Buffalo Soldiers (The Black Sabre Chronicles)

Book Description

From the Civil War to Desert Storm, there stretches an unbroken line of dedicated, distinguished service by African-Americans in the United States military. Buffalo Soldiers is a tribute to the bravery, honor, and sacrifice of these black American fighting men.Sergeant Major Augustus Sharps of the 10th Cavalry and other former slaves had proven that they could fight valiantly for their freedom, but in the West they were to fight for the freedom and security of white settlers who often despised them. The Cheyenne thought the hair of this new kind of soldier resembled buffalo hides, and the men on the 9th and 10th Cavalry became known as "buffalo soldiers."

Customer Reviews:

Don't read it!!.......2005-01-24

The topic seems good: the story of black soldiers fighting bravely during a time of racism, but the story is terribly written. It is full of cliches and weak description. It is very long and filled with event after event, so that you are confused and bored rather than excited and intrigued. It is probably the worst book I have ever read, and I read about a book a week.

Building a Legacy.......2003-05-19

BUFFALO SOLDIERS begins by featuring excerpts from a speech given by Colin Powell in 1992 at the dedication of a monument to honor Buffalo Soldiers at Fort Leavenworth. Immediately, readers become aware of the significance of this monument as well as the important role that these soldiers played in defending our nation and in helping to establish the American West.

As the story begins, we are introduced to Augustus Talbot, later known as Augustus Sharps and the 10th United States Calvary (Colored) and we follow them through more than 30 years of history in the making. Throughout the book readers are constantly reminded of the paradox of African American soldiers. These soldiers faced prejudice and injustice on a daily basis, were provided with hand me down, and in most cases poor quality equipment, yet they defended the United States with unyielding bravery and honor. When Augustus marries and starts a family, readers become privy to the sacrifice, frustrations and hardship that the families of the soldiers had to endure in order to "make a way out of no way." We are also introduced to some Whites who were willing to stand alone to defend and show respect for the African American soldiers and their families.

From the first page, BUFFALO SOLDIERS draws readers into a different time in history where African American men were fighting for a nation that barely recognized them as men, no mind the heroes that they were. While this is a work of historical fiction, readers will learn a great deal about the history through this wonderful book. I found myself searching the Internet to learn more about Buffalo Soldiers in general and some of the specific things, like the types of rifles, mentioned in the book. Willard has written a book that not only educates, but also touches the hearts of the readers. You feel for the characters as they experience hardships, lengthy separations and even death. I gained a deeper respect not only for the Buffalo Soldiers, their wives and families, but also for the brave men and women that have followed in their footsteps through military service. While the Buffalo Soldiers were struggling to build a legacy and gain respect from Whites, they indeed proved themselves to be the greatest of heroes.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

mild recommendation.......2000-12-19

Tom Willard is in the midst of a series of novels focussing on the role of black soldiers in American military history. The first of these, Buffalo Soldiers, begins with Congress creating the first black peacetime units in 1866. Augustus Sharps is a black man who, despite the Civil War, has been held as a virtual slave by a white hunter who purchased him from Indians. Freed by men of the 10th Calvary, Augustus, who is already an expert shot, joins up and spends most his life in the U.S. Army, then joins Buffalo Bill's Wild West show after fighting with the Rough Riders at San Juan Hill. The novel closes with America's entry into WWI, Augustus is too old to serve by then, but as his two sons head off to war, he presents them with his battle saber.

While one admires Willard's effort to recover the memory of the black heroes who served America so ably and with so little reward in the years before the nation desegregated, the story is ultimately more earnest than interesting. I'd give it a mild recommendation. A formulaic rehash of classic Western themes, redeemed only by the reminder that blacks played an important and underappreciated role in creating the American West.

GRADE: C

Courage and Valor and Duty.......1999-12-05

Some up this remarkable book about Colored soldiers after the Civil War taking up arms to help tame the newly expanding American Western frontier. This book tackles the expanding never ceasing politics of race between those with power, and those without, those with weapons, and those with none, those who formerly wore chains, and those who fight to keep them off. Willard's portrayal of the harsh environs of the expanding frontier match and may surpass those of Larry MacMurty's "Dead Man's Walk". The stregnth, valor, bravory, courage, and duty Willard gives his colored sodiers through adversity gives the reader a better understanding and apprciation of those who came before us, those who died for us, and those who were forgotten.

