First Volume of Three-Part Autobiography Released
Covers Childhood to Startup Years
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft (MS) (70), is publishing his first autobiography. The first volume of the three-part series, released on the 4th, is titled "Source Code: My Beginnings." It covers the period from his childhood to his first startup in the 1970s and his first contract with Apple.
According to Gates, who shared this through his website and interviews with The Times in the UK and The New York Times (NYT), he was a troubled child with autistic tendencies. Although he grew up without difficulties under a lawyer father and a social worker mother, he was insensitive to others' reactions, rude, and immersed in his own world. He confessed that, out of rebellion against his mother who emphasized discipline and manners, he once thought, "I have to fail completely to embarrass my mom."
The turning point in his life came when he met a psychotherapist. The therapist guided Gates to channel his negative energy toward his parents into confronting the world. Afterward, Gates attended a prestigious private school and developed an interest in studying, winning first place in a math competition.
In high school, he taught computers to all students. After entering Harvard University, he spent about two hours sleeping daily and devoted 674 hours in a month to computers. Eventually, he dropped out of Harvard, founded MS in 1975, and became the youngest billionaire at age 31 in 1987. He held the position of the world's richest person for a long time and is currently ranked 16th (with assets of about 156 trillion won), but he said he is not interested in his wealth.
Gates emphasized "luck" regarding his achievements. He mentioned being born a white male and meeting good parents, teachers, and his wife.
Among these, his divorce from his wife Melinda French Gates was described as the biggest "failure" in his life. Gates fell in love with Melinda, whom he hired as a marketing manager when he became the youngest billionaire in 1987. However, they divorced in May 2021 at Melinda's request. In the past, Gates associated with Jeffrey Epstein, a minor sex trafficker, and was involved in several scandals within the company. He said, "Melinda and I still meet because we have three children and two grandchildren."
He also shares stories about his grandmother, who emphasized "fairness, justice, and sincerity." He explained that his grandmother's teachings were the driving force behind establishing the Gates Foundation and engaging in charitable work. So far, the Gates Foundation has spent $59 billion (about 86 trillion won) to eradicate polio, malaria, and AIDS.
Regarding the reason for writing the autobiography, he explained, "Approaching 70 years old, I feel like I finally understand life a little." He also mentioned that his children's marriages and his father's passing influenced this decision.
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