“It's refreshing to read a deeply literary mind who embraces the information age, and wants to focus on its civilizing possibilities rather than flee from the screens in horror.”
— Pat Kane, The Independent
"The Economics of Attention ahould be considered 'important' for its ability to continue the discourse of what social and cultural conditions have changed as the world of communication changes. . . . Overall this is a balanced look at actual communicative development. Instead of trying to force the idea of total paradigm shift, Lanham instead embraces the possibilities of paradigm oscillation. If social and communicative theory is of any interest to you, then you should pay close attention to The Economics of Attention."
— Patrick Schabe, PopMatters
"Lanham's own prose is a pleasure to read: the substance is learned, yet hip and eclectic. . . . To read Lanham is rather like watching close-up as a sleeveless magician performs card tricks. . . . If you are willing to be dizzied, The Economics of Attention offers an exhilarating ride."
— Rick Eden, Phi Beta Kappa Reporter
“I personally find this head-smackingly insightful. Of course! Money may make the world go ‘round, but it’s attention that we increasingly sell, hoard, compete for and fuss over. . . . The real news is that just about all of us—whether we participate in the market as producers or consumers—live increasingly in the attention economy as well.”
— Andrew Cassel, Philadelphia Inquirer
"The economy of attention finds its seminal theorist and chronicler in Richard Lanham's new and notable The Economics of Attention. . . . This book offers something new, and it should be read. It is worthy of your attention, and we all understand that today that phrase means more than ever before."
— Tyler Cowen, Journal of Cultural Economics
"Lanham brings a very substantial fund of good sense to his inquiries. In reminding us of the virtues of a classical training in rhetoric . . . he notes Kenneth Burke's claim that good criticism involves the use of all available resources and tools. This is the model that Lanham holds in mind."
— Norris Pope, Technology and Culture
"The Economics of Attention will be regarded by those who pick it up as a notable contribution to studies in rhetoric and information technology. . . . [It] primes a provocative conversation with certain relevance for composition and rhetoric scholars interested in understanding the changes brought about as digital communication technologies refigure studies in rhetoric and writing."
— Derek Mueller, JAC