OUTSTANDING, Thank You, Tom Willard.......1999-05-21

i couldn't put this book down, this is an excellent book. I really put myself in SGM Augustus Sharps' shoes. As a decendant of the Buffalo Soldiers, and former US Army soldier, I really wish the story was mandatory reading at the HS and college level

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The Buffalo Soldier
Sherry Garland
Manufacturer: Pelican Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1589803914

Book Description

This heartwarming story of a buffalo soldier's service to his country during the Indian Wars and Spanish-American War reveals the many hardships these regiments faced. The African-American buffalo soldiers, nicknamed by the Cheyenne Indians because of their curly hair and bravery, joined the six black regiments commissioned by an act of Congress in 1866. These men, many of whom were former slaves, enlisted in the army to earn a steady income, acquire an education, and gain respect. They protected settlers from hostile Indians, rustlers, outlaws, and bandits and were known for their courage and dedication. Told through the soldier-narrator's voice, the details of one buffalo soldier's life, including what he ate, where he slept, the education he gained on and off the battlefield, and how he spent his hard-earned money, help create a personal and understandable slice of history.

Frontier Cavalryman: Lieutenant John Bigelow With the Buffalo Soldiers in Texas

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Frontier Cavalryman: Lieutenant John Bigelow With the Buffalo Soldiers in Texas
Marcos E. Kinevan
Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0874042437

Book Description

Using period diaries and other sources, Frontier Cavalryman recreates the Army life of African American "buffalo soldiers" and their white commanding officers on the Texas frontier during the late nineteenth century. It shows how attitudes toward blacks changed as black and white soldiers fought together against common enemies.

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Moses Trinidad Buffalo Soldier
Michael, Walter Tudda
Manufacturer: Infinity Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0741428407

Product Description

What if honor, dignity and courage were traits found in the everyday man again? Come ride with Moses Trinidad and the Buffalo Soldiers of 9th Cavalry as they battle gun smugglers, outlaws, a corrupt sheriff and a town of people who despise them because of their color. Through personal diary entries, follow the emotional hazards and pains a Sergeant of color had to endure as he tried to mold men for battle and shape a nation out of the desolate West. Men and women find forbidden love, only to have it snatched from their hands. A young white officer finds the strength of will deep down to battle Indian foes and gain the respect of his men. Follow the daily grind of life in the Negro Cavalry outfit.

My Buffalo Soldier (Love Spectrum Romance)

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MY BUFFALO SOLDIER
excelent
A Unique and Spellbinding Read
My Buffalo Soldier
My Buffalo Soldier

My Buffalo Soldier (Love Spectrum Romance)
BK Reeves
Manufacturer: Genesis Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 158571013X

Customer Reviews:

MY BUFFALO SOLDIER.......2002-05-31

In the period following the Civil War, many African American males joined the Union Army in hopes of getting employment and national respect. They traveled west, as soldiers, to help the government claim Native American lands for the United States. During this same period, many non-military people also moved west, looking to begin new lives on the frontier.
In MY BUFFALO, it was in such a time and setting that Enid Jamison met Sergeant Nick Balfours. Nick, as a soldier, was no stranger to racism and near the end of his military tour. As a result of inheritance and keen business acumen, he'd amassed a small fortune. His plans were to leave the army, relocate to Paris, paint and live well.
Enid is a recent widow, the daughter of an abolitionist, and the sister of a Ku Klux Klan leader. She wants to get away, find peace and solitude. When rested, she plans to start teaching children and adults, without regard to their race, ethnicity, or culture.
It is under these diverse histories that these two people meet. They are attracted to each other, but the racial tensions and prohibitions of that time are both real and imagined.
MY BUFFALO SOLDIER is an excellent book with accurate historical references. It's fast paced with lots of action obstacles. It's a love story, but a whole lot more.

excelent.......2001-10-30

A wonderfull romance, exciting, fast read , romatic and very touching. I loved both Enid & Nick, would love to read the next one by Ms Reeves.

A Unique and Spellbinding Read.......2000-11-11

I met B.K. Reeves at the 2000 Golden Triangle Writer's Conference in Beaumont recently. Of all the author's offerings, her book, My Buffalo Soldier, is the one that will stick with me the longest. Many years ago B.K. wrote this interracial historical romance and the fact that has only now been published speaks to the shortsightedness of the publishing industry. I highly reccommend My Buffalo Soldier to men and woman alike. It is in no way a traditional Harlequin style romance. B.K. paints on a much larger canvas.

