I like this kind of book. It’s an irreverent view of the geeks and misfits who created Twitter, perhaps the most used but least necessary software on the planet. That is, until Elon got a hold of it.

This book was first published in 2013 and so much has changed since then. Twitter (now X, in what has to be the silliest of rebrandings) has become perhaps less relevant than it ever was. Musk has seen the price fall through the floor and see value evaporate.

Fun book if you like business origin stories, but he really needs to do a follow-up, perhaps annually. ( )

This is a gossipy book, telling us about the founding story of Twitter. Nick Bilton takes a point of view but and gives a portrait of all the founders, warts and all.

My respect for Ev Williams & Biz Stone grew further after reading this. I was a bit disappointed with Jack Dorsey’s portrayal of being schemer and villain. May be a bit look into his side of the story on why he behaved that way, would have been nice. Like Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos (in Bad Blood), Jack also has the imitation and influence of Steve Jobs in many of his manners and practices. But the sweet irony of the story is: Jack runs Twitter now full-time. I would love know what happened after Dick Costolo took over and how Jack came back to rein in Twitter.

Nevertheless, its a fantastic and racy read. This is my second book of Nick after the excellent American Kingpin and the fifth book to know more about Silicon Valley and its history. ( )

Very insightful. I love Twitter and would like to know everything about it. This book is throughly researched. Nick is unbiased , but for a few he might across as if he hates Jack Dorsey. ( )

Desde fuera, la red social Twitter parece ser la típica compañía sin problemas y afortunada asentada en Silicon Valley. Una historia más de una pequeña empresa tecnológica que acaba consiguiendo un éxito desmesurado: Un grupo de jóvenes programadores construyen una empresa con la esperanza de hacerse ricos y cambiar el mund o. Y lo consiguen.Pero Twitter no se creó de la manera que se nos ha vendido públicamente. Es, al contrario, una historia de traición, de inversores despiadados y de luchas de poder que acabaron con la expulsión de los fundadores de Twitter, de directores ejecutivos, de empleados, de inversoresy de miembros del consejo.Esta también una historia de fama. De influencia. De poder. De dinero. Es una historia, retratada por el periodista de The New York Times Nick Bilton, que define a una generación en la que los ingenieros de software se han convertido en celebridades de fama mundial.

It is a super entertaining book about people behind one of the greatest Internet startups of all time. Hatched as a side project and then pivot of podcasts website - Odeo, Twitter was at the right time in the right place, however not really ready for the exponential growth which was waiting for it.
Instead of focusing on Twitter as a product, the author focuses on people behind it, their backgrounds and relationships with each other. Of course when there are so much money and power involved friendships get broken and intrigues start. It is interesting to read how people change exposed to such things and what happens behind the scenes.
However, the story should be taken with the salt of grain as it looks like the author is a bit biased in favor of Ev and against Jack.
Moral of the book - people are feeling lonely. Twitter's initial idea was supposed to be the antidote for that. People are still lonely but at least they know "What's happening" faster. ( )