The Power Law

Mallaby, an astute chronicler of modern capitalism, […]writes with humour and historical sweep… His account is immensely enriched by interviews with most if not all of the rainmakers in venture capital – Lionel Barber * Prospect *Sebastian Mallaby has done what many people would have thought it impossible to do: write a gripping book about the modern history of venture capital… Well-argued and compelling… A superb introduction to an important subject – Paul Seabright * TLS *[An] entertaining history… If you want to understand a world in which a handful of coders became richer than most countries, this is an invaluable guide – Sam Freedman * Sunday Times *In his well-researched book, leavened by lively portraits of leading figures, Mr Mallaby explores the history of the VC industry and the reasons for its vitality – John Thornhill * Economist *Thoroughly magnificent… Seriously great, and wildly important… It would be difficult to find a more important book than Mallaby’s in 2022, and most any year for that matter – John Tammy * Forbes *Sebastian Mallaby sets off into the world of venture capital and the strange bunch of financiers behind some of the most successful companies. It’s a tale of triumphs but also major failures, hubris and jaw-dropping eccentricity – ‘Books to look out for in 2022’ * Financial Times *[An] absorbing new history of startup investing – Liam Proud * Reuters *[Mallaby] brings his trademark mixture of exhaustive research and clear analysis to his most interesting subject so far – Adrian Wooldridge * Bloomberg *Venture capital has influenced the American economy for over half-a-century now, and finally we have a book of exceptional reporting, analysis and storytelling to bring that history to life. What makes Sebastian Mallaby’s The Power Law a classic is how deeply it takes us into VC’s defining successes and failures - which are much harder to get anyone to talk frankly about. I’m not sure this is the book of VCs’ dreams, but it’s what the rest of us have been waiting for – Charles DuhiggA fascinating journey through the tightly networked world of the venture capitalists who make Silicon Valley tick, from the scrappy dealmakers of the 1960s to the high-flying global investors of today. Filled with eye-opening case studies and vivid personalities, frank in its analysis of the industry’s greatest strengths and most dangerous blind spots, The Power Law is essential reading for understanding our tech-driven economy and where it might go next – Professor Margaret O’Mara, University of Washington

Sebastian Mallaby is the author of several books, including the bestselling More Money Than God and The Man Who Knew- The Life and Times of Alan Greenspan, the winner of the 2016 Financial Times/McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award. A former Financial Times contributing editor and two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, Mallaby is the Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow for International Economics at the Council on Foreign Relations. He lives with his family in London.