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FoundersJun 15, 2018

#27 A Truck Full of Money: Coding, Mania, Love, Genius: The Life of an American Entrepreneur

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for #27 A Truck Full of Money: Coding, Mania, Love, Genius: The Life of an American Entrepreneur on Founders.

Notable books mentioned: A Truck Full of Money by Tracy Kidder, Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, Master of Doom, The New New Thing by Michael Lewis

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A Truck Full of Money cover
Mentioned at 1:29
A Truck Full of Money
Tracy Kidder

The host mentions 'A Truck Full of Money' to highlight the unique perspective it offers on successful individuals, particularly Paul English, who i…

Kitchen Confidential cover
Mentioned at 20:23
Kitchen Confidential
Anthony Bourdain

The host mentions 'Kitchen Confidential' to highlight Anthony Bourdain's struggles with mental illness despite his success and popularity. This con…

Master of Doom cover
Mentioned at 31:02
Master of Doom

The host mentions 'Master of Doom' to highlight the significant impact of video game economics during the rise of the gaming industry. The book pro…

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#27 A Truck Full of Money: Coding, Mania, Love, Genius: The Life of an American Entrepreneur
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Episode summary, books & quotes

#27 A Truck Full of Money: Coding, Mania, Love, Genius: The Life of an American Entrepreneur mentions A Truck Full of Money by Tracy Kidder, Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, Master of Doom, and The New New Thing by Michael Lewis with timestamps, quotes, and episode context.

Episode summary
What I learned from reading A Truck Full of Money: Coding, Mania, Love, Genius: The Life of an American Entrepreneurby Tracy Kidder --- [7:00] Kayak sells for $1.8 billion [12:00] "I'm paying attention. I want meetings of three people, not ten." [15:00] "Someday this boy's going to get hit by a truck full of money, and I'm going to be standing beside him." [22:30] A description of Paul's bipolar disorder [31:00] The economics of games [36:30] Learning how to negotiate from his Dad [43:00] "The Internet has massively broadened the possible space of careers. Most people haven't figured this out yet." [50:00] Leaving a $1,000,000 behind [55:00] Applying the lessons he learned from watching his Dad negotiate [58:30] The entrepreneur of ice [1:01:00] "Consistency doesn't matter. Only invention matters." ---- Founders Notes gives you the ability to tap into the collective knowledge of history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. Use it to supplement the decisions you make in your work. Get access to Founders Notes here. ---- “I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — Gareth Be like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast
Book mentions11
Media mentions0
Topic and sentiment signals

Aggregated from transcript-derived mention metadata for better topical navigation and citation.

Mention sentiment
Highly Recommended(8)Deep Dive(3)
Audience signals
Readers interested in entrepreneurship and mental healthEntrepreneurs and individuals struggling with mental healthIndividuals interested in video game history and economicsEntrepreneurs and business enthusiastslisteners interested in personal development and entrepreneurshipIndividuals seeking to improve their time management and focus on essential tasks.

Books Mentioned

A Truck Full of Money cover
Best for Readers interested in entrepreneurship and mental healthOften cited around Paul English's biography

The podcast discusses 'A Truck Full of Money', a biography of Paul English, co-founder of Kayak, highlighting his struggles with bipolar disorder and his journey as an entrepreneur.

View mention details
Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Readers interested in entrepreneurship and mental health
Key quote: What I like about this book is, I would say almost half the book.
The host mentions 'A Truck Full of Money' to highlight the unique perspective it offers on successful individuals, particularly Paul English, who is portrayed as a relatable figure despite his achievements. The book delves into his struggles with bipolar disorder, emphasizing that successful people are often just as flawed as anyone else.
ASIN: B0DFB7DV8W
Buy on Amazon
Kitchen Confidential cover
Kitchen Confidential
Anthony Bourdain
Best for Entrepreneurs and individuals struggling with mental healthOften cited around mental illness and success

The speaker mentions that Kitchen Confidential is one of their favorite books and reflects on the impact of Bourdain's death.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: Entrepreneurs and individuals struggling with mental health
Key quote: I think this is appropriate because I think people in general struggle with it, but I'm sure founders do.
The host mentions 'Kitchen Confidential' to highlight Anthony Bourdain's struggles with mental illness despite his success and popularity. This connection serves to illustrate the hidden nature of mental health issues, especially among entrepreneurs and public figures.
ASIN: 0060899220
Buy on Amazon
Master of Doom cover
Best for Individuals interested in video game history and economicsOften cited around economics of video games

The speaker references the book Master of Doom, which discusses the beginnings of the video game Doom and its creators.

