The perfect thing

Borrowing one of the definitive qualities of the iPod itself, "The Perfect Thing" shuffles the book format. Each chapter of this book was written to stand on its own, a deeply researched, wittily observed take on a different aspect of the iPod. The sequence of the chapters in the book has been shuffled in different copies, with only the opening and concluding sections excepted. "Shuffle" is a hallmark of the digital age -- and "The Perfect Thing," via sharp, insightful reporting, is the perfect guide to the deceptively diminutive gadget embodying our era.