The World Is Flat: A Brief History of The Twenty First Century

By Thomas L. Friedman

Published by Farrar, Strauss and Giroux

Copyright 2005 Price: $27.50 488 pages with index (Also available in Audio)

Just to give you an idea of how important I think Thomas Friedman's books are I bought and gave our over twenty copies of the Lexus and the Olive Tree the book, tape and CD versions. I have read or really should say listened to the CD version of that book at least five times and I have repeated his Any country whose economy can support a McDonalds' does not want war statement so many times that people think I thought it up. That's how important I think Friedman's work is.

Now he has a new book called The World is Flat: A brief history of the twenty-first century, and I'm at it again. I have bought and read the book, I have downloaded the full audio version to my I-Pod and I have the condensed CD's in my car. And, I have been through the book in various version twice going on three times since it came out a few weeks ago, and its as important a book as any you will read this year or for a few years to come.

If you don't know anything about globalization you need to read this book. If you think you know something about globalization you need to read to this book because you don't know everything. If you are trying to ignore globalization you need to get your head out of the sand and read this book. This book will give you not a glimpse but a long slow look into the future that is actually happening right now.

There is a good long look at India and how the highly intelligent well educated people of India are working globally at everything from call centers, to tax preparation, to product design and CAD layout to just about anything you can think off that can be done not only more inexpensively but better.

By the world being flat Friedman means that everything, people, technology, fabrication is becoming useable and available to all people everywhere. The walls have literally come tumbling down and the future belongs to those who are willing and able to take advantage of it.

I am reading a number of books on the subject of globalization which I will be reviewing in the next few weeks, but this one is certainly the cornerstone of that genre. In fact this one serves as the genesis form the others.

Friedman has traveled all over the world to show us how companies and their people are getting better; more productive, more efficient and more profitable by taking advantage of all the world has to offer. Friedman describes some of what he calls The Triple Convergence of different world happenings and technologies to change and improve the way we do business. For example:

By describing this, his first convergence, Friedman shows us how we can order plane tickets from Boston to LA from and American company on a server maintained in India.

This is the gist of this book.

Had enough yet? I could go on all day, but I won't; buy this and see for yourself. It is not hyperbole to say if you are in business today, or if you are a student, or if you are just a member of this world you need to get your hands on this book and read or listen to it now!