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Childhood, family and the founding of Microsoft make up the first of Bill Gates's three planned memoirs, a personal account of how he became who he is. He writes about his ambitious parents and principled grandmother, his first close friendships, the sudden loss of his best friend and his struggle to fit in. Coding drew him in during his early teens, on a path that ran from late-night outings at a nearby computer center to a dorm room at college. The narrative ends in the late 1970s, when Microsoft signed its first deal with Apple. Later volumes will cover his Microsoft years and his philanthropy. Published in 2025, it went to number one on the New York Times best-seller list.

In his 2024 letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders, Warren Buffett told readers to pick it up while praising his friend's choice to join a booming industry instead of staying for a diploma. David Senra featured it on episode 401 of his Founders podcast.