Book Review: Life in the Outernet

Jenny Donelan

America Off-Line: The Complete Outernet Starter Kit , by A. J. Jacobs, Cader Books, ISBN 0-8362-2433-7, $8.95

There's a brave new world out there where you can access thousands of magazines and newspapers, chat with friends, make new acquaintances, and receive mail free of charge (albeit only six days a week). Sound familiar? It's the Outernet, the world beyond our computer screen; in other words, reality. But congenial as reality sounds, hardcore on-line addicts will need a little help adjusting to it. They may even want to subscribe to America Off-Line , A. J. Jacobs's occasionally hilarious guide to life in the Outernet.

Clearly, Jacobs has logged some painful hours in chat rooms; the best parts of hi s book concern the do's and don'ts of interfacing in real life. His advice for introducing yourself at off-line parties: "Do not describe yourself ... a) you don't have to and b) if you do, you can't lie about what you look like."

In the course of poking fun at the on-line world, Jacobs does the same to its off-line counterpart. He's clearly no technophobe; he's just having a little fun. If you've spent much time on commercial on-line services, you're sure to get a guffaw or two from America Off-Line .