"An informative, well designed book without a soul." I know nothing about PowerPoint, other than it's a presentation program and that I've spent many a dark hour barely awake at such presentations. So in these waning days of Office 2000, I thought I'd pick up a popular PowerPoint primer and see what's up. Upon leafing through the book, I was pleasantly surprised--but then I found myself suddenly mortified. This book has no author!
A book without an author is like a person without a personality. It's just shocking to think that such a thing could happen. Of course, someone did have to write this book, and that's this "Perspection, Inc." organization. After leafing madly through the front matter, I found the true author, one Katherine Pinard. Hey, Kathy! You wrote a good book. Go to work for yourself and make some real money!
Overall, I liked the book. I can see how the Step by Step series is one of the most popular computer book series of all time. At first I was taken aback by the many, many design elements. There are steps, figures, sidebars, icons, callouts, and margin art on just about every page. But it works! It's not junky; it's actually informative and makes the book highly accessible.
The book is also keenly organized. Information is presented clearly and accurately. You don't need to read the whole thing, either: just hop up to whatever chapter or section you need and you can get going. It's nice that the book appreciates that, seeing how people who are involved in presentations are often rushed.
Of course, the book is utterly devoid of a personality, which is sad because it would add a fun dimension it presently lacks. For example, the examples. They're painfully trite. Without an author, the book lacks a certain companionship I find in personality-laden books. I get no sense of "we're in this together" or "let me offer some insight." No, it's just information. Good, well-written information, but uninspiring.
I remember another computer book publisher seething with envy over the Step by Step books, which is fully justified. If the PowerPoint 2000 book is any indication, this is a solid series that serves its purpose well. But I'll never be fully comfortable with any book that lacks an author. --Dan Gookin
