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Thicker Than Water
From the hero whistleblower of the infamous Theranos scam, Thicker than Water is a look at never-before-revealed details behind closed doors at the company, revealing a cautionary tale of corporate bullying, gaslighting, ego, and wealth running amok in Silicon Valley.
Tyler Shultz had been in the workforce for less than a year when he emailed Elizabeth Holmes, his employer and the CEO and founder of Theranos, with concerns that the company’s lab practices were faulty, ignored quality control, and were potentially dangerous to patients. The COO fired back with a dismissive and insulting email, to which Tyler “Consider this my two weeks’ notice.”
From there, his life spun out of control at the hand of Elizabeth, her team of high-powered lawyers, and the patriarch of Tyler’s own family George Shultz - one of America’s most prominent statesmen - who sat among the top of the Theranos board of directors. And yet, Tyler forged on. To protect his own conscience, the honor and reputation of his grandfather, and the health of patients worldwide.
Thicker than Water is Tyler’s as-told-to story - a harrowing and heartbreaking roller coaster of biomedical drama, family intrigue, and redemption - that will ultimately make you feel as though you are at a dinner party, seated next to a brilliant friend with one hell of a story.
Tyler Shultz had been in the workforce for less than a year when he emailed Elizabeth Holmes, his employer and the CEO and founder of Theranos, with concerns that the company’s lab practices were faulty, ignored quality control, and were potentially dangerous to patients. The COO fired back with a dismissive and insulting email, to which Tyler “Consider this my two weeks’ notice.”
From there, his life spun out of control at the hand of Elizabeth, her team of high-powered lawyers, and the patriarch of Tyler’s own family George Shultz - one of America’s most prominent statesmen - who sat among the top of the Theranos board of directors. And yet, Tyler forged on. To protect his own conscience, the honor and reputation of his grandfather, and the health of patients worldwide.
Thicker than Water is Tyler’s as-told-to story - a harrowing and heartbreaking roller coaster of biomedical drama, family intrigue, and redemption - that will ultimately make you feel as though you are at a dinner party, seated next to a brilliant friend with one hell of a story.
4 pages, Audible Audio
First published August 4, 2020
24 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 399 reviews
May 27, 2023
I am blown away by Tyler Shultz’s podcast “Thicker Than Water” about his journey with the disgraced Elizabeth Holmes and the defunct Theranos. I saw the 60 minutes piece when it ran and was amazed at how Holmes hoodwinked so many incredibly intelligent people. She robbed investors of hard-earned cash. She stole people’s inherence. But listening to Tyler Shultz and his personal story, well, she has become even more monstrous in my eyes.
What I find amazing is that Tyler was in his early 20’s when he started working at Theranos. He possessed the integrity to ask questions and tried to find ways of solving the problems of Theranos. His intent was genuine, and he wanted to be part of the vision Holmes sold. Her ideas and inventions would change the health industry and benefit millions…. if they worked, which they did not.
This is a four-hour podcast that is worth every second of listen. While listening, I became enraged, even though I knew the ending. What that young man went through is horrendous. I understood the monetary loss and destruction while watching the 60 minutes piece. I saw a few of the Wall Street Journal pieces. This podcast shows the personal horror that Homes and her firm put not only Tyler through, but all the employees.
This is timely in that Holmes has a court date coming up, that is expected to be delayed due to Covid. She’s still running around enjoying a full life. How she still has money is beyond me. I’m not sure why Walgreens alone hasn’t personally sued her. Tyler told only his story. I’d love to hear how she duped her board of directors. I’d love to get a podcast from them.
What I find amazing is that Tyler was in his early 20’s when he started working at Theranos. He possessed the integrity to ask questions and tried to find ways of solving the problems of Theranos. His intent was genuine, and he wanted to be part of the vision Holmes sold. Her ideas and inventions would change the health industry and benefit millions…. if they worked, which they did not.
