Customer Rating: 
Summary: A Book That Will Prepare You For The New World
Comment: Whether you are a newly college grad, a cashier from Wal-Mart or you just got laid off by CitiGroup, take some time and read this book. It will give you a brand new perspective of how companies run their business today; it will probably make you realized how incompetent you actually are in a flat world. But at least you will finally be able to have a intellectual talk with your friends while you are in a bar.
In "The World Is Flat", Friedman talks about how he realized that the world is actually flat on a trip to Bangalore, India. From the fall of Berlin Wall to the raise of search engine and personal digital devices, Friedman explains how each major events and inventions from the nineties to the twenty-first century contributed to the flattening of the world. Friedman also talks about how government, companies, and individuals should deal with this flat world. The last part of the book, Friedman examines the impact of globalization on cultures and countries, ending the book with a strong emphasis on imagination as the key to survive in this new world.
Be prepared, "The World Is Flat" might come as a shock to many readers. Friedman is revealing a side of business we, as ordinary shoppers, have never seen or even imagined before. Freidman makes many great points in this book, and for every points, he also backs it up with real life examples. The most interesting examples I find is how UPS is actually running the backroom operation for many big companies, repairing computers for Toshiba and fulfilling shoe orders for Nike. The structure of the book is very clear and understandable; it follows the path of cause, effect, and response. While reading the book, my suggestion is always take some time to reflect what Friedman says with your own experience; this will make the book a lot more interesting and enjoyable. After all, it is 600+ pages long.
Friedman makes a lot of good points in this book; but bewares, some of his points are very subjective. When reading a book, never take the author's points or opinions as given; think them over in your own mind, reflect them to your own experience. Writers are not always right. When Friedman talks about one point, and you come up with a counterfactual, you just doubled the learning and acquired a broader perspective. Also, Friedman often provides excessive examples in this book. He often goes on and on about one thing and the whole reading experience could be jeopardized. Sometimes one example is enough, why tell us three more. If you understand what he's talking about, skip to the next topic, or else you will never be able finish the book.
In conclusion, "The World Is Flat" is a great book to read, especially at this time. With the current speed of technological breakthrough, people need to be on their toes and always be prepared for the unimaginable. A flat world means more people are competing with you, but it also means more opportunity to thrive. Whoever can adapt the fastest gets ahead.
Customer Rating: Summary: Friedman is a True Patriot!
Comment: My father recommended this book to me and Even if it is so long that when people saw me reading it asked me if it was the Bible, it is the most important book that I've read in at least the last three years.
Friedman displays unbelievable foresight, simplicity and understanding of the complex world that we live in and gives his best effort to inform anyone who is smart enough to realize how important it is to be prepared for the technological revolution that is currently underway.
I find myself citing this book at least a few times per week and couldn't
stress enough how important it is, especially for people under 30 to read an understand everything contained within it.
