“Poignant, maddening, and genuinely hilarious, How to Rule the World is to be devoured—and fast, before Stanford buys up and sets fire to every copy. (Talk about a burn book!)” —Mark Leibovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author of This Town
Winner of the George Polk Award for his investigation that brought down Stanford’s president, Theo Baker offers a revelatory and gripping account of Silicon Valley hubris
Slush funds. Shell companies. Yacht parties. This is life for Silicon Valley’s favored teenagers.
Seventeen-year-old Theo Baker showed up for freshman year at Stanford University as a tech-obsessed coder. It seemed like paradise. There were Rodin sculptures next to nuclear laboratories and inventors lounging with Olympians. But Baker soon discovered a culture that embraced corner-cutting, that vested infinite excess and access in the hands of kids with few safeguards to catch bad behavior.
Stanford, he realized, was less a school than a business. Its annual budget was nearly twice that of Harvard or Yale and higher than those of 116 countries. The product? Students. Especially those special few identified as the next trillion-dollar startup founders. For them, there were secret societies, “pre-idea” funding offers, and social calls from billionaires, all with the expectation that these geniuses would soon join the ruling elite.
At the helm of this business was Marc Tessier-Lavigne, a superstar neuroscientist and wealthy biotech executive. But when Baker joined the student newspaper and started poking around the Stanford president’s record, he discovered never-reported allegations of research misconduct in studies published across two decades bearing Tessier-Lavigne's name.
Only one month into college and thousands of miles from home, Baker began receiving anonymous letters, going on stakeouts, and tracking down confidential sources. High-powered lawyers and public relations teams were hired to attack his reporting. By the end of the year, Tessier-Lavigne was out as president.
This is the incredible story of how a reluctant teenage reporter uncovered a scandal that shook the scientific world and became front-page news across the country. It is also an unprecedented inside view of the students learning to rule the world—and what they’re learning from those who already do.
How to Rule the World is a shocking, hilarious, and moving debut, showcasing Silicon Valley’s training ground as never before.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Theo Baker is an undergraduate at Stanford University. His reporting led to former Stanford president Marc Tessier-Lavigne’s resignation and made Baker the youngest-ever recipient of the prestigious George Polk Award. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, New York magazine, The New York Times, and elsewhere. He will graduate from Stanford in June 2026.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Seller: Evergreen Goodwill, Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
hardcover. Condition: Good. Seller Inventory # mon0000831704
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Good. The instant New York Times bestseller * A Tom Wolfe Literary Prize finalist * Named a Best Book of the Year (So Far) by New York Times, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Apple Books "A rigorous, self-assured, propulsive, at times terrifying portrait of a dweebocracy that 'sets the agenda for the planet' . . . in the tradition of Michael Lewis's Wall Street chronicle Liar's Poker." --The New York Times "A romp and rollick of a read." --Andrew Ross Sorkin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 1929From Theo Baker, winner of the George Polk Award for his investigation that brought down Stanford's president, comes a revelatory and gripping account of Silicon Valley hubris. Slush funds. Shell companies. Yacht parties. This is life for Silicon Valley's favored teenagers. Seventeen-year-old Theo Baker showed up for freshman year at Stanford University as a tech-obsessed coder. It seemed like paradise. There were Rodin sculptures next to nuclear laboratories and inventors lounging with Olympians. But Baker soon discovered a culture that embraced corner-cutting, that vested infinite excess and access in the hands of kids with few safeguards to catch bad behavior. Stanford, he realized, was less a school than a business. Its annual budget was nearly twice that of Harvard or Yale and higher than those of 116 countries. The product? Students. Especially those special few identified as the next trillion-dollar startup founders. For them, there were secret societies, "pre-idea" funding offers, and social calls from billionaires, all with the expectation that these geniuses would soon join the ruling elite. At the helm of this business was Marc Tessier-Lavigne, a superstar neuroscientist and wealthy biotech executive. But when Baker joined the student newspaper and started poking around the Stanford president's record, he discovered never-reported allegations of research misconduct in studies published across two decades bearing Tessier-Lavigne's name. Only one month into college and thousands of miles from home, Baker began receiving anonymous letters, going on stakeouts, and tracking down confidential sources. High-powered lawyers and public relations teams were hired to attack his reporting. Stanford opened an investigation into its own leader. And by the end of the year, Tessier-Lavigne was out as president. This is the incredible journey of a reluctant teenage reporter who uncovered a story that shook the scientific world and became front-page news across the country. It is also an unprecedented inside view of the students learning to rule the world--and what they're learning from those who already do. How to Rule the World is a shocking, hilarious, and moving debut, showcasing Silicon Valley's training ground as never before. Seller Inventory # 00110859695
