The Nudist on the Late Shift: And Other True Tales of Silicon Valley

"A gold rush is happening. Masses of entrepreneurs and tech wizards, immigrants and investors, dreamers and visionaries are heading West to seek their fortune and a new destiny. Their Mecca is Silicon Valley. In no other place in the world can one person achieve so much with just initiative, talent and a good idea. They come because it does not matter if they are young, or left college without a degree, or have dark skin or speak with an accent. They come even if it is illegal. They come beacuse they feel that they will regret it forever if they don't give it a try. They are a new breed, Venture Trippers, who get off on the dizzying adventure of bloodwork. It is a mad, fertile time in Superachiever land- every year, the rules evolve to make it all happen quicker, on higher margins, to reach more amazing sums. Meet David Filo, co-founder of Yahoo and worth over $500 million, who still sleeps under his desk one night a week. Meet the 26 year-old who is already on his fifth start-up venture. Meet the man with the biggest brain in the world. Meet the nudist who works the late shift."… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member mbowen

No other book that I have read is more illustrative of the feel of today's Silicon Valley than Po Bronson's latest book. It stands alongside John Sculley's "Odessey" and Vikram Seth's "The Golden Gate" in it's unique ability to capture the moment.

The odd thing about reeading this book is that it

seems like I've heard it all before. And the truth is that I have. In some form, somewhere on the web, in all my reading I have heard most of the eight stories before. This just reinforces the transcendant quality of the chapters, each approaches myth. And yet even though I knew what was coming next, each was fresh in re-reading.

A memorable work.

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LibraryThing member jaygheiser

This is a droll and perceptive look at the current state of high-tech startups. I thought it was both a terrific read and an accurate portrayal of the late 20th century tulip-bulb investment phenomenon. Bronson kept close tabs on several startups, follo

LibraryThing member yaMarketingGoomer

An excellent look into Silicon Valley, startups, and the IPO process. This book was pre-dot.com collapse and pre-changes to the way that stock options are accounted for, so some of the information is dated now, but it does provide a good window into the culture.

LibraryThing member NativeRoses

Sadly, i've lived this. Very real.

LibraryThing member benkaboo

I remember liking this book when I read it.

I liked the story about the software salesperson trying to sell software they know is inferior.

I liked the story about the guy who came up with the idea about hotmail.

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