Book Review

So, I just finished the book "Microtrends", by Mark J. Penn (you may recognize the name of the fired Clinton campaign manager with the NAFTA issue). I must say - FANTASTIC!

I think what I liked best about the book was the style in which it was written. Penn identifies small groups - one percent of the population, or sometimes even less, that are in some ways making significant differences in society and how we live our lives - their small stone is making a big ripple. He makes the argument that these many small groups are the ones making the long term changes in how things work.

He then goes on to outline 75 small groups who are becoming more and more prevalent. Some of the groups were only of moderate interest to me (protestant hispanics, young knitters), while others were quite intriguing, especially because I'd already noticed the existence of said groups (permissive parents, sun-haters, southpaws unbound).

What Penn really does well is, for each group, in under five pages - he gives a strong overview of the group, cites some background research documenting their existence and then goes on to explain why exactly they are significant, along with future implications (we can thank the protestant hispanics for George W. Bush - for they voted for him disproportionately in swing states). With the five page cap (which he only violates once or twice all book), this book is perfect for the reader with ADD. (Although he discusses those "Long Attention Spanners" in chapter 9.)

All in all, I highly recommend this book. Agree or disagree with his points - he has a strong argument for the prevalence of each of the groups he brings up.

Now my new dilemma is which book I should read next....