Blog: Understanding the Information Reformation That's Changing Your World

by Hugh Hewitt

"Blog" is short for "Web log"?an online site with time-dated postings, maintained by one or more posters, that features links and commentary. That's the most basic definition, but it is like saying a car is a means of transportation featuring four wheels. In Blog , syndicated radio talk show host and best-selling author Hugh Hewitt helps you catch up with and get ahead of this phenomenon. "Millions of people are changing their habits when it comes to information acquisition," writes Hewitt. "This has happened many times before?with the appearance of the printing press, then the telegraph, the telephone, radio, television, and Internet. Now the blogosphere has appeared, and it has come so suddenly as to surprise even the most sophisticated of analysts." If you doubt the influence blogs have in society, think again. Better yet, just ask Senator Trent Lott regarding his comments at Strom Thurmond's birtuday celebration. Ask New York Times editor-in-chief Howell Raines about reporter Jayson Blair's fabricated stories. Ask Dan Rather and CBS about President Bush's National Guard documents faxed from a Texas Kinko's. Or ask John Kerry about his battle with Swift Boat veterans. All of these major stories were fully covered by the mainstream media only after their exposure in the blogosphere. "Hugh Hewitt [is] the unofficial historian of the blogging movement." ? The Wall Street Journal

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Politics, Writing, Social Media, Internet, Communication

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[YoSafBridg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was only a couple of pages into Blog: Understanding the Information Reformation that's Changing Your World before i found myself being annoyed by Hugh Hewitt's voice (even though i couldn't quite identify what it was~and not his actual voice, mind you, this wasn't an audio book~something just wasn't vibing right). I hadn't heard of Hugh Hewitt before i read this book so i didn't know he was Mr. Conservative Right, but i did slog through the book anway. He sees the blogosphere as part of the "New Media" and the answer to what he sees as a very left leaning Main Stream Media (MSM)~i've seen this in the other books too, if you're on the left the MSM leans right if you're on the right it leans left. Anyway this book is pretty much limited to political blogging and its full of rhetoric but it is still somewhat informative (and it also includes a rather interesting history of Martin Luther and the Reformation). This is not the only book that compares the explosion of the blogosphere with the invention of the printing press and Johannes Gutenberg, putting the power in the hands of the people.

[David Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blog chronicles the history of the blogosphere and pushes for its expansion. It argues that we are in the midst of a reformation, a democratization of information, very much like the one caused by the invention of the printing press. Hewitt tells his readers who he believes are the Martin Luthers of our day and warns us to join them or be left behind.

This book shares recent history of American politics and American news agencies to show how they were instrumental in establishing the blogosphere's influence. In doing this, Hewitt shares his political views freely. (He says that this is important so that the reader can easily discern opinions for what they are) This approach might turn off some readers but it is the kind of writing that was so influential.

Blog was published in 2005. The book remains relevant despite the many changes that have taken place since then. Blog gives a frame of reference in which one can evaluate the current status of the "information revolution."

[Lori Grant · Rating 4 out of 5]

A should-read book for knowledge workers and entrepreneurs on concepts and social trends.

[Kyle Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's very insightful and informative, but only really focused on one type of blog, the political one. It's obviously out of date now, but still has solid information.

[Aaron Pogue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blog by Hugh Hewitt is an informed, educational, and compelling take on the new prominence of blogs and social media in today's business and politics. Hewitt clearly knows what he's talking about, and he does a remarkable job of weaving together personal experience, real-world examples, and a little bit of extrapolation to make a strong case for everyone to start a blog, and start one now.

That said...Hewitt is also a self-satisfied Neocon (I want to say "blowhard") who takes time to crow about the role he played in bringing down Kerry and assuring Bush's victory in 2004. Most of his "real-world" examples are of that sort. There is certainly valuable information in this book even for people who vehemently disagree with his morals or politics, but he doesn't do anything to help you overlook his bias. If you couldn't stomach reading a book by Rush Limbaugh (even one with good information in it), you should probably give this one a miss, too.

[Jen Watkins · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was much like blogs themselves--hastily researched and quickly written. When it is a blog, this is ok because you can easily click to the next thing and it didn't cost you a dime. When it is a book, it suggests something about dismal about the publishing world. Any book about blogs was bound to be outdated by the time it was published, so I can forgive Hugh Hewitt that.

[Sean Higgins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really my genre to begin with, and definitely more dramatic than suits my fancy. I guess technology prophets need to sound alarmist in order to increase the volume of their system alert. Blogs are great, sure. But blogs are not yet "the information reformation that's changing [my:] world."

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book has a definite political agenda, it is nevertheless a fascinating look at the "everybody's a journalist" phenomenon.I cited it extensively in a paper I wrote on MARC cataloging of political blogs.

[Alex Mclean]

pretty dry read... Only got through the first couple chapters.

[Joseph Daly · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a word Blog is very cool. As a readable book Blog=Boredom. couldn't finish this one.

[Laura Stiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great history of blogging and a good view on how blogging can impact the masses. Good ideas on marketing your blog and creating a blog that people want to read.

[Aaron · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am now dumber for having tried to read it.

[Seth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surely outdated now, it was trailblazing in its time for discussing and predicting the power of blogging and the long tail of social media.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed that the book didn't have more practical types on staring a blog and successful blogging.

[Jeff Noble]

Blog: Understanding the Information Reformation That's Changing Your World by Hugh Hewitt (?)