Almost three years ago, I was deciding on my next read and decided to read all of the then-existing essays by Paul Graham. Luckily, I found a GitHub project that converts all of the essays into ePub format, compiling them into a book. Over the last couple of years, I’ve been slowly reading the book, and for the last couple of months I’ve been dragging my feet, since I didn’t really want to finish it – which I sometimes do regardless.
Well, it is finally over, and while Paul has posted new essays, I think I can call it done regardless, since otherwise the book would be endless. I guess that’s the difference between posting essays online and having a book with hard boundaries. In any case, I think I’m ready to pass judgment.
It is quite marvellous to see earlier posts and some predictions that didn’t come to fruition – Java is a major programming language under active development and not an “evolutionary dead end.” However, it’s not an indication of anything other than that Paul is human and doesn’t seem to have a crystal ball. He does, however, have a sharp mind and writes quite well. While I personally don’t always agree with his takes on certain things, I did wish I had read his essays 25 years earlier. Even though I wonder whether I would have understood and embodied some of his ideas. All that makes me wonder if he should do some kind of book for youngsters.
As I was trying to encapsulate Paul’s writing, I couldn’t help but think of How to Solve It by George Pólya and Maverick by Ricardo Semler. As a matter of fact, I think prior to reading Paul’s essays, it is worthwhile to read How to Solve It. I feel like it would make a reader appreciate and enjoy the essays even more. While Paul focuses on his entrepreneurial experience, those ideas are also quite useful, and reading all the essays makes you feel like you can put together life’s puzzle, even if you are far too late to the table.
I personally do appreciate such candor – no smoking mirrors or BS – but one thing that slightly bothers me is the lack of essays on the topic of failure. While Paul did address the idea of “if I didn’t do a startup…” in one essay, laying out plainly the course of action he would take with regard to making a living (finding a low-risk, safe job), I still feel curious about tons of startups that didn’t make it. Startup failed, now what? My guess is it is similar to evolution: if you didn’t survive and reproduce, then you end up on an evolutionary dead end, but less dramatic, since the failure of a startup is not the end of a person.
So, should everyone read Paul’s essays? I don’t know. The crux is that as you read his well-thought-out ideas, you might change your perspective, get ideas, even if it is too late for you to put all your chips on the table and give it a chance. His thoughts make you think and wonder. To me, it is worth something; to others, I don’t know.
P.S. I attached unedited notes with a couple of not-very-thought-out arguments and a ton of interesting cutouts from Paul’s essays.
In a nutshell
+: Well-thought-out essays; interesting to follow over the years, as things change.
+: Various topics, with a focus on startups.
+: The author is human: sometimes he is right, sometimes wrong. Take it for what it is.
+/-: Not a book; don’t expect chapters, continuity, or a guide on a subject.
-: Sometimes the author drums up startups too much; it feels like adverts rather than an objective take.
=: You will get something out of it, but it is rather up to you how much you want to pull out, how many ideas you want to entertain and consider. If you value the thinking process, it will be worthwhile.
Title: Essays
Author: Paul Graham
Cover: None