Title: Spam Kings
Subtitle: The Real Story behind 
          the High-Rolling Hucksters
          Pushing Porn, Pills, 
          and %*@)# Enlargements
Author: Brian McWilliams
Publisher: O'Reilly
Edition: First
Publication Month: October 2004
Pages: 368
Cost of Hardcover: $22.95

Note

The above is mostly taken from the O'Reilly catalog entry.

What did you expect from the book?

I expected two things from this book:
* to be engaged in a good story.
* to learn a bit about the spam scene as it was.
Well actually I'm not sure I expected a good story,
but I certainly hoped for a good story.

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Did you get what you expected?

Yep.

I enjoyed the story and it's many characters.
The presentation was such
that I kept wanting to read more.

I also felt I learned a bit about how things were
in the spam scene a couple of years ago.
The author's many footnotes increased my confidence
that the story was based on fact.

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What did you like about the book?

I especially enjoyed the story lines
and being exposed to 
a number of different spammers and anti-spammrers.

I liked that the author
didn't try to glorify anti-spammers.

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What did you not like about the book?

I sometimes wished the book was published 
in 2006 rather than in 2004.
I'm guessing that things have changed
and it would be interesting to know how.

I'm puzzled why I didn't read the book 
when it first came out.

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Who do you recommend it for?

If you would enjoy reading a true story 
(with multiple story lines)
involving many spammers and antispammers,
I recommend this book.

If you don't want to read about spammers and antispammers,
don't read this book.
If you are only interested if the story is current
(or very close to it),
this book is not for you.

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How would you rate this book?

Smiley Rating: Very good. :) :) :) :) of 5.

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