My Buffalo Soldier.......2000-09-05

Reeves, Barbara B.K. MY BUFFALO SOLDIER. Columbus, Mississippi: Genesis Press, Inc. 2000. 265 p. Paperback: $8.95. ISBN 1-58571-013-X

My Buffalo Soldier is a compelling story of an impossible love between a man and a woman. In 1871 when Nick Balfours feels an attraction to Enid Jamison, he knows he must ignore it. Even a century later the love between a black man and a white woman will be barely tolerated.

Fighting his heart Nick refuses to allow Enid to teach in a black school at Fort Clark. "A white teacher, young and delectable, beautiful and blonde, standing up before all those horny black soldiers" was unthinkable.

When Enid's racist brother, Paul, discovers she is teaching ignorant black soldiers, he threatens to confine her to an asylum. Enid recognizes her own attraction to Nick. Both struggle to hide their longings for each other. Nick attempts to save them both from the many opposing villians, knowing he has no business wanting a white woman.

Just when true love seems to have conquered all, Enid's brother brings his gang of cutthroats to wreak vengence on those who would love enough to defy customs.

The prejudice and bigotry of the Reconstruction South almost defeat the love of a black Buffalo soldier for a white Confederate widow.

B.K. Reeves writes western, science fiction, contemporary, and historical novels. She teaches novel and short story at San Jacinto College. My Buffalo Soldier is BK's sixth published novel.

My Buffalo Soldier.......2000-08-24

I must admit that I didn't have any expectations when I read "My Buffalo Soldier". This is a story that will get you involved without knowing it. It's fun! And, it will knock you over with it's contrast of sensitivity and brutality set against a backdrop of life in West Texas after the Civil War. And, there is always an underlying tension that is pertinent to today's society because the main characters are a black, educated Union soldier and a white Confederate widow who try to avoid falling in love. This is a story about a dangerous relationship and love is the catalyst. As the story develops you will become absorbed in the characters, the times and the underlying anticipation of the inevitable battle between good and evil. Suddenly, and without realizing it, the story has snuck up on you and absorbed you. You can't turn the pages fast enough. You can't put the book down. If you are looking for a good time and great reading I highly recommend "My Buffalo Soldier".

Buffalo Gordon on The Plains (Buffalo Gordon)

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Buffalo Gordon On The Plains
Buffalo Gordon on the Plains

Buffalo Gordon on The Plains (Buffalo Gordon)
J. P. Sinclair Lewis
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 031287393X

Book Description

The second novel in an ambitious series, Buffalo Gordon on the Plains follows Nate Gordon as he heads West, away from the place where he was a slave before joining the Union Army. Nate has stayed on in the Union Army and he has joined General Sheridan's winter campaign to destroy the hostiles that were raiding frontier settlements on the plains. Here he faces for the first time the man who would become his nemesis, the mysterious Cheyenne Dog Soldier, Cougar Eyes. A page-turning look at the life of African Americans on the Plains and in the military, Nate Gordon and his Cavalry are an unforgettable part of American history.

Customer Reviews:

Buffalo Gordon On The Plains.......2004-06-16

Bravo! I did not want this book to end!
I laughed out loud and at times was so deeply moved, I cried.

While I loved the romance between Nate and Cara, I found the descriptive encounters between Nate and the Plains Indians especially interesting and rousing - I felt as though I was sitting among them in the tipi. Rich in historical detail, this story is engaging and thought provoking.

The author has certainly left this reader anxiously awaiting the next installment of this powerful saga.
Cheers to J. P. Lewis!

Buffalo Gordon on the Plains.......2003-12-12

A great read !!!!! Couldnt put the book down.It is as good if not better than the first Buffalo Gordon book. When is the movie coming out????

Buffalo Soldiers: The Story of Emanuel Stance

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Buffalo Soldiers: The Story of Emanuel Stance
Robert H. Miller
Manufacturer: Silver Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Buffalo Gordon On The Plains
Grand entertainment and important history as well
Buffalo Gordon
A Fresh Perspective about the American Frontier
Review of Buffalo Gordon

Buffalo Gordon
J. P. Sinclair Lewis
Manufacturer: Forge Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

The first novel in an ambitious new series, Buffalo Gordon is a fictional history of the West as seen through the eyes of runaway slave Nate Gordon. He has returned to Louisiana as Sergeant Major Nate Gordon of the Tenth United States Cavalry. His task is to recruit for the second U.S. colored cavalry, the Ninth Negro. Three years have passed since Nate left Louisiana and his life as a slave. The war is now over, and it is clear that the South has paid a heavy toll. Nate's former home is in ruins.

