Swimming Across: A Memoir

by Andrew S. Grove

Set in the cruel years of Hungary's Nazi occupation and subsequent communist regime, the bestselling "Swimming Across" is the stunning childhood memoir of one of the leading thinkers of our time, legendary Intel chairman, Andrew S. Grove. Photos throughout.

Genres: Biography, Memoir, History, Nonfiction, Business, Autobiography, War

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Andrew Stephen ("Andy") Grove (born 2 September 1936), is a Hungarian-born American businessman, engineer, and author. He is a science pioneer in the semiconductor industry. He escaped from Communist-controlled Hungary at the age of 20 and moved to the United States where he finished his education. He later became CEO of Intel Corporation and helped transform the company into the world's largest manufacturer of semiconductors.

In 1968, As a result of his work at Intel, and from his books and professional articles, Grove had a considerable influence on the management of modern electronics manufacturing industries worldwide. He has been called the "guy who drove the growth phase" of Silicon Valley.Steve Jobs, when he was considering returning to be Apple's CEO, called Grove, who was someone he "idolized," for his personal advice. One source notes that by his accomplishments at Intel alone, he "merits a place alongside the great business leaders of the 20th century."

Reviews

[Tirath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple writing.
Andy's childhood was super fun to read about; and I might even say that the story is not that amazing. It felt as though he lived quite a cushy life in Hungary, but when the Soviet way started getting more pronounced, although he kept succeeding, society was crumbling.
His journey of getting out of Hungary is not anywhere near what a grueling life or struggle might be - but what I experienced as a reader was amazing.
I could see myself traveling with him across Hungary and Germany, and the relief when he came near American help; and when he finally landed in the US - and how he hated it - and thought "These homes have never heard bombs or artillery" ; that was a revelation.
A new sense of admiration for what the US way was - give me your hungry and poor; and see how that has paid such rich dividends to the American society.

Wish I read it as a kid.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

TBD. It was a great story.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Grove, was born András Grof, in Budapest to a Jewish family. He survived World War II and the occupations of the Nazis and then the Russian communists. It was during the vicious crackdown after the failed 1956 revolution that his aunt admonished him "Andris, you must go, and you must go immediately."
Swimming Across tells the story of his childhood with the usual challenges of growing up complicated by political turmoil and terror.
Grove is the name he took because Americans pronounced it closest to the Hungarian pronunciation of his original surname.
His earlier books are business classics and his writing style is clear and concise and still entertaining. A fascinating story well told.

[Karrie Wagner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had to read this for class. There is nothing else to be said.

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book. Written by Andy Grove, former CEO of Intel about his early life. This is not some puff piece but a harrowing tale written in direct clear style. Grove was born in Budapest in 1936 and survived the German occupation, the holocaust and the Russian invasion but roundups and deportations of military age men after the 1956 Hungarian uprising convinced him to flee. He paints the world as he saw it, through the eyes of a child which makes the story much more touching as you know what must be going through his mothers mind as she turns the world upside down to shield him from the horrors around them all of which she bears fully. The book is dedicated "To my mother, who gave me life. More than once." And man, is that ever true. In spades.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting account of life in Hungary from WWII through the '56 revolutions. The prose and structure leave much to be desired, but it is kind of like listening to your father or grandfather tell stories of the old days. Since mine aren't around, I am trying to imagine what of this they might have experienced as I piece together a clearer family history.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting but style of writing is very simplistic. He wrote this for his grandkids which makes sense since it seems to be written as a way of letting them know the interesting young life of their grandad, rather than as a deep-thought analysis of his early life in Hungary.

[Andy Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast reading book about Andrew Grove who left Hungary just after the 1956 revolution. The highs and lows of living in a country that survived WW2 and Communism. He eventually help start Intel and became very successful. Not bad for a Hungarian immigrant. Good read....

[Nicole Ponzoa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Childhood of Andrew S. Grove, founder of Intel. Covers 1930s- mid 1950s, Nazi occupation of German, rise of Communism in Hungary through Hungarian uprising in 1956.

Simply told recollections but of an incredible time period. History come to life.

[Guillermo DeLeon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story of adversity and ultimate redemption. Grove's story is truly inspirational.

[William Schram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Swimming Across is a memoir by Andy Grove about his early years and eventual emigration to the United States. Born in Hungary on September 2, 1936, Grove was no stranger to troubles and tribulations. With the opening of the Second World War, Hungary decided to side with the Axis Powers when Germany attacked Russia. With a somewhat detached air, Grove goes through his experiences with the Hitler army and Stalinist Russia. Not that he wasn’t affected by any of these happenings, but I don’t know if I could keep my cool with recalling some of these events; especially when he starts talking about the disappearances.

In any case, the book is very good, but I skimmed a lot of it. I do know that Grove never returned to his native Hungary as of the printing of this book. Grove states that it is because Hungary is no longer what it once was and I can understand that.

