The World According to Twitter [Kindle Edition]

David Pogue (Author)

Book Description

The wit and wisdom of the Twittersphere captured in a hilarious, occasionally poignant, and often useful collection of hand-picked tweets.

 

New York Times technology columnist David Pogue has tapped into the brilliance of his half-million followers on Twitter by posting a different, thought-provoking question every night. The questions ranged from the earnest (“What’s your greatest regret?”) to the creative (“Make up a concept for a doomed TV show”) to the curious (“What’s your great idea to improve the cell phone?”). Out of 25,000 tweets, Pogue has gathered the very best 2,524 into this irresistible, clever, laugh-out-loud funny book. The World According to Twitter is truly a grand social networking experiment, in which thousands of voices have come together to produce a unique and wonderful record of shared human experience.

 

Some samples:

Compose the subject line of an email message you really, really don't want to open.

To my former sexual partners, as required by law (@markowitz)

RE: What seems to have been your car (@pumpkinshirt)

From: Your Publisher. Subject: Ha, good one! Could you send the real chapter now, please? (@ Lookshelves)

Make up a prequel to a famous movie.

Mr. Smith MapQuests Washington (michaelbuckman)

Snakes in the Terminal (@justinchambers)

We’re Running Low on Mohicans (@rllewis)

There Goes Private Ryan...I Hope He’ll Be OK (@slightly99)

Describe your 15 minutes of fame.

My stepfather was “The agony of defeat” guy on ABC’s Wide World of Sports, before the ski jumper (he was the car spinning out at Daytona 500). (@BigDaddy978)

I juggled for Clinton’s inauguration. 20 minutes of FBI pat-downs, and then I wound up throwing knives around the president anyway. (@McEuen)

I’m on a Girl Scout cookie box (have been for 9 years, so it’s longer than 15 minutes)! (@libbyfish)

Add 1 letter to a famous person’s name.

Yo Yo Mad: Angry violinist (@eboychik)

Gringo Starr: Best drummer north of the border (@eboychik)

Tronto: Sidekick of the Canadian Lone Ranger (@pumpkinshirt)

Thomas Hobbies: Life is just a bunch of nasty, brutish and short weekend projects (@louielu12)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

David Pogue is the personal-technology columnist for The New York Times. Each week, he contributes a print column, an online column, an online video, and a popular daily blog, “Pogue’s Posts.” He is also an Emmy award–winning tech correspondent for CBS News, and he appears each week on CNBC with his trademark comic tech videos. With more than 3 million books in print, he is one of the world’s bestselling how-to authors. He wrote or co-wrote seven books in the “Dummies” series, and in 1999 he launched his own series of computer books called the Missing Manual series, which now includes more than 100 titles. He has been profiled on “48 Hours” and “60 Minutes.” Pogue’s website is www.davidpogue.com and his Twitter screen name is Pogue. He lives in Connecticut.

Product Details

• File Size: 442 KB
• Print Length: 289 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1579128270
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (September 1, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002QXO6PY
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #469,088 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly Funny! August 15, 2009

By Alyce R. Tapp

Format:Paperback

From the chuckler to the real-deal LOL, this book delivers. David Pogue poses a question, and his half-million Twitter followers respond with hysterical, insightful, and ever-clever "tweets" of a 140 characters or less. This is the ideal bathroom book -- think Uncle John's Reader -- but it serves an even better purpose as an exquisite example of the "wisdom of the masses." When you assemble an enormous group of people and limit them to a short slice of an answer, you get economy and style. It's the English teacher's dream. I left this book on the table during two parties, and each time, guests gathered around to read and laugh, sometimes exclaiming, "Oh NO!" and other times muttering, "Yup, been there." The chapters are quick and dirty, but the humor is top shelf. You will love Pogue's exploitation of the Twitter machine, and you just might be inspired to tweet yourself. Fabulous!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Recipes, Advice and Concepts in 140 characters. August 14, 2009

By wavedeva

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was first introduced to twitter when my uber-geek friend tweeted from Mumbai that there were terrorists attacking hotels and that one of his friends was trapped on a top floor. I received his tweet on my facebook account and sent him all the information and contact numbers I could regarding the situation (which I obtained from watching CNN). So contrary to a lot of people who believe twitter is frivolous, I knew from my first usage that it can be an essential communications tool. This book continues in that tradition; not the "I'm here" tweet communiques. The idea started when the personal technology columnist for the New York Times, David Pogue asked his followers to respond to a question while he was demonstrating twitter live at a conference. His wife (behind every good man...) then suggested that he continue asking questions and write a book.

I'm one of Pogue's twitter followers and I have one of the 2,524 winning tweets in the book. I responded "If you can't be good be careful. If you can't be careful be good." to the question, "What's the best advice your parents ever gave you?". Mom is quite proud that there is now evidence that I listened to at least one thing she told me! Although I received a free, autographed copy I'm willing to spend bucks to get another copy of this collection of tweets. Yes they are that good--and the book is printed in the USA so I won't hurt our trade deficit. The tweets are so hilarious, insightful and touching that I want to mark my favorites and carry the book with me during my travels. Plus, fast flipping of the pages reveals a free movie in the book's right margins.

Behind every great tweet is a poignant question. Some of my favorite responses relate to formulas for disaster, take-offs on Dr. Seuss, haikus, work puns, and famous quotes in tech style. And who knew you could provide a recipe in 140 characters? Julia Child would be impressed. Seriously, there's not a bad tweet in the bunch. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn you aren't the only one who's been unceremoniously dumped. I'm looking forward to the second edition.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Gift for Everyone! November 24, 2009

By Wildecat101

Format:Paperback

I enjoyed this book so much that I've decided to use it to fill many spots on my Christmas list this year. From avid readers to Reader's Digest types, I think everyone with a sense of humor will enjoy it.

And - the price is right. And - even wrapped it fits in those one-price shipping boxes that USPS has. So my wallet is happy, too!

In all fairness, I must divulge that Mr. Pogue did use a couple of my tweets. But I like the book anyway.