Where opulence and order once ruled, poverty, corruption, and crime now thrive. Resentful and disgruntled white Southerners want nothing to do with Nate and his stripes. Racist Union officers and noncoms only make his task more difficult. Nate struggles to quell dissent from the ranks and keep outside forces at bay as the Ninth Cavalry moves from the docks of Louisiana to the wide open West.

Customer Reviews:

Buffalo Gordon On The Plains.......2004-06-03

Bravo! I did not want this book to end!
I laughed out loud and at times was so deeply moved, I cried.

While I cheered the romance between Nate and Cara, I found the descriptive encounters between Nate and the Plains Indians, captivating. Rich in historical detail, this is an engaging and thought provoking book.

The author has certainly left this reader anxiously awaiting the next installment of this powerful saga.
Cheers to J. P. Lewis!

Grand entertainment and important history as well.......2002-03-01

I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good, fast-paced historical adventure. Lewis is a good storyteller, as well as a careful historian. The book, which tells the story of Nate Gordon, an African-American "buffalo soldier" on the western frontier, is well-plotted, action-packed, and very atmospheric, really putting you there on the ground with Nate. Lewis is also very attentive to historical detail, perhaps a bit too much so for some readers who may not want to know all of the technical and historical detail, but this is a minor quibble. More importantly, Buffalo Gordon provides us with an African-American hero of the "wild west," reminding us that it was not only the stereotypical "Marlboro (white) Man" who populated America's western frontier. Nate is a bit one-dimensional in the sense of being perhaps too perfect (he never behaves badly, always does the right thing), but that is largely what heroes are about. Lewis's writing style is not perfect - this is apparently his first novel, and he is still finding and perfecting his voice - but he is a fine storyteller, the writing is perfectly serviceable, and as the series continues, I imagine he will further hone his narrative skills. Overall, I give it five stars because I wholly enjoyed it (raced through it actually), and look forward to Nate's further adventures.

Buffalo Gordon.......2002-02-03

I read this book expecting to find a well written, entertaining and historically accurate piece of fiction based on the cover blurbs. The book may have been researched, concerning McClellan saddles and post-Civil War uniforms and some battles on the northern plains. Some of the characters even ring true to their historical reputation. However, the great number of spelling errors and factual inaccuracies leave me distrustful of all the "facts" portrayed in the book. Most glaring of errors was the rising sun in the West on page 179 of the hard cover edition, followed a few pages later by the mention of "crape myrtle." The author's attempt at slave dialect left me totally cold. Perhaps I could be mistaken about the rank of Sergeant Major, but prior to June 1, 1958 the title of Sergeant Major was the designation of a position and not a rank. The designation was given to the senior noncommisioned officer of a regiment who was also the senior noncommissioned administrator of the regiment. What could have been a great book was ruined by the lack of an editor. Hopefully the next book in the series will be edited prior to printing. The steamy sex scenes added little if any to the over all effort and could have been somewhat less explicit. After reading other reviews of this book, I believe that those reviewers read a different edition.

A Fresh Perspective about the American Frontier.......2001-07-21

For readers who enjoy fast-paced, historical fiction, I highly recommend Buffalo Gordon. Even though the post-Civil War, American frontier does not rank high on my list of interesting historical eras, I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about it through the exciting adventures of Nate Gordon. Mr. Lewis has provided a well-researched account of this period with a fresh and dramatic fictional perspective. The book also is timely and in step with recent publications about African American military history, including Gail Buckley's AMERICAN PATRIOT. I recommend an earlier review of Buffalo Gordon by Celia DuBose on this site. She succinctly summarizes the book and provides an excellent critique of the book that is "spot on" in my opinion. I look forward to reading Mr. Lewis' sequel to Buffalo Gordon.

Review of Buffalo Gordon.......2001-03-22

J.P. Sinclair Lewis offers his readers a kaleidoscopic peak into post-Civil War social relations as experienced by runaway slave Nate Gordon, who stays in the U.S. Army to fight in the Indian Wars as a Buffalo Soldier.

At turns grisly, moving, and altogether unexpected, the story never fails to entertain with bodaciously colorful bits of history both real and imagined. Characters like General Custer, Wild Bill Hickock, Cougar Eyes, and Roman Nose come so vividly into view that the reader might scratch her nose at the tickle of feathers or reach out to touch those dandy duds.

Nate, from the beginning, is such an appealing character that the reader just sighs to learn how elegantly he handles the contradictions of his alliance with the white man against the indigenous population-then smiles to read that in the end, whether he knows it or not, Nate has found love, and we will be treated to a sequel.

