The Airbnb Story by Leigh Gallagher: Book #23 for 2018
Airbnb is a service that I was sceptical about until a friend and I used it in January when we went to Barcelona. I was keen to read Leigh Gallagher's account of how it was started and what barriers it faced.
Some of the things I read in this comprehensive biograhy did not surprise me too much, particularly stories of Airbnb hosts finding their homes trashed, but I really enjoyed reading about all the controversy that Airbnb has caused, particularly the fact that New York's laws have prohbited anyone from running an Airbnb there. I also was not aware that the name Airbnb started from the three founding members renting out space to people visiting a convention, by providing air mattresses for them to sleep on.
The structure of the book felt a little odd at times, particularly the fact that the backgrounds of the three founders of Airbnb came quite late in the book. However, I could tell this book was painstakingly researched, and that author Leigh Gallagher had spoken to the three founders in person, so overall I enjoyed reading this immensely. Definitely recommended if you want to read about a growing 21st Century trend.