I've never craved a Macintosh computer so much in my life. And, honestly, I think that's what The Cult of Mac wants me to think.

The Cult of Mac, written by Leander Kahney, is a lovingly crafted exploration through one of the largest computer-related subcultures: the subculture of Mac fans. Since my only brush with Macs has been through the old "Mac Vs. Windows" debate, this book was a real eye-opener.

It's thick and meaty. The hard bound copy clocks in at a good 268 pages. There is some awesome photography and layout. The aesthetic of the book actually reminds me of Mac--sleek and refined. It doesn't clutter the pages with unnecessary garble; instead, it reaches a lovely balance of beauty and function.

The more I describe it, the more I crave a Powerbook.

As a fan of subcultural studies, I must say that Kahney really covers all the bases. In the first few chapters, it covers the brief history and mentions a few of the big players in Mac's development--including but not limited to Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. From then on, it segues into the more fringe aspects of the culture like tattoos, extreme hair styles (including the style featured on the book's cover), and even slash fanfiction! The latter was especially interesting--while its obvious that there would be Bill Gates/Steve Jobs fanfic out there, its absolutely fabulous to see it validated in print. In the later chapters, Mac conferences like MacWorld are mentioned; Kahney also reveals that, in Japan, there are quite a few Mac otaku tinkering away at old machines. By far, the award for the oddest Mac-related hobby goes to: Mac papercraft! The pop anthropologist in me gets giddy just thinking about Mac hobbyists building highly-detailed Mac replicas out of paper!

It mentions in Kahney's mini-bio that he's also a writer for WIRED Magazine, and it shows. His grasp of technology is superb. Despite his obviously techno wizardry, however, he explains everything in simple terms so even the computer unsavvy can enjoy The Cult of Mac. Impressive.

The Cult of Mac is highly recommended for both Mac and Windows users. Its look into the little-documented Mac subculture proves that, as with anything else, those who live life with passion are the happiest of all--even when the passion is directed to something a "simple" as an operating system.

Rating: 5 of 5 oldschool Apple decals