BOOK REVIEW: The Pirate's Dillema

The Pirate's Dilemma
Matt Mason

I started hearing about this book awhile back and even the simplest of descriptions was enough to put me on a search for it.

The book is exactly what many of you would think - a hip, intelligent and witty look at the role of piracy within the arts. But it's far more deep and rich than I expected. In Mason's book, piracy is examined from every angle as its impact on music and art and commerce (among other things) is dissected with fantastic, unbiased clarity.

I had a hard time finishing this book because it was so packed with information, anecdotes and references. I now have a greater knowledge of artforms like graffiti and hip hop. My eyes are opened to 'punk capitalism' all around me. I now even have an appreciation for disco.

Yes, disco.

I came away with lots of good stuff, but also ended up being very inspired toward making sure that my particular art (music) is wise to the culture. That doesn't mean trying to be trendy, but the book did raise some great questions about the future of an open-source society.

I would recommend this book any creative or tech person. Really great.