Viral not worth your time

by Chad Feight

April 16, 2012

I recently read "Viral" by Leonard Sweet and unfortunately, I can't recommend it. I thought the premise sounded good - how technology can lead to revival. What I got was not help or how-to, but a boring pondering on the differences between culture today and 30 years ago.

Sweet divides people into two groups he calls the "Googlers" and the "Guttenbergs" (based off Google and the Guttenberg press inventions). He spends a majority of the rest of the book talking about the differences.

I could probably sum up the basic idea of the book in this: "Don't hate the new technologies, but rather, embrace them...I have." There are a few interesting tidbits and ideas in here, but not enough to justify trudging through the pages to find them.

I admit, I am probably more of a "Googler" than a "Guttenberger," so maybe I would have benefitted more if he was trying to sway my opinion rather than just further it. However, I don't think there is much argument made, either. It's really more of a comparison than anything.

I would not recommend this book for any group.

Please note that I received this book for free from Waterbrook Multnomah in exchange for this unbiased review.