The Bill June 30, 2010

We're going to try something different this week. Seeing as how it was the slowest of slow weeks for me (seriously, nothing came out for me), what say we keep the review tradition alive by reviewing one of them books without pictures.

It's okay to be scared, I am too.




BOOK REVIEW:

In The Belly of the Fail Whale: How Twitter Changed My Life in One Year
by Rob Gokee

If you've ever wondered what Twitter is all about, the most effective ways to use it, or just have an unnatural hatred of pants, then this is the book for you. Rob illustrates through humor and heartbreak what it takes to really gain a following on the internets favorite micro-blog site.

The book is half How-to, half memoir as Rob takes us through his first year on Twitter. He started, as most do, to make connections and further his music composer career, but after his long term girlfriend broke up with him, it became an outlet for his feelings. And wouldn't you know it, people actually cared about what he was writing.

The secret to Twitter, he says, is to be a real person. Join in conversations, say what you feel, and generally have fun with it, and eventually you'll gain those followers you desperately want. He actually paints a really nice picture of Twitter that even a devout Twitter-hater like me can appreciate. Hell, he almost makes me want to sign up...

Almost.

While I haven't finished the book yet, so far it's fantastic. It's written in a breezy casual tone that makes you feel like your in the midst of a conversation rather than a lecture and it's genuinely funny throughout. So if you're bothered by your lack of Twitter followers or just want to read a fun story about triumphing over technology, you should totally check it out.

You can get it from Amazon as either an ebook or physical copy. You should really indulge in a copy, the man really needs to buy some pants.

In the meantime, you can read more about Rob at robgokee.com or just go yell at him on