The Domain Game Books Releases Soon
Sunday, May 18th, 2008
David Kesmodel’s book to be released soon, more information released.
Wall Street Journal reporter David Kesmodel’s book about the domain industry, “The Domain Game”, will be released soon. He just launched a web site about the book at theDomainGame.org. The start of the book reads:
In the fall of 2002, a thirty-three-year-old man living in the Cayman Islands made a rather unorthodox financial decision. He took all of his family’s savings, which totaled about $200,000, and invested it in thousands of Internet domain names.
The move terrified his wife, who phoned her in-laws to warn them that something might be wrong with him. But the man, normally conservative with money, kept remarkably calm throughout his domain-buying binge. He’d done lots of research and was convinced he was doing the right thing. “Don’t worry, honey,” he said repeatedly.
At the time of Frank Schilling’s big bet on Web addresses, the Internet economy was in the doldrums …
Here’s the table of contents:
Chapter One: Speculators
Chapter Two: From Dirt Bikes to Domains
Chapter Three: Name-Dropping
Chapter Four: Click, Click, Click
Chapter Five: Better Late Than Never
Chapter Six: Big Money
Chapter Seven: The Domain Craze
Chapter Eight: Shenanigans in Cyberspace
Chapter Nine: The Future
Appendix I: Big Deals: The Twenty-Five Largest Domain Sales
Appendix II: Resources for Investors
I’ll have a full review when the book comes out. Trust me, this will be a big deal for the domain name industry.
Further Reading:
This tidbit already sounds like an awesome read! I am already intrigued because of Frank’s wifes response to his purchases. It sounds alot like what happened in my own domain. (Pun intended.)
It is will also be interesting to see if the mainstream press picks up on the book release and how that will affect the overall market for domains…
Most of the public’s general perception about domain names and domainers is still freeze-framed from the hype they heard and read before the 2000 crash.
I hope this book does well and brings everyone up to speed. It’s certainly no fun telling someone what you do for a living and their first reaction is, “Oh, you mean like Pets.com?”
For those of us that have lived and breathed this industry, it is refreshing to be reinforced that yes we are not crazy. To own and control key words of the alphabet in the .com space will pan out to be the wisest financial decision of the last 2 centuries. There will still be doubters but who the f… cares. ENJOY
Until I read the whole content of the book I wouldn’t give the book a thump-up yet . The saying still applies “media can make or break you.” While such book is long overdue, its publicity could be good for the industry depending on its content… But using the word “game” for serious business might make some investors wary of domaining. I think simple titles like “Domain Business” or “Domain Investment” could be more appropriate.
Seyi:
True, but remember he’s trying to sell a book to the masses. Publishing is an incredibly competitive business and you do what you can to have someone pick up your book instead of another. Game is a fun word and fun sells better than serious.
Looking forward to its release. Wish we could have a definite date. xlibris’ FAQ says their books are available on Amazon and BN, but neither have listings for Domain Game yet. Anyone know of a keyword alert system for either site?
Folks,
Thanks for your interest. If you send me your email address (you can reach me at the address listed at thedomaingame.org), I will put you on an email alert list so you can be notified as soon as the book goes on sale. I’m awaiting my first official author copy, which I expect anytime in the next two weeks. Thanks again.
Thanks for the heads up, Andrew; and for the e-mail notification option, David; which I’ll take you up on.
Sounds like a great read; though I’m hoping (though not expecting, given the subject matter and normally and understandably very tight-lips about such things) you were able–and willing–to include the “dark side” of our industry; i.e. payoffs for exclusive/ preferential name access, collusive auction bidding including “I won’t bid on this one if you don’t bid on that one”, phony trademark filings used to pick up prime names in new extensions, shell companies established and used for the same purpose (i.e. the .eu launch fiasco).
A full, complete, and honest treatment, review, and analysis of our industry deserves; no, demands; no less.
It will be interesting to see if this book has an effect on the industry (such as bringing in a lot of new domainers).
Same here. Someone interview the 2 of them!
Can I purchase this from the UK?
Hello
Can someone help me.
I live in the uk and tried to buy this book from Xlibris.
They want $90.00 to ship this book to my address in the uk.
I will or can pay via paypal.
Can someone order it and ship it to me in the UK- i will honour the favour should anyone require something from the UK in the future!!
Regards
Peter