By now, most people have seen the excellent The Social Network, which tells about the founding of Facebook from the college dorm room of Mark Zuckerberg. The movie goes into the lawsuits filed by the Winklevoss twins claiming Zuckerberg stole their idea, while also how Eduardo Saverin helped Zuckerberg start the company, and, eventually be pushed out. But, you probably are not aware that Aaron Sorkin's excellent script was based on Ben Mezrich's book The Accidental Billionaires. After being on my "to read" list for years, I finally got to it this summer.
The book is pretty darn engaging. While it's almost all based on real events, the author does have to create dialogue in a number of parts and there is no way to know if those were the words being said. However, it's awfully dramatic and interesting and, as a reader, I appreciate these offerings (as opposed to straight reporting of facts). The characters are absolutely fascinating, and it was interesting to learn more about what motivates/motivated Zuckerberg and the clear awkwardness he exhibits socially. Getting the background about the Winklevoss twins, Saverin, and, the interesting, Sean Parker also made this book a fun read.
Interestingly, I did find this book more dissimilar from the movie than I expected. I think this is a testament to the genius of Sorkin (my favorite screenwriter). While The Accidental Billionaires is a good book, I think The Social Network is a phenomenal movie. I believe much of its greatness is attributed to Sorkin. The opening scene in the movie, which immediately pulls you in, does not exist in the book. But Sorkin does a phenomenal job, in his rapid dialogue style, to paint an immediate picture to allow the viewer to understand Zuckerberg. Alternatively, it takes Mezrich numerous chapters to accomplish the same goal.
The book may be less of a draw to some that already know the story of the founding of Facebook. If you have not seen the movie or are not familiar with the story, I HIGHLY recommend this book. The story is absolutely fascinating. If you have seen the movie recently, it's probably not a "must read" but may be enjoyable. Either way, see you online! 😃
No comments:
Post a Comment