Howdy book lovers!
We’ve just passed the half-way mark of June and, hopefully, you’re about halfway through our book club read for the month: The Founders by Jimmy Soni - who by the way is joining us for our end of month book club call next week! So make sure you get along to that. It promises to be a thrilling discussion with Jimmy.
While we encourage a range of views on the books we read - personally, we are finding this book to be fantastic so far! It’s a cracking read that is not only really well told but is also an extremely in depth and fun look at the early business lives of some of the World’s most influential entrepreneurs.
While on that topic of the entrepreneurs featured in The Founders - it can be easy to get a little overwhelmed. Luckily, on of our amazing book club members on our Discord channel has shared an incredible resource with us that outlines who each of the member of the PayPal Mafia are, their relationship with each other, and the various companies they’ve been involved with. Check it out here!
Don’t forget to register for our end of month book club call on 26th June at 17:00 GMT (12:00 EST / 09:00 PST). Here’s the link: https://calendly.com/tristanburns/badassbookshelfjune
﹅ Community insights
PayPal Mafia
“I will say this was the first time I heard of them as the PayPal mafia so the book was worth it already from that perspective (even though I was just gripping about the focus - understandably - on all the people early on 😂). I didn't realize PayPal was that vital.” - Wilson
Three years, on still loving it
“I purchased and listened to the book 3 years ago. It covers an in depth, behind the scenes look at the founding of PayPal. Elon Musk, Peter Theil, Reid Hoffman, Max Levchin, and more...Dig into the book's great story telling about an important piece of tech history to see how it happened.” - Lenny
Same
“Just me chipping in again to say how much I’m enjoying the book!” - David
● Additional resources
Did you know:
Jimmy Soni recently launched a new book?
When The Light Finds Us is the powerful memoir of Judy A. Henderson, who spent nearly 35 years in prison for a crime she didn’t commit. Separated from her children, she found purpose through advocacy, education, and helping other incarcerated women. Her resilience and faith ultimately led to her release and full pardon. It’s a story of injustice, perseverance, and redemption.
► Our burning questions
Got a question for Jimmy Soni?
We’re thrilled to share that The Founders author, Jimmy Soni, will be joining our live book club call this month! This is a rare chance to ask him anything — from behind-the-scenes stories that didn’t make the book, to his thoughts on the wild personalities, the breakneck pivots, and the early chaos of PayPal.
Not sure what to ask? Here are a few ideas to get you thinking:
What surprised him most while researching The Founders?
Which founder was the hardest to interview — and why?
What lessons does he think apply most to today’s solo founders and early-stage teams?
Are there any PayPal myths he wants to debunk?
Hit reply to this email with your question (or drop it in Discord if you're hanging out there). We’ll gather the best ones to share during the live call!
Let’s make the most of having Jimmy in the (virtual) room!
♦︎ Next book club call
We're so excited to host our next Bad Ass Bookshelf bookclub call to discuss [Book title] at the end of [month]! Call details below:
Date: Thursday, 26th June
Time: 17:00 GMT (12:00 EST / 09:00 PST)
Register for the call here: https://calendly.com/tristanburns/badassbookshelfjune
Cannot wait to see you all there!
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