This is a four-hour podcast that is worth every second of listen. While listening, I became enraged, even though I knew the ending. What that young man went through is horrendous. I understood the monetary loss and destruction while watching the 60 minutes piece. I saw a few of the Wall Street Journal pieces. This podcast shows the personal horror that Homes and her firm put not only Tyler through, but all the employees.
This is timely in that Holmes has a court date coming up, that is expected to be delayed due to Covid. She’s still running around enjoying a full life. How she still has money is beyond me. I’m not sure why Walgreens alone hasn’t personally sued her. Tyler told only his story. I’d love to hear how she duped her board of directors. I’d love to get a podcast from them.
August 12, 2020
Some people when they see the Audible Original selection for the month they quickly dismiss and say "Just viewed the Audible Originals for this month. Nothing for me." Everybody has their own preferences and we are all different. What I like about listening to these Audible Originals is it is sort of like a random pick that Audible provides for me. Something I would never listen to but they chose these to cover as much diverse listeners as possible. I want to learn something outside of what I know. It's really good for my mental health to discover other things I won't normally listen to. Besides they are part of my membership. I should take advantage of it. What have I got to lose? Wasted time? That's to be determined once I started listening.
This one did not disappoint. I never knew about a biotech company named Theranos. Never heard of CEO Elizabeth Holmes, styled as the female Steve Jobs. Youngest female billionaire under 30. Besides the discovery about the news. I enjoyed Tyler Shultz narration of his story. It's so relaxed like he's talking to me. He is telling me what happened. It feels and sounds so natural. The recording is superb. His voice and pronunciation are clear which is what I appreciate most with Audible Originals besides the story/content itself. I enjoyed this very much.
Recommended to those who are curious about the person that exposed the biotech company and what he had to go through. I also appreciated how he tells his story in relation to him and his grandfather, a former secretary of state, George Shultz. Amazing work by Audible and Tyler Shultz.
This one did not disappoint. I never knew about a biotech company named Theranos. Never heard of CEO Elizabeth Holmes, styled as the female Steve Jobs. Youngest female billionaire under 30. Besides the discovery about the news. I enjoyed Tyler Shultz narration of his story. It's so relaxed like he's talking to me. He is telling me what happened. It feels and sounds so natural. The recording is superb. His voice and pronunciation are clear which is what I appreciate most with Audible Originals besides the story/content itself. I enjoyed this very much.
Recommended to those who are curious about the person that exposed the biotech company and what he had to go through. I also appreciated how he tells his story in relation to him and his grandfather, a former secretary of state, George Shultz. Amazing work by Audible and Tyler Shultz.
August 19, 2020
I never heard of the Theranos scandal until now. Tyler explains everything and I couldn't stop listening because I couldn't believe he went through it. It's shocking how Elizabeth took things out of context from the beginning. This book was an easy listen and I'm glad Tyler is in a better head space now. I recommend this book if you love anything Biology related and are thinking about working in labs after graduation.
August 12, 2020
5 enthusiastic stars and a slow-clap standing ovation. What a fantastic story! I may have more comments after I have a chance to think about it but wanted to add my voice to the chorus of praise this work is sure to inspire. Bravo!
August 10, 2020
Wow, I loved hearing the story of Theranos from Tyler’s point of view. I’ve always wondered at his side of the story and it was great to hear it! I’m glad it ended well for Tyler and the truth prevailed.
August 7, 2020
Insider Bad Blood
Review of the Audible Original audiobook (August 2020)
This is an insider story by biotech researcher and whistleblower Tyler Shultz who worked for Elizabeth Holmes at Theranos, the notorious company behind the story of Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. I have not yet read Bad Blood so that learning the story from a first-hand perspective had even more of an impact. Schultz was abruptly terminated at the company after tendering his resignation when his questions about the validity of the technology behind the company went unanswered. He became one of the deep background sources for John Carreyrou's initial Wall St. Journal articles and later book exposing the company fraud.
