The high-energy tale of how two socially awkward Ivy Leaguers, trying to increase their chances with the opposite sex, ended up creating Facebook. Eduardo Saverin and Mark Zuckerberg were Harvard undergraduates and best friends, outsiders at a school filled with polished prep-school grads and long-time legacies. They shared both academic brilliance in math and a geeky awkwardness with women. Eduardo figured their ticket to social acceptance and sexual success was getting invited to join one of the university's Final Clubs, a constellation of elite societies that had groomed generations of the most powerful men in the world and ranked on top of the inflexible hierarchy at Harvard. Mark, with less of an interest in what the campus alpha males thought of him, happened to be a computer genius of the first order. Which he used to find a more direct route to social stardom: one lonely night, Mark hacked into the university's computer system, creating a ratable database of all the female students on campus, and subsequently crashing the university's servers and nearly getting himself kicked out of school. In that moment, in his Harvard dorm room, the framework for Facebook was born. What followed, a real-life adventure filled with slick venture capitalists, stunning women, and six-foot-five-inch identical-twin Olympic rowers, makes for one of the most entertaining and compelling books of the year. Before long, Eduardo's and Mark's different ideas about Facebook created in their relationship faint cracks, which soon spiraled into out-and-out warfare. The collegiate exuberance that marked their collaboration fell prey to the adult world of lawyers and money. The great irony is that while Facebook succeeded by bringing people together, its very success tore two best friends apart. The Accidental Billionaires is a compulsively readable story of innocence lost and of the unusual creation of a company that has revolutionized the way hundreds of millions of people relate to one another. Ben Mezrich, a Harvard graduate, has published ten books, including the New York Times bestseller Bringing Down the House. He is a columnist for Boston Common and a contributor for Flush magazine. Ben lives in Boston with his wife, Tonya. From the Hardcover edition.

Get the business leader's guide to using Twitter to gain competitive advantage.Since 2006, forward-thinking companies like Apple, JetBlue, Whole Foods, and GM have discovered the instant benefits of leveraging the social media phenomenon known as Twitter to reach consumers directly, build their brand, and increase sales. Twitter is at the leading edge of the social media movement, allowing members to connect with one another in real time via short text messages?called "tweets"?that can be received either via the Twitter site or by e-mail, instant messenger, or cell phone. Many companies have started building entire teams within their organization dedicated solely to responding to tweets from consumers about their brand. And this is just the beginning.In Twitter Power, Internet marketing and Web innovation expert Joel Comm shows businesses and marketers how to integrate Twitter into their existing marketing strategies to build a loyal following among Twitter members, expand awareness for their product or service, and even handle negative publicity due to angry or disappointed consumers. The book also presents case studies of companies on the forefront of the Twitter movement, to help you develop your own social networking strategies. Twitter Power is the result of extensive testing and participation in the social networking community and is a must-have for any business that wants to keep up with the social media movement. Twitter Power features a foreword by Tony Robbins.

Classifieds are OUT. It’s time toLINK IN!Finding the job of your dreams the old way just doesn’t happen anymore. If you want great pay,great benefits, and great satisfaction in your career, you must begin social networking.How to Find a Job on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and Other Social Networkshelps you takefull advantage of the bounty of opportunities to be found on the most popular sites. Online job-searchexperts Brad and Debra Schepp take you step-by-step through the process of joiningnetworks, creating effective online profiles, and successfully . . . Marketingyourself Building anetwork of businesscontacts Connecting withemployers Gettingrecommendations Finding newleadsMailing a résumé and hoping for the best simply puts your fate in the hands of others. To stay inthe running, you have to take control by keeping your information fresh and current—in real time.Online social networking is the only way to go, and this forward-looking guide is the best way toget there.

The rise of the Web and the growth of social media have changed the way many industries operate and work with clients, particularly within the last 10 years or more. The frequently misunderstood field of public relations (PR) is no exception. Solis, a principal in a PR and new media agency, and Breakenridge, a veteran of the PR industry and an educator in PR and interactive marketing, note that social media provides much more opportunity to deliver messages to both wider and more specific audiences. The authors detail how to adjust to the new landscape and perform successfully in it, how the emphasis and nature of communications has changed, and offer tools and strategies for participating and communicating in the realm of social media. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

How to tap the power of social software and networks to build your businessIn Trust Agents, two social media veterans show you how to tap into the power of social networks to build your brand's influence, reputation, and, of course, profits. Today's online influencers are web natives who trade in trust, reputation, and relationships, using social media to accrue the influence that builds up or brings down businesses online.The book shows how people use online social tools to build networks of influence and how you can use those networks to positively impact your business. Because trust is key to building online reputations,, those who traffic in it are "trust agents," the key people your business needs on its side. Delivers actionable steps and case studies that show how social media can positively impact your business Written by authors with over ten years of online media experience Shows you how to build and wield influence online to benefit your brand Combines high-level theory with practical step-by-step guidanceIf you want your business to succeed, don't sit on the sidelines. Instead, use the Web to build trust with your consumers using Trust Agents.

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"Twitter For Dummies" covers the basics of using Twitter along with the strategies of getting better business, marketing, and communications results from the service. Topics include: The basics of signing up and creating tweets Following users and adding followers to your own tweets Establishing a voice on Twitter Mastering the 'Twecosystem' - the tools that tie Twitter to many other Web applications, including mobile Strategies for enhancing business communication and networking opportunities with Twitter