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Source Code: My Beginnings
The origin story of one of the most influential and transformative business leaders and philanthropists of the modern age
The business triumphs of Bill Gates are widely known: the twenty-year-old who dropped out of Harvard to start a software company that became an industry giant and changed the way the world works and lives; the billionaire many times over who turned his attention to philanthropic pursuits to address climate change, global health, and U.S. education.
Source Code is not about Microsoft or the Gates Foundation or the future of technology. It’s the human, personal story of how Bill Gates became who he is today: his childhood, his early passions and pursuits. It’s the story of his principled grandmother and ambitious parents, his first deep friendships and the sudden death of his best friend; of his struggles to fit in and his discovery of a world of coding and computers in the dawn of a new era; of embarking in his early teens on a path that took him from midnight escapades at a nearby computer center to his college dorm room, where he sparked a revolution that would change the world.
Bill Gates tells this, his own story, for the first time: wise, warm, revealing, it’s a fascinating portrait of an American life.
©2025 Bill Gates (P)2025 Random House Audio
The business triumphs of Bill Gates are widely known: the twenty-year-old who dropped out of Harvard to start a software company that became an industry giant and changed the way the world works and lives; the billionaire many times over who turned his attention to philanthropic pursuits to address climate change, global health, and U.S. education.
Source Code is not about Microsoft or the Gates Foundation or the future of technology. It’s the human, personal story of how Bill Gates became who he is today: his childhood, his early passions and pursuits. It’s the story of his principled grandmother and ambitious parents, his first deep friendships and the sudden death of his best friend; of his struggles to fit in and his discovery of a world of coding and computers in the dawn of a new era; of embarking in his early teens on a path that took him from midnight escapades at a nearby computer center to his college dorm room, where he sparked a revolution that would change the world.
Bill Gates tells this, his own story, for the first time: wise, warm, revealing, it’s a fascinating portrait of an American life.
©2025 Bill Gates (P)2025 Random House Audio
12 pages, Audiobook
First published February 4, 2025
2,187 people are currently reading
20.8k people want to read
About the author
Bill Gates
13books535kfollowersMy new memoir Source Code: My Beginnings tells the story of my childhood and the early days of Microsoft. It's .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 569 reviews
July 20, 2024
I don't think this story is worth reading. Whether Bill Gates was bullied or brought up in a "perfect" childhood home doesn't matter. It's all a narrative fallacy.
He worked incredibly hard but he also he amazing amounts of luck. IBM could have demanded ownership of the operating system, and if so, we would not have Microsoft.
Had he been born just a decade later, he would not have been able to capitalize on the nascent industry.
So I don't have a lot of compassion or empathy for this story. And the fact that this guy gets to have this much money is obscene in a world where we have people starving and don't have access to education or clean drinking water.
He worked incredibly hard but he also he amazing amounts of luck. IBM could have demanded ownership of the operating system, and if so, we would not have Microsoft.
Had he been born just a decade later, he would not have been able to capitalize on the nascent industry.
So I don't have a lot of compassion or empathy for this story. And the fact that this guy gets to have this much money is obscene in a world where we have people starving and don't have access to education or clean drinking water.
February 28, 2025
I love reading about the people who have shaped the world. Source Code is an incredible autobiography by Bill Gates, starting with his childhood and covering the founding of Microsoft. The book is not only insightful but also features some emotional and humorous moments. It’s a quick, engaging read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys biographies.
February 9, 2025
I saw Bill interviewed recently on the release of his new book, I knew I wanted to read it so through Libby I snagged a copy of it for these last seven days. Bill recounts the first 20 years of his life, a lot of his experiences have shaped what we have today. So many interesting antidotes, actually brings back a lot of memories for me as I started to learn computers in 1984. He will write more of his memoirs moving through his years at Microsoft and then his philanthropy endeavours.
February 12, 2025
I am one year younger than Bill Gates, and I am a retired IT professional who made a living using Microsoft programming and productivity tools. I therefore can relate to many of the stories and experiences shared by Gates in this book: growing up in the 1960's, going off to college (no Harvard for me) in the 1970's, becoming interested in this new technology called a personal computer (Commodore 128 for me) and catching the programming bug, etc.
I always thought of Bill Gates as a computer geek who became super rich, and that was pretty much it. But Gates shows in this memoir that he is much deeper than that and there is much more to his story. I appreciate the transparency and honesty he displays.
This was an enlightening and enjoyable read.
I always thought of Bill Gates as a computer geek who became super rich, and that was pretty much it. But Gates shows in this memoir that he is much deeper than that and there is much more to his story. I appreciate the transparency and honesty he displays.
This was an enlightening and enjoyable read.
February 2, 2025
He never brought up his quirky adventures on Epstein's island. I wonder why?
February 8, 2025
In his deeply personal memoir "Source Code: My Beginnings," Bill Gates takes readers on an intimate journey through his early years, offering unprecedented insight into the experiences, relationships, and circumstances that shaped one of the most transformative figures in modern history. Unlike his previous books that focused on technology and philanthropy ("The Road Ahead," "Business @ the Speed of Thought," "How to Avoid a Climate Disaster," and "How to Prevent the Next Pandemic"), this memoir delves into the human story behind the tech titan.
The Making of a Tech Pioneer
Family Foundations
Gates masterfully weaves together the influences of his upstanding and ambitious parents - Bill Sr., a respected Seattle attorney, and Mary, a civic leader who broke glass ceilings in banking and philanthropy. The portrait he paints of his grandmother "Gami" is particularly touching, showing how her mathematical mind and principled nature helped shape his own intellectual development through countless card games and life lessons.
Early Signs of an Exceptional Mind
The memoir excels at illustrating Gates's unique cognitive makeup from an early age. His intense focus, ability to process vast amounts of information, and tendency to rock while thinking deeply - traits that might today be associated with neurodivergence - are portrayed with refreshing candor. Gates acknowledges both the challenges and advantages of his distinctive mental wiring, offering valuable perspective on neurodiversity in leadership.
