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Description of The Accidental Zillionaire

This is the first in-depth look at one of the world's richest - and most secretive - businessmen. Though his wealth is certainly no secret, the world's fourth richest man remains an enigma. Paul Allen made his fortune as Bill Gates's partner in Microsoft, supplemented it with questionable, though often profitable, venture capital schemes, and has since invested his wealth in a widely divergent list of interests. He owns the NBA's Portland Trailblazers and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. Among hundreds of smaller ventures, he is a primary stakeholder in the film production company DreamWorks SKG and formerly held a large piece of the widely despised Ticketmaster monopoly. Dubbed the "Accidental Zillionaire" by "Wired" magazine, Allen has often appeared to be a bumbler who succeeded primarily through luck and by coopting the visionary ideas of others. In "The Accidental Zillionaire", Laura Rich, one of the foremost chroniclers of the Internet economy, unravels the secret Paul Allen, his inner motivations, his vision, and his personality.
She tells Allen's story from his days as a fledgling computer geek in suburban Washington state, to his role in founding the world's largest software company, to his battle with cancer, to his sycophantic flirtation with Hollywood and its brightest stars. Paul Allen is a man of various interests and passions, but few if any know him well. The "Accidental Zillionaire" for the first time reveals the inner workings of a towering figure in the worlds of technology, business, sports, and entertainment. Laura Rich (Los Angeles, CA) is a former writer for "The Industry Standard", "Adweek", and "Inside Media". She currently covers the world of digital entertainment for "Entertainment Weekly", "Fortune", and "The Hollywood Reporter". She penned "The Standard's" popular "Rich List" report and has reported on Paul Allen for years.

Title Information

ISBN:

9780471234913

Pages:

250 pages

Format:

Hardback

Product Code:

16536

Publisher:

John Wiley & Sons Inc

Published:

18/02/2003

Edition:

1st Edition

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About Laura Rich

LAURA RICH is a former writer for the Industry Standard, Adweek, and Inside Media. She currently covers the world of digital entertainment for various publications, including Entertainment Weekly and the Hollywood Reporter. She penned the Standard's popular "Rich List" column and has written about Paul Allen for several years.

Contents of The Accidental Zillionaire

Introduction

Get Experienced
Making Microsoft
Yin and Yang
Facing Mortality
On His Own
Paul Allen, Venture Capitalist
The AOL Experience
Hollywood, Here He Comes!
"Allentown"
The Other Wired World
Cable Guy

Epilogue
Source Notes
Index