Eat People

An Unapologetic Plan for Entrepreneurial Success

By: Andy Kessler

Narrated by: Walter Dixon

Length: 7 hrs and 13 mins

Publisher's summary

Here's how entrepreneurs find the next big thing - and make it huge. The era of easy money and easy jobs is officially over. Today, we're all entrepreneurs, and the tides of change threaten to capsize anyone who plays it safe. Taking risks is the name of the game - but how can you tell a smart bet from a stupid gamble?

Andy Kessler has made a career out of seeing the future of business, as an analyst, investment banker, venture capitalist, and hedge-fund manager. He evaluated the business potential of the likes of Steve Jobs and Michael Dell before they were Steve Jobs and Michael Dell. His eye for what's next is unparalleled. Now Kessler explains how the world's greatest entrepreneurs don't just start successful companies - they overturn entire industries. He offers 12 surprising and controversial rules for these radical entrepreneurs, such as:

• Eat people: Get rid of worthless jobs to create more wealth for everybody
• Create artificial scarcity for virtual goods
• Trust markets to make better decisions than managers

Whether you're at a big corporation or running a small business, you're now an entrepreneur. Will you see change coming and grab on to opportunity - or miss the boat?

©2011 Andy Kessler (P)2011 Gildan Media Corp

Critic reviews

"Mr. Kessler has written an entertaining business book, in which it is more than possible to learn something. That is a rare combination." ( The New York Times)

Interesting, a bit preachy

The overall concepts and observations were informative, not necessarily original or revolutionary. When the Ayn Rand rhetoric started up it was a real turn off. I'm glad I was able to finish it, it was more preachy than I expected. Honestly not worth spending a credit on.

Excellent insights for entrepreneurs

If you could sum up Eat People in three words, what would they be?

Inspiration for Entrepreneurs

What did you like best about this story?

This book provided me with a lot of insights that helped me to identify business opportunities.

What does Walter Dixon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I was able to listen to the book on my way to and from work. And I listened to it several times. I can't read while driving and I almost never read a book more than once.

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

I listened to it in several 45 minute intervals during my daily commute. I don't think I would have processed all the information if I did it all in one sitting.

Any additional comments?

The author makes mention of different stereo types that may seem insulting to some, but it helps to get his points across.Try and listen to the point that he is making instead of taking offence to his stereo typing.This book provides some great insights that will help you to spot business opportunities and avoid pitfalls.

This guy gets it, and so will you!

It's clear Andy is a Republican by his views on government and policy but this book is not about politics. This book hovers around a couple key concepts about what really moves the needle when it comes to the prosperity of our country. He explains his ideas very clearly and it a way that just makes good sense.

A useful, yet enjoyable read

What did you like best about this story?

Kessler has a lot to tell about what works and what won't work in the business of entrepreneurship. Kessler knows how to tell a story.

One of the best business books!

I'm looking back at some of the best and worst Audible books I have listened to during the last decade and writing some reviews. Eat People is from 4 years ago.

Andy Kessler is an American gem! Sure, he has written eight books each well worth reading, but the key is his remarkable success in business in our country. I will not try to summarize those successes, but they are readily available on the Internet.

Eat People is neither the first nor most recent of Kessler's books that use audacious, attention drawing titles nor is the first to make controversial statements. Kessler's comments are always worth considering. My advice is to read the books and take away what you will. I love this book and recommend it without reservation.

some nuggets, lots of ranting

Free market conservatives will eat this up. Liberals will learn a trick or two but will have to suffer to get to those nuggets. In the end, parts of this are a must read for any Entrepreneur that wants to build a big business.

I loved much of his inside insights, but he forces me to suffer through his trivial, shallow, rationalizations of his life long career choice around topics like the free market economy, waist and destruction of the environment, unions and more. He beats a dead horse on many occasions with his no bull style of writing that more than being of a "tell it like it is" genre just makes him sound like a bastard. Walter Dixon the narrator pushes this style with a purposeful consistent sarcastic drone that at times gave me a head ache. Like a wooden roller coaster it's a bumpy ride with thrills that make it worth it in the end, but leaves you with a back ache.

Some good points but very two dimensional pov

What did you like best about Eat People? What did you like least?

Some of the points he makes are refreshing but the rest are very narrow minded opinions none of them really backed by any truth.

Would you be willing to try another book from Andy Kessler? Why or why not?

Nope. With this book I can tell where the author stands with this world and his other book probably are the rehash of his very two dimensional point of views.

Classy

I would like a lifetime subscription on books from Andy Kessler. With a signature. Please

Eat People

While this author has some very good points such as how many professions like attorneys and industries like insurance, and governmental business and many with unions that make things inefficient, (and charge to much for the service) and make people say" I dare you to report me for bad service" (such chrysler customer service) charge too much. Very good points! He also explains why the charge is too much, in detail and it makes good sense.
However, he seems locked in predetermined thoughts about people that is not very progressive to say the least for example..." slackers are easy to spot, white guys with dreadlocks, people who hang around Starbucks, women in long dresses made out of old drapes" What is he talking about???? He does not say why or understand why athletes are paid well ( they make many others wealthy, advertisers, owners, sports wear ect. also they help create jobs!.) He goes in to genius thoughts, to some type of mentally altered patient ranting almost.
Somewhat insightful, interesting and different if anything else.

I Can't Believe He Said That

I took off one star because I really didn't appreciate the author labeling athletes and doctors as "thieves" because they generally overcharge for their services and do little to advance society as a whole. I'll have to listen to that chapter again to get the full grasp of what he's talking about.

Aside from that, I do agree with his overall point that technology "eats people" by devouring jobs. I also agree with the author in that this is a necessary part of society's advancement. It's hard to understand how unions slow economic growth until he compares public transit in China to that of New York and offers other examples of how unions delay technological progress. Very thought provoking, though a bit unsettling.