Strengths and Notable Elements
Rich Historical Context
The book expertly situates Gates's personal story within the broader technological revolution of the 1960s and '70s. His descriptions of early computing environments, from the PDP-10 mainframe to the groundbreaking Altair 8800, provide fascinating historical context for today's digital world.
Complex Relationships
Gates doesn't shy away from exploring complicated dynamics, particularly with his mother Mary, whose high expectations both drove and challenged him. The friendship with Paul Allen is portrayed with nuance, acknowledging both their creative synergy and occasional tensions.
Technical Detail with Human Interest
While the book contains plenty of technical detail about early programming and computer architecture, Gates maintains accessibility by grounding these elements in human stories and relatable analogies.
Areas for Improvement
Pacing Inconsistencies
The narrative occasionally becomes bogged down in technical minutiae, particularly during discussions of early programming projects. While these details will fascinate tech enthusiasts, general readers might find some sections overly dense.
Limited Perspective on Privilege
While Gates acknowledges his privileged background, some readers might wish for deeper reflection on how his socioeconomic advantages contributed to his success. The book could have explored more thoroughly how access to rare computing resources in his youth shaped his trajectory.
Emotional Distance
At times, Gates maintains a somewhat clinical distance from emotional subjects, including the tragic death of his close friend Kent Evans. While this may reflect his personality, it occasionally leaves readers wanting more emotional depth.
Writing Style and Structure
Gates adopts a clear, methodical writing style that mirrors his analytical mindset. The chronological structure is punctuated by thoughtful reflections that connect his early experiences to later achievements. His voice comes through authentically - precise, occasionally self-deprecating, and quietly passionate about technology and learning.
Impact and Relevance
Historical Significance
The memoir provides valuable documentation of a pivotal period in computing history, offering firsthand accounts of the transition from mainframes to personal computers. Gates's perspective on this evolution is both personal and historically significant.
Contemporary Resonance
Many themes in the book remain relevant today:
- The importance of early access to technology
- The role of mentorship and education
- The balance between competition and collaboration
- The challenges of neurodivergent individuals in traditional educational settings
Critical Analysis
Strengths
- Detailed portrayal of early tech industry development
- Rich family dynamics and personal relationships
- Valuable insights into entrepreneurial mindset
- Strong historical context and documentation
Weaknesses
- Some technical sections may overwhelm general readers
- Occasional emotional detachment
- Could explore privilege more deeply
- Some pacing issues in later chapters
Final Thoughts
"Source Code" is more than just another tech memoir - it's a thoughtful exploration of how a unique mind, supportive environment, and revolutionary technology combined to shape both an individual and an industry. While not without its flaws, the book provides valuable insights into both personal development and technological history. Gates has produced a work that will inform and inspire future generations of innovators while helping us understand the origins of our digital age.
The memoir ends with Gates's departure from Harvard and Microsoft's early days, leaving readers anticipating future volumes that will detail his business success and philanthropic endeavors. This first installment succeeds in humanizing a figure often viewed through the lens of his achievements, revealing the complex interplay of factors that shaped one of the most influential people of our time.
The Making of a Tech Pioneer
Family Foundations
Gates masterfully weaves together the influences of his upstanding and ambitious parents - Bill Sr., a respected Seattle attorney, and Mary, a civic leader who broke glass ceilings in banking and philanthropy. The portrait he paints of his grandmother "Gami" is particularly touching, showing how her mathematical mind and principled nature helped shape his own intellectual development through countless card games and life lessons.
Early Signs of an Exceptional Mind
The memoir excels at illustrating Gates's unique cognitive makeup from an early age. His intense focus, ability to process vast amounts of information, and tendency to rock while thinking deeply - traits that might today be associated with neurodivergence - are portrayed with refreshing candor. Gates acknowledges both the challenges and advantages of his distinctive mental wiring, offering valuable perspective on neurodiversity in leadership.
Strengths and Notable Elements
Rich Historical Context
The book expertly situates Gates's personal story within the broader technological revolution of the 1960s and '70s. His descriptions of early computing environments, from the PDP-10 mainframe to the groundbreaking Altair 8800, provide fascinating historical context for today's digital world.
Complex Relationships
Gates doesn't shy away from exploring complicated dynamics, particularly with his mother Mary, whose high expectations both drove and challenged him. The friendship with Paul Allen is portrayed with nuance, acknowledging both their creative synergy and occasional tensions.
Technical Detail with Human Interest
While the book contains plenty of technical detail about early programming and computer architecture, Gates maintains accessibility by grounding these elements in human stories and relatable analogies.
Areas for Improvement
Pacing Inconsistencies
The narrative occasionally becomes bogged down in technical minutiae, particularly during discussions of early programming projects. While these details will fascinate tech enthusiasts, general readers might find some sections overly dense.
Limited Perspective on Privilege
While Gates acknowledges his privileged background, some readers might wish for deeper reflection on how his socioeconomic advantages contributed to his success. The book could have explored more thoroughly how access to rare computing resources in his youth shaped his trajectory.
Emotional Distance
At times, Gates maintains a somewhat clinical distance from emotional subjects, including the tragic death of his close friend Kent Evans. While this may reflect his personality, it occasionally leaves readers wanting more emotional depth.
Writing Style and Structure
Gates adopts a clear, methodical writing style that mirrors his analytical mindset. The chronological structure is punctuated by thoughtful reflections that connect his early experiences to later achievements. His voice comes through authentically - precise, occasionally self-deprecating, and quietly passionate about technology and learning.
Impact and Relevance
Historical Significance
The memoir provides valuable documentation of a pivotal period in computing history, offering firsthand accounts of the transition from mainframes to personal computers. Gates's perspective on this evolution is both personal and historically significant.
