PC Magazine Best of the Internet

Rating:
Summary: Thorough and Engaging
Review: I expected this book to be comprehensive, and that it is. What's more, Willmott serves as a useful filter for all the clutter and nonsense that litters the Internet. What surprised me was the level of humor throughout. Willmott's expertise and engaging writing make this book worth returning to again and again.

Rating:
Summary: Ignores gambling
Review: It is an apparent paradox that with the Internet and search engines so accessible, why would you need a book that lists over 1000 useful websites? Google and yahoo can point you to millions. But this very plentitude breeds its own problems. Whose opinions about a website can you deem reliable? Which leaves an important role for PC Magazine (and others). Hence the value of what Willmott gives us. He's one of the editors of this well regarded magazine.

The book has a top-down arrangement based on broad topics like sports, hobbies and computing. Within each are the websites he considers most popular or authoritative.

The biggest flaw in this book is its omission of gambling. Massively popular, and the top websites generate considerable revenue. They can actually charge for usage! How many other websites are as fortunate? Some gambling websites are also changing the real life dynamics of their games. For example, the last 2 world poker championship winners trained via online poker games. Granted, in the US there may be regulatory constraints on offshore betting. But this publisher (Wiley), and surely too the author, sell to a global audience. Non-Americans, in general, do not face such constraints.

Rating:
Summary: lots of good ideas
Review: There are so many interesting sites listed and suggestions for ways to save money in here that I think it'll keep me busy exploring for months. Even if you think you know your way around the Web you'll find something new. I'd also suggest it for people who are new to the Web and don't appreciate all that's out there beyond the usual sites that everyone knows. And the "weird" section cracked me up.