Swimming Across / Abridged Abridged

Rating:
Summary: Interesting perspective, but lacking
Review: When I finished this book, I was rather disappointed at its incompleteness. No doubt Andy Grove must be an extraordinary person after immigrating to America with almost nothing and then moving to become the CEO of Intel Corporation. His book gives some insight into his personality through his childhood experiences and his dedication to hard work can easily been seen through his striving for an education.

The most disappointing aspect of "Swimming Across" is that it does not explain how he became such a successful person after moving to America. The story ends after his college education from City College in New York. It does not describe any part of his involvement in the development of Intel Corporation. Rather than a biography, it is more of a complication of his childhood reflections.

A good portion of the story revolves around his childhood experiences as a Jew during the Holocaust, followed the Soviet occupation of Hungary. It is interesting to read from a historical perspective. Much of the book also deals with his interest in chemistry and his quests for girls during his gymnasium (high school) years.

The writing is easy to read and not very intricate. While it offers an interesting tale of his personal experiences as an American immigrant, it does not have very much on how to climb the corporate ladder. It has a very good glimpse into the real Andy Grove's personality from a first person perspective, but not the details on what made him stand out as a successful individual among other Americans.