3 stars
An informative look at the history and growth of Uber as a company.
I checked this out from the library for a research paper for an IT class. It presents much of the same information as documented in The Upstarts: How Uber, Airbnb, and the Killer Companies of the New Silicon Valley Are Changing the World, but in a condensed fashion with a focus mainly on Uber. Lashinsky nicely lays out some of the background and surrounding issues relevant to the various events to give the reader a full sense of what was going on at the time.
I found the book pretty easy to get through. It was interesting to learn the basics of Uber’s operating structure. As with other accounts of Uber, much of the book emphasizes Travis Kalanick’s role in the company and the various challenges and controversies it faced under his leadership. At times, Lashinsky is very critical of Kalanick, however he does offer a glimpse into the former CEO’s experiences and thinking through various decisions in a way that is humanizing and helps the reader understand where Kalanick was coming from. Many articles I’ve read just try to fit him in the box of a “bad” person, so it was interesting to read an account that discusses his previous failure, business decisions, priorities, and thought process. This doesn’t excuse Kalanick’s behavior, but does present him as an actual person with strengths and flaws, not just a simple caricature.
Overall a good read. Interesting especially for those hoping to learn about the basics of Uber. Goes through the company’s main events up to early 2017 (does not include information of Kalanick being replaces as CEO by Dara Khosrowshahi).