Review: ‘Chaos Monkeys’ Is a Guide to the Spirit of Silicon Valley - The New York Times

Excerpt from a mixed review

"Even where Mr. García completely mangles the facts – as he does for instance in describing the mechanics of the Facebook initial public offering – he manages to draw multiple fresh insights that somehow feel directionally correct. And in contrast to the self-serving verdicts rendered on his allies and enemies, his broader conclusions seem well balanced. The world he inhabited, Mr. García reflects, “is no worse than traditional industry and politics, but certainly no better either.”

Which brings us to the second reason “Chaos Monkeys” is a must-read. It matters. Mr. García is providing tools to honestly deconstruct a corner of the world that has amassed breathtaking cultural, economic and political influence, and not always for the good. Fully 60 percent of Harvard Business School graduates now go to work at companies with fewer than 500 employees. A fuller conversation is required before we rejoice that the invidious hegemony of Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company and hedge funds as the resting place for our best and brightest graduates has been replaced with early-stage tech companies."

Review: ‘Chaos Monkeys’ Is a Guide to the Spirit of Silicon Valley - The New York Times