The first in a series of memoirs by Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, titled "Code Breaker," delves deeply into his personal details of childhood and adolescence, diverging from the strictly technological and philanthropic career. The book examines Gates's early years in Seattle in the 1960s, exploring his complex relationships with his parents and friends, which ultimately led to the founding of the global programming giant, The Washington Post reported.
Citing his motivations for writing the memoirs in an interview, Gates noted that this book is different from his previous works, which mainly focused on his philanthropic activities. "It has been 18 months since we decided to divide the book into several parts, which allowed me to tell about my parents, my relationships, and what good fortune I had," Gates said.
He also highlighted the impact of the Moore's Law, which rendered computing accessible to everyone, and how along with Paul Allen predicted that personal computers would eventually appear in every home and office. Describing the process of writing his memoir, Gates, who does not consider himself a person who often recalls the past, noted that earlier he only returned to his past in preparation for legal matters when he found himself remembering specific details.
He also spoke about the support of his family, particularly his sister, who helped him in remembering lessons about family. Gates also recalled his experience working in Congress in the summer of 1972, during the Nixon-McGovern elections. For instance, when researcher Rob Gatt showed him his ninth-grade report card, Gates was convinced that his grades were better than indicated in the documents.
In his memoirs, Gates reveals his life from childhood and education, sharing surprises regarding certain details revealed in his school records. He admitted that some of his childhood behavioral traits, for instance, intense focus on specific subjects, could lead to their diagnosis of autism if he were growing up now. The process of writing about personal aspects of the book, particularly those related to his relationships with his parents, was challenging for Gates, he admitted. However, in the end, he felt that he had told a true and honest story.
