AOL.com

How Steve Case Beat Bill Gates, Nailed the Netheads, and Made Millions in the War for the Web

Kara Swisher

Recommended By

Book Reviews

Book Synopsis

"AOL.com" by Kara Swisher is a captivating and insightful exploration of the rise and fall of America Online, one of the most iconic Internet companies in history. Swisher, a seasoned technology journalist, provides readers with an inside look into the tumultuous ride that AOL experienced as it battled competitors, navigated the dot-com boom and bust, and ultimately struggled to stay relevant in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

From the company's early beginnings as a pioneering dial-up service provider to its ambitious foray into content creation and acquisition, Swisher delivers a comprehensive analysis of the decisions, successes, and blunders that shaped AOL's journey. Drawing from extensive research and interviews, she uncovers the internal dynamics and strategic missteps that contributed to the company's decline.

Swisher's narrative is not just a corporate history; it also delves into the personal lives and ambitions of AOL's key players, including CEO Steve Case and other influential figures. Through these intricate portraits, readers gain a richer understanding of the individual motivations and management styles that influenced AOL's trajectory.

Moreover, "AOL.com" sheds light on AOL's impact on the broader digital landscape, exploring its role in shaping the Internet as we know it today. Swisher examines how AOL's massive user base and innovative marketing strategies left an indelible mark on online culture and connectivity.

Armed with her insightful reporting, Swisher offers valuable takeaways for entrepreneurs, investors, and technologists alike. "AOL.com" is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the Internet and the lessons to be learned from one of its most influential and controversial companies.

Explore More Books

See All
Prime Movers of Globalization
Fall; or, Dodge in Hell
The Idealist
#AskGaryVee
Zucked
White Working Class
The Devil’s Financial Dictionary
The Diamond Age
The Design of Everyday Things
Superhuman
The Three Marriages
Maps of Meaning
The Artist's Way
Walk in Their Shoes
Francis Crick
All I Want to Know is Where I'm Going To Die So I'll Never Go There
Devil's Harbor
A Walk in the Woods
Not The End of the World
Hyperion
An Inconvenient Truth
The Blank Swan
How To Win at the Sport of Business
The Adventures of Henry Thoreau
A History of Knowledge
A Higher Loyalty
Free Women, Free Men
The Art of People
Plentiful Energy
The Halo Effect...
The Black Dahlia
Bad News
The Plot Against the President
Lolita
Striking Thoughts
Titan
For The Love Of Physics
The Death of the Artist
Leadership
Genome
The 48 Laws of Power
Trailblazer
A History of the English-Speaking Peoples
The Hustler
The Emotion Code
Hacks
Between The World And Me
Small Is the New Big
Be the Person You Want to Find
The Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo
Digital Gold
The Fabric of Civilization
Devil Take the Hindmost
Prelude to Foundation
Now, Discover Your Strengths
Flying Start
Double your Profits
The Lion Tracker's Guide to Life
An Elegant Defense
Switch
Why We Sleep
Play It Away
The Starfish and the Spider
Exit Interview
Radical Son
Powers of Two
The American Challenge
When Breath Becomes Air
Money Changes Everything
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
What Do People Do All Day?
Thinking Physics
Flow
Superintelligence
The Wizard of Menlo Park
Against The World
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
True Believer
Born Red
The Piano Tuner
Men, Machines, and Modern Times
A Whole New Mind
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
Evolving Ourselves
The True Believer
Starlink
Sustainable Materials With Both Eyes Open
With the Old Breed
The Tycoons
Electrify
Platform Revolution
From Galileo to Newton
Modernity Without Restraint
Dominion
Sex at Dawn
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
When I Say No, I Feel Guilty
I Seem To Be A Verb
Ham on Rye
Elvis Cole Series