The Facebook Effect: The Real Inside Story of Mark Zuckerberg and the World's Fastest Growing Company: The Inside Story of the Company That is Connecting the World [Paperback]

I just finished reading 'The Facebook Effect' about an hour ago, and I must admit that I was surprised by the book and it's content. It gave an intelligent account of the story of Facebook and real insight into the thinking of founder and CEO Mark Zuckenberg.

There were two concerns when I started reading the book. The first one was that the author, David Kirkpatrick had clearly been given a great deal of access to Facebook and you couldn't expect him to be too critical of the company given his apparent closeness to the founder and key staff. Second, that the book would be an excited and prophetic account about the 'Facebook miracle' hyping once more an already over-hyped subject.

After finishing the book I feel that Kirkpatrick was able to tell the story of Facebook in a revealing way and that his proximity to the company was a real asset in understanding the guiding thinking and philosophy behind the company. We learn how the founder approached some major challenges and changes to the platform, from the expansion outside of the Ivy league network of US unversities, to the introduction of newsfeeds and it's subsequent user rebellion as well as global expansion. It delves a little too much in the equity structure and on-going discussion about selling or not selling and who thought what when. It fails to truly critize Facebook in any significant way - although it raises the privacy issues and concerns, you still end up feeling that Mark Zuckenberg is a visionary genius who had figured it out from the beginning (which he probably is - but you leave feeling you needed a more balanced account to be convinced). Although it is balanced by the doubts and lack of certainty that he experience you still feel that there is more to the story than what is told and that luck and circumstance played a more significant role than 'brave and bold' strategic decisions. Maybe the upcoming movie 'the Social Network' will help complete the picture of the Facebook story.

On the Facebook miracle question, the book clearly hypes the company as more a less the future of the internet, and sometimes even the future of humanity, morals, and mankind. This is when Kirkpatrick get's carried away by the official Facebook propaganda. However the underlying changes that Facebook is doing to society, as well as it's incredibly important significance for the world of business and communications is explained in an intelligent and meaningful way. I felt I understand much better some of the changes that happened to fFacebook, and where it is heading and how the corporate culture and founder's vision is getting it there.

On the whole it is a thoroughly enjoyable read, worth your while if you want to understand how Facebook happened, and get an insight into the mind of the founder. It should be more critical of Facebook and more open about the accidental events that lead to it's dominant position (and could equally removing it from that pedestal), but all in all it was a great read.

Phil

Statistically speaking - if Facebook and the internet keep growing at a steady rate - by 2013, every internet user will have a Facebook page, a remarkable achievement for an organization in operation only since 2004. In fact, Facebook is the best networking platform ever. Writer, editor and technology expert David Kirkpatrick examines its amazing start-up and covers "the Facebook effect," the singular phenomenon that enables people globally to connect in new ways. Facebook is ubiquitous, with far greater penetration than any other mass medium. Most intriguing, information can bubble up from Facebook users and quickly spread from one online "friend" to another across an immense social network of nearly 500 million users worldwide. Kirkpatrick nails Facebook's complex corporate biography and, even more tellingly, captures the personalities of the innovators involved, particularly genius CEO Mark Zuckerberg. getAbstract recommends this book to all Facebook members, which if current trends continue, soon will be everyone online.

Much as been said and written about the phenomenal success, since it's start-up in 2004, of the ubiquitous social networking site, Facebook. From humble beginnings, but with hindsight inspirational foresight and determination,and whilst in his first year at Harvard, Mark Zukerberg and his coterie drove through with almost a religious fervour his concept of the future of global communications, into a mammoth modern technology company.

That company Facebook has now been morphed into a massive concern with upwards of 500 million of us having joined up to socialise among family and friends, make new acquaintances, and 'rubber-neck' other's lives and goings-on. It also allowed us a freedom and flexibility of instant communication and networking that hitherto had not been available to the great unwashed masses.

David Kirkpatrick's most competent and engagingly attention-holding book 'The Facebook Effect' does an excellent job in tracking the growth of the Google Business from the early days at Harvard through until 2010, including all of it's teething troubles and growth pains, warts and all. He was given extensive access to Zuckerberg and his team which helped him build up a very clear and concise understanding of how 'Facebook' bludgeoned it's way into our affections. That the company is now valued at $15 billion is testament indeed, to this contemporary geek culture.

So what happens now? Quoting from the eminent Science Fiction Author Timothy Zahn " For a change, lady-luck seemed to be smiling on me. Then, again, maybe the fickle wench was just lulling me into a false sense of security while she reached for the hard rock." The international newswires are claiming that subscribers to Facebook have very recently started witnessing reduced subscription levels which does not auger well for the rapid growth experienced so far. Could it be that the 'fickle hand'of fate has already started to erode Facebook's subscriptions,and thus the beginning of a spiral downturn? You only have to look at the rapid decline of subscribers in "Friends Reunited" to witness the fickleness and transient nature of social networking sites. It could prove that getting Facebook to where it is today might be considerably easier than keeping it there.Let us hope that lady-luck does not rain down hard rocks but only time will tell, with the real 'rough and tumble' not yet begun.

This book charting the rise of Facebook is highly recommended.