Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America
May 16th, 2010 | 
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Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America
- ISBN13: 9781400066940
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
A fast-paced and deeply reported look at the unlikely success of MySpace, the Web 2.0 phenomenon, and the drama surrounding one of the biggest deals of the Internet age. Barely funded, technologically inept, conceptually derivative, and driven by rivalries, the company that was to morph into the biggest Internet site in the world had an unlikely beginning. This is the fascinating and surprising story that includes all the elements of a great business narrative: obsessive characters from co-found
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(out of 19 reviews)
List Price: $ 27.00
Price: $ 8.17
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Review by B. Hunter for Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America
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If Variety had a threesome with Wired Magazine and a ColdFusion manual, it would look a lot like this book. It captures a great story of an unlikely internet company (from LA no less) overachieving and does what I think is a great job of walking through the nuances that separate myspace from friendster and a lot of other companies nobody remembers.
I think this would make a fantastic movie as it highlights some over-sized personalities/egos, covers the torn friendships that often happen when startups and $$ are involved and shows how a company can capitalize on a shift in technology (digital pictures/mp3.s + broadband) before most people understand what has happened.
Review by ss in nyc for Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America
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A smart read that digs deep into what makes MySpace unique and why it even matters. Found the “who-dun-it” narrative to be both entertaining (lots of fun, head-shaking anecdotes) and informative (explanation of the industry and the money trail is comprehensive and clear — even for lay people).
Review by Ryan C. Nagy for Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America
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The book occasionally lapses into excruciating detail on financial and biographical detail, but it’s a minor annoyance.
It is the best book on the emergence of social networks that I have read to date and contains perspective and first-person details that you cannot get elsewhere.
It’s good to read this book and be reminded that MySpace was initially no more than a “me to” copycat social network, that was underfunded, managed poorly and had to use second-rate used technology and used network equipment for nearly all of its early history. However, the slightly-insane founders worked like crazy 24/7, made some lucky mistakes such as a programming error that allowed users to customize their profiles (turned out to be a big hit!) and used…are you listening? – NON-internet means to help achieve critical mass – parties, networking and road tours.
If you are developing a social network read this book.
Review by Ryan C. Holiday for Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America
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A friend who works at YouTube recommended this because he said it was a good example of the differences between the start-up cultures in Los Angeles and the Silicon Valley. He was right and I’m glad I read it. The differences he referred to are going to become important as these kinds of companies become larger parts of our lives. An infamous example at Google was when they ran a series of tests to decide between 43 shades of blue and not only didn’t see anything wrong with that but bragged about it. Things like that are windows into the DNA of a company, and ultimately have very big influences on how we consume or experience the internet. In MySpace’s case, the book is a good example of how toxic leadership and culture can ruin companies. MySpace’s problems stemmed mostly from its origins – it was run sloppily because it was formed sloppily, it was spammy because its founders were spammers and so on. I think the book is a good precursor to what we’ll see with Facebook, a organization whose problems are rooted in arrogance, poor strategy and a fundamental lack of understanding of their own purpose as a company. It’s rather stunning to think that something as big as Myspace could come and go from the cultural consciousness so quickly. Makes you wonder what we have coming.
As for the book, the writing is so-so, the subtitle is totally overblown and the picture section in the middle makes no sense. It’s not a classic business book by any means, but I’m glad to have read it.
Review by Michelle Castillo for Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America
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This book offers an amazing behind-the scene, and insight to the makers of myspace. It takes you from myspace’s begining to the concequences it has had with the law, and all the other issues with organization and within the same people in the company. It has all the secrets myspace has been hiding and why it’s been hidden. The overall book was impressive. The issue is the author was way to wordy at times and used too much bussiness terms that the average reader might find hard to understand. Overall great story… inspiring as well…