Valley Boy: The Education of Tom Perkins

This book surprised me. I had seen the author on several TV shows and thought he was self absorbed but i bought the book because i wanted to find out about the roots of "silicon valley". Turns out the autheor is a tremendously interesting writer, obviously, extremely brilliant and I would heartily recommend the book. in addition, i'd like to spend somne time with the auther, he has an amazing mind.

I was lent this book by a friend and found it difficult to put down. It is a truly remarkable story giving an insight into the world of investment capitalists, and in this case some of the every day products we all know. Tom Perkins tells the tale in a way that makes the reader want to read more. He is a remarkable man and has been involved in some amazing ventures, the bravest being his building of the present sailing boat, a revolutionary vessel. I enjoyed the book so much I have since given several copies away to friends.

Tom Perkins need not say much. KPCB speaks well by itself. The fact he elaborates adds insight to gain and contribute further for those inclined. Tom apears as a committee of one engaged in promoting excellence over exit strategies as a preferred course of action. I came away with useful advice to further fashion solutions, according to a continuous dedication and commitment of imagination.

"The skeptics so out numbered the believers that I had stopped listening." "And never proven in practice with nearly six years of risk-taking on the line." "The betting was against me." "They hadn't for a moment truly dared to hope that anyone in the world would take on so much risk. And to this day I believe that I was the only person who would have done so." "But why not?... I had spent my career managing high-tech high risk; there should be a way to "put the risk up front." The essence of the program I had in mind was testing.... I hoped to have proof of principle in hand before the major flow of money into the build program was underway." "There was something in his personality that was very assuring. I decided to gamble on his promise. I said yes." "The agreement proved to benefit all parties. As in any good deal, it had to be fair to all parties." "In that glance and with just a nod between us, we discarded all the planned slow testing which had been so carefully outlined; we were going for it. "In five minutes, we would know everything." "And after those minutes the results of five and half of work, and the investment of the national budget of a banana republic, were indeed in: (it) was a stunning success - a stupendous breakthrough. I HAD GAMBLED AND I HAD WON!" These quotes from the last chapter of "Valley Boy" capture Tom Perkins' thoughts while developing and building the largest private sailboat in the world, the Maltese Falcon. They also capture the essence of Perkins in everything he turned his attention to - creating a venture capital firm that reshaped venture investing, creating venture companies that reshaped or created whole industries, serving on boards of major US and non-US companies, and reshaping the San Francisco Ballet Company into one of the world's top ballet companies. Perkins, in this very well written and readable autobiography, covers his childhood; his early interest in physics (Mr. Wilson, his high school physics teacher was the first person in Tom's life to pay him any serious attention); his early introduction, while at MIT, to venture capital through Harvard Professor Georges Doriot; the role of David Packard, Hewlett Packard founder as a mentor, and as the father he so desperately needed; the love of his life, wife and Norwegian beauty, Gerd Thune-Ellefsen who died on August 20, 1994 (There really is love at first sight..."To this day I carry a snapshot of Gerd."); the founding of Kleiner Perkins and the KP formula ("We had a more of a hands-on approach than was the mode at the time."); the founding of Tandem Computers and Genentech; his short marriage to and on-going relationship with author Daniel Steele; the most challenging period of my career as he led the search to rebuild the San Francisco Ballet; his love of sailing and design of sailing vessels; and his well-publicized board dispute while on the Board of Hewlett-Packard. Readers will find "Valley Boy" a great behind the scenes read