If you can get past the looks you might receive on the bus for reading a book with the words "Power Friending" on the cover, you stand to learn a lot from Amber Mac's first book.

Though aimed at the businessminded, Mac deconstructs the topic of online networking to its fundamentals, dispelling misconceptions about new technology in a way that is sure to appeal to anyone interested in new media.

And there is no one better suited for the task; Mac has become the leading voice in new media over the last decade, establishing herself with a very impressive resume. In the introduction to Power Friending, Mac recounts a flight with motivational guru Tony Robbins after an interview for one of her programs.

"He invited me to fly on his jet to talk about working on a new social networking project with him and his team," she writes. "A project that included advising him about how to participate in the online world."

"Here I was sitting with a businessman who has coached the likes of Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton and Michael Jordan, but today he was turning to me for advice about how to navigate the online marketing waters."

Mac's writing style in Power Friending is conversational, every bit as comfortable as her podcasts or articles featured in newspapers and blogs across the continent. The book reads with all the integrity and sincerity she speaks of, perfectly illustrating the concepts within.

What do you stand to learn from this book? Beyond all else, reading Power Friending makes clear the idea that online media and social networking are legitimate business practices, as important as any promotional tool available — and are more potentially even more useful, when used correctly.

That concept is particularly relevant to use as students and consumers because businesses are now starting to realize that the balance of power and promotion has shifted entirely into our hands: companies are responsible to us for interaction, or else they stand to lose us forever.

And according to Mac, they had better be ready to meet our needs with authenticity, consistency, and the bravery to admit to their mistakes or take chances on a new idea to stay ahead of the game.

Amber Mac has led a remarkable career; in addition to hosting several wildly successful tech-oriented shows for G4techTV Canada, Rogers, and CP24, she's also launched several online podcasts, such as commandN and net@night, a weekly tech show that she co-hosts with Leo Laporte. Visit ambermac.coma> for more information on Power Friending, published by Penguin Portfolio, 2010.