This is a wonderful coffee table book, about Macintosh fanatics, for Macintosh owners and devotees. It’s full of tales and colorful pictures of the loving obsession and just plain oddness that exists in the Macintosh world. If you know people who are devoted Macintosh users, this book should be on their gift lists; be sure to read it before you give it to them, so that you can get a glimpse of a part of their world.

The book is a collection of tales, written for Wired news, on the world of Macintosh obsessives. The text is grouped into five sections: “Macintosh Madness,” “Gathering of the Clan,” “Incessant Tinkerers,” “Hoarders and Recyclers,” and “New Frontiers.”

“Macintosh Madness” covers a wide range of “act different” behaviors, such as tattoos, Apple store opening fans, spotting the Mac in a movie or TV show, making Steve and Steve comparisons, and evangelism (praise be to the Apple). “Gathering of the Clan” covers MacWorld conventions in the US and Japan. “Incessant Tinkerers” explores the endless ways Macs are modified, with a full chapter on Mac aquariums, which some think is a horrible waste of a vintage Macintosh. There is also a chapter titled “Fantasy Macs,” where non-Apple designers dream up what could have been, or still might be. “Hoarders and Recyclers” looks at those who take in ancient Macs (and Newtons!) to save or restore, and even upgrade. This section also includes information on running old software (HyperCard never died!). “New Frontiers” delves into the iPod (not a Macintosh, but certainly related), and tries to identify why the Macintosh has such a devoted following.

While using the word cult might seem mocking or critical, the title comes from the column the author writes for Wired. The stories are not critical, but are more like tales told about a slightly odd relative that you feel fondly about. Although some of the information is a bit dated, it’s still entertaining. The pictures help to punctuate the stories, giving them more impact.

The cult aspect is explored and dismissed in the final chapter, just in case there are any doubts. The final quotation sums up the points about why there is such devotion to a machine: “Actually, looking at the software and hardware combination available, one realizes that people are dedicated to Macintosh because it just works.” Of course, always-innovative designs don’t hurt either.