Andy Grove: The Life and Times of an American By Richard S. Tedlow,
Penguin,
Rs 695

While one probably hears more about Bill Gates than about Andy Grove, the latter’s name is just as important in the context of the high-tech industry. The computers we use today are powered by microprocessors manufactured by Intel — the company which Grove was the chairman and CEO of in its years of tremendous growth, huge transformations and undeniable success. While the Microsoft operating system is the heart of the personal computer, the Intel microprocessor is its soul. And Grove was a key player (arguably, the player) in ensuring Intel’s powerful position in the world.

The story of Andy Grove, as told by Richard S. Tedlow, professor of Harvard Business School, chronicles important details of his life, from his struggles as a young man in Hungary to his remarkable achievements at Intel, the leading global microprocessor manufacturer today. The backdrop of his youth included the devastations of Second World War, the Holocaust (in which he lost relatives), and the Soviet invasion. Eleven years after he escaped from Hungary and made his way to America, he joined Intel (he was the third employee after the CEO and COO) at it’s founding in 1968. After making huge strides there, he went on to become Intel’s CEO in 1987. He held that position for eleven years, but his glory at Intel had started well before that. Engineer, businessman, manager and leader — he was inherently adept at many of these roles but he worked hard at mastering them all. Incidentally, Grove has also published six books, including his own autobiography.

Although Grove’s career and life are far from boring, this 460-page biography would not be a page-turner for everyone. The book packs in a great deal of detailed history, which is perhaps necessary, but not always exciting. And for those of us who barely skim the business pages of newspapers, the continuous references to market cap, growth rates and sales, and profit figures might get lost in the shuffle. This is a book written for men and women of business and technology, more than anyone else. There is an overabundance of technical language that might make your eyes glaze over. Although most of the technical terminology is well-explained, the explanations themselves are often complex and tiresome.

Having said that, it has to be conceded that there are several incidental anecdotes that many of us have heard of but may not have understood fully. For instance, how the rise of companies like Intel and Microsoft was in large part enabled by IBM and the subsequent consequences suffered by IBM as a result of this. Or, how and why the dotcom bubble in Silicon Valley burst (and, of course, how Intel rode that storm). There are, therefore, plenty of stories in the book that would appeal to a wider audience.

Not having read any other books on Grove, it is hard to say how unbiased Tedlow is about his subject. It is important to note, however, that Grove never saw a single page of this manuscript before it went for publication. Further, the author, while obviously a great admirer of this highly tenacious achiever, does not fail to provide others’ negative perceptions of Grove throughout the work. This gives the reader a certain degree of confidence that the author has made a sincere attempt to get at the truth.

As far as biographies go, this is an inspiring one, reminding us that the American dream of progressing from rags to riches is indeed attainable. Grove’s experiences can teach something to us all. But arm yourself with a little patience if you hope to be enlightened.