Losing My Virginity [Paperback]

Warning: Don't get carried away by the title of this book, it is purely metaphoric.

When you are handed a 600 page autobiography of an entrepreneur, at first, you may wonder whether such a piece is worth even leafing through. Who has the time to read stuff like this?

LOSING MY VIRGINITY is an extraordinary book written by an extraordinary man, Richard Branson. One may actually have some reservations about reading about a not exactly well-known business magnate (I am talking about India, of course). But rest assured, once you read through the author's bio and the very impressive blurbs, you will realize that it is far from a conventional (boring, if you like) memoir.

Branson is one of a rare breed, a paragon of British entrepreneurship, and a genius who has revolutionized British culture and lifestyles. Throughout this book, one can find a real humility in Branson's narrative of himself and his experiences. Like most contemporary memoirists, Branson uses the confessional mode of writing, which has allowed him to do things that a conventional novel will not. Branson's style of writing is so good-humored and his perceptions so remarkable that this book is worth a read even if you don't have the slightest interest in business. As one critic wrote about this book - Heavy but impossible to put down.

The book is written in a chronological fashion, and the chapters have rather stimulating titles. The chapters are actual chunks taken from Branson's life, and provide a rich visual and verbal experience to the reader. Some 130 photographs (both color and black & white) are there, and they complement the narrative beautifully.

It is fast paced, and has an honesty which is a little trivial at times. Branson reveals much about himself. Towards the middle, he gives a passionate account of his devotion towards music. His other great passion, adventure (some of which have been near-death experiences), is also dealt with in detail. Branson's love for ballooning, which he calls the most exhilarating of all sports, got him an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records, a real tribute to his daredevilry.

Branson's tale is novel, and is filled with instances of courage, the courage to break away from tradition. At age 16, Branson started a student's magazine and then ventured into music, which was a big hit. Richard Branson recounts this as a sad moment in his life when he had to sell Virgin Records to Thorn EMI in order to keep a floundering Virgin Atlantic Airways afloat. Today, apart from Virgin Atlantic, the Virgin Group owns Virgin Cola, Virgin Vie, Virgin Brides, Virgin Mega-stores and many more such ventures, which cater to everything any person would want in his daily life. Now, after conquering the world, he wants to fly you to space.

I would hate to spoil the read for you, so suffice it to say that LOSING MY VIRGINITY is a real, inspirational story that can only be told by the man himself. Such is the popularity of this book that it has become a byword for 'What they don't teach you at Business Schools'. From another perspective, it is a comic recollection of life's ups and downs juxtaposed with anecdotes about rock stars, politicians, friends and foes.

One finds no moral story in the end, no grandfatherly advice to the young blood. Instead, one is left with a deep feeling of admiration and a constant mulling over his adventures. If you ever want to know how much a single guy can achieve with "talent, initiative and good ideas", read this book. It comes as close to providing the real experience as any book can, and for this reason alone it should be coveted.

This is a sensational book. Most autobiographies are boring and so full of only positive stuff about the person that you just know you are not getting the full picture. In this book Branson openly admits mistakes and bad business decisions. He gives credit to others acknowledging Virgin's success would not have happened without them. He also included instances when he has been brought back down to earth for example when two tourists asked for a picture he thought that he was being nice and started posing for them until he saw their confused faces and realised they wanted him to take a picture of them.

This book tells the reader everything about the Virgin empire from the first issue of Student magazine in 1968 to approval for their trains thirty years later in 1998. Obviously a lot more has happened since 98 such as Virginblue in Australia but we will have to wait for the sequel for that. This is a brilliant book which is as enjoyable as the great financial fictional thrillers like Harry Bingham's the Money Makers and Maxx Barry's Syrup. This is so mush more inspiring when you realise Branson is not a fictional character and these achievements are real. This book will inspire you to get out there and make money. Buy it!

"Losing my virginity" is an entertaining page-turner all the way from the beginning to the end. It is fascinating to read about what a mildly dyslexic man with no college education could create for himself.

Richard Branson is a man with a zest for life and all its challenges. Fun lies at the core of everything he does. The best part is he makes money doing what he does. His social circle includes a wide variety of people that include his small-town neighbours, Peter Gabriel, Queen Noor and Rod Stewart. The book includes the birth of Virgin records, Branson's daredevil ballooning adventures, his legal battle with British Airways, and experiences that I truly wish were personal experiences.

It will leave you hooked all the way until the end. Every guy that reads this will wish that this is the life he could lead - definitely the European dream.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 28 reviews  4.5 out of 5 stars