I'll be honest. When I bought this book I thought "Come on! Is there really enough content to write 250 pages about the fact that it's now easier to buy hard-to-find stuff on the Internet?" In fact, I was fascinated at the many insight Chris Anderson was able to generate about this interesting pheonomenon.

The fact that 20% of Amazon's sales are from books that sell less than 10 copies each, and are so niche they are nearly impossible to find in bookstores, is merely interesting - deserving, perhaps, a 4-page article in Wired Magazine. But Chris Anderson goes on to explore this phenomenon from many angles, discussing the economics for local booksellers and music stores, sub-segmenting the various long tails that make up the entire long tail, exploring the cultural implications when diverse personalities can find items better suited to their tastes than available in the mainstream, and other interesting twists.

Anderson has an objective and thorough approach. In one chapter, he explores the Paradox of Choice, an insight which says that the more choices available, the harder it is for people to choose, which contradicts the book's claim that the explosion of choice is good. Anderson presents a fair argument for both sides, then reveals that he contacted the authors of the original study for their interpretation. Such self-critical writing is a breath of fresh air.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable book written with flair and intelligence about an issue that is both timely and timeless.

An excellent eye-opening book - highly recommended for the new business models that are changing the landscape for everyone. A must read.

I guess I picked up this book too late as most of what is written seemd fait accompli and some parts seemed to try to make the facts fit the model.

Although I try to keep up with hot business books, I missed this one when it was climbing the NY Times Bestseller ranks in 2006. I heard about it in a Q&A session on LinkedIn and decided to read it. Chris Anderson has soundly articulated how the democratization of production and distribution has changed the rules of the game. If you're a creative type trying to produce and sell your own stuff, this book will encourage you to forge ahead. There's a niche out there somewhere that is looking for you.

The book was pretty informative however a lot of the information that was in it I found a duplication from what was posted on the author's blog. There is a lot of fuel for thought in deciding what kind of business or product to sell considering that there is a niche market for probably anything that anybody can think of. Recommended.