Losing My Virginity (Book Review)

You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.
— Richard Branson, Losing My Virginity

Branson is a British business magnate, investor, author, and philanthropist. He founded the Virgin Group in the 1970s and is primarily known for his insane adventures and the uncommon business road to wealth.

In this book, Branson takes his first hit at penmanship and boy does he make it read like a thriller!

Overview

Set in the 70s, 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, Losing My Virginity is an autobiography of Richard Branson. This unique billionaire has always parted ways from the conventional approach to life and business and has made it a point to mention it vividly in this book. His idiosyncrasies start right from the book’s title (Losing My Virginity. Seriously?) and go on up to the very end of the text.

The book is filled with very gripping and distinctly remarkable anecdotes from Richard Branson’s life and his journey in setting up the Virgin Group. Be it through his recollections of his ballooning endeavors, relentless pursuit of Hales Trophy or Virgin Atlantic’s tooth-and-nail fight with British Airways, he manages to keep this book very captivating and plain fun to read.

This book also serves as a great account of the British music culture of the past 50 years. Virgin Records has given us artists like Mike Oldfield, The Sex Pistols and Boy George amongst several other notable artists that hailed from the British soils. If you are a music lover, you really don’t want to miss this one.

Lastly, there is just so much that Branson has done in life and so much that he spilled open in this book that your read is almost bound to become a roller coaster ride of emotions, with awe being a primary backdrop amongst them.

Vocabulary

It’s a very well written book. It uses plain conversational English. Nevertheless ends up creating an ample of opportunity to pick up some new lingo. The book, having spread across 500 odd pages, further goes on to offer a plethora of phrases that are commonplace in anecdotal narrations. You might really improve your narrative skills were you to pick them up.

Writing Style And Tone

Branson’s approach to writing is very personal and evocative. Of course, on several fronts, it feels as if Branson is plain exaggerating but given the honesty behind those words, you are forced to accept that that’s how awesome his life is (also my fact check turns out that he is indeed like that! Damn do I envy him!). You might also enjoy the omnipresent shade of frankness in his words.

The tone is egotistical and celebratory(and not in any wrong way whatsoever). Branson quickly establishes himself as someone you can look up to. You’ll enjoy his advice on conducting business in his eccentric ways and more so in the tone, he uses in putting forth his points.

Target Audience

Have you ever conjured up dreams of leading a bigger-than-life life? A life of champagne, adventure, private islands and year-long holidays? Are you tenacious? Are you an insane risk taker? Are you the one who goes all-in? Do you love your family dearly? If to any of these questions you said yes, then Richard Branson’s Losing My Virginity is your best fit.

Another set of the target audience would be those who love biographies or are entrepreneurial spirited. Someone with a quest to go big or go bust is bound to find this one heaven sent bible.

Yet another set would be those who are followers of Branson or Virgin groups. You have known the brand, now know what went behind it!

ROI and Conclusions

It either hits home with you or it doesn’t. ROI is thus relative. But I will tell you what. Read this book. Read it and form your own conclusions on it. Read it and know this side of life. The life of mavericks and awesomeness. Do not pick this book if you are very conservative in your business practices.

Actually. You know what? You should pick this book if you are conservative in your business practices. It can be an eye-opener or in the very least, expand your horizons. Either way, it will be a good read. Either to do a change of lifestyle or to reinforce it.

One Another Suggestion

I can’t think of any. It was one of a kind and I can’t suggest another one that matches this. Maybe Shoe Dog from Phil Knight might come close but maybe not. You7 be the better judge of it.

Claps, comments (critical or otherwise) and sharing ahead will be highly appreciated.

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Thank you for reading.

Laters.