Books Source Code: My Beginnings - Bill Gates

"Source Code: My Beginnings" by Bill Gates is a candid memoir that covers his early life, from childhood in Seattle through the founding of Microsoft in the late 1970s. The book offers a personal look at the influences that shaped him, including his principled grandmother, ambitious parents, and close friendships, as well as the impact of losing his best friend. Gates shares his struggles to fit in and his discovery of coding and computers during the dawn of the digital era.

The memoir details how, as a restless teenager, Gates developed a passion for programming and problem-solving, which eventually led him to drop out of Harvard at age 20 to focus on building Microsoft with his childhood friend Paul Allen. It also introduces key figures like Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Steve Ballmer, who played significant roles in the early tech industry.

The narrative ends around the time Microsoft, still a small company, signed its first deal with Apple, setting the stage for its future growth. Throughout, Gates reflects on his ambition, family values, and the lessons learned along the way, emphasizing his role as a steward of wealth and innovation.

"Source Code" is praised for its humility, revealing insights, and warm storytelling, providing readers with an intimate portrait of Gates’s formative years and the origins of one of the world’s most influential tech companies

1 BOOK