A review by jagisoffline
That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea by Marc Randolph

4.0

Story: 4/5. (Non-fiction). The story of Netflix is a story of an adventure in business and ideas and that adventure is quite an easy and fun one to follow. Randolph's approach to this story is exactly that: a story. It does not feel like a step-by-step how to on start-ups - something he said it almost was until he was advised against it. It reads like a team's journey of ups and downs from a small-town idea into a global behemoth. It is sprinkled with interesting characters both big and small but all very clear in their contribution into the company we know today. This was genuinely just a fun ride with bits of business knowledge which will stick around in the mind well after it was read. I liked reading this more than most of the Netflix original shows I've watched over the past year. Randolph's voice is very clear and inviting and friendly, making the story come across as if you're sitting with him at some café as he recites this tale. It was good and interesting and also insightful, which is all the things you'd want from an insider's look into how a company like this is formed.

Characterisation: ?/5. It's non-fiction. However, I will say that I found myself feeling as though I knew many of the people he spoke about, simply due to how well he managed to build images of them throughout this quick 300-page narrative. I remember their names and their roles, which is a lot to say for a non-fiction tale.

Language: ?/5. Non-fiction. Good and accessible and effective language for a general-audience story such as this.

?/15: A non-fiction tale about a company we all know well. I would suggest this to anyone looking for a fun true story to read over a few pages.