Contemporary Resonance
Many themes in the book remain relevant today:
- The importance of early access to technology
- The role of mentorship and education
- The balance between competition and collaboration
- The challenges of neurodivergent individuals in traditional educational settings
Critical Analysis
Strengths
- Detailed portrayal of early tech industry development
- Rich family dynamics and personal relationships
- Valuable insights into entrepreneurial mindset
- Strong historical context and documentation
Weaknesses
- Some technical sections may overwhelm general readers
- Occasional emotional detachment
- Could explore privilege more deeply
- Some pacing issues in later chapters
Final Thoughts
"Source Code" is more than just another tech memoir - it's a thoughtful exploration of how a unique mind, supportive environment, and revolutionary technology combined to shape both an individual and an industry. While not without its flaws, the book provides valuable insights into both personal development and technological history. Gates has produced a work that will inform and inspire future generations of innovators while helping us understand the origins of our digital age.
The memoir ends with Gates's departure from Harvard and Microsoft's early days, leaving readers anticipating future volumes that will detail his business success and philanthropic endeavors. This first installment succeeds in humanizing a figure often viewed through the lens of his achievements, revealing the complex interplay of factors that shaped one of the most influential people of our time.
March 14, 2025
I know you can’t be an ethical billionaire, but it’s just so refreshing to read/hear the story of someone who is actually smart and a leader of his field. The part where he describes running the first piece of software in a personal computer gave me literal chills. A few years ago I read Elon Musk’s biography and (arguably before everyone else caught up to the fact that he was a loser) I could tell he was just a loser. Him and Gates are not even in the same league, Gates is a genius and Musk is just a grifter.
March 17, 2025
if you’re wanting an inspirational book about how anyone can do anything if they set their mind to it, this book isn’t for you. Bill Gates was a genius from day 1. But I liked learning how his atypical mind works
February 14, 2025
Surprisingly riveting. I would have thought that I knew enough about Bill Gates, to find this book interesting in any case, but not remarkably so. Like many, I first encountered much of his personal history in “Fire in the Valley� which came out 45 years ago! I look forward to his next two volumes, since this only takes us up to Microsoft’s move from Albuquerque to Seattle. Since Bill Gates is exactly 10 days older than me, found myself thinking about my childhood and schooling and how his parents dealt with family challenges versus mine.
April 19, 2025
Inspiring.
That’s how I’d describe Bill Gates� new book “Source Code: My beginnings�.
However, while reading this book, it quickly dawned on me that some people leave a mark on this world and then there is you that is an average person with average capabilities. So existential crisis resumes.
“Reading in the back of the care - or anywhere else for that matter- was my default state. When I read, hours flew by. I tuned out the world, only dimly aware of my family moving through life around me, my mother asking me to set the table, my sister playing with her friends. I was in my own head, with my door closed, or in the back of the car, at a barbecue, at church - anywhere I could steal time to dive between the covers of a book, where I could explore and soak up new facts, all on my own, without anyone else.�
Everything truly starts out of curiosity and willingness to learn and explore and think for yourself. Of course, Bill Gates was born into a good family who could afford to send him to a good school where he had resources and he mentions and acknowledges that fact. However, there are many people who are born into privilege and they did not shape the world the way Bill Gates did. What I also love about Bill Gates is his love towards reading 📖 I always look forward to see the books he and Barack Obama recommend. Maybe “today’s readers are truly tomorrow’s leaders.�
This book covers his childhood and upbringing and how he co-founded Microsoft. I had to do some googling with some terms 😆 I might be a reader like Bill Gates but definitely no programming knowledge as him. And as someone who uses Microsoft tools every day, his passion directly influenced my daily life.
The cross-over of him and Steve Jobs in this book was fascinating, it is like your favorite Marvel characters meeting each other. Both Jobs and Gates have inspired millions of people.
I just find him inspiring and I am very much looking forward to read his upcoming two books!
It is truly about curiosity, passion and willingness to work crazy hours.
And as Bill Gates says “read more�, so recommending this book.
That’s how I’d describe Bill Gates� new book “Source Code: My beginnings�.
However, while reading this book, it quickly dawned on me that some people leave a mark on this world and then there is you that is an average person with average capabilities. So existential crisis resumes.
“Reading in the back of the care - or anywhere else for that matter- was my default state. When I read, hours flew by. I tuned out the world, only dimly aware of my family moving through life around me, my mother asking me to set the table, my sister playing with her friends. I was in my own head, with my door closed, or in the back of the car, at a barbecue, at church - anywhere I could steal time to dive between the covers of a book, where I could explore and soak up new facts, all on my own, without anyone else.�
Everything truly starts out of curiosity and willingness to learn and explore and think for yourself. Of course, Bill Gates was born into a good family who could afford to send him to a good school where he had resources and he mentions and acknowledges that fact. However, there are many people who are born into privilege and they did not shape the world the way Bill Gates did. What I also love about Bill Gates is his love towards reading 📖 I always look forward to see the books he and Barack Obama recommend. Maybe “today’s readers are truly tomorrow’s leaders.�
This book covers his childhood and upbringing and how he co-founded Microsoft. I had to do some googling with some terms 😆 I might be a reader like Bill Gates but definitely no programming knowledge as him. And as someone who uses Microsoft tools every day, his passion directly influenced my daily life.
The cross-over of him and Steve Jobs in this book was fascinating, it is like your favorite Marvel characters meeting each other. Both Jobs and Gates have inspired millions of people.
I just find him inspiring and I am very much looking forward to read his upcoming two books!
It is truly about curiosity, passion and willingness to work crazy hours.
And as Bill Gates says “read more�, so recommending this book.
August 5, 2024
Highly anticipated.
February 18, 2025
Source Code : My Beginnings (2025) by Bill Gates is an autobiographical account of Gates� life up until Microsoft moved to Seattle.
The question of what makes someone able to create a trillion dollar company is interesting. Source Code has Gates write about his own youth. He is fully aware of how privileged his is and writes “It’s impossible to overstate the unearned privilege I enjoyed. To be born in the rich United States is a big part of of a winning birth lottery ticket, as is being born white and male�. The Gates family was also rich within the US as well. But there are millions of people with similar privilege and barely any found similar companies.
