First published 2010
Mark Zuckerberg starts Facebook as a nineteen-year-old Harvard student and transforms it into a company serving 500 million users worldwide. Technology reporter David Kirkpatrick gained exclusive access to Zuckerberg and Facebook's leadership team to chronicle this rapid ascent. The book reveals how Zuckerberg refused to compromise his vision, prioritizing growth over immediate profits while insisting Facebook must dominate internet communication. Kirkpatrick documents the company's successes and failures as it evolved from a dorm-room project into one of history's fastest-growing enterprises. Facebook reshapes social interaction for teenagers and hundreds of millions of adults globally. The platform influences political protests across countries from Colombia to Iran, alters marketing practices, and changes how people view their own identity. Kirkpatrick provides a complete assessment of Zuckerberg's leadership and the small group of executives who built this transformative company alongside him.
Genres: business, computers, non-fiction, technology, 21st-century, social-media
Vibes: fast-paced, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: rags-to-riches, rise-to-power
Setting: Harvard
Period: 21st-century
384 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster