The universe of computing, and the universe of the ways in which our lives are impacted by computers and related technology, has changed immeasurably since that “soul” was put into that “new machine”. In internet years, that feels like several centuries ago. The first book of Tracy Kidder’s that I ever read was The Soul of a New Machine, an inside look at the development of a new 32-bit minicomputer at Data General in the late 1970s. A Truck Full of Money is a mesmerizing portrait of an irresistibly endearing man who is indefatigable, original, and as unpredictable as America itself. Yet when English does indeed make a fortune, when the travel website Kayak is sold for almost two billion dollars the first thing he thinks about is how to give the money away: What else would you do with it? The second thing he thinks is, What s next? With the power of a consummate storyteller, Tracy Kidder casts a fresh, critical, and often humorous eye on the way new ideas and new money are reshaping our culture and the world. Early on, one colleague observes: Someday this boy s going to get hit by a truck full of money, and I m going to be standing beside him. His innovative management style, success, and innate sense of fair play inspire intense loyalty. Relating to the Internet as if it s an extension of his own mind, he discovers that he has a talent for conceiving innovative enterprises and building teams that can develop them, becoming a Pied Piper of geeks. As a young man, despite suffering from what would eventually be diagnosed as bipolar disorder, he begins his pilgrim s journey through the ups and downs in the brave new world of computers.

Growing up in working-class Boston, English discovers a medium for his talents the first time he sees a computer. Tracy Kidder, the master of the nonfiction narrative ( The Baltimore Sun) and author of the bestselling classic The Soul of a New Machine, now tells the story of Paul English, a kinetic and unconventional inventor and entrepreneur, who as a boy rebelled against authority.

Purchasing Info: Author's Website, Publisher's Website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, įortune, mania, genius, philanthropy the bestselling author of Mountains Beyond Mountains gives us the inspiring story of Paul English, the founder of and Lola. Published by Random House on September 6th 2016 Formats available: hardcover, paperback, ebook, audiobook

A truck full of money by tracy kidder