Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable but shallow
Review: I enjoyed this book, but the treatment was very shallow. Just as the text gets interesting, the author switches topics. For example, in his discussions of harvesters ants research he mentions some pretty amazing conclusions, but never describes any of the experiments that led to them.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent read and a good introduction to the field
Review: This is a wonderful book that serves its purpose -- to generally inform the reader about emergent systems -- well. It is immensely readable yet unafraid of the difficult concepts that underlie this relatively new field. I found it to be inspiring in the sense that it causes one to go look for other books on the subject. I suspect that sophisticated readers of this type of material could quibble over definitions in what is still a largely undefined field. I found it refreshing that someone could write with such obvious enthusiasm and clarity about a subject that could be perceived as difficult. I can easily recommend this book to the general public.
Rating: 
Summary: Facsinating, but nothng new
Review: Nothing groundbreaking, but for those who haven't been in touch with the massively multi-discplinary literature on the subject, it will be a revelation. Physical scientists are already using the techniques and concepts defined herein, and any social scientists who wnat to see what all of the fuss is about should use this as a primer.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging and enlightening
Review: I came to this book without knowing anything about Steven Johnson or Feed. Checking it out subsequently on Amazon.com I was quite shocked by the harsh tone of some of the reviews. For me, good writing and lack of intellectual pretention are virtues. The first requirement of mass communication is that it entertains. And this book is unashamedly entertaining. Steven Johnson instils it with his enthusiasm and curiosity. In Johnson's case, lightness of touch reflects a personal interest in Complex Adaptive Systems and some mastery of the subject - not just a desire to trivialise. He shares his doubts and questions, and brings his own examples and experience. But does not over-extend his arguments or offer trite prescriptions. We need people who popularise ideas and this is a thoughtful and useful contribution. I have bought a copy for my mother (who is 89), and commend it to anyone who is simply fascinated by ants, cities or the Internet phenomenon.
Rating:
Summary: Not great; not bad; Chatty update to Out of Control
Review: This book is neither as good or as bad as the other reviewers are making it out to be. It is a collection of descriptions of applications of swarm behavior. I can see where hard core defenders of chaos and complexity theories may think is is too folksy. And I can see where people not familiar with any of this would have a gee whiz attitude. I personally think this a useful and pleasant, if chatty update to Kevin Kelly's phenomenal book, Out of Control.
Rating: 
Summary: A readable dissapointment
Review: While I did finish the book, I was hoping for something a bit deeper. My impression is that Steven Johnson has read widely and, enthralled by the connection, wanted to try to bring them together. Either a more serious study or perhaps some insightful research of his own would have been helpful. I expect I'll read some of the texts cited in the book, but wouldn't recommend this in hardback unless you are about to take a long plane flight and are too tired to read anything heavy. My taste runs more to Martin Gardner (Wheels, Life ...), John Allen Paulos, Steven Pinker (Language Instinct over How the Mind Works).
Rating:
Summary: A readable dissapointment
Review: While I did finish the book, I was hoping for something a bit deeper. My impression is that Steven Johnson has read widely and, enthralled by the connections, wanted to try to bring several ideas together. Either a more serious study or perhaps some insightful research of his own would have been helpful. I expect I'll read some of the texts cited in the book, but wouldn't recommend this in hardback unless you are about to take a long plane flight and are too tired to read anything heavy. ....
Rating: 
Summary: Fluff
Review: This book presents no insight, depth, or even meaningful speculation about this wonderful field. After giving a very cursory history and explanation of basic principles, it then becomes nothing but gee whiz speculation about how the principles of emergence will improve television watching and blogging in five years. This book is little more than an investment guide for dot commers looking to bank on the next revolutionary Internet Product (TM). There are plenty of wonderful books about CAS that give the subject the treatment it deserves - Holland, Kauffman, Waldrop, etc...
Rating:
Summary: Just a bunch of pseudo-scientific nonsense.
Review: ... Basically, it uses some catchy phrases or ideas from chaos theory and the field of complex emergent systems to REPLACE the very phenomena it needs to explain. Alternatively, one finds "emergence" also used as a replacement word for things like consciousness, intelligence, and mind so it really explains nothing at all and just abuses language. Just another example of a book trying to give answers about phenomena which we really don't even know how to ask fundamental questions about...phenomena that may ultimately lie beyond our conceptual, rational grasp...
Rating:
Summary: Applications of Complexity Theory
Review: This book is different from most complexity books. Rather than being purely theoretical, it is an exploration of some cutting-edge but non-technical applications of complexity theory. I recommend it but suggest you supplement it with a more standard theoretical text, like John Holland's _Hidden Order_.
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