Customer Reviews

Losing My Virginity

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Warning: Don't get carried away by the title of this book, it is purely metaphoric.

When you are handed a 600 page autobiography of an entrepreneur, at first, you may wonder whether such a piece is worth even leafing through. Who has the time to read stuff like this?

LOSING MY VIRGINITY is an extraordinary book written by an extraordinary man, Richard Branson. One may actually have some reservations about reading about a not exactly well-known business magnate (I am talking about India, of course). But rest assured, once you read through the author's bio and the very impressive blurbs, you will realize that it is far from a conventional (boring, if you like) memoir.

Branson is one of a rare breed, a paragon of British entrepreneurship, and a genius who has revolutionized British culture and lifestyles. Throughout this book, one can find a real humility in Branson's narrative of himself and his experiences. Like most contemporary memoirists, Branson uses the confessional mode of writing, which has allowed him to do things that a conventional novel will not. Branson's style of writing is so good-humored and his perceptions so remarkable that this book is worth a read even if you don't have the slightest interest in business. As one critic wrote about this book - Heavy but impossible to put down.

The book is written in a chronological fashion, and the chapters have rather stimulating titles. The chapters are actual chunks taken from Branson's life, and provide a rich visual and verbal experience to the reader. Some 130 photographs (both color and black & white) are there, and they complement the narrative beautifully.

It is fast paced, and has an honesty which is a little trivial at times. Branson reveals much about himself. Towards the middle, he gives a passionate account of his devotion towards music. His other great passion, adventure (some of which have been near-death experiences), is also dealt with in detail. Branson's love for ballooning, which he calls the most exhilarating of all sports, got him an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records, a real tribute to his daredevilry.

Branson's tale is novel, and is filled with instances of courage, the courage to break away from tradition. At age 16, Branson started a student's magazine and then ventured into music, which was a big hit. Richard Branson recounts this as a sad moment in his life when he had to sell Virgin Records to Thorn EMI in order to keep a floundering Virgin Atlantic Airways afloat. Today, apart from Virgin Atlantic, the Virgin Group owns Virgin Cola, Virgin Vie, Virgin Brides, Virgin Mega-stores and many more such ventures, which cater to everything any person would want in his daily life. Now, after conquering the world, he wants to fly you to space.

I would hate to spoil the read for you, so suffice it to say that LOSING MY VIRGINITY is a real, inspirational story that can only be told by the man himself. Such is the popularity of this book that it has become a byword for 'What they don't teach you at Business Schools'. From another perspective, it is a comic recollection of life's ups and downs juxtaposed with anecdotes about rock stars, politicians, friends and foes.

One finds no moral story in the end, no grandfatherly advice to the young blood. Instead, one is left with a deep feeling of admiration and a constant mulling over his adventures. If you ever want to know how much a single guy can achieve with "talent, initiative and good ideas", read this book. It comes as close to providing the real experience as any book can, and for this reason alone it should be coveted.

This is a sensational book. Most autobiographies are boring and so full of only positive stuff about the person that you just know you are not getting the full picture. In this book Branson openly admits mistakes and bad business decisions. He gives credit to others acknowledging Virgin's success would not have happened without them. He also included instances when he has been brought back down to earth for example when two tourists asked for a picture he thought that he was being nice and started posing for them until he saw their confused faces and realised they wanted him to take a picture of them.

This book tells the reader everything about the Virgin empire from the first issue of Student magazine in 1968 to approval for their trains thirty years later in 1998. Obviously a lot more has happened since 98 such as Virginblue in Australia but we will have to wait for the sequel for that. This is a brilliant book which is as enjoyable as the great financial fictional thrillers like Harry Bingham's the Money Makers and Maxx Barry's Syrup. This is so mush more inspiring when you realise Branson is not a fictional character and these achievements are real. This book will inspire you to get out there and make money. Buy it!

"Losing my virginity" is an entertaining page-turner all the way from the beginning to the end. It is fascinating to read about what a mildly dyslexic man with no college education could create for himself.

Richard Branson is a man with a zest for life and all its challenges. Fun lies at the core of everything he does. The best part is he makes money doing what he does. His social circle includes a wide variety of people that include his small-town neighbours, Peter Gabriel, Queen Noor and Rod Stewart. The book includes the birth of Virgin records, Branson's daredevil ballooning adventures, his legal battle with British Airways, and experiences that I truly wish were personal experiences.

