Zero to One by Peter Thiel (review by Anika B. '18)

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In Zero to One, Peter Theil, the founder of Paypal, takes the reader through the steps of building a successful startup. A notable aspect of revolutionary companies is that they go from 0 to 1, as opposed to going from 1 to n. In other words, Microsoft went from 0 to 1 by creating new technology. However, the next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. I read this book on the plane, and only opened it because I couldn’t use my phone during takeoff. I had planned on watching a bunch of movies, but the book was so amazing that I did not put it down until I finished it. The book was very easy to read, and the text was accompanied by comprehensive visuals. The brilliant metaphors further helped the reader internalize the content. However, the best part of the book was the content itself. The book preaches the opposite of what is taught in the typical economic class, allowing the reader to consider the world from a different point of view. I recommend this book to everyone, and I believe that all Harker students should read it. - Anika B. '18

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