dissing the work, perhaps they should first investigate the original publication date. Then it won't be seen as ancient -- rather, a document that was ahead of it's time.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Life in the computer age - a view from 20 years ago, September 17, 2006

By 

Jerry Saperstein (Evanston, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Electronic Life (Hardcover)

Michael Crichton, well known for his fiction, was an early adopter of the personal computer. In this 1983 book, he tried to help people overcome their fear of computers. Viewed 23 years later, it is quaint, to say the least.

Crichton's explanation of how computers work is simple and clear. It serves just as well today as it did then - though his reference to 256K --- yes, K as in Kilobytes --- of RAM as sufficient are amusing.

So much has changed, yet so much has remained the same. Crichton talks about the menace of software piracy when software was a $200 million market. Microsoft alone now sells $40 billion of software annually.

Yes, this book is a walk down memory lane. Still, an updated version wouldn't be a waste of time. There are still millions of people who don't understand the potential of their little computers.

Jerry

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-Opening Book, June 16, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Electronic Life: How to Think About Computers (Mass Market Paperback)

This book by Crichton is a amazing look into the modern electronic and computer age. Its concepts thoroughly summarize the benefits, drawbacks, and concerns of this age and leaves you thinking about what man has done in the past, today, and what he will do in the future when it comes to technology. It's a delightful, concise book and a must read. Also, Bantam Books, its publisher needs to reprint it.