Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story

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Great Story Told by a Great Story Teller

Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2022

This is a story about the dawning of the Internet as we know it. It is the story of Jim Clark and his whims, his thoughts, and ideas that shaped the world of Silicon Valley and the world beyond. It’s also a historical perspective written in the past without the benefit of knowing what we know now so that can be a little frustrating at times, but these are instances of exception rather than overwhelming and do not impact the power of the story. I’d recommend the book if you’re a Micheal Lewis fan as the imagery is as rich and the story is as enrapturing as his other books.

2 people found this helpful

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Needs Cynicism

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 1999

There are two reasons why Liar's Poker was such a great book. First, it profiled some of the greatest characters of Wall Street during the 1980's. Secondly, Lewis was very critical of Solomon. Reading "Liar's Poker" makes you think about how ridiculous traders' views of the world were in the late 1980s.
The problem with "The New New Thing" is that Michael Lewis is not critical enough of Jim Clark. Jim Clark certainly was generous to Michael Lewis by letting him tag along on so many of his adventures, and it would probably have been inapproriate for Lewis to be more critical of his subject. But, this doesn't make it an interesting book.
If you're looking for the "Liar's Poker" of the Internet, try Michael Wolf's "Burn Rate," or Po Bronson's "Nudist on the Late Shift," both of which contain much more interesting people, much more information about the internet revolution, and much more cynicisim.

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From the United States

J. Wright

Fun, Educational and Inspiring

Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 1999

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This book is just a fun read. It is not an academic book, and Lewis does love to dwell on the excesses or silly points, but Lewis captures better than any other author the culture and people of Silicon Valley, who have legally created a stupendous amount of wealth in less than a decade.
There were two parts of the book I particularly loved: First, the part on the engineers from India was compelling. These kids grow up on the brink of starvation and work their tails off to make it to Silicon Valley to seek their dreams. The book keenly demonstrates how Jim Clark is able to harness these kind of people and let their talents operate in the most productive way, and also make them rich beyond their wildest dreams.
Second, the best part of the book was the second to last chapter, about how Jim Clark came from absolute poverty in Texas. Clark had to defend his mother from his drunken father, and his mother had only $5 a month after the bills were paid. The book keenly demonstrates how Clark's sense of anarchy and adventure led him to rise far above the hand he was dealt in life.
The story of how Clark has made 3 different billion dollar companies is amazing, and even more amazing is that he is using his talents to create a fourth company instead of only sailing his crazy boat.
You'll learn a lot when you read this book, it will inspire you, and you'll enjoy it. Read it soon, before the next new new thing makes it irrelevant.

49 people found this helpful

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chris hitchko

Better than Shoe Dog?

Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2023

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Amazing book! Jim Clark was a stud. Must read for entrepreneurs.

One person found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Wonderfully framed narrative

Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2016

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Lewis has a genuine gift for taking complex concepts (as he did in Moneyball, Boomerang, and Liar's Poker) and breaking it down in a narrative format that manages to convey a maximum amount of meaning into the story. In "The New New Thing" Lewis focuses on Jim Clark's ascent in the world of Silicon Valley entrepreneurship and Clark's persistent pursuit of the titular "new new thing."

Explaining the how's, why's, and differences between the old way of doing things and the new (or new new) way of doing things can be tricky, because it assumes you have some understanding of how the old (or old old) way of doing things works. I'm not a Wall Street investor, but I felt not only capable of understanding Lewis' framework of explanation, but I felt like I could extrapolate deeper meaning from it. He manages to paint fascinating pictures of all the people involved in the pursuit of the new new thing and how their constellation manages to orbit itself as it becomes standard operating practice in the growing tech industry.

I also felt like I could better understand how the minds of billionaire "executives" (as Lewis points out, Jim Clark wasn't exactly sure how to describe exactly what it was he does) and how they anticipate the next new new thing, why it interests them, and how quickly it starts to lose their interest. If you can understand someone like Clark, you can start to understand the industry.

16 people found this helpful

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Marcelo P. Lima

Jim Clark, Hyperion & the Internet Bubble

Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2001

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It's true: this book IS mostly about Hyperion, Jim Clark's huge sailboat, but then again, the book is mostly about Clark himself. If you know how Lewis writes, it's a thread here and there, that weave and become this lively patchwork of ideas and facts, and, in the end, you have a profile of the Valley and one of the main characters that created its allure.
Lewis is a master of engaging character portrayals, with intoxicating and hyperbolic prose. He plays objective narrator throughout, sometimes interfering with the plot, but holds no punches in describing Clark's maniacal quest for wealth.
In the end, there is a wonderful demonstration that wealth doesn't bring happiness with it. From p. 258: "Why do people perpetually create for themselves the condition for their own dissatisfaction?" -- an retort to Clark's statement that "Once I have more money than Larry Ellison, I'll be satisfied". A few years earlier, satisfaction for Clark amounted to a measly $10 million on the bank; that number mushroomed to $1 billion.
Throughout, Lewis conveys the feeling of the Internet bubble of the late 90s; the wealthy, controlling venture capitalists; the insanely-priced IPOs for companies that had no clue how to make money. So yes, that's all a bunch of old old things by now, and if I were looking for a historical account of that period, the book would be worth only 4 stars; yet, I was going for the portrait of Clark, and for those who lived through it, the book is a good behind the scenes look at the creation of Silicon Graphics, Netscape, and Healtheon.

22 people found this helpful

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Anne

The book is missing last 2 chapters!

Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2023

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The book is great but holy cow the printer forgot to finish the final two chapter - it just cuts off halfway through chapter 17!

One person found this helpful

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LaxrefDave

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2023

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Another great book by Michael Lewis! This is my sixth Michael Lewis book. I still cannot rank his books let alone say which one is the best.

One person found this helpful

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Herman the German

Sikicon valley’s foudation

Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2022

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A deep and insightful take on the psyche of a successful entrpreneur and his relationship with venture capitalists. Michael Lewis brings the characters to life and is thoughtful about the dynamics underlying the Silicone Valley boom

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Mike

Reasons to read New New Thing

Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2011

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I suggest you read New New Thing because:

1. Michael Lewis is an excellent writer. You will discover numerous insights, much like in Moneyball (which is an outstanding book).

2. To learn about Jim Clark. What makes an wildly economically successful man like him tick? Why the ambition, restlessness, and discontent when he had accomplished so much and been so blessed with great intelligence, health, and wealth? New New Thing gives insights into the wondrous mind of Jim Clark.

3. It provides an insider's view of how businesses start up and are financed in the Silicon Valley.

What the book is not is a how-to book. Nor is it a vividly personal introspection of Jim Clark, who seems aloof, cold and impersonal during the few years chronicled in Lewis' book.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Not My Favorite M.Lewis Book But Still Very Good

Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2021

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Michael Lewis does call out early that the book was done relatively quickly (as he was working on a separate project before writing this). The story telling here is still very strong and my appreciation for Michael Lewis continues to grow.

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Barry J.

A story from a time when I too worked in Silicon Valley - totally different pay scale, though

Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2018

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This book was a 'can't put it down' experience for me, with big, earth shaking events happening in the history story I read. Even people and companies who were outside the rarified circle described in the book were also infused with a powerful sense of direction, purpose, and energy that resulted from being in an environment that practically SCREAMED more, faster, and better. I really liked this book! Brought back memories of a time in my life when I was crazy busy and seriously happy.

11 people found this helpful

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