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Comment on Information Anxiety 2 (Hayden/Que) Reviews by Charles Ashbacher

Charles Ashbacher — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:02:14 +0000

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

The real problem is a malinformation explosion, March 8, 2001

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) -

This review is from: Information Anxiety 2 (Hayden/Que) (Paperback)

The basic theme of this book reinforces my long-held belief that the next killer app in computing will be some new way to visually display relationships between information. A new discipline is also going to spring up and those good at it will be in great demand. That new area of study will be a knowledge distiller, someone expert in taking the enormous amount of information about a topic and reducing it down to a base form. We see the initial steps in this trend with the extraordinary success of the ". . For Dummies" series of books. Their appeal is based on the basic formula of making things as simple as possible but no simpler.
As Wurman points out, while there is an information explosion, the real problem is a malinformation (my term) explosion. In other words, information that does not inform. This is not just a reference to that which is inaccurate, but information that is correct but so malformed or obscure to be misleading. He also argues that a critical rethinking needs to be done concerning how we learn. The premise is that the rewards for asking the right questions need to be improved rather than the continued emphasis on answering questions. We also need to rediscover much of our inner child.
At some point in our lives, we "mature" to the state where we will do almost anything to avoid embarrassment. This trait leads us to ignore inconsistencies and sit in silence when we don't understand. The childlike innocence that causes us to ask "obvious" questions goes away, replaced by fear of failure, which leads to an aversion to risk. Without the willingness to take a chance, many new things are not attempted, which limits the options for us all.
This is a book that you must think deeply about. The world is changing rapidly, and the most successful people will be those who know how to cull knowledge down to the true essentials. There are an enormous number of ideas in the book that can be used to assist this process. If you value the future and want to have a significant part in creating it, then you should read this book. Proper implementation of some of the ideas presented here will change the way we do things in the future.

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Comment on Information Anxiety 2 (Hayden/Que) Reviews by Robert T. Myers

Robert T. Myers — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:32:23 +0000

78 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

A Quick-and-Dirty Mishmash of Platitudes, January 11, 2002

Robert T. Myers (Los Angeles, CA United States) -

This review is from: Information Anxiety 2 (Hayden/Que) (Paperback)

I am taking the unusual step of rating this book "1 star" to express my extremely high level of dissatisfaction at its quality and usefullness. There is no question that Richard Saul Wurman is a highly gifted individual, and his ACCESS books are fabulous. But this poorly-edited, disorganized book fails to capture or convey any of the insights that went into that or other successful Wurman projects.

My guess is that this project was conceived as a quickie update to the original Information Anxiety to take advantage of Internet mania, and as such much of the work was delegated to others, but without sufficient review and editing. (There are too many editing mistakes to list here, but suffice it to say that probably few books have a misspelling in the Table Of Contents as this one does -- "Informatgion" instead of "Information".)

RSW tells us that it's important to always start off with what the question is. Problem is, he doesn't follow his own advice in that book. He careens uncontrollably from gushy predictions about the future, to cataclysmic warnings of information deluge, to superficial suggestions on software and web design, to facile pop management advice, The only thread connecting all these disjointed pieces is that he strictly limits himself to talking about how important something or other is, without ever giving specific advice about how to approach it.

I am personally interested in the field of localization and globalization. So naturally I was curious as to what insight RSW brought to this area. What I found was a single, lonely page on the topic, with a few lines of simplistic patter, and a strange, unexplained diagram of various fountain pens with country names associated with each.

I am also interested in the combination of text and graphics to present information and in fact bought this book thinking it might have some insights in that regards. So I was quite happy to see in the Table of Contents a section Design in the Digital Age, summarized as "In this Digital Age we need to focus on the connections among all design elements: medium, words, pictures, and sound." Alas, true to form, all the section in question does is repeat that we need to focus on this, with no clue as how we might actually do that, nor a single example in sight. To get an idea of the poor editing quality of this book, consider the following paragraph from this section:

"Where words meet pictures meet sound creates understanding. Are you a value-based organization? A service-based organization? A quality-based organization? Are you all three? We test communication by conveying a message and having the recipient understand it, be interested in it, and remember it. Any other measure is unimportant and invalid." Does anyone else wonder how the stuff about organizations fits in here? It's just random cut-and-paste content that accidentally found its way here, never to receive the benefit of the editor's pen. Signs of rampant cut-and-pasting abound throughout the book.

Although not really the fault of the author(s), the book is also seriously dated, having come out while there was still some degree of dot-com mania going on (although the peak was passed). So you can read this book on sort of an archaeological level, to recall all the bizarre things people were saying back in those heady days. Internet refrigerators, anyone?

