This is a superb book when it comes to the subject matter and content, but I’m afraid I had a hard time getting by the lecturing “tone of voice” that Friedman so often has in his speaking and writing. Despite the fact that there is a great deal of information in this timely book that will help clarify the trends in globalization, the didactic and often condescending language put me off and made it difficult for me to absorb the good information, experiences, examples, and messages.
To make things even worse, I decided to get an audio version of the book to see if I was “misreading” the tone. Bad move! The impression I was receiving from the written word was amplified when I listened to Mr. Friedman read his own material. Still, if you can get by the tone and absorb the message, there is much to commend the book for those of us in the global business market. And, to hear Friedman tell it, economic leaders in the rest of the world had better listen up. A good addition to my library if for no other reason than for reference.
[PS: See Friedman’s new book The World Is Flat.]Click to see it at Amazon.