It is these stark differences in approach to business, management, and culture that make the story so engrossing. Thanks to a 2007 Fortune magazine cover story complete with a Godfather-esque photo, the "PayPal Mafia" have taken on unjustified mythic status in Silicon Valley. The Founders provides the tools needed to develop a more balanced view of Silicon Valley and its larger-than-life personalities. It also suggests which aspects of that era of Silicon Valley culture are worth preserving — or maybe even rediscovering. His most recent book is "The Platform Delusion: Who Wins and Who Loses in the Age of Tech Titans."

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