View mention details
Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Individuals interested in video game history and economics
Key quote: I love that book that we, uh, we talked about on the podcast, the master of doom, John Carmack and John Romero and the beginning of doom.
The host mentions 'Master of Doom' to highlight the significant impact of video game economics during the rise of the gaming industry. The book provides insights into the financial success of early video games and the personal stories of their creators, which the host finds fascinating.
ASIN: B0D4JQM9G1
Buy on Amazon
The New New Thing cover
The New New Thing
Michael Lewis
Best for Entrepreneurs and business enthusiastsOften cited around new economy and entrepreneurship

It echoes back to the podcast on the Michael Lewis book. On the new new thing.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: Entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts
Key quote: Paul was a creature of the new economy, but he was also an old American.
The host mentions 'The New New Thing' to highlight the innovative spirit of entrepreneurs like Jim Clark, who embody the ethos of the new economy. This book serves as a lens through which to understand the importance of invention over consistency in entrepreneurial endeavors.
ASIN: 0393347818
Buy on Amazon
Titan cover
Titan
Ron Chernow
Best for listeners interested in personal development and entrepreneurshipOften cited around importance of reading

One book where that is a exception to the rules, that book Titan on John D. Rockefeller that I covered.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: listeners interested in personal development and entrepreneurship
Key quote: he was not one to persist in a flawed situation.
The host emphasizes the value of reading as a way to improve one's life and focus, contrasting it with the distractions of social media. He specifically mentions 'Titan' as an exception to his preference for shorter books, highlighting its depth and the valuable lessons it offers.
ASIN: 0679438084
Buy on Amazon
Essentialism cover
Essentialism
Greg Mick Ewan
Best for Individuals seeking to improve their time management and focus on essential tasks.Often cited around efficiency and minimalism

Essentialism, the subtitle is The Discipline Pursuit of Less. It was a good book. It's 200 and something pages. I have probably have 15, 20 different highlights in there.

View mention details
Sentiment: Deep Dive
For: Individuals seeking to improve their time management and focus on essential tasks.
Key quote: If it isn't a clear yes, it's a clear no.
The host discusses the book 'Essentialism' to emphasize the importance of focusing on what truly matters in life and work. They highlight the book's main thesis about prioritizing essential tasks and eliminating the non-essential to maximize effectiveness.
ASIN: B00IWYP5NI
Buy on Amazon
Skin in the Game cover
Skin in the Game
Nassim Taleb
Best for listeners interested in personal development and decision-makingOften cited around recommendation of books

I just finished Nassim Taleb's newest book, it's called Skin in the Game, Hidden Asymmetries and Daily Lives, I thought it was fantastic.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: listeners interested in personal development and decision-making
Key quote: I recommend everyone read every single word, every single word in the inserto so yes, read the fucking book.
The host expresses a strong passion for Nassim Taleb's writing, particularly highlighting 'Skin in the Game' as a significant work in his collection. He encourages listeners to read it, emphasizing its value and relevance in understanding probability and decision-making.
ASIN: 9057125803
Buy on Amazon
Fool by Randomness cover
Fool by Randomness
Nassim Taleb
Best for Readers interested in probability and decision-makingOften cited around Nassim Taleb's book series

It starts with Fool by Randomness, this is the first book, so each book is a standalone book but it's also in a collection of this idea that he's been expounding on.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: Readers interested in probability and decision-making
Key quote: I recommend everyone read every single word, every single word in the inserto so yes, read the fucking book.
The host mentions 'Fool by Randomness' as the foundational book in Nassim Taleb's series, which explores concepts of probability and randomness. He emphasizes the importance of reading all of Taleb's works, indicating a deep appreciation for the insights they provide.
ASIN: 059324365X
Buy on Amazon
The Black Swan cover
The Black Swan
Nassim Taleb
Best for Readers interested in probability and decision-makingOften cited around Nassim Taleb's books

It goes Fool by Randomness, Black Swan, The Bed of Procrustes, Anti-Fragile and now Skin in the Game.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: Readers interested in probability and decision-making
Key quote: I recommend everyone read every single word, every single word in the inserto so yes, read the fucking book.
The host mentions 'The Black Swan' as part of a series of books by Nassim Taleb that explore ideas on probability and randomness. He expresses a strong passion for Taleb's writing and encourages everyone to read his works.
ASIN: 059324365X
Buy on Amazon
The Bed of Procrustes cover
Best for Readers interested in philosophy and decision-makingOften cited around Nassim Taleb's books

It goes Fool by Randomness, Black Swan, The Bed of Procrustes, Anti-Fragile and now Skin in the Game.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: Readers interested in philosophy and decision-making
Key quote: I recommend everyone read every single word, every single word in the inserto so yes, read the fucking book.
The host is enthusiastic about Nassim Taleb's writing and encourages listeners to explore his body of work. He believes that each book offers valuable insights into probability and decision-making, making them essential reads.
ASIN: 752174487X
Buy on Amazon
Anti-Fragile cover
Anti-Fragile
Nassim Taleb
Best for Readers interested in probability and risk managementOften cited around Nassim Taleb's books

It goes Fool by Randomness, Black Swan, The Bed of Procrustes, Anti-Fragile and now Skin in the Game.

View mention details
Sentiment: Highly Recommended
For: Readers interested in probability and risk management
Key quote: I recommend everyone read every single word, every single word in the inserto so yes, read the fucking book.
The host expresses a strong passion for Nassim Taleb's writing and recommends his entire collection of books, including 'Anti-Fragile.' He emphasizes the importance of reading Taleb's work for a deeper understanding of his ideas on probability and risk.
ASIN: B00A2ZIZYQ
Buy on Amazon

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