Instruct: Classify the given Amazon review as either positive or negative.
Query: Great anecdotes, but otherwise not compelling

I made it about halfway through "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" before I started skimming for anecdotes. Why? Because Friedman follows the same formula in chapter after chapter. In each, he creates an artificial construct, then attempts to bend world events into his ill-fitted molds. He fails.The first few chapters of this book are quite interesting. Friedman is obviously well-traveled, and has gathered an impressive set of stories with which to illustrate his points. But he soon goes astray, concocting such nonsense as his "Golden Straitjacket", "Electronic Herd" and "DOScapital", battering the reader with them until the book becomes unreadable. Without the gimmicks, I might have read it end-to-end. I'm glad to say I borrowed instead of bought.