Bill Gates’s new book, “Source Code: My Beginnings”, offers a glimpse into his early life, from his childhood to the founding of Microsoft in 1975. The memoir reveals that Gates was largely fortunate, born to parents who provided him with the right balance of support and pressure.
Gates acknowledges being a difficult child, rebelling against his mother’s strict regime and struggling with social cues. His mother had envisioned a more organized life for him, but he rebelled, leading her to seek therapy. Gates credits this experience as crucial in helping him develop coping mechanisms.
Tragedy struck when Gates lost his best friend, Kent Evans, in a mountaineering accident. He shares an emotional account of the funeral and how it affected him deeply. This event highlights the complexity of Gates’s emotions, revealing that he understood his mother’s grief better than she did his own.
Throughout the book, Gates reflects on his relationship with Paul Allen, who would later co-found Microsoft with him. The two shared a passion for programming from an early age and began writing software at 13. Their friendship and partnership laid the foundation for what would become one of the world’s largest tech companies.
While “Source Code: My Beginnings” only covers Gates’s childhood up to 1975, it sets the stage for the next installment in his life story. The book offers a unique look into the early days of Microsoft and provides insight into Gates’s personal struggles and triumphs that shaped him into one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/feb/02/source-code-by-bill-gates-my-beginnings-review-growing-pains-of-a-computer-geek