This reader hopes that in the next adventure the author tames some of his awkward action sentences and that we get to meet a woman who hasn't either been raped or forced to work as a prostitute (i.e. raped). And next time Nate and Cara make love I want to know less about what's happening with Nate's pelvis and more about what's happening with his heart.

Book Description

This is the life story of Sergeant Thomas Boyne, a native of Prince George's County, Maryland, who joined the 2nd Light Artillery Company "B" of the United States Colored Troops at Point Lookout, Maryland, on February 5, 1864 and went on to receive our nation's highest military award, the Medal of Honor, while serving in the 9th United States Cavalry during the Indian Wars. This is also the story of Boyne's comrades-African-American Buffalo Soldiers and the officers who commanded his various assigned units-who helped to open and preserve the West while performing their military duty for their country. This is a story that needs to be told.

The integration of official government records, historical events, and newspaper articles enhance this comprehensive look at the struggles endured by Sergeant Thomas Boyne, and other African-Americans who served their country during this period. Sergeant Thomas Boyne's entire military career is covered in precise detail. Careful transcriptions of original muster rolls for the period covered include: Muster Roll Records and Returns for Company "B" 2nd Light Artillery United States Colored Troops, Company "K" 40th United States Infantry and Company "F" 25th United States Infantry, Company "C" 9th United States Cavalry, Company "L" 9th United States Cavalry, and Company "H" 25th United States Infantry. Specific details from a variety of pertinent documents, orders, acts, and news articles; as well as an abundance of names, numerous vintage photographs, illustrations, a bibliography, and an every name index make this book a MUST for historians and genealogists.

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Incredible overview / warning of the startup process

Very Disappointing

A Complete View at Starting Up

Must read.

The Life of a Business Idea, From Inspiration to Near Success to Crash and Burn

Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure
Jerry Kaplan
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140257314

Amazon.com

The founder of the visionary, yet doomed, GO Corporation kept notes throughout his years at the helm, thinking that one day he would produce a book. It shows. This is a vivid and lively rise-and-fall account of a company born to create a pen-based computer. It begins on a corporate jet with the author and fellow industry visionary Mitchell Kapor, founder of Lotus, sharing a vision of pen computing. From there, Startup quickly leaps to the day-to-day challenges of hiring staff, constantly reassessing and readjusting goals, and coping with the stress of endless rounds of venture capital funding. That Kaplan, in his first attempt at running a company, battles with the top forces at Microsoft, IBM, and other industry giants to bring the idea to market, only makes the story more compelling. His company's ultimate failure says more about a cutthroat industry than about the quality of Kaplan's product. This is a real David and Goliath tale. If you've ever wondered why things go right or wrong, how competition can kill you, or how financing really works within a small startup, read this book!

Book Description

Jerry Kaplan had a dream: he would redefine the known universe (and get very rich) by creating a new kind of computer. All he needed was sixty million dollars, a few hundred employees, a maniacal belief in his ability to win the Silicon Valley startup game. Kaplan, a well-known figure in the computer industry, founded GO Corporation in 1987, and for several years it was one of the hottest new ventures in the Valley. Startup tells the story of Kaplan's wild ride: how he assembled a brilliant but fractious team of engineers, software designers, and investors; pioneered the emerging market for hand-held computers operated with a pen instead of a keyboard; and careened from crisis to crisis without ever losing his passion for his revolutionary idea. Along the way, Kaplan vividly recreates his encounters with eccentric employees, risk-addicted venture capitalists, and industry giants such as Bill Gates and John Sculley. And no one -- including Kaplan himself -- is spared his sharp wit and o

Customer Reviews:

Incredible overview / warning of the startup process.......2007-04-08

This is the most intense book that I think I have ever read. A real life story of doing everything you can while experiencing the pain and agony of getting squashed by forces much stronger than you.

If you want to understand how hard life can or needs to be in order to overcome it, if you want to understand what competition is really about, the READ THIS BOOK.

Very Disappointing.......2007-03-07

What a tedious, pedantic read. After Kaplan spent three pages telling us how he had to scramble at the airport lest he be late for a flight (including such riveting passages as his secretary calling around and even sample dialogue at the ticket counter), I threw this book in the trash.

Kaplan is apparently utterly incapable of STICKING TO THE STORY. There are diversions about his cat's death, about where to eat in San Francisco, about where to park at the airport, about what he studied in school, etc. Who cares!? This is nominally a tale of a pre-dot-com-era startup, not Jerry Kaplan's memoirs.

