The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded]: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century by Thomas L. Friedman Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded]: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century
Book Review: The Bible on Globalization
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the Bible on globalization. Friedman not only writes well, but does so on this very important subject. He states, "It is now possible for more people than ever to collaborate and compete in real time with more people on more different kinds of work from more different corners of the planet and on a more equal footing than at any previous time in the history of the world."
What is more sobering is Friedman's elaboration on Bill Gates' statement, "When I compare our high schools to what I see when I'm traveling abroad, I am terrified for our work force of tomorrow. In math and science, our fourth graders are among the top students in the world. By eighth grade, they're in the middle of the pack. By 12th grade, U.S. students are scoring near the bottom of all industrialized nations. . . . The percentage of a population with a college degree is important, but so are sheer numbers. In 2001, India graduated almost a million more students from college than the United States did. China graduates twice as many students with bachelor's degrees as the U.S., and they have six times as many graduates majoring in engineering. In the international competition to have the biggest and best supply of knowledge workers, America is falling behind."
This is Friedman's main point. He sees a dangerous complacency, from Washington down through the public school system. Students are no longer motivated. "In China today, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America today, Britney Spears is Britney Spears--and that is our problem."
America is losing its edge--a point that is also very well stated in Fareed Zakaria's The Post-American World.
Book Review: It does bring things in perspective.
Summary: 4 Stars
We are in a changed world! And Friedman brought it out so beautifully well.
He talks of 10 flatterners, that are so beautifully related to what we see today. One world, one people. The beauty of the author is that he integrates very logically on how the 10 events in history have contributed to what we see today. for e.,g how fall of berlin wall or even the .com burst, helped flatten the world.
A must read and Friedman does have a way of capturing the audience.
Book Review: Globablization and you.
Summary: 4 Stars
The World is Flat is a great and thorough examination of what is currently going on in the world in regards to globalization. It starts out with a bleak portrait of America's economic future and lists the many factors leading to this demise. The book then takes us through the many factors that lead to what Friedman calls "a flat world." As the text continues Friedman explains how other countries are benefiting from a shrinking world via the technology that is available. He lists how some countries that are not rich in natural resources are mining the brains and strong work ethic of its populace. Friedman breaks down the current winners and losers of globalization and lists the factors and contributors of why certain groups seem to win so easily and others are barely winning and others seem to be losing. He does a great job of detailing the inhibitors and accelerants of economic growth in both 3rd world countries and even modern day America. He lists those factors out in great detail explaining why and how they affect the economic growth and shrinkage of countries. This book could serve as a guide to developing nations around the world as a National economic growth guide for dummies. The book ends with the author explaining how computers and the Internet are changing our world is changing around us. He spends some time prognosticating the future that our children and their children will inherit. Overall the book ends on a positive not that globalization will be as good for America as for the rest of the world. We will either adapt and thrive or die a slow economic death. Book Review: Flawed in some places and ways, but still deserving of 5 stars
Summary: 5 Stars
This book has a variety of flaws, and the parts that are not satisfying to read almost made me lean toward 4 or even 3 stars, but on the whole it is still fully deserving of 5 stars. An example of something I did not like is the excessive ramblings on Arabs and terrorism, which form part of the presumably new chapters that Friedman hastily slapped to the end of the book to address criticisms and shortcomings in prior editions (or so I imagine). These final chapters are laced with such seemingly inappropriate stretches that are far from the eloquent, structured style of the rest of the book.
Nevertheless, it is indeed in general a fairly well researched, eye-opening account of the perils and promises of globalization.
Book Review: Good Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I am still reading this book to help me understand why both my daughter and son-in-law both lost their jobs after working for the same company for over 20 years. The book explains from the beginning how this country got into this mess with outsourcing and even though it does not make me feel better, it does a lot to help me underdstand HOW it happened. It is great reading for those who would like to know.