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bexlrose's review against another edition
4.0
Finished reading Bad Blood by John Carreyrou. Very interesting book about a medical/tech startup company in Silicon Valley which essentially swindled billions by proclaiming they had a new invention that would revolutionise the diagnostic industry, but which in fact, was totally useless. Cracking piece of investigative journalism. 4 stars.
whyispete's review against another edition
5.0
Fantastischer, spannender und fesselnder Faktenthriller über den Aufstieg und Fall der größten Betrügerin des Silicon Valleys und des Amerikanischen Gesundheitswesens. Eine Investigativreportage für die der Journalist und seine Quellen, die oft mehr als nur ihre Karriere auf's Spiel setzten, allerhöchsten Respekt verdient.
happylilkt's review against another edition
4.0
Been meaning to read this for a long time. It did not disappoint.
eiridium's review against another edition
5.0
Compelling and engaging, this is a superb work of journalistic investigation.
Presented with gripping narrative, Carreyrou exposes the spellbinding rise (ruse?) of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. Skillfully weaving in a perfect amount of background information to appreciate the tremendous promise of the Theranos premise Carreyrou explores why the promise was so attractive for investors and for humanity. He blends unique first-hand testimony along with emotional markers that hint at how Holmes was able to command the following of such a luminary group of investors and hackers. Her unique presence and promise was the perfect picture to seize imagination. It was a story you wanted to believe and as Carreyrou demonstrates was simply too good to believe.
This is solid investigative journalism and the narrative is carefully constructed to expose to protect. However, this remains a fascinating study and yet, it is easy to see how, for manipulation and activation, this story could be written from an entirely different perspective - one of daring, and single-minded determination that fosters the pure silicon valley startup mindset. It's the mythology that we want to believe. The challenge arises in being able to distinguish between your own mythology and distinguish where the embellishment ends and being able to deliver on the operational realities.
A great read and as so often reality is indeed stranger and certainly far more entertaining than fiction.
Presented with gripping narrative, Carreyrou exposes the spellbinding rise (ruse?) of Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. Skillfully weaving in a perfect amount of background information to appreciate the tremendous promise of the Theranos premise Carreyrou explores why the promise was so attractive for investors and for humanity. He blends unique first-hand testimony along with emotional markers that hint at how Holmes was able to command the following of such a luminary group of investors and hackers. Her unique presence and promise was the perfect picture to seize imagination. It was a story you wanted to believe and as Carreyrou demonstrates was simply too good to believe.
This is solid investigative journalism and the narrative is carefully constructed to expose to protect. However, this remains a fascinating study and yet, it is easy to see how, for manipulation and activation, this story could be written from an entirely different perspective - one of daring, and single-minded determination that fosters the pure silicon valley startup mindset. It's the mythology that we want to believe. The challenge arises in being able to distinguish between your own mythology and distinguish where the embellishment ends and being able to deliver on the operational realities.
A great read and as so often reality is indeed stranger and certainly far more entertaining than fiction.
valentinavc's review against another edition
5.0
It’s both eye-opening and of course sad to realize that it is SO EASY for someone with no scientific or medical expertise to fool the public who also has little to none scientific common sense. Carreyrou is definitely right: “fake it until you make it” is such a commonplace mindset in start-ups and the consumers are also used to being disappointed; but it’s a whole other thing to apply that mentality to the medical industry. You would think “do no harm” is everyone’s motto but it’s really not. So please do put your trust on professionals and experts especially when it comes to your physical (and mental) health.
The book is also a lot easier to read/listen than I imagined, and soon it became hard to put down. 当代爽文。
The book is also a lot easier to read/listen than I imagined, and soon it became hard to put down. 当代爽文。
mcloonejack's review against another edition
5.0
This is an infuriating read in the sense of how long Holmes and Theranos got away with their scams—especially in the latter portions as they add “pressuring whistleblowers” to the list of malfeasance—and it’s all made more maddening knowing that Holmes was only found guilty of defrauding investors, but nothing related to patients (despite the mountain of voided tests).
But infuriating story aside, this is written with a deft hand, and one that is able to make the intricacies of blood testing both interesting and palatable. The weaving in of building discontent gave the whole book an earned drama and urgency. And, most importantly, the vast majority of the vital reporting in this book (to my understanding) was published as articles prior to its publication; the recent trend of withholding major scoops to sell books is a scourge to be dunked on and shamed for at any opportunity.
But infuriating story aside, this is written with a deft hand, and one that is able to make the intricacies of blood testing both interesting and palatable. The weaving in of building discontent gave the whole book an earned drama and urgency. And, most importantly, the vast majority of the vital reporting in this book (to my understanding) was published as articles prior to its publication; the recent trend of withholding major scoops to sell books is a scourge to be dunked on and shamed for at any opportunity.