Total Recall by Gordon Bell

3.5 out of 10

Despite the fact that I didn’t like this book, I’m glad that I got the chance to think about the subject matter.

Bell, perhaps rightfully, assumes that we are approaching a world in which everyone will have a digital record of everything they have ever done.  As a POC, he spent many years at Microsoft conducting research with clunky collection, storage, and retrieval tools.  Everyone expects hardware, software, and interfaces to continue the trend of becoming less intrusive over time.  He points out a few potential benefits to business, healthcare, education, social bonding, and memorials.  Just as we no longer bother to remember telephone numbers, how to spell words, or driving directions, eventually all information will be available as needed.

The book reads as a sales pitch and an instruction manual.  A better book would include some insightful objectivity.