Gates grew up the son of lawyer, Bill Gates the second and his wife Mary Gates. His mother’s family were Christian Scientists. His father’s father owned a furniture store in Bremerton near Seattle. Both were clearly very bright. Gates� father was a successful lawyer in Seattle. Mary was clearly very smart and after being on a number of charity boards also joined various large corporate boards.
Bill was a happy young kid and the family did a lot including going to summer camps with other families. His elder sister Kristi immediately did well in school but Bill didn’t. But he did do well in maths. Today Gates would have been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.
After the family moved he didn’t settle to well into a new school so his parents sent him to Lakeside Academy. This is a fancy private school that now charges more than forty thousand dollars a year for students. There Bill initially did poorly but soon picked up and did well. The school also gave him access to computers, something which was very rare at the time. Gates met Kent Evans, Ric Weiland and Paul Allen there. He also got really into hiking and did long hikes with the scouts.
Gates, Evans, Allen and Weiland all worked incredibly hard to learn programming. They taught themselves so much that there were able to sell their skills and make software in exchange for computing time and for money. Gates would sneak out of his parents house and work nights on his code. Gate’s worth ethic throughout the book is really remarkable.
Evans seems to have been Bill’s best friend. Evans took up mountain climbing and had a fatal accident. This must have been a truly shocking event for Gates.
Gates finished school extremely strongly and got a perfect score on the math SAT and got into Harvard. It’s well known that Gates dropped out of Harvard, but he did spend years there and managed to take and pass the extremely hard Math 55 course. While taking that course Gates realised that while he was very good at math there were people who were considerably better and he’d be unlikely to have a great future in math. Jeff Bezos had a similar experience at Princeton. Gates instead decided to work on his coding and look into business. Gates also met Steve Balmer there.
Gates� friend from Lakeside Paul Allen was a few years older than Gates and already had a job coding. But he and Gates still wanted to work together and Allen came over to Boston so the two could work on various projects. Allen was aware that microprocessors were coming and believed it would be a huge deal when they did. The Intel 8080 arrived and MITS computers produced the Altair. Allen wrote an emulator for the machine and Gates wrote a BASIC interpreter using that. They then licenced that to MITS and together formed a company � Microsoft.
Microsoft was initially based in Albuquerque where MITS was. There Allen worked and Gates soon joined him. The company made enough money to start employing people and wrote BASIC for various other machines including Apple. When the company was getting more established they then moved it to Seattle which is where the book ends.
Source Code is an interesting book and does provide some insight into what makes Gates tick. He was very bright and on the spectrum. He had rich, hard working parents who had a vibrant social life and made sure Gates was part of that. He also hiked and became independent at a young age. Gates would work incredibly hard on his passions. He was also just the right age to ride the wave of the personal computer.
The question of what makes someone able to create a trillion dollar company is interesting. Source Code has Gates write about his own youth. He is fully aware of how privileged his is and writes “It’s impossible to overstate the unearned privilege I enjoyed. To be born in the rich United States is a big part of of a winning birth lottery ticket, as is being born white and male�. The Gates family was also rich within the US as well. But there are millions of people with similar privilege and barely any found similar companies.
Gates grew up the son of lawyer, Bill Gates the second and his wife Mary Gates. His mother’s family were Christian Scientists. His father’s father owned a furniture store in Bremerton near Seattle. Both were clearly very bright. Gates� father was a successful lawyer in Seattle. Mary was clearly very smart and after being on a number of charity boards also joined various large corporate boards.
Bill was a happy young kid and the family did a lot including going to summer camps with other families. His elder sister Kristi immediately did well in school but Bill didn’t. But he did do well in maths. Today Gates would have been diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.
After the family moved he didn’t settle to well into a new school so his parents sent him to Lakeside Academy. This is a fancy private school that now charges more than forty thousand dollars a year for students. There Bill initially did poorly but soon picked up and did well. The school also gave him access to computers, something which was very rare at the time. Gates met Kent Evans, Ric Weiland and Paul Allen there. He also got really into hiking and did long hikes with the scouts.
Gates, Evans, Allen and Weiland all worked incredibly hard to learn programming. They taught themselves so much that there were able to sell their skills and make software in exchange for computing time and for money. Gates would sneak out of his parents house and work nights on his code. Gate’s worth ethic throughout the book is really remarkable.
Evans seems to have been Bill’s best friend. Evans took up mountain climbing and had a fatal accident. This must have been a truly shocking event for Gates.
Gates finished school extremely strongly and got a perfect score on the math SAT and got into Harvard. It’s well known that Gates dropped out of Harvard, but he did spend years there and managed to take and pass the extremely hard Math 55 course. While taking that course Gates realised that while he was very good at math there were people who were considerably better and he’d be unlikely to have a great future in math. Jeff Bezos had a similar experience at Princeton. Gates instead decided to work on his coding and look into business. Gates also met Steve Balmer there.
Gates� friend from Lakeside Paul Allen was a few years older than Gates and already had a job coding. But he and Gates still wanted to work together and Allen came over to Boston so the two could work on various projects. Allen was aware that microprocessors were coming and believed it would be a huge deal when they did. The Intel 8080 arrived and MITS computers produced the Altair. Allen wrote an emulator for the machine and Gates wrote a BASIC interpreter using that. They then licenced that to MITS and together formed a company � Microsoft.
Microsoft was initially based in Albuquerque where MITS was. There Allen worked and Gates soon joined him. The company made enough money to start employing people and wrote BASIC for various other machines including Apple. When the company was getting more established they then moved it to Seattle which is where the book ends.
Source Code is an interesting book and does provide some insight into what makes Gates tick. He was very bright and on the spectrum. He had rich, hard working parents who had a vibrant social life and made sure Gates was part of that. He also hiked and became independent at a young age. Gates would work incredibly hard on his passions. He was also just the right age to ride the wave of the personal computer.
