Trump SPAC, WeWork SPAC, GitLab IPO w/ Eric Newcomer + Quick Commerce w/Matt Newberg | E1310

In 'The Contrarian,' Max Chafkin provides a meticulous biography of Peter Thiel, one of Silicon Valley's most influential and controversial figures. The book explores Thiel's singular life and worldview, from his conservative roots at Stanford to his founding of PayPal and Palantir, and his early investments in Facebook and SpaceX. Chafkin also delves into Thiel's political activities, including his support for Donald Trump and his role in the lawsuit that destroyed the blog Gawker. The biography is both a portrait of Thiel and an examination of the broader tech industry, highlighting its explosive growth, power, and the controversies surrounding it.

In this revised and expanded edition of the groundbreaking New York Times bestseller, Dan Ariely uses a series of illuminating experiments to show how expectations, emotions, social norms, and other invisible forces skew our reasoning abilities. Ariely explains how we consistently overpay, underestimate, and procrastinate, and how these behaviors are neither random nor senseless but systematic and predictable. The book covers various aspects of decision-making, from the power of placebos to the effects of social and financial norms, and offers insights into how to make better decisions by understanding these irrational patterns.

Billion Dollar Loser chronicles the extraordinary story of WeWork, from its inception as a revolutionary office space company to its dramatic collapse. The book delves into Adam Neumann's charismatic leadership and the cult-like culture he fostered, highlighting the company's missteps and the broader implications for global capitalism. Through extensive interviews and analysis, Reeves Wiedeman provides a gripping narrative of ambition, excess, and the consequences of unchecked entrepreneurial zeal.