The Accidental Zillionaire

The first in-depth look at one of the world's richest-and most secretive-businessmen

Though his wealth is certainly no secret, the world's fourth richest man remains an enigma. Paul Allen made his fortune as Bill Gates's partner in Microsoft, supplemented it with questionable, though often profitable, venture capital schemes, and has since invested his wealth in a widely divergent list of interests. He owns the NBA's Portland Trailblazers and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. Among hundreds of smaller ventures, he is a primary stakeholder in the film production company DreamWorks SKG and formerly held a large piece of the widely despised Ticketmaster monopoly. Dubbed the "Accidental Zillionaire" by Wired magazine, Allen has often appeared to be a bumbler who succeeded primarily through luck and by coopting the visionary ideas of others. In The Accidental Zillionaire, Laura Rich, one of the foremost chroniclers of the Internet economy, unravels the secret Paul Allen, his inner motivations, his vision, and his personality. She tells Allen's story from his days as a fledgling computer geek in suburban Washington state, to his role in founding the world's largest software company, to his battle with cancer, to his sycophantic flirtation with Hollywood and its brightest stars. Paul Allen is a man of various interests and passions, but few if any know him well. The Accidental Zillionaire for the first time reveals the inner workings of a towering figure in the worlds of technology, business, sports, and entertainment.

Laura Rich (Los Angeles, CA) is a former writer for The Industry Standard, Adweek, and Inside Media. She currently covers the world of digital entertainment for Entertainment Weekly, Fortune, and The Hollywood Reporter. She penned The Standard's popular "Rich List" report and has reported on Paul Allen for years.

Introduction.

Get Experienced.

Making Microsoft.

Yin and Yang.

Facing Mortality.

On His Own.

Paul Allen, Venture Capitalist.

The AOL Experience.

Hollywood, Here He Comes!

"Allentown".

The Other Wired World.

Cable Guy.

Epilogue.

Source Notes.

Index.

"a cutting new biography" (Newsweek, February 3, 2003)

“…for the first time reveals the inner workings of a towering figure in the worlds of technology, sports, and entertainment…”(Computer Consultant, April/May 2003)

“…questions Allen’s patchy business track record since leaving Microsoft – and details his billionaire lifestyle…”(Business Eye (Northern Ireland), April 2003)

“…Rich has finally presented a balanced view of Allen’s achievements…” (M2 Best Books, 3 February 2003)

LAURA RICH is a former writer for the Industry Standard, Adweek, and Inside Media. She currently covers the world of digital entertainment for various publications, including Entertainment Weekly and the Hollywood Reporter. She penned the Standard's popular "Rich List" column and has written about Paul Allen for several years. From humble beginnings as the son of a working-class family in suburban Washington state to one of the world's richest men, Paul Allen's life story reads like the American dream come true. But if Allen's story is as familiar to us as any rags-to-riches tale, Allen himself has remained a curious enigma.

As cofounder of Microsoft, Allen banked billions while still a young man. Since then, he's invested in a massive array of both high-tech and more traditional interests-he owns the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers and the NFL's Seattle Seahawks and is a primary stakeholder in the film production company DreamWorks SKG, among other investments. Dubbed the "Accidental Zillionaire" by Wired magazine, he's often seen as a quixotic figure who succeeds primarily through luck and by investing in the visionary ideas of others. But even his harshest critics would find it hard to bet against him. Today, Allen's money-if not his personality-casts a long shadow over the intertwined worlds of technology, business, sports, and entertainment.

In The Accidental Zillionaire, Laura Rich, one of the foremost chroniclers of the Internet economy, unravels the secret Paul Allen, his inner motivations, his vision, and his personality. She follows Allen from his days as a teen computer geek, to his role in founding the world's largest software company, to his battle with Hodgkin's disease, to his odd flirtation with Hollywood. Paul Allen is a man of varied interests and passions, but few, if any, know him well. This book, for the first time, reveals the inner workings of a figure whose significance is often overlooked.

The collaboration between Gates and Allen has been well documented. But for all of Microsoft's success-and as big a part as Allen played in that success-his contribution to the software behemoth has often been downplayed. Allen remains a shadowy figure while Gates hogs the limelight. Though their relationship has been examined in detail, Allen himself has received scant attention.

Cutting through the mythological tenor of much of what passes for the history of Microsoft and its founders, The Accidental Zillionaire reveals Allen as more than merely "Bill Gates's partner," but as a man whose brilliance and subterranean influence has had a profound and far-reaching impact on modern America. Praise for THE ACCIDENTAL ZILLIONAIRE

"Why is this the first book to be written about Paul Allen, the enigmatic tech wunderkind who has spent much of his adult life high atop the World's Richest Men list? Rich digs deep into Allen's past to offer us a quick-paced, entertaining, and illuminating glimpse into the life of a man who plainly has so much to prove despite his untold riches."
—Gary Rivlin, Author, The Plot to Get Bill Gates

"A disquieting look into high-tech's enigma, Paul Allen. Once Laura Rich's tale begins to unfold we are treated to a roller-coaster inventory of odd and interesting facts, from Allen's love affair with Monica Seles to his makeover by David Geffen. Her depiction at first brings to mind The Great Gatsby but quickly and disturbingly evolves into a dark portrait of a lost soul. A must-read."
—John C. Dvorak, Columnist, PC Magazine