I'm now eager to read Bad Blood (2018) and catch up on the Alex Gibney documentary The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (2019) and I look forward to the future feature film Bad Blood (2021?) with actress Jennifer Lawrence.
Thicker Than Water was one of eleven Audible Originals available free for members in the month of August 2020. It is available to everyone for a standard price.
Review of the Audible Original audiobook (August 2020)
This is an insider story by biotech researcher and whistleblower Tyler Shultz who worked for Elizabeth Holmes at Theranos, the notorious company behind the story of Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. I have not yet read Bad Blood so that learning the story from a first-hand perspective had even more of an impact. Schultz was abruptly terminated at the company after tendering his resignation when his questions about the validity of the technology behind the company went unanswered. He became one of the deep background sources for John Carreyrou's initial Wall St. Journal articles and later book exposing the company fraud.
I'm now eager to read Bad Blood (2018) and catch up on the Alex Gibney documentary The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley (2019) and I look forward to the future feature film Bad Blood (2021?) with actress Jennifer Lawrence.
Thicker Than Water was one of eleven Audible Originals available free for members in the month of August 2020. It is available to everyone for a standard price.
August 11, 2020
PSA: do not listen to this audiobook if you have not yet read Bad Blood; you will miss a lot of important details that will rob you of the immensity of this still-unfolding drama. Also, do not listen if you have immediate plans like working out or something, you will cancel them and sit on your couch eating popcorn, or maybe...
Anyways, whereas the story of Theranos as told by John Carreyrou in Bad Blood had an almost formal, investigative tone, Tyler Shultz's account is much more personal and feels as if it's being told by a friend.
You can literally hear him laugh nervously as he recounts the events that led to his resignation at Theranos, as well as choke up tears when describing the damage Elizabeth Holmes did to the relationship between him and his grandfather, and the emotional torment he suffered at the hands of their lawyers, investigators, etc.
I finished this book feeling a whole new sense of respect for Tyler, as he displayed immense strength of moral character to stand by what he knew was right, despite the weight of billions being stacked against him.
Absolute must-listen if you enjoyed Bad Blood.
Anyways, whereas the story of Theranos as told by John Carreyrou in Bad Blood had an almost formal, investigative tone, Tyler Shultz's account is much more personal and feels as if it's being told by a friend.
You can literally hear him laugh nervously as he recounts the events that led to his resignation at Theranos, as well as choke up tears when describing the damage Elizabeth Holmes did to the relationship between him and his grandfather, and the emotional torment he suffered at the hands of their lawyers, investigators, etc.
I finished this book feeling a whole new sense of respect for Tyler, as he displayed immense strength of moral character to stand by what he knew was right, despite the weight of billions being stacked against him.
Absolute must-listen if you enjoyed Bad Blood.
August 29, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carryrou and have recommended it on several occasions. Thicker Than Water by Tyler Schultz is an excellent complement to Bad Blood. Tyler Schultz was the primary whistleblower against Theranos, a multibillion start-up led by Elizabeth Holmes. I can’t say I learned anything new from Thicker Than Water, although it does carry the story forward closer to the present day. The basic facts about Tyler’s involvement, his interactions with his parents, grandparents and friends all come across as the same, which simply supports the accuracy of the story told by Bad Blood. The real value of Thicker Than Water, though, is hearing first-hand the stress, emotional and financial, that Tyler and his parents experienced as a result of Theranos’ legal and investigative efforts, and it reiterates the confounding lack of support Tyler received from his grandfather. I thought very well of Tyler after reading Bad Blood and think even more highly of him now.