If I wanted to read a very granular biography of Jerry Kaplan's life with moment-by-moment details of his lunch choices, I'd read...well, I guess I'd read Startup, because that's what this book is.

So many better books in this category. I was going to say "if you paid more than 99 cents for this book, you got ripped off," but the reality is that unless YOU were PAID to read this book, and paid well, you have wasted a portion of your life pointlessly.

A Complete View at Starting Up.......2006-01-20

I read Kaplan's book over 3 years ago, and still consider it the best book on entrepreneurship that I have ever encountered.

Having met a lot of entrepreneurs, I find their experiences to be mostly incommunicable. Sure, they can dispense advice a la bulleted PowerPoint slides and Top 10 Lists, but the meat of the wisdom never quite make it out of their head into mine. This is where "Startup" the book excels. Because Jerry was so meticulous in recording every bit of his startup adventure (for he had intended to record GO's life in writing nearly from the very beginning), his book alone has an incredible amount of valuable detail that is lacking in other such startup "memoirs." Startup is so well-done as a "memoir" type, in leaving nothing out, that I felt like I was living through the experience along with Jerry. What is it like to operate a company with real employees, who have real personalities, real disagreements, real visions and real limitations? What is it like to have to put the rest of your life on hold to pursue your passion and what does it do to you and those around you mentally, physically? Jerry won't tell you these things, but he will show you. Because Jerry's story is real, these conflicts fold so naturally and almost imperceptibly, but often devastatingly -- just like in real life. Jerry's detractors say that he made some terrible decisions -- and maybe he did, but the only reason you know that is because he lets it be known. He really bares all in this book and I didn't feel like there was a single moment when he was trying to pull something over the reader's head. Of course, there are times when I don't necessarily agree with his conclusions, but that's a result of differences in our characters, and not because he tried to extricate himself from his responsibilities.

In addition to the realism and detail of the "adventure," startup-lovers will be pleased to know that the technicalities of the fundraising, marketing, and selling/negotiating processes (particularly with the Evil Empire, aka Microsoft, whose self-aggrandizement really knows no bounds!) are also revealed. As are the presence of and Jerry's interactions with Silicon Valley legends John Doerr and Bill Campbell. Reading "Startup" was like sitting next to these people in a bar -- Jerry's handsome writing, full of humor, really brought them to life.

I also was lucky enough to meet Jerry and have him sign my copies of the book at a Silicon Valley VC event where he was speaking. I now have two copies of the book -- one that I have at home, and one that is constantly roaming in my circle of friends and acquaintances, because I really believe that this is one of those books that should be required reading for all startup enthusiasts.

Must read........2005-11-29

I read this book over the thanksgiving weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed it. This book shows what it takes to be passionate about technology. Startups are not for making quick money, but to solve the real-world problems, fast. There are some very important lessons to be learnt from GO/EO and I think Jerry has done a terrific job at being honest and telling it like a story and not a chronicle of events. I discovered some very talented people through this book (E.g. Mr. Kapor, Campbell) who are an inspiration. There are many parts of the story that one will not forget. For me there were two:
1. Death of Jerry's cat. My heart really pained after reading it.
2. Jerry willing to bring on Campbell as the CEO. This showed that he was not part of GO so that he could be the CEO. I think this is a very important quality one must have.

Again, a great read.

-ranjeet

The Life of a Business Idea, From Inspiration to Near Success to Crash and Burn.......2005-09-10

This was a fun business story told with unusual finesse by Jerry Kaplan. Kaplan has an eye for detail that can make negotiations and other business meetings come alive.

The plot tells the story of a high profile venture in the late 90s, Go Inc., from inspiration through fund raising and product development to fame, near success and ultimate failure. Anyone who may have thought about starting a new venture who wants to sit in the passenger seat and observe the whole ride in detail (though not too much detail -- it's an easy read) will enjoy. I wouldn't say the book is highly educational in a process sense (how to do this, how to do that...), but it does give a lot of high level insight into the difficult tradeoffs and predatory practices that can be confronted in trying to grow a business in high tech. I read it in a few days and enjoyed it thoroughly.

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Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure
Jerry Kaplan
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ3XUG

Average customer rating:

Startup - Silicon Valley Adventure
Jerry Kaplan -
Manufacturer: Penguin Publishing -
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P0WRBA

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Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure
Jerry Kaplan
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KT17PS

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