The Facebook Effect

The Inside Story of the Company That Is Connecting the World

By: David Kirkpatrick

Narrated by: David Kirkpatrick

In a little more than half a decade, Facebook has gone from a dorm-room novelty to a company with 500 million users - and an essential part of the social life not only of teenagers but hundreds of millions of adults worldwide. As Facebook spreads around the globe, it creates surprising effects - even becoming instrumental in political protests.

Veteran technology reporter David Kirkpatrick had the full cooperation of Facebook's key executives in researching this fascinating history. Kirkpatrick tells us how Facebook was created, why it has flourished, and where it is going next. He chronicles its successes and missteps, and gives readers the most complete assessment anywhere of founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the central figure in the company's remarkable ascent. This is the Facebook story that can be found nowhere else.

Kirkpatrick shows how Zuckerberg refused to compromise, insistently focusing on growth over profits and preaching that Facebook must dominate (his word) communication on the Internet. In the process, he and a small group of key executives have created a company that has changed social life in the United States and elsewhere, a company that has become a ubiquitous presence in marketing, and one that has altered politics, business, and even our sense of our own identity. This is the Facebook Effect.

This special edition also includes an exclusive conversation between the author and Randi Zuckerberg, who offers unique insight as a marketer at Facebook and the CEO's sister. You'll hear them talk about major company milestones, high-profile product launches, and the CEO's growth - emotionally and experientially - as a leader. They also discuss the controversial issues surrounding Facebook's privacy policies.

©2010 David Kirkpatrick (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"This is a fantastic book, filled with great reporting and colorful narrative. The human drama of Mark Zuckerberg and his colleagues gives an exciting glimpse of how to launch a game-changing startup." (Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein: His Life and Universe)

Critique for Narrator

I found the sniffs/snorts from the narrator a bit irritating in some sections of the audio book but otherwise the author gave some good insight into the beginnings of FB.

Great audio book, you have to check it out.

Would you listen to The Facebook Effect again? Why?

Yes, I love this story. It's very detail about how the Facebook was created. It inspired me.

4 stars for the book, 2 star for the reading

The content of the book is interesting for anybody that wants to know about this amazing phenomenon that is facebook, although I cant say it was really exiting, if I wasn’t that interested, it wouldn’t have been a good read or listen.

I dont understand why the autor wanted to narrete his book. I am reading the Kite runner, where it makes amazing sense, and it feels even better to have the author narrate his story. Also, is much better narrated, for this book you can hear all sorts of noises that are not normal on a good audiobook, why did he do this? to save money? I really don’t understand.

Excellent Insights in amazing company

What made the experience of listening to The Facebook Effect the most enjoyable?

The Story was told very well and the author / reader had personal insights which made it more enjoyable.

What about David Kirkpatrick’s performance did you like?

Very well done!

Great book - well researched.

This audio book is outstanding. Excellent content. Great, insightful interviews with Facebook insiders and Mark's family. Really a brilliant job! Thanks David.