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 by Christina Tynan-Wood December 2008, 344 pp. ISBN: 978-1-59327-187-9
When it comes to technology (or anything, really), men and women rarely think alike. Men are obsessed with acronyms and the size of their hard drives. Women just want to get things done. And if they can get it done while shopping for a cute pair of shoes, even better. How to Be a Geek Goddess shows you how to sort out technology decisions (and find those cute shoes online) without ever having to ask a man. Whether you're buying a computer, shopping for a cell phone, trapped in the electronics aisle, or simply lost on the Internet, author Christina Tynan-Wood explains it all with wit, intelligence, and a minimum of geeky acronyms. You'll learn how to:
How to Be a Geek Goddess will show you how to join the Web conversation, start your own blog, and maybe even teach your friends a thing or two. Think of it as the tech-savvy girlfriend you wish you had on speed dial. About the AuthorChristina Tynan-Wood has published hundreds of articles on technology, parenting, and education in her 15 years as a working writer. She has written for Family Circle, Parenting, This Old House, USA Weekend, Edutopia, Working Mother, Scholastic Administrator, Family PC, and Popular Science and has contributed regular columns for both PC World and PC Magazine. Christina has won multiple awards for business and investigative journalism. She blogs at www.geekgirlfriends.com. Table of ContentsA Note for Men, by Dan Tynan View the detailed Table of Contents (PDF) View the Index (PDF) (top)Reviews"Love the title and the premise." Dan Tynan of Computerworld interviewed How to Be a Geek Goddess author Christina Tynan-Wood about what it's like to be a Geek Goddess. Read the interview here. "The solid, down-to-earth information about PC hardware and software that Christina Tynan-Wood provides in How to Be a Geek Goddess will be welcomed by anyone who relies on technology in his or her personal or professional life." "The book proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christina Tynan-Wood totally 'gets' where men and women divide in terms of technology. If you're of the XX-chromosome persuasion and want a comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide to using today's tech to get organized, connect with your loved ones, streamline the day-to-day running of your household and more, buy this book. You'll thank me later." "Unlike our digital native kids, many of us women find ourselves lost as digital immigrants, navigating the ever-morphing ins and outs of a wired lifestyle. Thankfully, Christina Tynan-Wood does the hard work for us: How to Be a Geek Goddess offers clear, comprehensive solutions to every woman's tech troubles." "This is the book every guy should give to his girlfriend, wife, mistress, mother, grandmother, female friend or any other woman who nags him to fix her computer when he'd rather be watching the ballgame. "I'd highly recommend this book as a gift this holiday season, either to yourself or to a woman in your life who's looking for a handy desk reference on all things geek. Tynan-Wood gives simple, but not condescending, instructions on everything from purchasing to outfitting your computer and everything that goes along with it." "Full of humor and attitude, How to Be a Geek Goddess will have moms feeling like they have their most tech-savvy friend on speed-dial." "The idea of a book on technology geared towards women is a nice one. Women do have a different slant on technology and their relationship to it; rarely do books speak to them in a tone of voice they can comfortably relate to." "Christina Tynan-Wood understands the difference between how women and men think about technology." "This informative and highly readable book would make a great gift for your mom or grandmother who has just gotten online or perhaps wants to go beyond just using the computer for email. Because of the more advanced information, it also makes a great reference for any home library." "Tynan-Wood really does manage to package the goodies in a certain appealing way that will keep you reading." "Christina Tynan-Wood and No Starch Press have put out a perfect beginner's manual to all things computer. How to Be a Geek Goddess has it all." How to Be a Geek Goddess "is a melding of technology, parenting, and education that anyone can grasp." How to Be a Geek Goddess "is an engaging guide to the ins and outs of technology that would be just as handy for would-be geek gods as it is for goddesses." "Highly recommended for anyone (male or female) wanting to understand a bit more about technology and how to make it easier." "There is a lot of knowledge crammed into this book, everything from disaster recovery, explaining the different components of a computer, internet dangers and safe shopping, networking computers, getting in touch with software, all about viruses, and a chapter on sex and the geek, or internet dating. And, as I mentioned, it's all written in a humerous style and very easy to read. For newbies this is a must read. The book is great and earns a double thumbs up from me." "If you are a woman who feels that you are technically challenged, this is a book that you MUST READ simply because it is written by a woman in simple, easy to understand, everyday language." "Even though I think of myself as a pretty tech-savvy person, I found out some things in this book that have really helped enhance my technological life." "I love this book. It's changed my level of computer confidence. So much so that I might even see the return of my 1980's glory days as a tech guru." "I found How to Be a Geek Goddess a great read and would recommend it to any woman in your life." "As for the basic part, yes, there are some very basic sections, but they are so entertaining and well-written that you'll read them anyway, even if you already know the stuff. That being said, I learned things throughout the entire book, even in sections I figured would just be repeating things I already knew . . . there are little gems strewn