Rarely is there a company started like Google and even more rare is a great book to chronicle the rise of such a company. Steven Levy (http://www.amazon.com/In-The-Plex-Google-Thinks/dp/1416596585) rises to the task though. He brings us into the brilliant minds of Sergey Brin and Larry Page. We learn just how complicated and amazing the Google search technology is and it is constantly being improved! It turns out, the founders of Google have this relentless drive to make things better, which is what motivates them.
They are costantly asking Why? Why? Why? The status quo is unacceptable to them and we are the beneficiaries of it. Their frustration with running out of space in their e-mail accounts led to basically unlimited storage in Gmail. Wanting to build a better browser where you could search directly the address field led to Chrome. Wanting to have a better collaborative document system led to Google docs.
I have a feeling they are not done with innovation!
Beyond the incredible technology Google creates is the management lesson of how to create a successful corporate culture (Google's motto: Don't be evil) and the challenges that arise when you go from being a small smart-up to a corporate behemoth. Many of the early employees have left Google now because they miss the excitement and creativity of an early stage company. Getting large and successful leads to bureaucracy - something Googlers hate.
All in all, this book is one of the most informative I've read about a subject that everyone should have a basic understanding of: how Google shapes our world.
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