Things a little bird told me : confessions of the creative mind

Things a little bird told me Confessions of the creative mind

Biz Stone

Book - 2014

"Biz Stone, the co-founder of Twitter, discusses the power of creativity and how to harness it, through stories from his remarkable life and career. THINGS A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME From GQ's "Nerd of the Year" to one of Time's most influential people in the world, Biz Stone represents different things to different people. But he is known to all as the creative, effervescent, funny, charmingly positive and remarkably savvy co-founder of Twitter-the social media platform that singlehandedly changed the way the world works. Now, Biz tells fascinating, pivotal, and personal stories from his early life and his careers at Google and Twitter, sharing his knowledge about the nature and importance of ingenuity today. In Biz...9;s world: -Opportunity can be manufactured -Great work comes from abandoning a linear way of thinking -Creativity never runs out -Asking questions is free -Empathy is core to personal and global success. In this book, Biz also addresses failure, the value of vulnerability, ambition, and corporate culture. Whether seeking behind-the-scenes stories, advice, or wisdom and principles from one of the most successful businessmen of the new century, THINGS A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME will satisfy every reader"--

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Subjects
Stone, Biz.
Twitter (Firm) > History.
Twitter.
Internet industry.
Online social networks.
Businesspeople > Biography.
Entrepreneurship > Anecdotes.
Success in business.
Published
New York ; Boston : Grand Central Publishing [2014]
Language
English
Main Author
Biz Stone (-)
Edition
First Edition
Physical Description
xvi, 224 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm
ISBN
9781455528714
  • How hard can it be?
  • Every day's a new day
  • The kings of podcasting abdicate
  • A short lesson in constraint
  • Humans learn to flock
  • Happily liver after
  • All hail the fail whale
  • The bright spot
  • Big changes come in small packages
  • Five hundred million dollars
  • Wisdom of the masses
  • You can handle the truth
  • The no-homework policy
  • The new rules
  • Twenty-five dollars goes a long way
  • A new definition for capitalism
  • Something new
  • The true promise of a connected society.
Review by Booklist Review

Twitter cofounder Stone dropped out of college to design book jackets, just one of the quirky turns of fate that set him on a nonlinear path to social-media entrepreneurship. He recounts having enough chutzpah to call himself a genius when he suffered lack of confidence and direction, enough audacity to ask for a job at Google on the strength of his experience as a blogger when he lacked a college degree, never mind a PhD in computer science. He and Evan Williams, who joined Google after selling Blogger, later left the relative safety of Google to start several ventures, most of which failed, before developing Twitter. While chronicling his setbacks and successes, Stone offers solid advice and inspiration: opportunity can be manufactured, creativity is a renewable resource, embrace constraints, failures can be assets, asking questions is free, empathy is essential to success. Readers will enjoy the tales of the ups and downs of Silicon Valley among major players, from Google to Apple to Facebook, as well as the insightful advice that can be applied to any career or enterprise.--Bush, Vanessa Copyright 2014 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

The way to succeed in business is to gamble your future, follow your bliss, and save the world, according to this effusive but callow memoir-cum-motivational manifesto by the co-founder of Twitter. Stone narrates a classic Silicon Valley romance: shoe-string startup with a crazy yet banal idea; explosive network growth; avalanche of wealth that leaves its recipient modest, , and abrim with grandiose theories about "human flocking." Unfortunately, his picture of Twitter-aka "a triumph of humanity"-is sketchy and idealized. We learn little about how the company makes money when it's not undermining tyrannies and giving to charity, and Stone's own role is vague: he brainstorms Twitter's bird logo and troubleshoots with irate customers, but his main job description seems to be "embodying and communicating the spirit of the thing" and "buil[ding] a moral compass and a righteous soul into the company." He distills his life experiences into self-help sermonettes that talk loudly but tread lightly. ("[B]e willing to die to achieve your goals. Figuratively, of course.") Stone often writes with considerable self-deprecating charm-his portrait of Facebook mogul Mark Zuckerberg as a humorless noodge is priceless-but when he dilates on his philosophy of thrill-seeking entrepreneurship, one longs for a 140-character limit. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review

Although Twitter is often associated with celebrity users such as Ashton Kutcher and the Kardashians, it is actually a company with more heart than most people realize. According to Stone, one of Twitter's cofounders, the purpose of the microblogging site is to help people reach a large audience, quickly and without barriers. He recounts numerous stories of Twitter bringing large numbers of people together for a good cause. The story Stone tells here is more self-help than tech talk. His positive words make it seem as though founding a world-changing, multi-billion-dollar business is within everyone's capabilities. However, tales about Stone's past successes, from the school lacrosse team to his work at Google, will make listeners suspect there is something more to Stone. Nevertheless, his advice, while certainly optimistic, is sound and even a little inspiring. Jonathan Davis's deep, rich voice is an excellent vehicle for this personal story. VERDICT You don't need a Twitter account to appreciate the tale of Twitter and its cofounder, but after listening to this if you might want to sign up. Theresa Horn, St. Joseph Cty. P.L., South Bend, IN (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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