Resource Allocation in the Public Sector: Values, Priorities, and Markets in the Management of Public Services Book

I haven't finished this book, but I feel like there are a few examples that if I don't get down, I will forget, and they illustrate how I feel about this book well.

First off, I'd like to mention that if this was a fiction book, it would get one star. Having recently ventured into the nonfiction category more and more, and having been so pleased with Naomi Klein, Noam Chomsky, and Bob Woodward, I took a recommendation and bought this hefty little bugger.

What I wasn't expecting is that the style would make a big difference. Like I mentioned, if this was fiction, it would get one star'but as a nonfiction book, at least the information is good. The problem is that Friedman's writing style is so repetitive, boastfully clever, and patronizing, that it's really hard to read.

A couple of quick examples:

"'Green is not simply a new form of generating electric power,' added Rothkopf. 'It is a new form of generating national power'period.'

"Let me repeat that: Green is not simply a new form of generating electric power. It is a new form of generating national power'period."

Now, repetition can be useful in song lyrics and poetry, but even then there's often at least some form of distance between repetitions or a variation. This just made my eyes immediately glaze over. What makes you think I didn't get it the first time?

This sort of patronizing tone is repeated again and again, most notably when he quotes a report on cow's flatulence and belching causing methane build-up. His quote includes helpful brackets after the word "regurgitate[spit-up:]". Now, I know some people aren't college educated. But I really think anyone reading this book is going to already know what regurgitate means.

The other major problem I had was that he really seems to think his clever little turns of phrase are so great that he can use them again and again and again until you want to bash your own face in with a hammer. The name of the book is "Hot, Flat, and Crowded," referring to rising temperature, globalizations of markets, and overpopulation. But whenever he makes a reference to globalization, he feels like he has to say "flattening". It sounds stupid. I'm glad you have a clever title, Tom, but that doesn't mean you have to write in newspeak.

I guess I'll update this once I finish it. Like I said, the info is good, I just find his style personally offensive.