August 24, 2020
Very interesting, I never knew about Theranos and its scandal before this audiobook. I love Audible Originals monthly picks for this reason
August 13, 2020
A couple of years ago, I read "Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup" by John Carreyrou. It was probably one of my favorite books that year...this was a story of how an angelic-looking sociopath dupes the world out of more than $900 billion. Elizabeth Holmes, a Stanford dropout, creates a company called Theranos, and spins the story of a technology that takes a finger stick of blood held in a tiny "nanotainer", is inserted into a portable machine and can run hundreds of tests. It will revolutionize healthcare, can be used in Walgreens, in medevac helicopters and on the battlefield. She garnered investment and support from the likes of the Waltons, Rupert Murdoch, the DeVos family, Henry Kissinger and George Schultz. She was the next Steve Jobs. Except it was all bullshit. Great idea, but she lied about the accuracy of the tests, the number of tests that could be run, the approval of FDA, revenue projections...the technology basically DID NOT WORK.
If you have not heard of this scandal, Google it. Read the book. Watch the various documentaries. It defies imagination. FYI ultimately Elizabeth was charged with many counts of fraud, and will go on trial this October.
So where am I going with this? One of the first whistleblowers for this hot mess was Tyler Schultz, George Schultz's grandson. Tyler was a Stanford graduate and your basic entitled rich kid. Because of his famous grandfather, and the cozy relationship Elizabeth had established with the old man, Tyler got an internship and job at Theranos, and soon Tyler began to see some serious red flags. He respectfully addressed Elizabeth and her right-hand guy (and boyfriend) about his concerns via e-mail and their reaction was vehement indignation. Tyler quit, as well as many other employees who saw the writing on the wall. He was approached by John Carreyrou, a WSJ investigative reporter, and he blew his whistle off the record. What followed was a nightmare for the young man...he was hounded by lawyers, followed by private investigators, and threatened. Through it all, Tyler's grandfather stoically supported Elizabeth, adding fuel to the fire.
This audio is a short Audible original, free to subscribers, narrated by Tyler in a podcast format, about this experience. It is a fascinating supplement to a bigger, more complicated story. Tyler was a grunt for Theranos, but they nearly ruined his life after his defection. It is a street-level view of what they were capable of, and worthy of your 3.5 hours. Tyler does come across as unsophisticated and young, highlighted by his constant nervous laughter throughout the narration. It would have served him well to try to settle down and curb the giggling, because it was annoying, but the message is a good one.
If you have not heard of this scandal, Google it. Read the book. Watch the various documentaries. It defies imagination. FYI ultimately Elizabeth was charged with many counts of fraud, and will go on trial this October.
So where am I going with this? One of the first whistleblowers for this hot mess was Tyler Schultz, George Schultz's grandson. Tyler was a Stanford graduate and your basic entitled rich kid. Because of his famous grandfather, and the cozy relationship Elizabeth had established with the old man, Tyler got an internship and job at Theranos, and soon Tyler began to see some serious red flags. He respectfully addressed Elizabeth and her right-hand guy (and boyfriend) about his concerns via e-mail and their reaction was vehement indignation. Tyler quit, as well as many other employees who saw the writing on the wall. He was approached by John Carreyrou, a WSJ investigative reporter, and he blew his whistle off the record. What followed was a nightmare for the young man...he was hounded by lawyers, followed by private investigators, and threatened. Through it all, Tyler's grandfather stoically supported Elizabeth, adding fuel to the fire.
This audio is a short Audible original, free to subscribers, narrated by Tyler in a podcast format, about this experience. It is a fascinating supplement to a bigger, more complicated story. Tyler was a grunt for Theranos, but they nearly ruined his life after his defection. It is a street-level view of what they were capable of, and worthy of your 3.5 hours. Tyler does come across as unsophisticated and young, highlighted by his constant nervous laughter throughout the narration. It would have served him well to try to settle down and curb the giggling, because it was annoying, but the message is a good one.
July 28, 2022
4.5 Stars
If you read my review for Bad Blood, then maybe this will not surprise you. I said the whole Theranos story just sucked me in. I’ve never been this interested in a true story before. Even my partner started asking me if I was watching more of that “healthcare lady who scammed the world”.