I probably don't need to summarize; let me simply say you are best off spending your time and money on virtually any book on this topic besides this one.

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Comment on Information Anxiety 2 (Hayden/Que) Reviews by Andrew Otwell "heyotwell"

Andrew Otwell "heyotwell" — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 03:09:44 +0000

77 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

Information Architecture in a confident voice, January 28, 2001

Andrew Otwell "heyotwell" (Seattle, WA) -

This review is from: Information Anxiety 2 (Hayden/Que) (Paperback)

Well, sure, it's good. Wurman did come up with the term Information Architecture (as he reminds us), and has some good insightful stuff to say about it. Too bad that much of this book is pretty much the same kinds of information that you find on the web about IA: Mark Hurst and Nathan Shedroff have pieces nearly identical to stuff on their sites, and there are copious quotations from familiar online voices and sources. A chapter about online commerce as "conversation" is derived pretty much wholesale from the Cluetrain Manifesto. In the end, it all pretty much boils down to listen to your customers, take some risks, ask the right questions.

Some of Wurman's opinions sound a little disingenuous in light of his own online work: a chapter which contains the standard complaints about high-bandwidth sites that don't offer useful information (useless plug-ins, over-reliance on graphics instead of text, etc) also points us to Wurman's Understanding USA web site, which starts with a Flash intro animation, is built almost solely from graphics, and even uses a Java applet in its Site Map.

It's too bad, but this really comes across as an entry-level text about presenting information in multiple contexts, including online. There's more about management style than I'd care for, and less about what kinds of visual presentations support what kinds of information. It's admirably up-to-date: it's impressive that he managed to include the Florida ballot in a book printed in November 2000, for example.

Finally, I could have done without the frequent and lengthy references to TED, Wurman's own annual conference of designers, businesspeople, and entertainers. The thing sounds like fun, but in the context of the book, the relevance is rarely clear.

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Comment on Why People Die by Suicide by Midwest Book Review

Midwest Book Review — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 06:37:11 +0000

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

A powerful survivor's guide, May 21, 2006

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) -

This review is from: Dying to Be Free: A Healing Guide for Families After a Suicide (Paperback)

Beverly Cobain has survived not just one but three family suicides; the most famous being the 1994 death of her cousin Kurt, lead singer of Nirvana. Her registered nurse background and family experiences here blend with those of crisis intervention specialist Jean Larch to provide survivors with a handbook which speaks to the heart. DYING TO BE FREE: A HEALING GUIDE FOR FAMILIES AFTER A SUICIDE gathers the common experiences and feelings of survivors under one cover, providing a unique set of thoughts, feelings and reflections on turmoil, psyche, and family dynamics. A powerful survivor's guide.

Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch

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Comment on Why People Die by Suicide by Kimberly Ruocco

Kimberly Ruocco — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:48:34 +0000

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

must have for survivors, September 19, 2006

Kimberly Ruocco -

This review is from: Dying to Be Free: A Healing Guide for Families After a Suicide (Paperback)

I am so thankful that I found this book! My Husband, a vibrant, successful, hansome United States Marine took his own life a year and a half ago. How could someone who had so much to live for do such a thing? How could he leave us? What was he thinking? Why didn't I see it coming? In a desperate search for answers I read, talked, and listened. When I read Dying To Be Free, Many Of my questions were answered and I began my path of healing. This simple concise book helped me understand how my husband got to the point where suicide seemed like the ONLY option. The authors do an excellent job of tying together their own experiences with many other survivors and family members to find commonalities which help us to understand what went wrong.
I highly reccomend this book to anyone who is struggling with the "why" of suicide.

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Comment on Why People Die by Suicide by J. Rogers

J. Rogers — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 05:06:14 +0000

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent book!, February 27, 2006

J. Rogers (Michigan) -

This review is from: Dying to Be Free: A Healing Guide for Families After a Suicide (Paperback)

I read this book over the weekend and I thought it was wonderful! It is everything that someone would need to know if they had experienced losing someone to suicide or even knew someone who had lost someone to suicide. It is simple to understand yet so full of information. So many books I have read on suicide are full of information but use language that is too psychological for anyone not in the field to truly understand. I will definitely be recommending this book to any future clients of mine who need it. My favorite part of the book though was the way that the authors describe survivor grief. I have never read it described so perfectly. Anyone who was reading this book after experiencing a suicide would finally be able to realize that the way they are feeling is normal. And anyone who didn't understand how someone was feeling would be able to understand what his or her friend/family member is going through. And I loved all of the survivor stories the authors used throughout the book, especially at the end (so inspirational!). Seriously, this is a great book and I would highly recommend it.

