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3.61 AVERAGE
3.61 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
The first half was basically the story of the formation of Microsoft. The latter half was a story about what you can do if you are a multi billionaire.
WOW! I don't know where to begin..
This has to be one of the best biographies I have ever read. I am just astounded and shocked how great this book is, and how interesting Paul Allen's life was.
I have to say, my mind was completely changed after this book, and I can proudly say that one of my role models for life is Paul Allen. Simply astonishing. His way of thinking just amazes me, we really need more people like him. Reading about the early days of Microsoft is just so interesting, the book just consumes you.
Recommended!
This has to be one of the best biographies I have ever read. I am just astounded and shocked how great this book is, and how interesting Paul Allen's life was.
I have to say, my mind was completely changed after this book, and I can proudly say that one of my role models for life is Paul Allen. Simply astonishing. His way of thinking just amazes me, we really need more people like him. Reading about the early days of Microsoft is just so interesting, the book just consumes you.
Recommended!
Great history of microsoft, makes Bill Gates look a bit unsavory, and Paul Allen a bit carefree with wealth once he's super rich.
An easy and entertaining read, a guy with diverse interests who acknowledges his (few) mistakes as well as his (many) successes.
I’m on the fence between 3 and 4 stars… so I’ll give it 3.5. I mostly read it to hear his take on the early years of Microsoft… I absolutely loved that part of the book. The later part of the book kind of bored me because he was talking about some of his interests and projects that really didn’t interest me much. But overall, good book.
Memoir of Paul Allen, microsoft founder and gazillionaire. Interesting background about the business, which appealed to my inner geek, but it sure did go on and on about all the ways he could spend his money. On the fence about a rating....
Pretty good. I don't read many memoirs, so I don't have much to compare it to. Heck, I'm not even sure what I was hoping to get out of the book. I enjoyed the early bits about Allen and [a:Gates's|23470|Bill Gates|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1198682732p2/23470.jpg] partnership. The story of the early growth of Microsoft was pretty interesting. I think I was expecting something a little more The Social Networky than I got, but I wasn't disappointed with the story.
After that, the book became a laundry list of Allen's endeavours and experiences since Microsoft. This isn't an entirely bad thing - I'd no idea that he was involved in so many high profile companies. I really enjoyed the bits about the charitable and research foundations he's set up, especially the brain mapping project.
The book reads well, with enjoyable if unspectacular prose. More importantly, Allen comes off well - a smart, ambitious man with good intentions. I appreciate that he didn't shy away from describing how he's made some good (and not so good) decisions and been at various times lucky (and not so lucky) - the book didn't devolve into "look how great I am".
After that, the book became a laundry list of Allen's endeavours and experiences since Microsoft. This isn't an entirely bad thing - I'd no idea that he was involved in so many high profile companies. I really enjoyed the bits about the charitable and research foundations he's set up, especially the brain mapping project.
The book reads well, with enjoyable if unspectacular prose. More importantly, Allen comes off well - a smart, ambitious man with good intentions. I appreciate that he didn't shy away from describing how he's made some good (and not so good) decisions and been at various times lucky (and not so lucky) - the book didn't devolve into "look how great I am".
slow-paced