Idea Man

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's memoir recounts how computers captured him as a boy, how he came up with the idea for Microsoft, and how he brought in his friend Bill Gates to start the company. Allen describes an often conflicted partnership, including how Gates, while Allen was recovering from cancer, tried without success to dilute Allen's 36 percent share. He also covers his ventures after leaving Microsoft in 1983: SpaceShipOne and private space travel, buying the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Seahawks, music, and support for scientific research, including brain science. A lymphoma diagnosis in 2009 added urgency to telling his story. Portfolio published it in 2011, and it became a New York Times best seller.

David Senra named it among the books behind episode #401 of his Founders Podcast.