Idea Man: A Memoir by the Cofounder of Microsoft
Paul Allen－－電腦時代真正的冒險家、微軟創辦人首部自傳
一段永遠改變人類生活的創業傳奇
一個不斷為創意而奮鬥的驚人故事
保羅．艾倫除了是眾所周知的微軟共同創辦人，還曾在許多領域上立足，從航空業、科學到搖滾樂，從運動到慈善事業。他對事物的熱情與好奇徹底改變了現代人類的生活方式。
故事開始於一九七四年十二月一個下雪的冬天，艾倫在哈佛廣場買到了最新一期的《大眾電子學》雜誌，他立刻分享給好友比爾．蓋茲，當時蓋茲還是哈佛大學的學生。雜誌的封面故事是報導全世界第一台真正的個人電腦Altair 8800。艾倫知道，他們有能力為這部電腦撰寫程式。當蓋茲同意一起為Altair 8800撰寫BASIC程式時，他們從此展開數位時代一個最具影響力的夥伴關係。
微軟早期的發展已被討論過無數次，有許多說法和著作，但艾倫十分低調，從未發表他個人的意見和看法。在這本讓眾人期待已久的回憶錄裡，他首次袒露自己的觀點，說出他和蓋茲之間複雜的關係，並揭開微軟如何成為最具影響力的科技公司的祕密，過程有令人振臂歡呼的勝利，也有可怕的低潮。
艾倫在一九八三年離開微軟之後，生活依然多采多姿。他買下了一支職業籃球隊、一支職業美式足球隊，還創立「艾倫腦科學研究所」，協助建立人類的腦部圖譜、希望解決腦部疾病，是對社會積極貢獻的超級慈善家，並因此於二○○七年及二○○八年連續獲選為《時代》雜誌的年度最具影響力百大人物。他獨立投資的「太空船一號」更是第一艘飛進太空的民間太空船。艾倫從一個喜愛閱讀和科學實驗的小子成長為勇不放棄夢想的實踐者，如此真實的故事令人驚豔。
不論你是懷著夢想的奮鬥者、創業家、科技業者或喜愛成功人士故事的人，本書都將令你受益良多，你絕不應錯過。
By his early thirties, Paul Allen was a world-famous billionaire-and that was just the beginning.
In 2007 and 2008, Time named Paul Allen, the cofounder of Microsoft, one of the hundred most influential people in the world. Since he made his fortune, his impact has been felt in science, technology, business, medicine, sports, music, and philanthropy. His passion, curiosity, and intellectual rigor-combined with the resources to launch and support new initiatives-have literally changed the world.
In 2009 Allen discovered that he had lymphoma, lending urgency to his desire to share his story for the first time. In this long-awaited memoir, Allen explains how he has solved problems, what he's learned from his many endeavors-both the triumphs and the failures-and his compelling vision for the future. He reflects candidly on an extraordinary life.
The book also features previously untold stories about everything from the true origins of Microsoft to Allen's role in the dawn of private space travel (with SpaceShipOne) and in discoveries at the frontiers of brain science. With honesty, humor, and insight, Allen tells the story of a life of ideas made real.
★本書中譯版《我與微軟，以及我的夢想》由大塊文化出版。
作者簡介
保羅．艾倫（Paul Allen）
一九七五年與比爾．蓋茲（Bill Gates）共同創辦微軟，並擔任首席技術師，直到罹患何杰金氏病並在一九八三年離開該公司。艾倫於二○○七、二○○八年入選《時代》雜誌年度最具影響力的「百大人物」，二○一二年身價高達一百四十億美元，在《富比世》富豪排行榜排名全球第四十八位。他是美國職籃波特蘭拓荒者隊、職業美式足球西雅圖海鷹隊的老闆以及火神公司（Vulcan Inc.）董事長，也是坐擁數十億美元專利的技術專家，並且積極從事慈善事業、贊助各項研究，創辦了艾倫腦科學研究所。他現居於美國華盛頓州麻沙島。
PAUL ALLEN is the billionaire technologist and philanthropist who cofounded Microsoft with Bill Gates. He is the chairman of Vulcan Inc. and founder of the Allen Institute for Brain Science. He also owns the Seattle Seahawks and the Portland Trail Blazers and is co-owner of the Seattle Sounders pro soccer team. He lives on Mercer Island, Washington.
