Losing My Virginity [Paperback]

Love him or loathe him, you've got to admit that Richard Branson has drive. And guts. And enough ambition to sink a battleship--or perhaps that should be a jumbo jet--or even a whole company of jumbos if the Virgin Atlantic/British Airways debacle (which takes up a huge chunk of this already sizable tome) is anything to go by.

Branson's autobiography makes immensely fascinating reading. Whatever you think of Britain's most famous entrepreneur the odds are that you will enjoy reading his autobiography. You may snort at descriptions of his "poor" childhood--spent eating bread and dripping while living in the kind of house house the majority of us visit on Bank Holidays and attending a "minor" public school. You may groan at memories of early initiative tests: how about being thrown out of the family car and told by his mother to find his way home--at the age of four? You may flinch at accounts of his early business days as an unwashed, unshod hippy magazine publisher living en famille with his staff in the crypt of a West London church. But all in all you'll get to understand where the guy's coming from--man.

And like the man himself, there's no holds barred here. Richard bares his soul, from childhood, school days (cheating at exams), loves and losses (lost one wife when a spot of wife-swapping went drastically wrong--for him) and death-defying adventures (yes, the balloons are all there) to the rise and rise of the Virgin empire. His interviews for Student magazine and the early days of Virgin Music read like a chronicle of popular music and culture in the late 20th century. Famous names bounce off every page. Prepare to be enthralled by the life and times of a walking publicity machine. --Carey Green, Amazon.com --This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title

‘Have no fear, Branson is here! He grabs you on page one and never lets go. His story is compelling reading and would be a classic
‘how to’
lesson for life, if you had the will to follow his example. He’s larger than life, and it shows on every page. Hurry, hurry, read all about it’
Lord Hanson – The Spectator

‘A remarkable story of business success against the financial odds – having created one of the world’s most admired brand names, Branson
is entitled to tell it all’
- Evening Standard

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'He grabs you on page one and never lets go. His story is compelling reading... Dramatic ups and downs, simple, bright, exhilarating, leaving you safe and sound at the end... Buy the book and read what makes this brilliant and hard-working man tick.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

"It is a warts and all book - the first ever penned by the subject himself... Branson bares his soul - and everything else - in a non-fiction blockbuster... a must-read..' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'Candid and humorous' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

'Candid and humerous' The Times 'Branson has a list of achievements unmatched by any other UK buisnessman.For anyone burning with entrepreneurial zeal,his reminiscences areakin to a sacred text' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'A remarkable story of buisness success against the finacial odds, against all precepts of conventional management.Having defied everyonewho has ever predicted his downfall and having created one of the worlds most admired brand names,Branson is entitled to tell all. 'EVENING STANDARD' 'Richard Branson is an incredible man,and this is and incredible autobiography,a great read-sex,balloons,intrigue and money'SUNDAY BUISNESS' 'Branson bares his soul-and everything else-in a non-fiction blockbuster,a must read'BUISNESS AGE --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

An autobiography of entrepreneur, Richard Branson. It discusses Branson's family, friends and philosophy, and covers dramatic events such as his Atlantic crossings, the sale of Virgin Records and the BA dirty tricks affair. There are also insights into the workings of Virgin.

It’s only when you’re working with someone like Sir Richard Branson that you realise what an extraordinary life some people lead. We’d arrange to talk through the latest sections of the text, only this time he’d be in the Caribbean; or in Europe; or in the States. But wherever he was, Sir Richard always made time to concentrate on this project, because the last few years have been so important for him, personally, and for the businesses. This is reflected in the new emphasis in the book that the additional material brings out; that Sir Richard’s challenges are no less exciting than the balloon rides, but they are just a little closer to the ground now! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

“Having come close to dying over the Atlas Mountains, I thought that I should write this book now, in case my guardian angel ever deserts me. I also realised that my children, Holly and Sam, who are still young, would not really know what I had done and why I had done it. So this autobiography is for Holly and Sam, the best thing I’ve created in the last eighteen years (though I can’t take all the credit). But most especially for their mother, my wife Joan, who’s seen me through most of the highs and lows.

I have also written this book to show how we made Virgin what it is today. Rather like our balloon flights, these years have been all about survival. If you listen carefully you will, I hope, understand our vision and where we are going.”

“Branson grabs you on page one and never lets go. His story is compelling and would be a classic ‘how to’ lesson for life, if you had the will to follow his example. He’s larger than life and it shows”
LORD HANSON, 'The Spectator'

“This is an incredible autobiography – a great read – sex, balloons, intrigue and money”
SUNDAY BUSINESS

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Sir Richard Branson is a hugely successful international entrepreneur, icon, and chairman of the Virgin Group. He is the author of the worldwide bestseller Screw It, Let’s Do It. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

It was now completely quiet. I could not see all the cables without leaning over the capsule railings. Standing amid the swirling white cloud, I felt an overwhelming sense of dizziness. The cables looked intact so I squeezed back inside the hatch. Whatever I did in the next ten minutes would lead to my death or survival. I was on my own. We had broken the record but I was almost certainly going to die. Per, with no survival suit, was either dead or trying to swim on. I had to get somebody to find him. I had to survive. I cleared my mind and concentrated on the options in front of me. I hadn't slept for over 24 hours and my mind felt fuzzy. I decided to take the balloon up high enough so I could parachute off the capsule. I blasted the burners and then found my notebook and scrawled across the page, 'Joan, Holly, Sam, I love you.' I waited until the altimeter showed 8,000 feet and then climbed inside." --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.