Loosing My Virginity

Author: Richard Branson

I guess that title is quite controversial in itself and pretty cachy too. Personally, I always had a great respect for the Virgin Group, and Virgin as a brand. I had always wanted to read more about this person, and this book has only whetted my curiosity. All I could say in the end of the book is "Oh! What a Life!".

This book gives an insight into the life of a self-made man and his tryst with life. Branson reveals a lot about himself in this 600 page book and it can make a good weekend read! The phases of his life, including the Start of Student Magazine, Virgin Music, Virgin Atlantic and a lot more Virgin Group companies are worth tracing. I am amazed by his adventurous spirit in his personal life. His Boat rides across Atlantic and ballooning over the Globe, What a risk appetite this guy has!

Why the name, Virgin? As Branson put it in his book, it was decided by his group of girls & boys who were not virgin anymore. ‘And there aren't many virgins left around here,' laughed a girl, 'It would be nice to have one here in name if none of us'. ‘Great', He said, ‘It's Virgin'.

This Book gives an indepth insight into the making of the Virgin Music and the challenges inherent in it. It casts light on the Corporate and Bank relationships and the troubles faced by Branson with his Banks. Also, This book devotes quite a lot of part to Virgin Group's struggle with British Airways, casting them in a negative shade. It's worth thinking how a monopoly and government favoritism affects the customers' interests as a whole.

The book recounts the snapshots of Richard's real life and recounts it in chronological order. Its complemented by quite a lot of pictures which gel with the narrative perfectly. The book ends, not with a message (thankfully!), yet leaves you with admiration for this adventurous spirit who led life by intuition, courage and creativity. He stands out as a true maverick, with his zeal to breakaway from conformity and tradition.

All in all, this book is an interesting read, with a good deal of fun involved just the way Branson has lived his life up to 43. I wonder what he is up to now.. As the saying goes, " Life starts after 40.."