It will leave you hooked all the way until the end. Every guy that reads this will wish that this is the life he could lead - definitely the European dream.

This book is fantastic. It's written by a man, who has achieved so much more than we, the readers, have achieved. He leads the Virgin empire with a lot of honesty, integrity, and fun. His life is truly inspirational and very educational.

In a nutshell, one can become a peer of Richard Branson's when one:

1. Never accepts "no" for an answer
2. Tries everything at least once
3. Lives life to the fullest one day at a time
4. Challenges the status quo
5. Loves his family and friends more than everything else
6. Embraces competition
7. Works, works, works
8. Grows, grows, grows
9. Has fun
10. Gives

If we all do these 10 things, the world would be a paradise. Richard Branson has clearly created his own paradise with Virgin. God bless him.

This is one very good book for young people who are searching for the entrepreneur in themselves. He explains and describes in detail what he was going through and how his mind worked in his early years when he was building his businesses. And also, how he enjoyed his life while doing all these things. He illustrates few unique qualities... having fun while working, taking risks like a maniac... and most importantly, fearlessness.

I assume the story here is genuine and there are so many things that the reader will learn. Basically, this book changed my life.

One limiting thing in this book is that there is not enough details about his recent achievements and businesses. They are all explained in a hurry. The people who want to know every thing up to the point of the writing this book will be little disappointed. Thats why I've given one star less.

I read this book more like a novel than like a bussiness story. Richard Branson is hilarious!! He describes bouth how he has succeded and how he has failed in some bussinesess. He shows us how he was about to go bankrupt a few times. He is definitly a man with a lot of courage. His bussiness with fun aproach is great.

He also lets the reader know how important his family has been to support him.

It was a great inspiration to me as an entrepneur, abeit not so successful. Nevetheless, I enjoyed it so much I have suggested to many friends and employees that they read this one! His life has been a great adventure, a great inspiration to experience life to the fullest. Let every moment count.

great book!

lovely in-flight reading. makes you aware of the possibilities in life and encourages/convinces you to take the entrepreneurial route. i wanted to rate it 4 or 5 stars but amazon doesnt allow me to change it. However, amazon "does" allow me to change the text of the review. weird.

A very detailed account of an average-intelligence, highly successful entrepreneur who did not go to college. Not like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or Mark Zuckerberg who dropped out. Branson skipped it entirely!

Proves the point that you don't have to be a rocket scientist to make a significant positive impact on the world. Plus its more fun to read than Michael Dell's biography.

I strongly recommend to read this book to those people who want run their own business, who want exciting life or maybe to teach their childrens to become strong personalities. However Branson is very rich and interesting people not only because of his brave, persistency, smart and diplomacy but also because of luck and good circumstances.
This book is story about first challenges in life, first business, first love, first and probably last night in prison, first Virgin shop, first contract with talented musician (Mike Oldfield), first trip with baloon through Atlantic Ocean, second trip with baloon, legal claim against British Airways. This book also describes other many more personal, business and even political events, purchaces (Necker island) and contracts (for ex., Rolling stones)in his life and his business that gave him knowledges, life's lessons, family, new friends and ability to enjoy life.
So if you like challenges, adventures, business this book is for you.

Richard Branson has long been one of my heroes - everything he does is so cool. Ever since we visited England in the late 90s I've admired him for having a hand in so many diverse, yet cool things. While there we went to Virgin Cinemas and drank Virgin Cola, and browsed the Virgin Music in the Virgin Megastore, and caught the Virgin trains. From then on I admired him as the ultimate male hero - a rich guy who was involved in music, planes, trains, movies, cola, cars, phones, hot air balloons and other cool stuff. Virgin has to be the world's most diverse brand.

As for the book, it's an easy read and a great story. Lots of drama and intrigue from the swinging 60s right through the corporate 80s and 90s and beyond. I'm sure business types will get a lot of lessons from it about leadership and entrepreneurship, but for me it was just a great story about vision, taking risks, having fun, and maintaining your integrity in an often cut-throat world. Well worth a read if you haven't already.