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Heroes.Com: The Names and Faces Behind the.Com Era
by Louise Proddow, Jonathan Gabay (Editor)
from Hodder Arnold H&S

Editorial Review:

Looking for all the world like a glossy magazine, Heroes.com is coffee table reference at its best. Like its stars, it's made for surfing and like west coast waves, they come thick and fast. Pretty much every tastefully designed page features some bright, young thing with a story to tell gazing out in glorious Technicolour. Wannabes should take note of the facial poses; there seem to be two main variations to choose from, the smiley and the sulky, though the sensible money is on perfecting both. It means added flexibility should your c'mon!.com turn into a come-off-it.com. The interviews are highly readable, often revealing, if occasionally veering into cosy backslapping territory. Author Louise Proddow's claim that the text is "scattered with gold dust" is largely justified. The basic thrust is, "how did you get involved in the Web?" "What's the story behind your site?" "What are your tips?" "What are your predictions?" It's resolutely "up" in tone--what else can explain Proddow's revelation that boo.com is [sic] "a brilliantly designed site?" Not a regular visitor then? It is also clear that the whole dot.com environment has changed in the time it's taken for the ink to dry on Proddow's manuscript. Some of the entries seem dated given recent stock market reshuffles and the odd business collapse. It all serves to confirm just how quickly the new economy is moving. Perhaps regular supplements and a free binder with Part 1 would have made more sense. Make no mistake, this is a decent book; a line in the sand charting where the Web is today(-ish) and anticipating where it might go from here. Two final chapters offer condensed shortcut strategies on how to go about getting your own face featured in the next edition with advice on moving from "big idea" through to Initial Public Offering. Heroes.com is a recommended read, if only for the chance to find out who all these people are who are making fortunes out of your own ideas. Before you've even had chance to think of them yourself. --Iain Campbell

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

• Looking forward to Heroes.com 2
  I think Ms Proddow should bring out a book every couple of years so that we can trace the personalities of this amazing industrial transformation. I really liked the book, but next time it would be good if some more tough questions could be asked of the interviewees. So 4 stars for a lack of bite but otherwise excellent. I guess it was a rush publishing exercise? Still there's little compromise on quality.

• Well done louise Proddow!
  Louise did a great job on this book- it was a pleasure working with her.

  Thanks to her insights, the dotcom revolution is clearly explained and championed - well done Louise!!

• A perfect sign of the times
  The .Com revolution has polarised the population. The distain at the wealth based on nothing but an idea compared to those who understand the nature of the knowledge economy and how the world is changing. This book is a collector's item in waiting. Of course it will date faster than a Steps record, but that's the point. In 20 years, we will revel in the open and simple optimism of the .net start-ups. A brilliant book for social historians and anyone who really understands what's happening to business. Well... more info

• Insightful, meaningful and relevant
  With advice and insight from those who have tried and largely succeeded in the dot com age - this book is a great read for anyone who is interested or involved in this space.

  Written from the entrepreneur's personal perpective this book gives any would be hero a good starting point of what works and what doesn't.

  The content covers a wide range of industries and some charities/arts. The inclusion of Boo naturally raises an eyebrow however the advice given from companies such as Peoplesound, Jungle,... more info

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