Some interesting stuff surrounded by a load of waffle.

I understand the frustration that some readers have with this book. However, I do believe that it makes a valid contribution to the study of a much maligned generation of people. My shredded wheat side tells me that it's too easy to get annoyed with vapid young people and their uncritical use/abuse of new technologies. However, my frosted side feels that we cannot really know what these new technologies will enhance or augment in these youngsters... the best we can do is nurture their sense of discover and wonder. However insightful and topical Davis and Gardner's book is, it really does plant itself right on the middle of the fence, which in many ways renders their critique impotent. There's some good stuff in the pages of the book, but there is also a great deal of unabashed white privilege, upper middle-class biases and a complete on utter lack of interest in social justice issues around youth and "app culture." (e.g., Davis' sister Molly, who figures prominently in the book, talks about getting her first laptop computer at the advanced age of eleven years.) The authors admit this readily, but for me, this admission wasn't enough. It seems like they were hastily covering their asses to allay any commentary about this obvious lacuna in their analysis. It is my hope that Gardner, Davis or other scholars will look at this phenomenon with closer attention to the have-nots and how they fit into the the app generation... if they do at all.

I have read quite a few editorials, books chapters, even listened to podcasts that condemned or bemoaned the state of "today's youth" especially when the effects of wide spread technology and education are being discussed. As a 26 year old university graduate, I can nod my head and acknowledge that there are "issues" with both my generation and my much younger siblings' generation, however, I am often left feeling out in the cold, as if the older generation writing the piece is simple whining and getting on his/her soap box without understanding the context or having ever logged into a social media sight themselves.

Not so with Howard and Katie, as they refer to themselves in The App Generation. They come to the issues of the "app" generation with an open, academic, yet sympathetically human mind and access actual data and information given in a variety of studies and their own investigations. Three distinct generations, Howard's, the grandfather age generation, Katie's, middle age or parent generation and Katie's daughter, the youth generation are present fully in the pages of the book and used as the starting point of a useful and clearly well consider contribution to the conversations of today on of education, generation gaps, and technology.

I recommend this read to people of all generations, especially parents and young adults. If you're looking for something to bash over someone's head, you will not find it here, but if you're looking for something well thought out and fuel to start conversations, this is a good point of departure.

I finished this a couple weeks ago and have been struggling with how to review it ever since. Two stars to a book by Howard Gardner? Well, yes. There is good information in this book, but it's hard to dig out of the constant defining of what a generation is. There's also significant discussion on how apps are used, much of which is over explained. What I struggled with most, though, is that Gardner and Davis claimed they were presenting a balanced look at how technology impacts current generations, but I found the book to be fairly negative in terms of technology use. Yes, the issues they warn against are issues that we need to be aware of and address, but little to no discussion goes to how these tools are benefiting youth and changing our world for the better. Overall, I was disappointed.

Should we consider it ironic that I'm typing this review into the Goodreads app on my iPhone?

This was an interesting read and confirmed some thoughts I had already half-formulated -- the kids these days, they're pre-packaged, risk-averse, etc. -- but if you're really looking for something more comprehensive, I would read Sherry Terkle or Jean Twenge.