throughout the text that make it a book definitely worth reading." "The common sense delivery of techie tidbits in How to Be a Geek Goddess is certainly not exclusive to what women have been clamoring for. It will appeal to anyone who wants down-to-earth explanations that don't patronize, nor talk over the heads of the readers." "The premise is that woman don't need to either feel overwhelmed by PCs or be dependent on men to help conquer buying, using, and maintaining a computer. [Christina Tynan-Wood] does it in an engaging, funny, and often snarky way." "I highly recommend this book for anyone who meets the target demographic. It would also come in handy as a bookshelf reference for those times someone you know needs a crash course in something specific such as social networking or setting up one's first wireless network." "In addition to being informative and empowering How to Be a Geek Goddess is also an extremely entertaining read! I laughed the whole way through." "[M]any books never approach this level of clarity in explaining complex subject matter, which is to Tynan-Wood's credit. This is one of the most readable technical tomes I've ever had cross my desk." "The information in this 315 page book is all accurate and informative. Yet, this is not a reference book. It is rather like a free-flowing novel with technical information...This is a book for women who want to absorb some pointers here and there while reading about all the things you can do with your computer." "This book is very practical, translates 'geek speak' into understandable English, and is also entertaining to read!" "The book is written with a sarcasm and wit, but still manages to get the point across in a straight-forward and clear manner. And the book covers a broad range of topics: from buying a computer, installing software, setting up a wireless network and social networking. It's pretty comprehensive without being too verbose." "I think this book will give a novice a strong sense of confidence and independence. I am sure there are women out there who don't want to rely on anyone else to help them with computer issues but they don't want to really dig deep into highly technical information. This may be exactly what they need." "Christina Tynan-Wood, a veteran on the technology beat, makes the topic of technology easy to understand and fun. There's no talking down, no sighs, no rolling of the eyes going on between the lines. Whether you're a novice when it comes to computers, the Internet, and social networking or whether you're totally wired and have 999 Facebook friends and get lots of Tweets, there's something in this book for you... even if you're a guy." Christina Tynan-Wood "has a great grasp of how the 'average' woman and the 'average' man differ (yes, I know…none of us are 'average'…) and she gives the non-geek woman a comprehensive and incredibly easy to read & understand guide to today's tech in this book." "We already consider ourselves to be pretty [darn] geeky. But How to Be a Geek Goddess by Christina Tynan-Wood still managed to teach us a thing or two we didn't know, and for that reason (and a thousand others), we dig it." "OK, so, I'm a little geeky—some may even call me geek-chic. So, when I have a tech question, the last person I want to ask is...a man. That's why How to Be a Geek Goddess by Christina Tynan-Wood is so cool." How to Be a Geek Goddess "has a tremendous amount of humor, and a highly personal writer's voice. For the mainstream, this is the ideal approach." "I did learn about some new Web sites to find great deals on random stuff, and I learned that the little RSS feed icon is called a chicklet (cute). And the book is written with plenty of lighthearted, you-don't-need-a-man-to-help-you-with-that charm." How to Be a Geek Goddess "is an ideal acquisition to those who want to avoid ignorance in the necessary modern art of computer use." "Buy the book if you are technologically-challenged (male or female), because it is witty, and down to earth while being extremely informative and not frightening at all...Absolutely fabulous." "Whether you're buying a computer, looking into Internet phone service, or trying to figure out how to keep your computer safe from viruses, [Christina Tynan-Wood] explains it all in a straightforward way that even your mom will understand." "Beyond the educational content, the narrative includes witty metaphors involving stilettos and other stereotypes in a woman's arsenal. This makes it very readable and combined with the pictures, boxes, and well-organized text is incredibly accessible to the novice user." "This book provides a nice overview of a number of different technologies, in a very non-threatening way. Tynan-Wood's writing style is highly readable and accessible for beginners as well as more experienced learners." "If your BFF is tired of relying on her boyfriend for tech support, or if your cousin gets a blank look on her face when you ask her if she's done her system updates lately, this book is the perfect birthday (or anytime) gift for an aspiring or wanna-be geek. It's well-written with a witty and easy tone, and never makes you feel like you are trudging through mud to understand." "[T]he content will help both young and older women navigate an industry that doesn't often go out of its way to include them." "Although not billed as a manual, the author provided, in clear detail, many of the common routes or fixes to problems in buying, setting up, enriching, networking, and trouble shooting a Wintel computer. As a Macintosh using male geek, I learned about dozens of things from the book about Windows Vista and XP and the problems Wintel users face daily in the computing lives." "The book is informative whether you're male or female, a hardcore tech-head or a Quicken newbie, but what makes Tynan-Wood's style unique is she speaks both Binary and Girlfriend." "So basically, if you're of the feminine persuasion and you need help navigating your way around your computer - on and offline - this is the book for you." |
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