Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built Hardcover – April 12, 2016

Fascinating read going back in time to pre-internet bubble of late 1990s, through the record breaking IPO. Jack Ma is a powerhouse entrepreneur and incredibly inspiring.

I have to admit that I enjoyed the author’s showcase on several companies that parallel with Alibaba. Not many books show the history and stuff on those companies that are competitors. They helped me understand the growth itself. Not just Alibaba but China’s new economic power. At first, I felt that book was overused with a positive view of Jack and Alibaba. As I continuing to read...the negativity finally surfaced. It definitely did bring some balance to sort out the whole thing. The writing style is pretty set in stone...I have no objections or thoughts at all. This book is good to read. Since I didn’t give 5 stars...this is just accumulated of Jack and Alibaba’s growth and history. Nothing 100% excitement about...

A little but lacking but a decent read if you are into rags to riches business genius type books.

So many in he West doubt China can succeed. Look again at what is happening in China and what is happening in the West. Guess who will lead the second half the 21st Century.

I have been a big supporter of Alibaba and Taoabao since my time as a teacher in rural.China where I relied on Taobao extensively. Since then, I have invested in the company and have been highly curious as to the origins of Alibaba and Jack Ma. Partly as a result of this interest, I have spent some time reading about both Ma and Alibaba.However, out of all the resources I have seen on the subjects, this book by Duncan Clark is by far the most comprehensive. From the origins of Jack Ma to the reasons for Alibaba's success, this book provides deep insight into one of the most innovative economic forces of this era.

It’s much tougher to be a Chinese company, this book showed how China has changed dramatically over the years to become the powerhouse it is today.

A lucid, insightful and inspiring account of an extraordinary man written by a man that is hard to match in terms of China exposure, observant eye, impeccable brain and will to share it all with us. Read it!1001 mistakes to success. 1993 Golden Bridge, 1'300'000'000 to cross. Aliyun. Chief People Officer. Constrain to innovate. Crocodile in the Yangtze, not shark in the ocean (to start with). David strategy, Goliath returns. Decide and be rigorous, also with CEO and COO. Digital Yiwu. Edge ain’t built on a paved highway. ET is precioussssss. Fertilize and cultivate, don’t only harvest. Focus on shrimps. From selling in China to selling to China. Google, cocoos Yahoo. GS, tststs. INtensiv or EXcompany. Jack magic. Jack, marshmallow test uberlord. Know how not know who. Knowledge economy not information society. Local savvy vs international on fits it all “convenience”. Long march or the highway. More Morleys, please. Multiple perspectives to iron Triangle. O2O consolidation. Of sleek and shrill websites. Of wallets and portals. Partners, not employees. Periphery or burn in fixed cost hell. PerseVERYance. Profit, Philosophy and Philanthropy. SARS glue. Six Veins DNA and remuneration. SoftBank, HardHead. Swiss towards CCP. Taobao undercover. Variable Interest Entity and its “rich, fee-producing complexity”. Warrior philosopher. WeHongBao effectiveness. Witts, Wit, Whitman – de nuevo. Work happily, live seriously. Xia Hai dear Haiguis.

In Alibaba, Clark winds back the hands of time and gives you a front row seat to the frame-by-frame unfolding of one of Asia’s supernovas, the namesake of the book. Lyrically infused with verbatim quotes from alternative technology icons of our day, Clark’s narrative weaves together eye-catching headlines and Chinese mythology in sepia vignettes, so authentic that the “Jack Magic” in the scene palpably streams forth from the pages of the book.Telling the story of the founder, Jack Ma, illustrating Ma’s philosophy and praxeology, the “Jack Magic”, and illuminating the role it played in Alibaba’s runaway success is where Clark shines. Clark’s discussion of the business environment, competitor strategies, and the later maturity of the internet industry indicates a lack of knowledge and insight, with various actors coming across as dry and two-dimensional. It feels tedious to read.While the narration leaves much to be wanted in several departments, the story itself inspires, and the zeitgeist of a few key moments are well preserved. As a Stanford graduate student and Silicon Valley resident, I found a window into an entirely different world - a different dogma - of entrepreneurship; refreshing in a scene where a multitude of playbooks and listicles have converged a set of what seemed to be immutable rules.