Customer Reviews

What's Next: The Experts' Guide: Predictions from 50 of America's Most Compelling People

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Just 2 good examples of wrongness:
The expert chosen for "City Planning" chapter is
Kristina Ford, New Orleans' city planner from 1992 to 2000.
Too bad New Orleans had no plan for a disaster in 2005.
The food expert, an academic, thinks obesity
and a fantastic abundance of food are the essential
issues in the future, also the threat of bioterrorism on our food
supply. In fact, potential energy crises and a government in the
service of short term corporate profit schemes
threaten food production and distribution. Ask the Thai people
about the price of rice right now and the "obesity problem".
Overall, the book's point of view is quite provincial
and right of center.
Cathy Trione Gontar

This book overpromises and underdelivers. These so called experts may have some experience in their field, but most of them do not write particularly well. Plus, with each chapter being only a few pages long at most, there is little room for substance and development regarding what the future will truly look like. Not to mention the chapter topics themselves (there is a chapter on the future of bartending, for example). A coherent, flowing narrative by one or two authors that were experts in the field of futurology covering big-picture topics of how our lives will change in the future would have been more interesting to read. There are few chapters in this book worth reading.

I have been a huge fan of Jane Buckingham since her Modern Girl books, and her latest experts' guide is a must-read for anyone who wants to know how the most compelling people think and feel about what the future holds. As a fashionista, I enjoyed reading Chip and Pepper's Eco-Friendly Trends section and as a hopeless romantic, I found Dr. John Gottman's essay particularly inspiring. It is a very cool glimpse into the lives of the people who are making things happen. A+++++!!

As a huge critic of trend-related books, I have to say I love What's Next! It's a fascinating assortment of experts with brilliant points of view.

If you ever want to get a glimpse into the future this is IT! I wish I'd had this book in 1997 ;-) It's just fun to see what people who have such cool jobs think is going to happen going forward. Can't wait to read it again a few years down the line!

Jane Buckingham is THE expert in trends because she listens and accumulates data from many sources and experts. In this book she has done the work of accumulating the information and lets us listen as well. Each day I spend time reading for insight and opinions in science, politics, medicine, technology and education. This book shortcuts the search and provides information I could not get on my own. I highly recommend the book and commend Ms. Buckingham on the comprehensive review of so many aspects of our future.

I loved this book! It offered an interesting look at the future from today's experts. The book is very informative and entertaining. Fun to learn what the experts think about the years ahead.

Jane Buckingham's book is not only insightful but also interesting to read. Reading the predictions of all these influential people was actually scintillating - I couldn't put it down!

I really loved this book! It was a quick read and offered a really interesting look at the future by knowledgeable experts. They had thought provoking ideas in a lot of different categories and interesting perspectives. It's a great look at the future and a great gift for anyone looking ahead!

Don't expect too much. A collection of very short essays from a wide range of experts.

"Predictions" from fifty people on a variety of subjects, in a book of 280 pages - which averages to what? About 5 1/2 pages per prediction and you can subtract the ½ page because there is a paragraph before each essay explaining who each of the experts are.

So if you're interested about the future of Video Games, Seamus Blackley wrote 2 ½ pages on that. Or maybe you would like to read what Judith Martin thinks about Etiquette, then read pages 184 through 185. The article by John Passacantando on the Environment is a lengthy eight pages long.