Product Description

The first in–depth look at one of the world′s richest–and most secretive–businessmen

Though his wealth is certainly no secret, the world′s fourth richest man remains an enigma. Paul Allen made his fortune as Bill Gates′s partner in Microsoft, supplemented it with questionable, though often profitable, venture capital schemes, and has since invested his wealth in a widely divergent list of interests. He owns the NBA′s Portland Trailblazers and the NFL′s Seattle Seahawks. Among hundreds of smaller ventures, he is a primary stakeholder in the film production company DreamWorks SKG and formerly held a large piece of the widely despised Ticketmaster monopoly. Dubbed the "Accidental Zillionaire" by Wired magazine, Allen has often appeared to be a bumbler who succeeded primarily through luck and by coopting the visionary ideas of others. In The Accidental Zillionaire, Laura Rich, one of the foremost chroniclers of the Internet economy, unravels the secret Paul Allen, his inner motivations, his vision, and his personality. She tells Allen′s story from his days as a fledgling computer geek in suburban Washington state, to his role in founding the world′s largest software company, to his battle with cancer, to his sycophantic flirtation with Hollywood and its brightest stars. Paul Allen is a man of various interests and passions, but few if any know him well. The Accidental Zillionaire for the first time reveals the inner workings of a towering figure in the worlds of technology, business, sports, and entertainment.

Laura Rich (Los Angeles, CA) is a former writer for The Industry Standard, Adweek, and Inside Media. She currently covers the world of digital entertainment for Entertainment Weekly, Fortune, and The Hollywood Reporter. She penned The Standard′s popular "Rich List" report and has reported on Paul Allen for years.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #858952 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 250 pages

Review
"a cutting new biography" (Newsweek, February 3, 2003)

“…for the first time reveals the inner workings of a towering figure in the worlds of technology, sports, and entertainment…”(Computer Consultant, April/May 2003)

“…questions Allen’s patchy business track record since leaving Microsoft – and details his billionaire lifestyle…”(Business Eye (Northern Ireland), April 2003)

“…Rich has finally presented a balanced view of Allen’s achievements…” (M2 Best Books, 3 February 2003)

Review
"a cutting new biography" (Newsweek, February 3, 2003)

“…for the first time reveals the inner workings of a towering figure in the worlds of technology, sports, and entertainment…”(Computer Consultant, April/May 2003)

“…questions Allen’s patchy business track record since leaving Microsoft – and details his billionaire lifestyle…”(Business Eye (Northern Ireland), April 2003)

“…Rich has finally presented a balanced view of Allen’s achievements…” (M2 Best Books, 3 February 2003)

Business Eye, Northern Ireland April 2003
"..questions Allen's patchy business track record since leaving Microsoft .. and details his billionaire lifestyle."

Customer Reviews

A Good Read!
It's hard not to envy Paul Allen. A son of Oklahomans who moved to Seattle, he went to a private school, met Bill Gates, helped start Microsoft and has had billions of dollars to play with almost ever since. OK, so when Microsoft first went public, he only had a hundred million or so to play with. He's been sued for sexual harassment, owns a big chunk of a hot movie studio and is still an ordinary slob. Allen and his family refused to cooperate with the author, so nothing is straight from the horse's mouth - at least not that horse. The author shows admirable self restraint for the first several chapters, but really pulls the lid off later in the book. Allen comes off looking like a junior level IT nerd who won the lottery, a weirdly fascinating, odd guy. The book is easy enough to read, though it relies mainly on secondary sources and press reports, and is repetitious, disjointed and inclined to skip important information, such as dates. But, if you want the gossipy side of the Microsoft story, We suggest this as your vacation reading.