In the Plex

How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives

By: Steven Levy

Narrated by: L. J. Ganser

Length: 19 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Few companies in history have ever been as successful and as admired as Google, the company that has transformed the Internet and become an indispensable part of our lives. How has Google done it? Veteran technology reporter Steven Levy was granted unprecedented access to the company, and in this revelatory book he takes listeners inside Google headquarters - the Googleplex - to explain how Google works.

While they were still students at Stanford, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin revolutionized Internet search. They followed this brilliant innovation with another, as two of Google's earliest employees found a way to do what no one else had: make billions of dollars from Internet advertising. With this cash cow (until Google's IPO, nobody other than Google management had any idea how lucrative the company's ad business was), Google was able to expand dramatically and take on other transformative projects: more efficient data centers, open-source cell phones, free Internet video (YouTube), cloud computing, digitizing books, and much more.

The key to Google's success in all these businesses, Levy reveals, is its engineering mind-set and adoption of such Internet values as speed, openness, experimentation, and risk taking. After it's unapologetically elitist approach to hiring, Google pampers its engineers with free food and dry cleaning, on-site doctors and masseuses, and gives them all the resources they need to succeed. Even today, with a workforce of more than 23,000, Larry Page signs off on every hire.

But has Google lost its innovative edge? It stumbled badly in China. And now, with its newest initiative, social networking, Google is chasing a successful competitor for the first time. Some employees are leaving the company for smaller, nimbler start-ups. Can the company that famously decided not to be "evil" still compete?

No other book has turned Google inside out as Levy does with In the Plex.

This edition of In the Plex includes an exclusive interview with Google's Marissa Mayer, one of the company's earliest hires and most visible executives, as well as the youngest woman to ever make Fortune's "50 Most Powerful Women in Business" list. She provides a high-level insider's perspective on the company's life story, its unique hiring practices, its new social networking initiative, and more.

©2011 Steven Levy (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Thoroughly versed in technology reporting, Wired senior writer Levy deliberates at great length about online behemoth Google and creatively documents the company’s genesis from a 'feisty start-up to a market-dominating giant'.... Though the author offers plenty of well-known information, it’s his catbird-seat vantage point that really gets to the good stuff. Outstanding reportage delivered in the upbeat, informative fashion for which Levy is well known." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"The book, a wide-ranging history of the company from start-up to behemoth, sheds light on the biggest threats Google faces today, from the Chinese government to Facebook and privacy critics." ( The New York Times)

“With a commanding voice, L.J. Ganser narrates this history and exploration of Google….Ganser’s stern voice is clear and moves through the text with determination.” ( AudioFile)

Interesting Look Inside of Google

Really detailed view of how Google got started and the key factors to their growth. I had no idea of how much analysis went into their business model and the endless adjustments to search was fascinating if somewhat repetitive which is probably the point of their success. The culture is presented as somewhat cloistered but I must admit there is some really brillant thinking in the mix.

Interesting, interesting, interesting!

This book is simply great. It really paints a vivid a picture of Google and its founders. It held my interest throughout.

Who Knew?

What made the experience of listening to In the Plex the most enjoyable?

This book put "faces" upon the Google facade removing the veil of mystery. Understanding more about "do no evil" as a company mantra was very significant to me along with the basic thread of user services that was explored and amplified in the book. The ubiquity of Google overshadows the fact that real people are doing real work behind the scenes and the story covered that so very nicely, putting humanity first.

What did you like best about this story?

I honestly don't have an answer for that. Demystifying Google probably.

What does L. J. Ganser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The book is heavy left brain data so a narrative really enhances the experience whereas the right brain, in reading might give up totally! LOL

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Heavens no! I enjoyed it in bits and drabs while working.

Any additional comments?

Good expanded material and interview at the end of the book which was a surprising bonus and appreciated by this listener.

Decent, but nothing special

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Time was well spent because it lets me drift into a story while I am stuck in traffic

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Nothing surprising or shocking, just a google timeline

Have you listened to any of L. J. Ganser’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil

What made the experience of listening to In the Plex the most enjoyable?

I thought the author did a great job of covering most if not all of Google's projects. It was interesting hearing some of the more intimate details about the inner workings of Google.

What other book might you compare In the Plex to and why?

I'd say any of the audio books about the big players in Silicon Valley are similar to this book.

Have you listened to any of L. J. Ganser’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I havent listened to any of his other performances. His voice didn't annoy me though, and it paired well with the content of the audio book.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Google: We're not a cult.

Any additional comments?

I think the author went a bit too easy on Google and always took them at face value when they said they operated in the interest of their users instead of on corporate profits. A good example of this is the whole China debacle. In my experience you don't become a global powerhouse by playing nice with everyone. I'm sure Google has some skeletons in their closet just like everyone else.

Have you googled it?

Any additional comments?

Very interesting book. I would recommend to anyone who is interested in knowing more about Google, how the company came about, and what they have been up to lately. This book was very interesting. I didn't want to stop listening when I arrived at work. Well written and well read.

Interesting content and great narration!

Some audio books bore me to death, but this guy has an enthusiastic voice and inflection that made the content more exciting.

I listened to this book for the last few weeks during my lunch hour, and it couldn't wait to finish each chapter. I've been a user of Google for a long time, but now I see the company in a completely different light. I guess you could say that I'm a "fan" now!

I'm not sure how the typical consumer would react to this book, but from an I.T. professional's perspective -- it was digital candy for my mind. I only wish the book wouldn't have ended, and continued on as a real time blog so I that could keep up on current events at Google, as they unfold.

It was truly an enjoyable story about the rise of a great, modern company that's still growing and changing the way people interact online.

don't be ungoogly

Glad I read this book, but it took discipline to complete. I came away impressed and suspicious of google. Not the page turner like the Steve Jobs biography which had a real human character. With this google book, the characters are search, censorship, email, advertising, acquisitions, and googlyness. Reflects on how Google struggles with being a suddenly big company that strives to retain start-up mentality.

Get a glimpse of the work done in the google plex

The book is 424 pages long, thus trying to finish it took quite sometime. But it was an eye opening experience and you could understand better how a search engine almost all internet users use came to be and how it will continue to shape our lives. The narration was superb. Kudos to L.J. Ganser!

A must read if you are into technology!

What did you love best about In the Plex?

If you have any interest in google or learn more about Silicon Valley you must listen to this book!