Reputation Economics: Why Who You Know Is Worth More Than What You Have

The first book from hacker and technology expert Klein is an ambitious look at how our traditional financial economy is being transformed by technology, specifically the Internet. The author asserts that the new world order online is creating a new type of value based on reputation. While his thesis has merit, the book may prove too amorphous for many readers. The dense, sometimes disjointed collection of chapters and sections cover countless fascinating new technologies and concepts, but fail to clearly show how companies and individuals can benefit from this new economic model. Klein jumps from topic to topic—such as Machine Learning and Bayesian filtering, copyright law, Intelligence Augmentation, and Bitcoin—and cites numerous established and emerging companies (Klout, Square, Simple, Planwise, Kickstarter.) While filled with noteworthy information on technologies, trends, and enterprises and provocative ideas about how consumers are changing with the times, the book may overwhelm readers. Agent: Mollie Glick, Foundry Literary + Media. (Nov.)