Bad Blood : Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou

  Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou  

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe! - Albert Einstein 

You read the story of Theranos, and you will be convinced about the quote.

A doctor friend told me a device like Minilab or Edison is theoretically feasible but requires unmitigated research and dedicated super brains with sound academic backgrounds. But, unfortunately, Elizabeth Holmes, a self-obsessed Stanford dropout, stood as little chance of making this invention as an individual jumping out of an airborne plane without a parachute has of surviving. 

How did a company with a sham of a product come to be hailed as the lab of the future? How did the investors believe a college dropout developed a path-breaking technology or a prototype version? One of the facts mentioned is that every investor specialising in putting their money in medical startups didn't touch Theranos. Could they have known the truth but prefer not to call out Theranos?

The book is a gripping read. Each page churns your stomach and stings your conscience. Elizabeth and her lover Sunny Balwani did everything they could except to develop a half-genuine product. They lied, did tests on other company equipment and claimed the results as their own, projected unreal facts and figures to the investors, maintained evil control over their employees, coerced their employees to sign multiple non-disclosure contracts, threatened whistle-blowers with costly lawsuits, snoop on journalists, except do research. While practising all these acts of monstrosity, they managed to raise 9 billion dollars. They got the who-is-who of American society to give them credibility. The most credible of journalists showered heaps of praise on Theranos. The authorities turned a blind eye. 

This book is a must-read to realise how easy it is to cheat the system. This book is for you if you wish to develop or invigorate your critical thinking skills.