About book Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode The Internet Out Of Idaho (2001)
Geek (noun)- Short for computer geek, a person who knows and has a passion for computers, but often disapproved of. It is increasingly being used in a positive manner, but it can still be used in a derogatory manner or as an insult. Compare black-on-black vs. white-on-black usage of nigger. Although considered to be socially unacceptable, more are needed in the world. Basically, geek and nerd are synonymous. (It used to mean a person who would bite the head off a live chicken or snake, but it's no longer applied). This is all according to the book.tOver a period of time, I have read the book “Geeks” by Jon Katz. As the cover suggests, it is about two boys who left Idaho in order to pursue jobs that involve the use of the internet. It was a fascinating read in that the story showed the issues geeks were facing and what opportunities they had. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to be a very entertaining story. As I was reading, it seemed to be like an autobiography about the author's life with the two characters Jesse and Eric, particularly towards the latest chapters. There were also particular aspects that I was not fond of in the book.tWhen I was first reading this, it engaged me a lot. The problems presented to Jesse, Eric, and the other geeks kept me wondering how they would solve it. They somehow contravened the negative connotation associated with them; they have formed a “Geek Club” consisting of Jesse, Eric, Mr. Brown (their teacher), Sam, and Jose (two other geeks). It was nice to see that the students had much in common and that the teacher had many topics for them to debate about and engage in. The most interesting part was how “Suddenly, they had some power …. They had a way to fight back.” (pg 33) and they decided that they were an official club. It was nice to see that they only allowed those who were willing to become geeks. tThe trip to Chicago was intriguing enough for me. It brought a nice perspective as to how difficult a journey could be, whether it be to success or to another place (in this case, it's both). It can be seen that they went because they were not accepted in their community and that they wanted better jobs and a nicer place to live in. The apartment they went to before officially going to Chicago seemed stressful in their perspective. Fortunately, Jesse got employed as a support tech and Eric got employed as a network programmer. It's nice how both of them got a job that they would be good at. We need people like them because our time calls for more people to work on computers, internet, and various other technological concepts and affairs. The event allowed me to know that there are better opportunities for everyone in one place or another and it makes me aware that “you can make a difference in people's lives. You can affect outcomes. You can reach even people who are … very different from you and … help them build a better life.” (pg 206-207). tThere were some aspects of the book that I was not fond of. As I was going through the book, it felt like it focused a lot on Jesse. It centers on how Jesse did at the club, his ideas about moving out of Idaho, his experience with the interview, him applying to college, and even how he was rebellious and distrusted authority. I'm unsure if Jesse and Jon have a close friendship (Jon even says that “THE NATURE of [his] relationship with Jesse has continued to evolve” (pg 207) ), but I would also like to hear more about Eric. He is mentioned alongside with Jesse, but the book doesn't go into as much detail about his experiences with his job, trip, and how he went through school. To me, it also felt like an autobiography, especially during the last few chapters with emails sent to him regarding high school experiences and The Hellmouth. I would have hoped that it would focus more on the technicalities on computers, the internet, robots, and how modern technology is shaping the world because of the amount of geeks we have.tThe sections I did like were the definitions of the word geek on the front and the “Geek Voices”. The various definitions of geek intrigued me and instilled within me a perception as to how other people viewed them. I would always think of those definitions as I was reading the story. The Geek Voices also kept me reading the book. They provided further insight as to how geeks were changing the world and how they viewed themselves. My main purpose in reading “Geeks” was to see how they were changing the world and how society views them, and this book did as I hoped it would.
Skip the introduction. The book is more of a 2.5, but the story of Jesse and Eric moving to Chicago to find computer jobs and trying to make a life with no parental support and/or contact, no friends, and buckets of naivete was great. Katz needed to butt out of the story a little more than he did, but as he confesses, his journalistic objectivity was compromised when he began to get to know these young men (19 years old).I can hardly believe that they left with so little and knowing so little, so in that case, they really do espouse the American spirit of adventure. Their move and new life began around the same time as Columbine, so there are quite a few comments about how boys who spend a lot of time on computer games, programming, etc., (nerds, geeks, etc.) undeservedly earn a bad rep. Much of their disenchantment with today's society is also addressed. I found all of that fascinating.You end the book rooting for Jesse and Eric while being concerned for both of them. Oddly, though the book was published in 2000, there is no follow-up book nor could I find anything on the internet. Perhaps neither boy appreciated the honest portrayal of their lives (would any of us?) or maybe there was a falling out with Katz. I dont' know; wish I did.
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Focusing on the lifestyle of “typical geeks,” Geeks: How Two Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho tells the true story of two teenage boys living in an unchanging, unpromising town of Idaho. Not being part of the crowd, Jesse and Eric spent any time they had outside of school taking part in the activities that most kids their age didn’t find interesting; ‘geekdom’ filled their lives via e-mails, modems, and motherboards. This was enough of a future for them at first, but it wouldn’t be long until the two “geeks” would experience their lifestyle bringing them to new heights, rescuing them from Idaho, and transporting them to Chicago where they were, in fact, part of the crowd. “Geekdom” no longer meant seclusion or isolation; it meant opportunity and acceptance. Teachers’ text collections will benefit in having Katz’s Geeks, for reluctant readers may find appreciation in this exploration of “geekdom.”
—Patrick
Jesse Dailey and Eric Twilegar are friends growing up in a small Mormon town in Idaho. They are also both self-identified geeks that avoid social situations and spend all of their time and money on computers. They are both unhappy with their young lives feeling trapped and destined to go nowhere. Jon Katz is a journalist that focuses on technology and one day receives an email message from Jesse. Jon decides to travel to Idaho and meet the two young men, where he finds himself encouraging them to push forward by moving to Chicago. In the book Jon follows the two throughout their journey from small town to big city documenting their setbacks and success. This is an inspirational story that I would highly recommend to any young adult that is feeling trapped by their surroundings or that enjoys technology.
—Cindy
When I'm not playing Xbox or troubleshooting a computer, I like to indulge myself in books about other cultures. One such of these books is Jon Katz's Geeks. First, throw out all your pre-conceived notions about geeks. Next, pick them back up and ponder why you even threw them out to begin with. Geeks is indeed a story about geeks. Your most average run of the mill geeks. In this day and age, it appears a geek is more a title for the latent successful than one to be taken in strife. For certain people (you know who you are) this book will never be read. For others its just interesting enough to rationalize your poor social skills and last night's D&D game. Don't read it because you want to better understand a geek. You shouldn't even read it if you enjoyed Primer. Actually, I can't really think of a reason you should read it, as this type of subject matter is much better portrayed through television series and wives tales. Wait, maybe you're a young teen trying to figure out where you fit in. If for some reason the back panel or the Amazon.com synopsis thrills you, choose to read something like Snow Crash. If you enjoy that you probably won't want to read this because you'll be knee deep in the intricacies of the science fiction that has laid the foundation for a lot of geek culture.
—Tony Go