So I knew this Audible Original was a thing. It was even in my wishlist, but I didn’t want to shell out $20 for approximately 4 hours of content. So it sat there for a few months... until I got an email saying I’d get 3 free months of Audible Plus. Hell yeah!
So the first thing I added to my library was Thicker Than Water. I set it to 2x speed and painted my nails.
This is Tyler Shultz’s story in his own words. I knew of his story along with all the big plot beats but hearing the smaller details and to hear the emotion in his voice and the awkward laughter. It really brought the story to life. He has this way of telling his story that made it sound like you are just sitting around a campfire and chatting with a friend.
I won’t go into many details of the story but he was one of the whistleblowers, one of employees who used to work there and couldn’t vibe with whom Theranos was lying to everyone and putting their health in danger but Tyler wasn’t just an employee. His grandfather sat on the board of Theranos and all this caused their family a lot of pain.
It’s an interesting story and if Bad Blood interested you, I’d suggest giving this a listen.
If you read my review for Bad Blood, then maybe this will not surprise you. I said the whole Theranos story just sucked me in. I’ve never been this interested in a true story before. Even my partner started asking me if I was watching more of that “healthcare lady who scammed the world”.
So I knew this Audible Original was a thing. It was even in my wishlist, but I didn’t want to shell out $20 for approximately 4 hours of content. So it sat there for a few months... until I got an email saying I’d get 3 free months of Audible Plus. Hell yeah!
So the first thing I added to my library was Thicker Than Water. I set it to 2x speed and painted my nails.
This is Tyler Shultz’s story in his own words. I knew of his story along with all the big plot beats but hearing the smaller details and to hear the emotion in his voice and the awkward laughter. It really brought the story to life. He has this way of telling his story that made it sound like you are just sitting around a campfire and chatting with a friend.
I won’t go into many details of the story but he was one of the whistleblowers, one of employees who used to work there and couldn’t vibe with whom Theranos was lying to everyone and putting their health in danger but Tyler wasn’t just an employee. His grandfather sat on the board of Theranos and all this caused their family a lot of pain.
It’s an interesting story and if Bad Blood interested you, I’d suggest giving this a listen.
January 14, 2022
Between the book, the podcast, the docuseries, and this audiobook, this is the most emotional one for me. I loved that Tyler himself narrated his experiences throughout the whole ordeal; what really happened to him, his family, friends, and and the most heartbreaking one, his relationship with his grandfather.
I highly recommend this audiobook, especially to those who have read Bad Blood.
I highly recommend this audiobook, especially to those who have read Bad Blood.
August 28, 2020
Truly fascinating. Highly recommend it.
January 7, 2023
3.5 stars. I will consume the Theranos story in every medium possible, lol. Read via audio (narrated by the author).
June 5, 2021
Rather intriguing. Very emotional. It broke my heart that the grandfather would not believe his own grandson over the likes of Elizabeth Holmes. It will be interesting to follow the Theranos trial later this summer.
April 19, 2021
O Theranos som sa dozvedela niekedy minulý rok (alebo predminulý? eh, čo je teraz za rok?), vďaka YT videám a knihe, ktorá vtedy niekedy vyšla (a nečítala som ju). Celkom ma šokovalo, aký mal Theranos iba pár rokov dozadu obrovský hype a pri tom v našej hemisfére o nich veľmi počuť nebolo (aspoň si fakt nepamätám).
Thicker Than Water sú spomienky 20+ročného chalana, ktorý sa odvážil nahlas spochybniť úžasné mediciníske vynálezy firmy, v ktorej pracoval, i keď to malo veľmi nepríjemnú dohru. Tým, že audio nahral samotný Tyler a znie to ako len spomínanie minulosti, nie čítanie, dodáva celému príbehu emóciu. V niektorých častiach mi ho bolo fakt ľúto, čo všetko musel kvôli Theranos prežiť. Bolo fascinujúce počuť jeho rozprávanie o Elizabeth a ostatných; ako vie človek s charizmou obalamutiť aj tie najlepšie mozgy.