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Comment on Why People Die by Suicide by Garrett

Garrett — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:28:36 +0000

34 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

The Best Book on the Subject I Have Seen, January 25, 2006

Garrett (Montpelier, VT) -

This review is from: Why People Die by Suicide (Hardcover)

This book is just an excellent combination of personal and academic. It is very well written. It has got substance and depth to it. It breaks some new ground.

Family and friends of people who have died by suicide, who know the emotional wreckage it leaves behind, who know that suicide is a sum producer of much more pain that it solves, are more not less likely to do it themselves. Why?

Partly, "people desire death when two fundamental needs are frustrated to the point of extinction; namely, the need to belong with and connect to others, and the need to feel effective with or to influence others." Well, for survivors, the second part of this has been pretty well challenged. The first part gets challenged too: the topic is still somewhat taboo, despite that everyone knows that talking about it is important, there is real difficulty to it. Connection, on the issue, takes work.

The ideas and the feelings expressed in this book come across as real and true and well grounded. I thank Thomas Joiner for writing it.

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Comment on Why People Die by Suicide by Robert Leahy "Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D."

Robert Leahy "Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D." — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:32:02 +0000

38 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

Sensitive, scientific and helpful, August 16, 2006

Robert Leahy "Robert L. Leahy, Ph.D." (NEW YORK CITY) -

This review is from: Why People Die by Suicide (Hardcover)

Thomas Joiner is one of the leading scientific experts on suicide. This is certainly reflected in his excellent review of major theories and evidence---but what strikes me throughout the book is how compassionate, how human and how personal his own story is. He begins the book by noting that his father died by suicide. Throughout his discussions of the research on suicide--which Joiner handles with great skill-- he comes back to remind us that suicide is about someone's parent, brother, sister, child or friend. Suicide has been a topic of research interest since Durkheim advanced his theory of "altruistic" suicide and anomie. Indeed, Joiner's review of the research appears to support this classic theory. Individuals more likely to kill themselves are either feeling like a burden to others (thus, the "altruistic" model) or that they are so detached that they do not "belong". These are certainly issues that we must all keep in mind with an ageing population---of people who may feel that they are a burden. Joiner urges us to recognize that this "perception" is almost always a distortion--- but it may feel real to the suicidal person. Moreover,Joiner clearly shows that suicidal risk is increased as the individual repeats self-injury--- cutting, bruising, dangerous activities, even tatooing. As the individual becomes more accustomed to being in control of his or her pain, suicide becomes the next step on a slippery slope. Of course, other models stress the importance of hopelessness, depression or substance abuse as predictors--and, although Joiner argues these are secondary to belongingness and burden--- those of us (as therapists) working with suicidal people need to attend to all of the precursors. I hope that this excellent, compassionate, very personal but also very scientific book gets a wide readership. It may be difficult to read "about suicide" but it may help you either understand why someone you know may have committed suicide--or, even better, it may help you support someone and help them stay alive. Bravo to Joiner for writing this book.

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Comment on I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help! How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment. 10th Anniversary Edition. Reviews by Joan

Joan — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:50:42 +0000

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

New Hope, November 3, 2010

Joan -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: I am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help!: How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment (10th Anniversary Edition) (Perfect Paperback)

Some things are beyond belief. I could not believe that my intelligent son thought such weird things about being 'set-up and persecuted' when he could explain the second Law of Thermodynamics to anybody who would listen.

Xavier Amador explains how the brain can function in some areas but not others.

Better still, in this book he taught me how to communicate and keep my relationship working in spite of difficulties. Xavier is a superb communicator, no 'jargon', warmly affirming.

This book should be on the shelf of every family who cares for someone who does not want to accept treatment for mental illness. It turned my life around.

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Comment on I Am Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help! How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment. 10th Anniversary Edition. Reviews by theotherone

theotherone — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:18:28 +0000

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

Good book. Bad edits, September 6, 2010

theotherone -

This review is from: I am Not Sick, I Don't Need Help!: How to Help Someone with Mental Illness Accept Treatment (10th Anniversary Edition) (Perfect Paperback)

Very helpful and insightful. Sure needs a new copy-editor. The book is full of typos, but easy to look past those because the content is great. Provides practical, concrete counsel on how to relate to a loved one who needs mental health help but doesn't recognize it. Important to know it's not just that they are being stubborn or are in denial, but are actually incapable of seeing their need. We have changed our approach with our adult son and see evidence that we are building the trust needed before the next steps.

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