Rating: 
Summary: Review by some 7th grade guy
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed Geeks (by Jon Katz) because of how I could relate to it. With so many real life examples in this book, it is hard not to relate to it. The story is so typical for so many people I know, and it all sounds very familiar. I really enjoyed all the characters in the book because of their courage. I especially liked Jesse because of his leadership. I'm sure that it took a lot of guts for Jesse to get himself and his friend into the real business world. After reading the book I was more encouraged to go to college, and work my hardest. If you're looking for a good book to read, and have a good time reading it, then Geeks would most definitely it!!
Rating: 
Summary: Tie a Tie
Review: This book was a fun and long book for me to read but it was wearth it. The one thing I like about this book is how much Jesse and Eric use the internet. One thing I like the most about them using the internet is when Jesse uses Alsa Visa to find out how to tie a tie. I'm just learning that now when I'm young so I don't have to search the internet to tie a tie. And when they moved to an apartmet so they could get faster internet accses. I personaly enjoyed this book.
Rating:
Summary: Geeky, or not?
Review: Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho is the best geek book I have ever read. I feel as if I have known all of Jon Katz's characters all of my life. Jesse and Eric are two fabulous characters that are described so well that I feel as if I am talking to them myself. Eric and Jesse are both wonderful computer geeks who can definitely find themselves with good jobs if only they had a better education and if they lived somewhere other than Idaho, the home of the spud. So they set off to conquer Chicago, Illinois and all of their fears that go along with the big city. When they finally reach Chicago, after a long and hard drive, they need a place to stay. Luckily, Jesse has searched on Yahoo and Alta Vista for apartment complexes near where they both hope to work. Right now their greatest fear is the apartment not having a proper cable connection or phone line. They end up moving to a different apartment closer to work. Their luck changes for the best from there. Jesse and Eric suffer many hardships but, with the help of their computers, and friend Jon Katz, they always come out on top. Geeks is a wonderful book that should be read by geeks and nongeeks alike.
Rating:
Summary: Geeks escape the mundane world
Review: Two boys have a hopeless life in Idaho. Their only escape is the Internet and the writerJon Katz who helps to get them out of the mundane, hopeless world they live in to the city of Chicago where the dreams come true. A good account of the lives of two boys and how their lives are changed.
Rating:
Summary: A modern tale about geeks
Review: When I originally saw the title of the book "How two lost boys rode the internet out of Idaho" I was immediately curious, and indeed this book is very unusual. The book tells the story of Jesse Dailey and Eric Twilegar, 2 self proclaimed Geeks. Eric and Jesse are two teenagers who lived in Idaho in a place which is really as remote as it gets in the US. They did not fit in their school's society, and their only joy was a "Geek club" which was started by a teacher of theirs - and the internet. The author, Jon Katz, was very intriguied with Jesse and Eric after an email correspondence, so he flew to Idaho to meet and interview them. This started a chain of events which led Eric and Jesse to leave Idaho for a search of a better life. The book tells their story.
But that's not all. The book is more than that, it also contains "essays" (I have no other word to describe these) about geekness in general, why there are outcasts in high schools and other interesting related issues.
To summarize: I loved the book! Reading what Eric and Jesse had gone through really made me feel close to them, and the way they grew and matured was truly heartwarming. The geek essays were also very interesting, and gave me a lot food for thought. But more than that, the story of these 2 smart teenagers really is a tale of the internet age - how anybody who is smart, brave and good with computers can make a better life for himself these days. I certainly see a lot of the book in my personal life.
I recommend the book to geeks and non geeks alike, and I wish Eric and Jesse luck everywhere they go to.
Rating:
Summary: Signature subculture
Review: Jon Katz's Geeks chronicles the signature subculture of the early 2000s. Geeks are fast becoming to contemporary popular culture what beatniks were for the 50s and hippies for the 60s. Their motif is technologically based, but their experience is rooted in social alienation, isolation and dedication. Geeks tinker with their PCs in the way greasers once suped up their hotrods - the computer is their ticket out of the lost world (in this case Idaho) where nobody knows their name. One of the cyberheroes sums it up: "The Net is my safety. It's my community. It's not a substitute for life for me. It is life." Geeks is a smoothly-written account of the dusty back blocks of Idaho and beyond. It locates the phenomena of cyber-rebellion, but simultanously describes how society as a whole is dealing with the new industrial revolution of the logged-on labourers. Geeks reminded me of Douglas Kennedy's captivating observational travel guide to born-again America, In God's Country, which was another generous tribute to the subcultures of belief and belonging. Katz writes in the style of his subject - in 'real time' about young leaders who stand out in Western culture because, unlike their 80s yuppiespredecessors, they are all substance and no style. Geeks reminds us that today's younger generation need not be nostalgic for the glory days of the 60s - they have found their Woodstock online. Who knows where it will end?
Rating:
Summary: An interesting look at the Internet culture
Review: I wasn't sure what to make of this book when it was offered to me as an advance copy at the book store where I work. I enjoy the Internet, I find it a vital tool for research and entertainment, even though I'm not nearly as consumed by it as many other people. But what I found in this book was a fascinating story of two outcasts in the boonies of Idaho who, on the surface, may seem like burnout stoners, but are actually extremely intelligent and insightful. Journalist Jon Katz followed these two "geeks" as they gambled with everything they owned to trek out to Chicago with a U-Haul and find a place where their computer skills could mean something. Their story is a "fish-out-of-water" experience, full of humor, hope, and sadness. You'll find yourself rooting for Jesse and Eric as they go through the ups and downs of finding themselves in a strange new environment. There are also some interesting testimonials from various other "geeks" (although the interminable analysis of Columbine gets old fast). Jesse's adventures while battling the odds and applying to the University of Chicago make for some riveting reading. A very good book and a keen insight on "geek culture."
Rating:
Summary: Lessons for the Digital Age
Review: Boy oh boy, I would have never imagined that this book would have been this good. The title isn't very promising, but boy does Jon Katz know how to tell a story. This is a story about 2 guys from podunk, America. The are ostracized and shunned in their home town, but when a teacher at their high school concepts a new club for GEEKS only, their entire world is turned around. I can relate my personal life to this book in so many ways. I would have never imagined that any story about a couple of guys like me could have ever been published. This book is an inspiration to all of the Geeks of the 90's and an eye opener for the classical preppy's of our culture. This book is well worth the download. I even bought the book in paperback after reading. If you are interested in a story about 2 technophiles, that follow their dreams and the process they went about attaining those dreams, then you will also enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: Old Tale, Modern World
Review: This is not only a compelling story about two disenfranchised kids, it is also a story about blowing past limitations to achieve success. Katz should be proud of his mentorship, although this was not his specific intent with the boys. The tie-in to Columbine was both accurate and thought-provoking.
Rating:
Summary: Explains geeks to non-geeks
Review: This book does an excellent job of explaining geek culture to non-geeks. It does so with an entertaining and truthful description of the habits and culture of two young post-high school students. If there are people in your life who do not understand the geek phenomenon, have them read this book. It can be read easily in one sitting. The downside? Too much of the author is inserted in the story. The weakness? The author assumes (mistakenly in my mind) that a traditional college education, even of very high quality, will fit with or be tolerated by a true geek--that it will be of major benefit. Not only is the jury out on that question for the true-life characters in this book, evidence elsewhere is to the contrary (witness Bill Gates and Harvard). Don't let these criticisms deter you from buying this book if you or someone you know needs to understand geeks or you just want a good, short read.
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