April 6, 2025
4.5stars!
First, special thank you to @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook.
Autobiographies are not usually my jam when it comes to reading but I would not pass the chance of listening to the beginnings of the smart people that shape our technology lifestyle and of the world! Bill Gates’s story was not as astounding to me but definitely impressive. Parents do play a big role in shaping young minds. I love the way his mom has created their travel itineraries and the calm, collected and honorable demeanor of his dad in dealing with Bill’s shortcomings. It’s not un usual for kids not to know what they want to be but in many ways it is significant to provide support when the passion and dedication to something finally strikes.
I would love to be one of Bill’s acquaintance at least during his young life. The chaos and disruption young Bill created in his classroom are nothing but absolutely funny! To be able to create the base coding that became to root to most if not all functional operations used in technology from day to day in this generation is truly remarkable and legendary!
Thank you @prhaudio for giving me the chance to listen to this autobiography. Thank you Bill Gates, I am one happy camper in perusing the convenience of technology and thank you Will Wheaton, you are always phenomenal and animated when delivering narration of great stories!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5!
.
.
#billgates #billgatesmotivation #microsoft #prhaudioinfluencer #audiobookstagram #bookstagram #bookworm
First, special thank you to @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook.
Autobiographies are not usually my jam when it comes to reading but I would not pass the chance of listening to the beginnings of the smart people that shape our technology lifestyle and of the world! Bill Gates’s story was not as astounding to me but definitely impressive. Parents do play a big role in shaping young minds. I love the way his mom has created their travel itineraries and the calm, collected and honorable demeanor of his dad in dealing with Bill’s shortcomings. It’s not un usual for kids not to know what they want to be but in many ways it is significant to provide support when the passion and dedication to something finally strikes.
I would love to be one of Bill’s acquaintance at least during his young life. The chaos and disruption young Bill created in his classroom are nothing but absolutely funny! To be able to create the base coding that became to root to most if not all functional operations used in technology from day to day in this generation is truly remarkable and legendary!
Thank you @prhaudio for giving me the chance to listen to this autobiography. Thank you Bill Gates, I am one happy camper in perusing the convenience of technology and thank you Will Wheaton, you are always phenomenal and animated when delivering narration of great stories!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5!
.
.
#billgates #billgatesmotivation #microsoft #prhaudioinfluencer #audiobookstagram #bookstagram #bookworm
April 12, 2025
It offers a reflective and insightful look at his formative years and the foundations of his remarkable career. The memoir traces how his natural curiosity and passion for learning, particularly about computers, shaped his trajectory from an inquisitive child to a tech pioneer. While acknowledging the privilege of early access to computing resources in the 1960s and 70s, he emphasizes how his partnership with Paul Allen, his disciplined work ethic, and his intense focus were crucial to Microsoft's creation. The book balances personal anecdotes about his competitive nature with thoughtful reflections on opportunity, privilege, and responsibility. What emerges is not just the origin story of a successful entrepreneur, but also wisdom about the importance of curiosity, perseverance, meaningful collaboration, and using one's position to create positive impact—making this a valuable read for aspiring innovators and business leaders alike. As hinted at the end, this is just the first installment of a planned trilogy, readers can look forward to two more books that will chronicle the later stages of his extraordinary journey.
March 24, 2025
This is a fascinating read. Having a supportive family, incredible friends, and, as he admitted here himself, a lot of luck, Bill Gates was able to follow his dreams and create something substantial. He also uses his powers for good.
April 2, 2025
Generally enjoyable overview of BG’s beginnings. His underlying thesis is essentially, “if you have a great childhood, the best teachers, and are born in the United States to an upper middle class family in 1955, you’ll do alright for yourself�, which doesn’t really present anything new or ground breaking, but it’s low stakes and interesting enough that I thought it worthwhile.
March 21, 2025
4.5 stars
RTC
Happy Reading!!
RTC
Happy Reading!!
February 15, 2025
Bill Gates (aka Trey) is the only industry-founding tech genius and billionaire whose memoir I have read. His upbringing was boringly conventional in many ways --- completely familiar to a contemporary like me. But it was at the same time, through his own efforts and great talent, abnormally eventful and demanding.
His parents were devoted to family, career and "giving back." His mother, prime mover, insisted that her three children be competent socially with both adults and children. Bill was resistant to all authority figures who tried to slow him down and make him more conventional. Physically, he was small, with limited physical strength or athletic ability, and he had a squeaky, high voice into adulthood. He adopted a class clown attitude in school, and he got poor grades. He fought with his parents, especially his mother, the kind of person who sat down after Christmas to record in her planner what had gone well at Christmas and what needed to be improved next time.
His parents worried about his adjustment. Bill had decided he did not want to be what his parents were trying to make him, and went to war with them in a way that was quite cruel. Finally, he was convinced by a therapist to take a different view his environment. He began to understand that he would gain from being cooperative when he could, and his parents would learn to give him more leeway than they were comfortable with. They gradually came to understand one another and remained close.
Gates described his prodigious attention span, his tendency to obsess about a topic, his need for outlets like hiking in the mountains around Seattle, his desire to learn about just about everything, his numerous consequential lifelong friendships with adults and peers, and his tendency to cut corners to get what he needed. That tendency to cut corners, move too fast and play hardball in business led me to scorn Microsoft products as cheap and full of bugs. They were. But Gates was one of the first to comprehend that the software was ultimately more important than the hardware, and to demand payment for it. I don't think I could have liked him in 2000 (when I switched to Apple due to Microsoft's shoddy products and bullying of competitors), but he's come a long way since then, applying his megawatt brain to gain a better understanding of himself.. He is now able to recognize when he's been absurdly ungracious. He is able to apologize. He is still close to extended family and friends.
I was surprised to find that I like him more now than I did. He's planning to write two more books about his life, the next describing the creation of Microsoft and the evolution of his business methods. The third, he says, will be about his charitable foundation.