Seller: Daedalus Books, Portland, OR, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. A nice, solid copy.; 6.46 X 1.16 X 9.53 inches; 320 pages. Seller Inventory # 350778
Seller: GreatBookPrices, Columbia, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 51933982-n
Seller: Better World Books: West, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 68630709-75
Seller: SueAle Books, Canal Winchester, OH, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: New. Winner of the George Polk Award for his investigation that brought down Stanford's president. I may not always have the lowest prices on this site, but I can guarantee the quality. Buy from a 5-star seller who is not a bookstore, warehouse or a drop shipper. I am just an individual who loves books and has a library in her home. If something goes wrong, there is no customer service to worry about. It is just me and I am very easy to get a hold of. I personally possess every book I list so I can guarantee its quality. Comes with a free bookmark as appreciation for your purchase! Seller Inventory # ABE-1779657279911
Seller: BooksRun, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. With dust jacket. It's a well-cared-for item that has seen limited use. The item may show minor signs of wear. All the text is legible, with all pages included. It may have slight markings and/or highlighting. Seller Inventory # 0593832833-8-1-29
Seller: BargainBookStores, Grand Rapids, MI, U.S.A.
Hardback or Cased Book. Condition: New. How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University. Book. Seller Inventory # BBS-9780593832837
Seller: World of Books Inc, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: Good. The instant New York Times bestseller * A Tom Wolfe Literary Prize finalist * Named a Best Book of the Year (So Far) by New York Times, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Apple Books "A rigorous, self-assured, propulsive, at times terrifying portrait of a dweebocracy that 'sets the agenda for the planet' . . . in the tradition of Michael Lewis's Wall Street chronicle Liar's Poker." --The New York Times "A romp and rollick of a read." --Andrew Ross Sorkin, #1 New York Times bestselling author of 1929From Theo Baker, winner of the George Polk Award for his investigation that brought down Stanford's president, comes a revelatory and gripping account of Silicon Valley hubris. Slush funds. Shell companies. Yacht parties. This is life for Silicon Valley's favored teenagers. Seventeen-year-old Theo Baker showed up for freshman year at Stanford University as a tech-obsessed coder. It seemed like paradise. There were Rodin sculptures next to nuclear laboratories and inventors lounging with Olympians. But Baker soon discovered a culture that embraced corner-cutting, that vested infinite excess and access in the hands of kids with few safeguards to catch bad behavior. Stanford, he realized, was less a school than a business. Its annual budget was nearly twice that of Harvard or Yale and higher than those of 116 countries. The product? Students. Especially those special few identified as the next trillion-dollar startup founders. For them, there were secret societies, "pre-idea" funding offers, and social calls from billionaires, all with the expectation that these geniuses would soon join the ruling elite. At the helm of this business was Marc Tessier-Lavigne, a superstar neuroscientist and wealthy biotech executive. But when Baker joined the student newspaper and started poking around the Stanford president's record, he discovered never-reported allegations of research misconduct in studies published across two decades bearing Tessier-Lavigne's name. Only one month into college and thousands of miles from home, Baker began receiving anonymous letters, going on stakeouts, and tracking down confidential sources. High-powered lawyers and public relations teams were hired to attack his reporting. Stanford opened an investigation into its own leader. And by the end of the year, Tessier-Lavigne was out as president. This is the incredible journey of a reluctant teenage reporter who uncovered a story that shook the scientific world and became front-page news across the country. It is also an unprecedented inside view of the students learning to rule the world--and what they're learning from those who already do. How to Rule the World is a shocking, hilarious, and moving debut, showcasing Silicon Valley's training ground as never before. Seller Inventory # CIN0593832833G
Seller: Rarewaves USA, HEBRON, KY, U.S.A.
Hardback. Condition: New. Seller Inventory # LU-9780593832837