Jon Ronson

This book goes back and forth from hilarious to horrifying more often than Rosemary's Baby. Except that it's all true. This really touches on so many of my main interests, I don't even know where to begin. Basically, all the weird shit that just seems like fiction in a Pynchon novel turns out to be based in reality and this book does a better job of digging it all up, while being more well-researched, well-written and less sensational than any book about the US military's psychic engagements show more ever could be. Suffice it to say, I definitely want to re-watch the film. show less

A very readable book, especially during the early chapters, but it loses focus after the midpoint as Ronson starts to free associate connections and casts his net wider for more fodder. Paradoxically, the best parts of the book are the ones where he recounts someone's shame and my schadenfreude kicks in. So is he addressing the trend toward public shaming or cashing in on it? Alas, Ronson fails to really bring the whole thing to any meaningful conclusion which tips the seesaw toward show more exploitation.

I hope the shamed people he names can take some comfort from the fact that I had either had not heard of them at all or had nearly completely forgotten their moment in the spotlight. Time and the fleeting attention of your fellow man are probably the best cures for any outward shame. Inner shame is probably a harder demon to shake. show less

This was such an interesting book that combines social psychology, our current culture, the internet, and the history of shaming others. Jon Ronson does a fantastic job of maintaining a voice through the book asking many open ended questions which makes the book extremely readable. Yet he also maintains, in a very journalistic fashion, a mostly unbiased opinion on what he is reporting. He inserts his thoughts and occasionally opinions about certain scenarios and people but in the end doesn't show more ever seem to commit to anything specifically, which I really enjoyed because it does not give the reader the ability to throw themselves into mindlessly agreeing with him; instead he forces you to draw your own opinions, conclusions, and answers. I was surprised and yet intrigued by how much this book also touches on subjects such as white privilege. I think that anyone with any sort of online presence should read this book and understand the possible outcomes and consequences your online presence can have on your real life. Would be great discussion for a book club!!! show less

I was pleasantly surprised by this collection. My surprise was not a function of my expecting anything bad; rather, it was because I had no idea what to expect. All I knew was that I was getting a collection of articles/essays by the author of The Men Who Stare at Goats.

What I got was an incredible collection of thought-provoking pieces that opened up areas I had never visited and gave me a fresh look at others I thought I knew.

In the former: The existence of a crash course on how to become show more a True Believe in Christ that converts the unbelievers in record time, the work being done on intelligent robots that are striving to pass the Turing test, and the suicide rate in North Pole, Alaska.

In the latter: Discussions with Insane Clown Posse (who, if you know who they are, then you probably have already made up your mind who they are) and their revelation that theirs are the lyrics of Evangelical Christians, the extensive research conducted by Stanley Kubrick for his movies, and the detailed research systems behind money lending programs that pinpoint exactly who will borrow money – whether they can afford it or not

Part of the success (beyond the author’s obvious writing skills) is that Ronson puts himself in the stories. This could easily become a problem. But he does it in such a way that, while we get a more personal assessment of the situations, it is still not about Ronson - he does not make himself the subject of the piece. Instead, they maintain their focus on the fascinating people making up this world that Ronson is exploring.

There is next to nothing negative to say about the collection. Sure, one or two pieces don’t stand up as well as the others, but that is a very high bar. And every one is excellent and worth your time. show less