His parents were devoted to family, career and "giving back." His mother, prime mover, insisted that her three children be competent socially with both adults and children. Bill was resistant to all authority figures who tried to slow him down and make him more conventional. Physically, he was small, with limited physical strength or athletic ability, and he had a squeaky, high voice into adulthood. He adopted a class clown attitude in school, and he got poor grades. He fought with his parents, especially his mother, the kind of person who sat down after Christmas to record in her planner what had gone well at Christmas and what needed to be improved next time.
His parents worried about his adjustment. Bill had decided he did not want to be what his parents were trying to make him, and went to war with them in a way that was quite cruel. Finally, he was convinced by a therapist to take a different view his environment. He began to understand that he would gain from being cooperative when he could, and his parents would learn to give him more leeway than they were comfortable with. They gradually came to understand one another and remained close.
Gates described his prodigious attention span, his tendency to obsess about a topic, his need for outlets like hiking in the mountains around Seattle, his desire to learn about just about everything, his numerous consequential lifelong friendships with adults and peers, and his tendency to cut corners to get what he needed. That tendency to cut corners, move too fast and play hardball in business led me to scorn Microsoft products as cheap and full of bugs. They were. But Gates was one of the first to comprehend that the software was ultimately more important than the hardware, and to demand payment for it. I don't think I could have liked him in 2000 (when I switched to Apple due to Microsoft's shoddy products and bullying of competitors), but he's come a long way since then, applying his megawatt brain to gain a better understanding of himself.. He is now able to recognize when he's been absurdly ungracious. He is able to apologize. He is still close to extended family and friends.
I was surprised to find that I like him more now than I did. He's planning to write two more books about his life, the next describing the creation of Microsoft and the evolution of his business methods. The third, he says, will be about his charitable foundation.
March 11, 2025
This book is just what the title says it is....how Bill Gates got started down the path to Microsoft. I found most of this kind of interesting, but since I'm not really a computer geek some of this was a bit of yawner when he got technical especially when it came to coding and the countless hours he spent on that.
However, overall, this was informative. So 3 stars.
However, overall, this was informative. So 3 stars.
February 20, 2025
I’m gobsmacked by what Bill Gates accomplished in junior high! He was well under way to be the Bill Gates of today. Three cheers for the neurodivergent!!
March 8, 2025
I'm an Apple guy, not a Microsoft guy. Nevertheless, I've long been impressed by Bill Gates' career in technology. More recently, I've been a big fan of his philanthropic work.
I really enjoyed this book. He's remarkably open about his personality and relationships. Lots of detail in here I never knew about formative friendships and rivalries. The role his parents and grandmother played in shaping his worldview was really interesting.
The detailed story about how the early versions of Microsoft BASIC were developed was just fascinating. Gates was enrolled at Harvard, which got a decommissioned DEC PDP-10 from the US military, intended for research on government projects. Gates finagled access to that machine, and then brought in a couple of pals (one of whom was Paul Allen) to collaborate with him on writing a BASIC interpreter.
They targeted the Intel 8080, which was the CPU used by the MITS Altair. Getting an 8080 or an Altair was tough, so Allen wrote an 8080 simulator that ran on the PDP 10 and Gates wrote the BASIC interpreter code and tested it using the simulator. They got some help from their third collaborator on implementing math routines and other stuff.
I got to Berkeley four years after Gates and Allen did this project in the Harvard lab, but I can report that there were lots of us doing personal projects and playing around on the lab computers in California, too. The stories from Harvard reminded me very much of those days and all the interesting and cool stuff people were doing when they weren't doing the research they were meant to.
Just the story of Microsoft BASIC is way more interesting than what I've laid out above, but I don't want to drop any real spoilers into this review. Anybody interested in the early history of personal computing should read this book. Folks who grew up in that time will really enjoy it.
Highly recommended.
I really enjoyed this book. He's remarkably open about his personality and relationships. Lots of detail in here I never knew about formative friendships and rivalries. The role his parents and grandmother played in shaping his worldview was really interesting.
The detailed story about how the early versions of Microsoft BASIC were developed was just fascinating. Gates was enrolled at Harvard, which got a decommissioned DEC PDP-10 from the US military, intended for research on government projects. Gates finagled access to that machine, and then brought in a couple of pals (one of whom was Paul Allen) to collaborate with him on writing a BASIC interpreter.
They targeted the Intel 8080, which was the CPU used by the MITS Altair. Getting an 8080 or an Altair was tough, so Allen wrote an 8080 simulator that ran on the PDP 10 and Gates wrote the BASIC interpreter code and tested it using the simulator. They got some help from their third collaborator on implementing math routines and other stuff.
I got to Berkeley four years after Gates and Allen did this project in the Harvard lab, but I can report that there were lots of us doing personal projects and playing around on the lab computers in California, too. The stories from Harvard reminded me very much of those days and all the interesting and cool stuff people were doing when they weren't doing the research they were meant to.
Just the story of Microsoft BASIC is way more interesting than what I've laid out above, but I don't want to drop any real spoilers into this review. Anybody interested in the early history of personal computing should read this book. Folks who grew up in that time will really enjoy it.
Highly recommended.
April 19, 2025
Source Code is a memoir that offers a behind-the-scenes look at Bill Gates� early life and the experiences that shaped his journey from early childhood to founding Microsoft. The book captures his childhood as a precocious, rebellious, and often difficult kid, growing up with principled parents who were deeply engaged in their community. Gates had access to rare opportunities—like computers at Lakeside School in 1968 and free time on a DEC PDP-10—which played a major role in sparking his interest in programming.
The book recounts his time as a teenage hacker, his friendship with his friend Kent (who unfortunately dies in a mountaineering accident) writing school scheduling and payroll software, and his partnership with Paul Allen, which led to the creation of BASIC interpreter for the Altair. These early breaks, combined with an intense work ethic and sense of agency, gave Gates a significant head start. He acknowledges the crucial support of mentors like teachers at Harvard and Lakeside school, which he credits for much of his success.
