Alibaba: The House that Jack Ma Built

Alibaba: The House that Jack Ma Built (Duncan Clark, 2017)

How I stumbled upon it: My dad passed it on for me to read!

What it's about: Alibaba was founded by Jack Ma and changed the economy, China + e-commerce forever. From his humble beginnings as a teacher to his place as the founder of one of the major players in tech, this book chronicles how Alibaba began, the struggles that it has faced, the largest IPO in history, and the challenges of being an entrepreneur in China.

What I thought: I’ve read a ton about the big four (Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple), and tons more about newer companies like Uber and Airbnb, but never anything about Alibaba. Despite my ignorance of this tech giant, it was exciting to learn more about a company that is actively competing with the western markets and has earned the title of the “Amazon of the East.” If you’re interested in tech, e-commerce, or starting a business in an industry in which you have no background, this is a great pick.

You can get it here.