A Truck Full of Money

June 13, 2016
In this fascinating biography, Pulitzer Prize–winning author Kidder (Mountains Beyond Mountains) chronicles the life and complex personality of Paul English, founder of the travel website Kayak. As Kidder recounts, English grew up as one of seven children in a blue-collar Boston family, evincing a mind for computers at the dawn of the digital age. Kidder traces his journey, beginning with his years as a 12-year-old hacker and continuing through a series of professional endeavors, most notably the sale of his first company for $33 million and the founding of Kayak. The story also follows English and team as they work on his latest vision, providing insight into the functioning of venture capital firms and how projects can morph in unexpected ways. Though Kidder is obviously fond of his subject, he also frankly discusses English’s flaws, such as “distractibility” heightened by bipolar disorder, problems with authority, and a general refusal to follow rules. Through English’s story, Kidder poses the question, “Does programming attract strange people, or does it make them strange?” Though English is perhaps not a traditionally inspirational figure, his life story certainly holds lessons for burgeoning entrepreneurs: he’s a philanthropist and master of innovation, and also comes off as remarkably immune to feelings of failure or regret. This is a biography not just of one man, but of an era and of the startup subculture.

If you've ever used Kayak.com for your travel plans, then you've, at least indirectly, come into contact with Paul English, the fascinating subject of this audiobook. He's a familiar type these days--a person with contrarian impulses (and bipolar disorder) who thinks perfectly when it comes to the new world of the Internet and computers. Narrator Paul Michael's deep, homey voice is comforting and easy to listen to as Kidder examines the phenomena of English and the Internet's influence on contemporary culture. He meanders through the audiobook, rather than straightforwardly attacking the text, and that is both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, Michael's reading makes the book seem a bit slow and unfocused; on the other hand, it matches the tone of the book. R.I.G. � AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine