Start-up Nation - bookrastinating.com

electronic resource

English language

Published Nov. 7, 2009 by Grand Central Publishing.

ISBN:: 978-0-446-55831-0
OCLC Number:: 502151682

START-UP NATION addresses the trillion dollar question: How is it that Israel-- a country of 7.1 million, only 60 years old, surrounded by enemies, in a constant state of war since its founding, with no natural resources-- produces more start-up companies than large, peaceful, and stable nations like Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada and the UK?With the savvy of foreign policy insiders, Senor and Singer examine the lessons of the country's adversity-driven culture, which flattens hierarchy and elevates informality-- all backed up by government policies focused on innovation. In a world where economies as diverse as Ireland, Singapore and Dubai have tried to re-create the "Israel effect", there are entrepreneurial lessons well worth noting. As America reboots its own economy and can-do spirit, there's never been a better time to look at this remarkable and resilient nation for some impressive, surprising clues.

5 editions

dgw reviewed Start-up nation by Dan Senor

Review of 'Start-up nation' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

I was very excited about this book when I found out that I'd won it from Goodreads Giveaways (First Reads). The description given in the giveaway section drew me in; a book about Israel and business had to be just awesome!

Diving right in to it the day I got it, I immediately knew my expectations would be met. However, I didn't know how much they'd be exceeded. The book is extremely well written and edited; while I was reading, I encountered maybe one minor grammatical mistake—an extraordinarily low count, considering that most books I've read have at least a few. The non-traditional organization works well, going off on tangents and tying them flawlessly into the main idea. Chapters can span Israel's entire history, or focus on one specific part.

The book draws heavily on cited sources, all of which can be found in the back. I didn't use the …

I was very excited about this book when I found out that I'd won it from Goodreads Giveaways (First Reads). The description given in the giveaway section drew me in; a book about Israel and business had to be just awesome!

Diving right in to it the day I got it, I immediately knew my expectations would be met. However, I didn't know how much they'd be exceeded. The book is extremely well written and edited; while I was reading, I encountered maybe one minor grammatical mistake—an extraordinarily low count, considering that most books I've read have at least a few. The non-traditional organization works well, going off on tangents and tying them flawlessly into the main idea. Chapters can span Israel's entire history, or focus on one specific part.

The book draws heavily on cited sources, all of which can be found in the back. I didn't use the footnotes (too much work, and I was too engrossed to be flipping around), but the "Notes" and "Bibliography" sections have a wealth of resources for further reading. From the bibliography, I have already extracted several books and articles to put on my list, and I expect to get more.

Unlike [b:the last book I won|6535289|Ashley and Tiana|Jessica R. Dreistadt|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41QlmvlarZL.SL75.jpg|6727448], I immensely enjoyed every page of this book. I didn't want to finish it because it was so good. But I learned a lot, and have gained resources for learning more. Start-Up Nation is one of the most informative books I have ever read, and anyone who has even a passing interest in Israel or business should read it.

Now I can turn my attention to [b:We Look Like the Enemy|7159855|We Look Like the Enemy The Hidden Story of Israel's Jews from Arab Lands|Rachel Shabi|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1261121386s/7159855.jpg|6251087], my next First Reads win.

Just received the book this morning (2009-12-02). Begun reading; it's engrossing right from the start. An interesting coincidence that [b:a book I picked up|6434142|The Film Club A Memoir|David Gilmour|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256060064s/6434142.jpg|2291062] at B&N just the other day was also published by Twelve.

I was just notified today (2009-10-26) that I have won a copy of this book through Goodreads' First Reads program. I should receive the book within the next few weeks, and I have put it at the top of my to-read list. My review will be posted as soon as possible.