Google It! A History of Google that as soon as it arrived my 12 year old say “Oooh”. I posted a picture on facebook and a friend immediately said “oooh”. 🙂 Makes me smile when a review book like this comes through.
Written by Anna Crowley Redding, Google It! is the story of how two student’s mission to organize the the internet changed the world. 231 pages with images and history of how Google came into being and became part of the lexicon of modern society. 19 chapters divided into three sections.
From the start of this wonderfully informative book we are introduced to how two boys, who didn’t intitally like each other, became good friends and took a leap that changed the world. We are given a good walk through what life was like before Google came into being. I have to admit, the author made it seem like a terrible thing to have to call for directions, learn where the library was and to develop a relationship with book stores, libraries and teachers. I admit there were pros and cons to the system (needing to get there and be develop patience and all that), but it wasn’t as bad as it was made out to be. 🙂
I was surprised to learn the original name for Google (see page 23 for that information). I was fascinated by the snippets of information interspersed throughout the storyline. They were very obvious .. either done in a lighter smaller text or on coloured pages.
A fascinating read on watching a powerful company work it’s way through it’s start up, growth, adulthood and more. It was so interesting to read through how it all came together, along with problems like dealing with China and how that was a difficult situation to walk through. I found it a quick, easy read. My curiousity was often peaked by unexpected relationships in the world of the internet. I wasn’t aware of just how far google’s reach actually was.
If you are interested in learning more about google and how it works, in the people behind it and it’s global outeach, old or young, this book is sure to entertain and enlighten. Go out and get it, borrow it from the library, and learn about a company that literally changed the world of the internet and became a household word.
I can totally see this book being fascinating for middle school geeky type students, who like knowing the history and facts behind the internet. It’s easily readibility and the mirade of facts presented in a story like manner (not a story but with loads of interesting facts told in a not boring way). It would be so easy to assign this as reading material and have your student do a report on it. I know that my lad will come back to me with “did you know” question/statements. It will be good to see if he enjoys it as much as I did.
Google It! A History of Google.
Anna Crowley Redding
Feiwel and Friends
231 pages, trade paperback
Google, History, biography
middle school through highschool
Reviewed for Raincoast Books.
Where to find: Amazon.ca
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