Losing My Virginity (1998)

by Richard Branson

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velvetink | Mar 31, 2013 |

This autobiography of Branson's first 40-some years is quite well-written and unfailingly interesting. Like Steve Jobs, though, he seems so sui generis that I'm not sure any budding entrepreneurs would learn much of use, if that's why you're reading it. (

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wanack | Mar 19, 2012 |

Wow! What a read. I relish a sequel and I hope it materialises.
It's just a darned good read. Who knows what Lord Kings autobiography would say about the whole BA dirty tricks; but who cares. It is a good story. Personally I believe Branson. the evidence is overwhelmingly damning against BA.
I must have burst out laughing a dozen times at various parts of the book. The vibrator; Freddie Lakers joke about prostrate inspections etc etc

Buy it! You wont be disappointed. Well done Richard. (

)

LesMiserables | Sep 17, 2011 |

An amazing story! Branson has nearly died more times than I can remember after reading this book -- all the while building an empire. (

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Dangraham | Jan 4, 2011 |

Educational & entertaining read - chuckled every 10 pages. Full of learnings about business and about how to live life to the full. Couldn't put it down. (

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rohetherington | Apr 5, 2010 |

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1998

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Richard Branson

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Wikipedia in English (13)

List of people diagnosed with dyslexia

Virgin Atlantic Airways

Virgin Books

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Amazon.com Amazon.com Review (ISBN 0812932293, Paperback)

In this autobiography, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson says one of his prime business criteria is "fun." Fun made Branson a billionaire, and few business memoirs are one-billionth as fun as Branson's, nor as niftily written. Not only does it relate his side of near-death corporate experiences, it tells how the chairman literally cheated death by gun, shipwreck, and balloon crash.

Branson's empire--now encompassing interests in an airline, pop music, soda pop, e-commerce, and financial services--began when the dyslexic 16-year-old dropped out of school in 1968 to found the British magazine Student. His headmaster said, "I predict that you will either go to prison or become a millionaire." Briefly imprisoned for dodging customs selling records, Branson got his first million by releasing Tubular Bells, a maverick recording all the stuffy executives rejected. (1998's Tubular Bells III puts the series' sales over 20 million.)

Despite wild tales of Branson's wife-swapping and Keith Richards fleeing naked from Branson's studio at gunpoint with another man's woman, the most shocking parts of the memoir concern British Airways' James Bond-like "dirty tricks" campaign against Virgin Atlantic, resulting in the biggest award for damages in English history.

Though it's filled with famous names, witty quotes, and pulse-pounding accounts of lunatic balloon adventures, it is as a business thriller that the book really scores. His instinctive bet-the-ranch tactics could cost him all, or earn another billion. Either way, Branson will likely remain the most entertaining entrepreneur in Europe. --Tim Appelo

(retrieved from Amazon Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:31:37 -0500)

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Candid, funny, inspirational and often revealing about Branson's family, close friends and his personal philosophy on life and business, this long-awaited autobiography covers dramatic events such as the dirty tricks campaign and the balloon adventures.… (more)

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