As upstarts

I’ll admit, I started *Upstarts* expecting another hagiography of Uber and Airbnb, but Stone quickly shreds that expectation. The book’s power lies in its unflinching look at the founders’ flaws—Kalanick’s toxic brilliance, Chesky’s improbable pivot from desperate renter to empire builder—and how those flaws became the fuel for their companies’ explosive growth. Moretzsohn’s narration is the secret weapon here; he doesn’t just read the words, he inhabits them. His portrayal of Kalanick’s volatile charisma is downright unsettling, while his deadpan delivery of corporate legalese had me snorting mid-commute. The pacing is relentless, though I did find myself wishing for a little more breathing room around the early Airbnb struggles—they get glossed over a bit too fast. And let’s talk audio production: the sound design is crisp, but the occasional background music choices feel jarringly dramatic, like a Netflix trailer spliced into a documentary. Still, these are minor quibbles. By the time you reach the chapter on Uber’s “God View” scandal, you’ll be gripping your phone like it’s a live grenade. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to burn the rulebook and cross your fingers the world won’t notice, this audiobook will either terrify you or inspire you to quit your job tomorrow.