Book · 2022 · Biography & Autobiography
The Founders
Elon Musk, Peter Thiel and the Company that Made the Modern Internet
- mentions
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- people
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- podcasts
- 6
- episodes
- 6
- critical mentions
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The Founders is actually a very good book like and part of it is because it's well written but part of it is because Jimmy the guy who wrote it interviewed every single character in the story extensively.
Max Levchin · a16z Podcast · Sep 2026 Listen at 49:31 What they say about it
- Describes PayPal and Silicon Valley“the story of paypal and the entrepreneurs who shape silicon valley”4
The best things said about it
The book is The Founders, the story of PayPal and the entrepreneurs who shape Silicon Valley. I highly, highly recommend it.
One project I will give a little plug to is Jimmy Sony's book the founders which is the story of PayPal and the entrepreneurs who shaped Sil Valley that came out in 2022.
Have you read um have you read the new uh book about paypal called the founders um i haven't read it yet but saks bought the rights to it for a movie.
Jason Calacanis This Week in Startups · Jul 2022 Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
How it comes up
Most mentions, by podcast
8 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
The Founders by Jimmy Soni is the gripping chronicle of PayPal and the ambitious entrepreneurs who ultimately shaped the modern technology landscape of Silicon Valley. On the a16z Podcast, Max Levchin warmly recommended the title, noting that the author spent extensive time interviewing every single character involved in the historic company. Erik Torenberg also brought up the volume on the same show to discuss PayPal's enduring impact and its famous alumni network. Similarly, David Sacks mentioned Jimmy Soni's work on All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg, revealing that he and Jack Selby had optioned the project to turn it into a television series with Drake's company. Dwarkesh Patel offered high praise for the book at the close of his interview with Soni on the Dwarkesh Podcast, urging his audience to read it. On The Realignment, Marshall Kosloff likewise encouraged listeners to purchase the biography and named it toward the end of the episode. On The Book Review, critic Alexandra Jacobs introduced the text during the critics segment, while Jason Calacanis brought it up on This Week in Startups while discussing David Sacks acquiring the movie rights. Across multiple discussions, podcast hosts and tech leaders consistently highlighted the book as an essential resource for understanding the origins of today's tech giants and the dynamic individuals who built them from the ground up.
Every mention
Marshall Kosloff rate subscribe all all the above and everybody buy jimmy's book so let's get out of the way there you go 2
“rate subscribe all all the above and everybody buy jimmy's book so let's get out of the way there you go”
“it's called the founders uh the story of paypal and the entrepreneurs who shape silicon valley”
Dwarkesh Patel so the book is the founders uh the story of paypal and the entrepreneurs who shape silicon valley i highly… 2
“and most recently he's the author of the founders the story of paypal and the entrepreneurs who shaped silicon valley”
“so the book is the founders uh the story of paypal and the entrepreneurs who shape silicon valley i highly highly recommend it”
Alexandra Jacobs it's called the founders it's the story of PayPal and the entrepreneurs who shaped Silicon Valley 1
“it's called the founders it's the story of PayPal and the entrepreneurs who shaped Silicon Valley”
David Sacks one project I will give a little plug to is Jimmy Sony's book the founders which is the story of PayPal and… 1
“one project I will give a little plug to is Jimmy Sony's book the founders which is the story of PayPal and the entrepreneurs who shaped Sil Valley that came out in 2022”
Max Levchin the founder is actually a very good book like and part of it is because it's well written but part of it is… 1
“the founder is actually a very good book like and part of it is because it's well written but part of it is because Jimmy the guy who wrote it interviewed every single character in the story extensively”
Erik Torenberg there's been you know a book came out founders recently there's been sort of a lot of uh you know revisitin… 1
“there's been you know a book came out founders recently there's been sort of a lot of uh you know revisiting of of of PayPal both in its impact”
Jason Calacanis have you read um have you read the new uh book about paypal called the founders um i haven't read it yet bu… 1
“have you read um have you read the new uh book about paypal called the founders um i haven't read it yet but saks bought the rights to it for a movie”
Saagar Enjeti that's part of the reason i really love talking to jimmy about this book 1
“that's part of the reason i really love talking to jimmy about this book”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
“My source of relief was I I needed to get through big projects. Uh the founders book which I was working on, business things, client things, and raising a daughter.”
“he's the author of the founders the story of paypal and the entrepreneurs who shaped silicon valley sagar who are those founders”
“but i i think that we need to my book i would actually argue is not not really a tech book uh it's a book about a group of people who come together to solve a big problem”