T he most inspiring books for anyone starting a business are autobiographies by entrepreneurs. They are far more uplifting than any management texts or self-help manuals because they are real. Such memoirs of successful founders are rarely great literature and frequently superficial – many are almost extended puff pieces for their companies. But the best stories can be enlightening and instructive. Moreover, when they are written by the entrepreneurs themselves, they are always more authentic than any biography – even if they use a ghost writer.
对任何正在创业的人来说,最鼓舞人心的书籍是企业家自传。企业家自传比任何管理学教科书或自助手册都令人振奋,因为书中的内容是真实的。这种成功的企业创始人的自传,鲜有文笔优美的,通常也很肤浅——其中许多几乎只是加强版的企业宣传册。但其中最好的一些故事可能具有启迪和指导意义。此外,署企业家自己名字的自传,始终比任何传记都更可信,即便企业家请枪手代笔时也是如此。