The Attention Merchants by Tim Wu

 

In this book, Tim Wu does a survey of advertising down through the ages.  Starting with the traveling medicine shows, then print, followed by radio and tv, then finally the Internet, marketing executives have done anything they could to garner the consumers' attention and make sales.  It details the discoveries those in the advertising industry made that allowed them to get the maximum amount of attention.  It also details the propaganda industry and how key it was in World War II and how it will be used in the future.

Tim Wu has been focused on this issue for most of his career.  He is known for coining the phrase 'net neutrality' and working on this issue.  He has a law degree and clerked for the Supreme Court but has devoted his life instead to working on issues having to do with information and how it is disseminated.  I felt that this book had the chance to do much more with this issue than was done.  I already knew most of the information that was contained here and had hoped for more substantive coverage of the Internet and social media and how their rise is influencing us all, especially the younger part of our society.  This book is recommended for nonfiction readers and those just starting to learn about the information society and its repercussions.