WONDER BOY Tony Hseih, Zappos, and the Myth of Happiness in Silicon Valley

Kurt Kanazawa presents this absorbing story of the initial success and later downward spiral of Tony Hsieh, tech founder and former CEO of Zappos. Kanazawa's youthful tone and vocal energy connect with Hsieh's wealth and celebrity status without glossing over his descent into drugs, alcohol, and mental health problems. The authors have a gift for colorful scene descriptions, astute character portrayals, and keen insights about Silicon Valley culture. They capture the angst of the challenges Hsieh faced in the U.S. as the oldest son of demanding Taiwanese parents, raising questions that make listeners think rather than providing pat conclusions. Listeners will also appreciate the authors' understanding of Hsieh's outsider status and his lifelong pattern of alternating slick efforts to fit in and creative rebellion against American social and institutional conventions. T.W. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2023]