While the book reflects on his anxieties, insecurities, and fear of failure, it’s also filled with moments of ego and a tone that sometimes borders on gloating or self-congratulation. It presents Gates as both deeply focused and insecure, driven by a need for validation and a constant fear of failure—even as his success grew.
That said, the book does feel somewhat revisionist given that it has been written almost 50 years after founding of Microsoft, with the benefit of hindsight smoothing over some complexities. Several of the people mentioned in the book are now no more Still, it offers insight into the role of luck, privilege, timing, and relentless effort in building a global company—and the personal costs and paranoia that come with it.
The book is a great glimpse into the history of software and computing as seen through the eyes of one of it's pioneers, Bill Gates and deserves to be read just for that. Though only the early history of Microsoft has been covered in the book, it is a missing piece in the puzzle of vast tapestry of computing history.
The book recounts his time as a teenage hacker, his friendship with his friend Kent (who unfortunately dies in a mountaineering accident) writing school scheduling and payroll software, and his partnership with Paul Allen, which led to the creation of BASIC interpreter for the Altair. These early breaks, combined with an intense work ethic and sense of agency, gave Gates a significant head start. He acknowledges the crucial support of mentors like teachers at Harvard and Lakeside school, which he credits for much of his success.
While the book reflects on his anxieties, insecurities, and fear of failure, it’s also filled with moments of ego and a tone that sometimes borders on gloating or self-congratulation. It presents Gates as both deeply focused and insecure, driven by a need for validation and a constant fear of failure—even as his success grew.
That said, the book does feel somewhat revisionist given that it has been written almost 50 years after founding of Microsoft, with the benefit of hindsight smoothing over some complexities. Several of the people mentioned in the book are now no more Still, it offers insight into the role of luck, privilege, timing, and relentless effort in building a global company—and the personal costs and paranoia that come with it.
The book is a great glimpse into the history of software and computing as seen through the eyes of one of it's pioneers, Bill Gates and deserves to be read just for that. Though only the early history of Microsoft has been covered in the book, it is a missing piece in the puzzle of vast tapestry of computing history.
March 3, 2025
Je pense que comme beaucoup de gens, j’ai une très vague idée de qui est Bill Gates, Microsoft, ses œuvres de charité et ça s’arrête globalement là. Pas d’intérêt spécifique pour la figure, pas d’avis sur lui, c’est une entité existante qui ne fait pas non plus énormément parler de lui, outre être richissime. Voilà tout ce que je savais de lui. Pourquoi lire son autobiographie alors, puisqu’aucun intérêt pour le bonhomme ? Parce que je le pouvais, voilà, c’est tout. Vraiment, ça trainait là, je me suis dit « allez, au pire je laisse tomber ». Puis peut-être aussi pour un petit côté voyeuriste, j’imagine ?
Et en vrai, j’ai passé un moment correct, voire bon, y a certes des longueurs mais je ne me suis pas ennuyée, c’est fluide dans l’écriture, pas besoin d’être ultra callé en informatique ou en ingénierie pour capter� Et, comme dit Gates, il y a certes une grande part de travail, d’intérêt et de détermination dans sa réussite, mais il est surtout privilégié (homme blanc né aux USA dans une famille riche et qui privilégiait la réussite et l’éducation) et a eu énormément de chance (d’être aidé, par beaucoup de monde, d’avoir eu des passe-droits, de l’argent, de sa famille, etc.). C’est un bon rappel qu’on a beau avoir toutes les compétences du monde, les véritables histoires de réussite sont très fortement poussées par l’entourage socio-économique de la personne et réussir à se hisser dans les plus hautes sphères implique autant de chance que de privilèges.
Et en vrai, j’ai passé un moment correct, voire bon, y a certes des longueurs mais je ne me suis pas ennuyée, c’est fluide dans l’écriture, pas besoin d’être ultra callé en informatique ou en ingénierie pour capter� Et, comme dit Gates, il y a certes une grande part de travail, d’intérêt et de détermination dans sa réussite, mais il est surtout privilégié (homme blanc né aux USA dans une famille riche et qui privilégiait la réussite et l’éducation) et a eu énormément de chance (d’être aidé, par beaucoup de monde, d’avoir eu des passe-droits, de l’argent, de sa famille, etc.). C’est un bon rappel qu’on a beau avoir toutes les compétences du monde, les véritables histoires de réussite sont très fortement poussées par l’entourage socio-économique de la personne et réussir à se hisser dans les plus hautes sphères implique autant de chance que de privilèges.
March 19, 2025
all reviews in one place: ;
My Opinion: How strange it is to read about Bill Gates before he was Bill Gates as we know him now. What a simple kid, clearly on some kind of spectrum, with amazing parents who made the effort to give him that little bit of extra freedom and space, despite him being one in five. Self-awareness was interesting too, don’t know how genuine it is, but the effort to acknowledge it is more than a lot of people in his position do: understanding how lucky he was in all things, how arrogant at times, and how insanely privileged too. All whilst genuinely putting in the work in creating what even he didn’t know then would become Microsoft. Whatever you think of the man, take it and read it as kindle for your own passions: we may live in worse, “interesting� times, and may not be as lucky, but what is there to do other than try our best?
A 5 out of 5. Remember, please, as desperate and disappointed as you may be: we’ll outlive the people who are making our lives worse. And then we’ll have to do better. So, just start now. Chase that passion, and see what it grows into, once the times change.
My Opinion: How strange it is to read about Bill Gates before he was Bill Gates as we know him now. What a simple kid, clearly on some kind of spectrum, with amazing parents who made the effort to give him that little bit of extra freedom and space, despite him being one in five. Self-awareness was interesting too, don’t know how genuine it is, but the effort to acknowledge it is more than a lot of people in his position do: understanding how lucky he was in all things, how arrogant at times, and how insanely privileged too. All whilst genuinely putting in the work in creating what even he didn’t know then would become Microsoft. Whatever you think of the man, take it and read it as kindle for your own passions: we may live in worse, “interesting� times, and may not be as lucky, but what is there to do other than try our best?