I had not heard of Andrew S. Grove either when I started with this book, so I am pretty bad with the names of recent famous people. Now I know that Grove, born Grof Andris, was a founder of Intel and one of its most celebrated chairmen.

[Coffee & books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've heard about Grove when I read a book about Intel. As someone that has a laptop with the "intel inside" logo on it, I was curious to read about the founders of Intel. When I've read about Grove, I knew I wanted to know more. I'm glad I got this book because it was fascinating.

I've read stories about Jews during the Holocaust, but I didn't read books about Jews during the Communist era. He presents the Communism realistically. Even the jokes were spot on, like the one with the car. His struggle to get to University was something I knew about, as my grandmother was in a similar situation to his, but she was less lucky.

The book is about one person's story in the 50s, but as now we are faced with so many migrants, it made me wonder, how many Groves stayed in the Jungle in France or drowned in a capsized boat a few miles from the coast? How could our lives be better if a few policies were made different and a few more charities involved in rescuing people?

Full review on my blog: Coffee & Books

[Jon Theisen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read this book I find it a very interesting story of life during and after WW-2 of a young boys life as he and his family seek to survive the war and the aftermath of political turmoil in his home country of Hungary up to the Revolution. He soon escapes to Austria and them to the USA where he resumes his studies and builds a life for himself and works to get his parents to join him in his new home land. It’s a refreshing look at how a person can do well and succeed no matter what life throws at you. And yes while what he went through was no where near as bad as many suffered during this period it’s nice to read just what people who lived through it actually faced during our darkest hours. I very much enjoyed reading “Andy’s” story, I think many of you will too.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the autobiography of Andy Grove, founder and CEO of Intel. But it tells almost nothing of his life in American. Instead, he tells the story of his childhood before and during WWII in Hungary. I didn't know much about the lives of Hungarian Jews during WWII, other than near the end of the war, many (most) were deported to Auschwitz and died there. Grove was lucky that his mother was able to protect him during WWII and that he was able to protect himself during the Hungarian revolution in 1956. The more stories that I read and hear about the Shoah, the more I realize that survival was dependent upon, luck, timing and internal fortitude.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, I liked this book. I was a little bit more interested in Grove's experiences in the Hungarian Revolution and his living through major historical events. However, this is a pretty in-depth memoir of his life in Hungary, so while I understand why he wanted to include as much as possible, such as minute details about his friends from school, those parts understandably dragged more than others. The chapters that focused more on his responses to the political environment and his experiences fleeing Hungary were wonderful, but other parts could have been omitted.

[Trina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andrew wrote his story well; the way he inserted details added to the understanding of what was happening around him. I was most drawn to how he wrote from a child like perspective for his childhood years. As an adult, you could tell exactly what was happening, but he told the story in the way he remembered it as a child and that limited understanding.

A quick read that gave me a better understanding of immigration into the US during the period after WWII.

[Rippen Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A completely different side of Andy Grove from the famous "Only the Paranoid Survives". The Nazis, the Russians, the bomb attacks, the losing relatives and friends to "camps", etc., he wrote the memoir in such an unpretentious and non-complaining tone, while the stories still left one in tremendous shock and awe nonetheless.

[Fadi Youkhana · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read of an autobiography of NYT Man of the year 1997. A success story of an immigrant facing challenges, new experiences and successes that will sound familiar to those who were blessed to escape war to Freedom.
An interesting read to those who haven't experienced immigration too. Perhaps highlighting the privileges and luxuries in the West.

[Ted Alling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A chilling tale of a Hungarian immigrant that comes to America. The details, he remembers about his childhood are unreal. He ends up becoming the CEO of Intel.

"Haunting and Inspirational. It should be required reading in schools." Tom Brokaw

[Shannon Holt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book about Andy Grove’s life growing up in Hungary. Highly recommend this.

[John Belizaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterful, sweet memoir of a great leader

Andy Grove is my idol. I hope to be
Like him some day at the helm of a company at the top of its industry.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really boring autobiography of a person I didn't care the life story of. Interesting to see old Hungary though.

[Missy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. Really enjoyed.

[Umbra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great memoire with genuine recollection of personal stories having as circumstances major historical events: WWII, Communism, Hungarian Revolution.

[Manas Saloi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was more interested in his early years in Tech. This turned out to be a memoir about his childhood in Hungary. Not a bad read

[andy greiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminds me of my escape also in 1956. I read this book after doing my memoirs and thought of the many parallels between our early life altho I am four years younger.

[Colin Weil · Rating 3 out of 5]

A small, personal tale among the millions of Holocaust survival stories. Still moving.

[Jaffar Hussein · Rating 5 out of 5]

An eye opening story on the holocaust.

[LT]

John Doerr, Intel
July 2021, Tsingyuan

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily the best memoir I've ever read.