Not sure how to rate this tbh... Like wasn't bad, was easy to get through and v insightful (for what I was looking for, not sure about business advice as I'm not planning to own a business lol) but I just don't like the guy. In all honesty, I bought this on my kindle thinking it was a book about the technical aspect of how google works and the data collection. I didn't realise it was written by the CEO, classic me. However! It was insightful to see how the founders/ ceos think and how they come up with google. They give a lot of info and explain how they try and keep "googlers" within the company and form ideas as subsidies of google if they seem keen to leave and do their own thing. ALSO!! EVERYONE WHO EVER GAVE ME SHIT ABOUT 23 AND ME EGG ON YOUR FACE!! 23 and me (owned by google guy's wife i think??) is mentioned in this book and they straight up say YEAH why dont we sell that info so that insurance companies and other organisations have a better understanding of ailments and DNA of potential clients!!! UM BC ITS AN INVASION OF PRIVACY AND THEY CAN THEN MAKE YOU PAY MORE BASED ON FAMILY HISTORY MY GUY THAT'S WHY!!!! Loads of discreet fun nuggets like that were it becomes clear they have no interest in privacy concerns. I mean they say over and over again how great data and data sharing is. I mean yeah only kept up with it bc I had bought it on the kindle and was on hols. Wild to hear how business people talk and fun to get the first hand perspective.

Really good, it shows what a forward thinking and dynamic company Google has become. This is among one of the better "books by an executive" I have read and is quite unique in the number of employees has.

Reading books written by Google execs is always fun because they always keep it funny and spirited. It is far away from being a dull reading. And their language doesn't reek of biz blablabla. (On the contrary, it seems they have an allergy to business blablabla as well.)

It seems like Google really adopts an anti-hierarchy, pro-data culture. They really seem to worry about keeping things meritocratic, even though they fail at it sometimes. I found particularly humbling how they are frank about their past mistakes (they could have Instagram created indoors, but declined Kevin Systrom, its founder, the opportunity to enter a product management program). I'm glad that a company like Google is willing to share their lessons.

I read it on the beach. Further analysis in a future Medium post.

It was interesting to read this years after "Don't be evil" was removed from the Google masthead and in a week where where CelebrityNetWorth.com accused them of re-hosting data without permission. I ended up thinking mostly about how culture is an active, living thing and how reality will drift from ideals without champions in the right places. Google remains a powerhouse, but they are no longer the disruptive start up so fondly reminisced over in this book. For better and for worse.

I like that it's not just anecdotes like in many other business books. It actually contains applicable suggestions and techniques.

Loved learning more about how Google works, but felt the authors were too naive in assuming other industries could all follow the same ideals successfully

Great book on how to run a company. It's clear why Google has been successful. These guys get it. Someday I will be leading a company or a department (again) and will leverage a lot of what is in this book.

Fairly bland as management books for tech companies go (especially as a former Googler).

Decent book.
Look to it for managerial advice rather than an understanding of how google actually works.

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