A 5 out of 5. Remember, please, as desperate and disappointed as you may be: we’ll outlive the people who are making our lives worse. And then we’ll have to do better. So, just start now. Chase that passion, and see what it grows into, once the times change.
February 21, 2025
I kind of love Bill Gates so take this review with a grain of salt, but I thought the book was very good. It was interesting to learn what kind of childhood makes a billionaire and tbh it really made sense in this case. Bill Gates acknowledges it in the book but the resources he had access to growing up were some key factors in his success. Obviously hard work is a huge part of it but it was nice to see him acknowledge the luck.
I found his recounting of events as they happened to be pretty honest and he made it clear when he was applying life long insights to childhood events. I mention that last part because I've found that sometimes when people write a memoir, they'll hit you with something like "When I was 4 my mom hit me when I forgot to make my bed. I didn't hold it against her because I saw how my father treated her and realized that she wasn't mad at me but rather I was simply an outlet for her anger.". Like wtf no you didn't, you were 4! I'm sorry this has devolved into a rant about a very specific memoir I read but thank you Mr. Gates for not being like that.
I found his recounting of events as they happened to be pretty honest and he made it clear when he was applying life long insights to childhood events. I mention that last part because I've found that sometimes when people write a memoir, they'll hit you with something like "When I was 4 my mom hit me when I forgot to make my bed. I didn't hold it against her because I saw how my father treated her and realized that she wasn't mad at me but rather I was simply an outlet for her anger.". Like wtf no you didn't, you were 4! I'm sorry this has devolved into a rant about a very specific memoir I read but thank you Mr. Gates for not being like that.
April 10, 2025
Part 1 of Bill Gates journey. He starts with his family and his young life as child, then into school and how he discovered computers. Eventually college and the start of Microsoft.
If you’re into computers, especially at the start of minicomputers and microprocessors in the 70’s you’ll love this book.
What was fun for me was reading about some of the technology that I was also involved with beginning in 1974. When he mentioned Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and their PDP10 minicomputer I was thrilled. I had just started working for a Fortune 100 company that used the same computer for their Research projects. Although I was in finance we got to use the same computer.
I didn’t code in Basic but used the computer for other applications. Bill was a math whiz and took to the logic of programming instantly. He wrote is first Basic program at 13 years old.
I won’t recount his story here, but his journey with computers up to 1977 combined with a full schedule of classes at Harvard is impressive. He also discusses the close friends he made at this time, with some following into Microsoft.
Although this may not be for everyone I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I feel compelled to note that The Gates Foundation is the 2nd largest donator in the world with 34 Billion dollars as of March 2025.
I’m looking forward to Part 2!
If you’re into computers, especially at the start of minicomputers and microprocessors in the 70’s you’ll love this book.
What was fun for me was reading about some of the technology that I was also involved with beginning in 1974. When he mentioned Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) and their PDP10 minicomputer I was thrilled. I had just started working for a Fortune 100 company that used the same computer for their Research projects. Although I was in finance we got to use the same computer.
I didn’t code in Basic but used the computer for other applications. Bill was a math whiz and took to the logic of programming instantly. He wrote is first Basic program at 13 years old.
I won’t recount his story here, but his journey with computers up to 1977 combined with a full schedule of classes at Harvard is impressive. He also discusses the close friends he made at this time, with some following into Microsoft.
Although this may not be for everyone I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I feel compelled to note that The Gates Foundation is the 2nd largest donator in the world with 34 Billion dollars as of March 2025.
I’m looking forward to Part 2!
March 13, 2025
This book was a page turner. I so enjoyed the timbre of this story right from the get go.
I was all in with both feet even before I knew Bill Gates started on DEC machines just like I did in college and in my first job. Bill wove a great story for us to follow beginning with his very early years then into the early days of Micro-Soft.
I just can't say anything that isn't an accolade. I highly recommend this as a good read.
How does someone like Bill Gates related his story in a manner that makes me use an adjective such as humble to describe him? There are definitely others too, but humble is a key word.
Recommend especially if you grew up in the early days of computing.
I was all in with both feet even before I knew Bill Gates started on DEC machines just like I did in college and in my first job. Bill wove a great story for us to follow beginning with his very early years then into the early days of Micro-Soft.
I just can't say anything that isn't an accolade. I highly recommend this as a good read.
How does someone like Bill Gates related his story in a manner that makes me use an adjective such as humble to describe him? There are definitely others too, but humble is a key word.
Recommend especially if you grew up in the early days of computing.
April 14, 2025
DNF
I didn't get very far and it has been more boring than it sounds (if you can believe that). I tried the audiobook which starts with some Gates narration and then transitions to Will Wheaton. I guess I don't like either of them as narrators and interestingly I find them at complete opposite ends of the problem. Bill was too monotonous and Will was too over the top for this content.
May revisit and read instead.
I didn't get very far and it has been more boring than it sounds (if you can believe that). I tried the audiobook which starts with some Gates narration and then transitions to Will Wheaton. I guess I don't like either of them as narrators and interestingly I find them at complete opposite ends of the problem. Bill was too monotonous and Will was too over the top for this content.
May revisit and read instead.
February 6, 2025
I enjoyed reading about Bill Gates and his background. I thought he was very lucky to have parents that allowed him to ‘soar and many people, teachers, businessmen, friends, & family, that didn’t squelch his curiosity.
Enjoy the Moments
Annie Quinn
Enjoy the Moments
Annie Quinn
March 20, 2025
This really makes me believe that you have to be at the right place at the right time to hit it big. Like yeah he’s smart but his biggest advantage was that his rich kid private school had access to a computer before 99% of the world and he got to learn code first. A lot of luck and a little bit of tism and you too can be one of the richest men alive.
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