Often before I read a book I like to read the comments that other people write about it on Amazon or other sites. I usually read the comments from those who rated the book low as they often have the most striking opinions. The lowest comment from this book is:
Urry seemed to condense what should have been 600 pages into 150. And they were some of the hardest 150 pages I've read. Complexity theory is a fascinating topic and its application to globalization is definitely relevant. However, I found Urry very difficult to follow and I was left unconvinced. I would strongly suggest reading M. Mitchell Waldrop's book "Complexity" to get a much clearer perspective on the theory.
He notes that the book is dense as though that were a problem. I prefer dense books. Just give me the idea so I can mull it over. I don't need the author to do all the thinking for me. If Urry had expanded this book to 600 pages I probably wouldn't read it.
I'm a slow reader. Not because my actual reading speed is slow, but because I often stumble on an interesting idea while reading and trail off into thought. I prefer if the reading is dense so that it can accommodate my flights. All else is fluff. With books like Waldrop's* I find myself quickly bored and skimming for the next interesting part. Urry's book seems densely interesting. Looking forward to it.
* - Although that book is actually very interesting - there are better examples for what I'm talking about.




