Rating: 
Summary: Joe Menn: the Jerry Springer of tech media?
Review: .... This book illustrates only a few of the useful lessons that Napster offers, such as the pitfalls that inexperienced entrepreneurs can fall into when founding their core team of employees, board, and investors. Sadly, what meaningful content does exist is all but obscured by the book's many gross inaccuracies and bias for meretricious hearsay. These faults are disappointing and somewhat surprising--... I would only recommend this book to insiders wishing to relive their 15 minutes.
Rating: 
Summary: Inside look at Napster
Review: ...This book tells the story that the press doesn't tell; the chaotic side of Napster and the internal feuds.Starting with the first paragraph, the book reveals that this isn't the normal story of Napster, but rather a deep story that reveals the people, not the image, behind the revolutionary service. This book is definitely worth reading, if not for the real story behind one of the craziest businesses ever, then for the what-not-to-do business aspects behind it. I definitely recommend this book to all readers. Have fun and enjoy the book!
Rating:
Summary: Well written and dead on the mark!
Review: As someone who actually worked at Napster during the time period of this book, let me tell you that the book is well written and dead on the mark. It uncovers exactly what no one knows -- John Fanning's pathological screwing of anyone (including his own family) to get what he wants, the common but rarely acknowledged minefield of business politics and relationships that coalesce around mega-hit startups (and the insanity that follows it), and of course one wild and crazy ride. If you're a pedantic, ostentatious second-generation Napster ex-employee with obvious resentments about missing the boat, then this book is not for you. If you're everyone else, though, then buy buy buy!, because this book is a hell of an interesting read, and exposes a fairly common world that 99% of the non-Silicon Valley population doesn't even know exists.
Rating:
Summary: Unbelievably inaccurate, sloppy reporting
Review: As someone who actually worked at Napster, I think I am in a position to say that this book is way off. I won't take issue with Menn's choice of whom to champion and whom to vilify in the Napster crew; however the reams of factual errors betray his inability to reach a wide number of inside sources and his complete ignorance of the music industry. Let's just say that he refers to a very senior female head of a record label as "he", and has his dates and players completely wrong with regards to the Bertelsmann investment in Napster - a very important chapter in the company's history. Menn also fails to examine in detail the actual demise and eventual bankruptcy of the company, preferring instead to dwell on the "wacky hijinks" of a bunch of young programmers. THAT story is nothing new. It happened at every startup. I found this book badly written and way off the mark.
Rating:
Summary: Major disappointment - Uncritical & Lacking Analysis
Review: Before buying/reading this book ask yourself if you want to invest the time/money reading what the author promises goes below the "surface" on all previous Napster reporting when most of the book's focus is sugjugated on events/descriptions like: - Shawn Fanning's encounter with Courtney Love (according to the book he met her one night) - Business tips from Shawn Fanning's estranged biological father (the author tracks this loser down to get his take on Shawn's new business - and he recommends Shawn sell it ASAP) - Shawn's love affair/tryst with a woman we are told is "beautiful" FOLKS THIS RUSHED PROJECT I GIVE 1 STAR.
Rating:
Summary: Major disappointment - Uncritical & Lacking Analysis
Review: Before buying/reading this book ask yourself if you want to invest the time/money reading what the author promises goes below the "surface" on all previous Napster reporting when most of the book's focus is sugjugated on events/descriptions like: - Shawn Fanning's encounter with Courtney Love (according to the book he met her one night) - Business tips from Shawn Fanning's estranged biological father (the author tracks this loser down to get his take on Shawn's new business - and he recommends Shawn sell it ASAP) - Shawn's love affair/tryst with a woman we are told is "beautiful" FOLKS THIS RUSHED PROJECT I GIVE 1 STAR.
Rating:
Summary: Details, Details...
Review: Didn't know much about the details of this sad saga till Menn brought the unknown background and drama to the public side of this quashed revolution. Shawn may have lost this round but the rebels are all over, regrouped, stronger and bigger than the jurassic of the recording industry. Bravo Menn and may Shawn rise again.
Rating: 
Summary: Napster - What A Business and Legal Mess
Review: Good writing about a doomed company. A nice description of an internet bubble company. Three to four stars, not 5 stars great, but a good book. Worth the money - Yes. Dont expect to learn much about business from this book unless it is a list things to avoid. The company had zero income, i.e.: no customers and no sales. Not may corporations can get away with that. It got the recording companies (RIAA) aggitated and not interested in working with Napster so it was bound to fail and it did. Fortunately for Napster, the number of users just soared into the millions (as we all know) and the investors came and invested impulsively like casinio gamblers without due diligence but hoping the "customer base" could eventually be charged a fee for music and their stock would increase 100 fold. But Napster illegally allowed people to steal music avoiding copyright. The company lasted until the Recording Industry Association of America took it to court and won. Napster tried to stall through an 11th hour appeal saying Napster was really like a tape recorder or VCR machine and the court had erred. But the RIAA won the appeal and the investments stopped. The lights were turned off at Napster. A book for Tech Types. Jack in Toronto
Rating: 
Summary: All the Duplicity
Review: Here we have a voluminous history of the Napster phenomenon, but only from a certain jaundiced angle. As a critical outside journalist, Joseph Menn was unable to directly interview some of the principal players in the saga, and often relies on legal documentation. In turn, much of his research is based on secondary sources and hearsay from people not directly involved in the events described. This all taints many parts of the book and reduces its believability. We do get a good rundown of the genesis of Napster, as teenage computer whiz Shawn Fanning and some ambitious hacker friends had a brilliant idea about music file sharing, which then got far more monstrous than anyone could have ever expected. Menn then spends most of the book describing the byzantine investment deals and corporate wheeling and dealing to launch the doomed Napster corporation, in ways that were preposterous even during the dot-com bubble. In the end, enthusiastic people with great ideas tried to cash in, and watched forlornly as others let everything crash and burn.
These investigations by Menn are initially informative but descend into a tiresome swamp of nitpicking and unnecessary details that detract from the more interesting cultural ramifications of the Napster craze. And the biggest problem is that Menn gets very personal, especially when describing the business executives who got involved in Napster after its incorporation - piling on criticisms from other people who are clearly not neutral observers, and dwelling uselessly on people's love lives and personal transgressions. This goes especially for an apparent personal vendetta that Menn seems to have against John Fanning, Shawn's uncle and business strategist who muscled his way into prominence based on his nephew's invention. It's reasonably evident that John Fanning was a poor businessman and unfairly latched onto his nephew for his own gain. However, be suspicious of an author who relies on character assassinations toward someone who refused to give him an interview. Menn's questionable personal motivations and general focus on unnecessary details damage what could have been a very insightful book. [~doomsdayer520~]
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic book, well written, very imformative
Review: I just got done reading this book and I have to say that this is one of the best books I have ever read. You could tell that the author, Joseph Menn, put a lot of work into this with many quotes, facts, and background information on each of the people he introduces. The story that Menn tells is fully detailed and I felt as if I was part of the napster crew myself. The story never has any boring momements and he illustrates the personal relationships between the workers fantastically. I always wanted to know what happened at the napster company and now i know. I recommend this book to anyone who needs a break from fiction and would like to know the story of a kid's idea that changed the entertainment world forver. This book is nothing short of an A+
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