In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives
by Steven Levy
In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives by Steven Levy holds a well received rating of 3.83 out of 5, based on 18.5K reader ratings. First published in 2011. The book spans 432 pages.
About In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives
Written with full cooperation from top management, including cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page, this is the inside story behind Google, the most successful and most admired technology company of our time, told by one of our best technology writers.Few companies in history have ever been as successful and as admired as Google, the company that has transformed the Internet and become an indispensable part of our lives. How has Google done it? Veteran technology reporter Steven Levy was granted unprecedented access to the company, and in this revelatory book he takes readers inside Google headquarters—the Googleplex—to show how Google works.While they were still students at Stanford, Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin revolutionized Internet search. They followed this brilliant innovation with another, as two of Google’s earliest employees found a way to do what no one else had: make billions of dollars from Internet advertising. With this cash cow, Google was able to expand dramatically and take on other transformative projects: more efficient data centers, open-source cell phones, free Internet video (YouTube), cloud computing, digitizing books, and much more.The key to Google’s success in all these businesses, Levy reveals, is its engineering mind-set and adoption of such Internet values as speed, openness, experimentation, and risk taking. After its unapologetically elitist approach to hiring, Google pampers its engineers—free food and dry cleaning, on-site doctors and masseuses—and gives them all the resources they need to succeed. Even today, with a workforce of more than 23,000, Larry Page signs off on every hire.But has Google lost its innovative edge? With its newest initiative, social networking, Google is chasing a successful competitor for the first time. Some employees are leaving the company for smaller, nimbler start-ups. Can the company that famously decided not to be evil still compete?No other book has ever turned Google inside out as Levy does with In the Plex.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Steven Levy |
| Published | 2011 |
| Pages | 432 |
| Kindle Price | $13.99 |
| Genres | Business, Non-Fiction, History, Biography & Memoir, Science |
| Average Rating | 3.83 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 18,464 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives?
In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives is categorized as Business, Non-Fiction, History, Biography & Memoir. Its primary genre classification is Biography & Memoir.
Is In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives worth reading?
Based on 18.5K reader ratings, In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives has an average score of 3.83 out of 5.00, which is considered "Well Received."
How many pages is In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives?
In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives has 432 pages.
Who wrote In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives?
In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives was written by Steven Levy. It was first published in 2011.
What is the ISBN for In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives?
The ISBN-13 for In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives is 9781416596580.0.
How much does In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives cost on Kindle?
In the Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives is available on Kindle for $13.99. Pricing may vary by region and promotional offers.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
