Customer Reviews

The Facebook Book

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This book is not going to teach you anything at all about Facebook, if you want to learn how to use the site or how to improve your profile I suggest Facebook for Dumbies. In fact, some of the suggestions the authors make don't even make sense (forinstance, accepting a friend and then immediately deleting them). HOWEVER, this is an EXTREMELY funny book that has a lot of great jokes and is a very entertaining satire of the sorts of people you meet on Facebook, dating on Facebook, etc. It is worth investing in just for the laughs--I was reading it on the bus and it was so funny I almost missed my stop. Just don't expect to learn anything, and you'll have a good time.

First off, anyone familiar with the term 'facebook' will find something, if not everything, endearing about this book. Keep in mind that this tackles the topic of a transmutable subject, which has effectively made this book more of an archive of how Facebook was circa 2007 than anything else. But go ahead and reflect on something that literally just happened and indulge in the nostalgic paralysis that is 2008.

Secondly, and this is for the editors, I would have preferred it had all the profile archetypes been lumped together in the middle of the book, like a mini-facebook flanked by commentary only because a) it would have had a greater impact on the reader, particularly if these archetypes had been expanded upon to include lesser known but ubiquitous users (ie. insecure old-money set on proving their effortless lifestyle to onlooking 'friends') b) on several occasions I found some of these supplementary sidebars jarring to the point where I'd read two pages before realizing that I'd skipped an entire section c) a tactile facebook? who doesn't love irony?

Additionally, what the f happened to the original book cover? A few months ago it felt so regal and timeless, like it should have been wearing a smoking jacket and hosting masterpiece theatre. Now it reminds me of something trying to be something that is and has been dated for 20 years, if not the male counterpart to a Molly Jong-Fast novel.

****
Organizational problems and exterior aesthetic aside, this book is to facebook users what a david sedaris is to david sedaris: a self-deprecating inside joke for the very group of people it came to define.
****

I must say, when I heard that three Harvard alumni had conspired to produce a parody of Facebook, I automatically assumed that it wouldn't be that funny, and certainly totally impertinent to the average Facebook user. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find out that the book is not only hysterical, but I imagine virtually every Facebooker can find something they can relate to in this book.

This book is funny, albeit maybe not to everyone but to those that enjoy tech-humor or who can laugh at themselves for their devotion to a social networking site. It is not a manual on how to use facebook. Which seems to be the problem that people are having with this book, you bought it for the wrong reason. It is meant more for teens and targets itself towards that audience. If you are planning on buying this book I recommend that you read Amazons description of it before purchasing as I feel it makes it clear that this book isn't intended to be helpful. It makes for a good laugh but not much more. If you want a gift for a teen that is spending to much time on the computer then I strongly recommend this book.

lame so lame not like the preppy handbood at all and didnt teach you anything except for some facts about fb and then they made fun of fb that is all BIG disapointment!

This book has a few funnies in there but for the most part the book is terrible

I purchased this book specifically because I'm old (45), and computer illiterate. Wanting to join Facebook to keep in touch with relatives,I ordered this book to guide me. Unfortunately the title is very deceiving. Flipping through the pages I quickly learned this book was far from helpful. It was completely over my head and I guess was supposed to be entertaining. It might be enjoyed by a scientist or computer geek. It is not for the average Joe.What a waste of money this was,now it just takes up space in my book shelf until I can pawn it off to some unsuspecting friend or relative. Bottom Line: a basically useless book.

This book shouldn't be titled "The Facebook Book".

It tries to be funny, but doesn't give great Facebook insights. I can find funnier books elsewhere. If it was called "A funny look at Facebook", it would be a better title, but I wouldn't have wasted my money on it.

I was looking for a "help - "how to" book, nothing of the sort here.
These guys (authors)remind me of the some other experiences I have had with Harvard types:
Such as: the MBA types who suggested to the Department Stores that there was too much open space on their floors, so, put in more displays and load "em up with merchandise. BAD IDEA!

Such as: the Computer wizards who tried to "adjust" proven programing to make it do something it was not designed to do. Each of the programmers were working independently and none of them were the same.. And, each programmer seemed to be in a contest with his counter parts. The "ibmer's" were trying to write a program to fax digital info. These guys wanted to change from digital to analog.:
(during the hurricanes the electric was out as were the telephones. fax machines are analog)
I had a mobile digital system so I scanned all of my reports and emailed them through the satellite.
Really pissed off the IBM guys as well as the FEMA guys that hired them.
And the funny part was they could not figure out who was emailing info in on time. They figured I was too old and from Oklahoma to make it work.