Keďže to boli všetko ale spomienky iba Tylera, možno predsa len pozriem k širšiemu záberu aj Bad Blood od novinára, ktorý zverejnil tajomstvá Theranosu.
Morálne ponaučenie do budúcnosti: keď s vami vo vašej novej práci jednajú netransparentne, prípadne zakazujú povedať o nej hocičo vašim blízkym (hoci aj len názov, kde robíte), je to fishy a utekajte kade ľahšie.
Thicker Than Water sú spomienky 20+ročného chalana, ktorý sa odvážil nahlas spochybniť úžasné mediciníske vynálezy firmy, v ktorej pracoval, i keď to malo veľmi nepríjemnú dohru. Tým, že audio nahral samotný Tyler a znie to ako len spomínanie minulosti, nie čítanie, dodáva celému príbehu emóciu. V niektorých častiach mi ho bolo fakt ľúto, čo všetko musel kvôli Theranos prežiť. Bolo fascinujúce počuť jeho rozprávanie o Elizabeth a ostatných; ako vie človek s charizmou obalamutiť aj tie najlepšie mozgy.
Keďže to boli všetko ale spomienky iba Tylera, možno predsa len pozriem k širšiemu záberu aj Bad Blood od novinára, ktorý zverejnil tajomstvá Theranosu.
Morálne ponaučenie do budúcnosti: keď s vami vo vašej novej práci jednajú netransparentne, prípadne zakazujú povedať o nej hocičo vašim blízkym (hoci aj len názov, kde robíte), je to fishy a utekajte kade ľahšie.
August 13, 2020
I’m now a Tyler fan! Just wow. Fantastic doesn’t even cover it.
After watching the HBO documentary and reading Bad Blood last week, I was delightfully surprised to find this gem that just came out. I’ve been in awe of Tyler’s courage and integrity since Bad Blood, then I found out he’s my age(class of 2013!!), and I just couldn’t imagine his suffering and endurance through this awful ordeal.
This podcast style audiobook is exactly what I was looking for to understand the story from a first person perspective. John Carreyrou did a wonderful job with Bad Blood, but he didn’t live it. Tyler did.
Tyler told the story so earnestly, it’s as if he’s just sitting next to you in a cafe and telling you about his past life. You can’t help but get confused, angry, sad, frustrated, scared, freed with him... but you also can’t help but smile when he reminisces something and lets out a hearty laugh. I hear the optimism in his California boyish voice(which is quite angelic tbh!) and just feel so relieved knowing he’s out of that dark hole now.
It also amazes me that on so many occasions, Tyler was so brilliant and poised under pressure. He didn’t crack, he was smart and sensible, quick to diffuse a difficult situation, thorough and logical when communicating his thoughts and feelings. All signs of a highly intelligent person. Also, although only mentioned a few times, his step-grandmother is helluva woman! High EQ for the win.
Congrats on your new chapter, Tyler! You deserve everything wonderful in this world. 🍀
After watching the HBO documentary and reading Bad Blood last week, I was delightfully surprised to find this gem that just came out. I’ve been in awe of Tyler’s courage and integrity since Bad Blood, then I found out he’s my age(class of 2013!!), and I just couldn’t imagine his suffering and endurance through this awful ordeal.
This podcast style audiobook is exactly what I was looking for to understand the story from a first person perspective. John Carreyrou did a wonderful job with Bad Blood, but he didn’t live it. Tyler did.
Tyler told the story so earnestly, it’s as if he’s just sitting next to you in a cafe and telling you about his past life. You can’t help but get confused, angry, sad, frustrated, scared, freed with him... but you also can’t help but smile when he reminisces something and lets out a hearty laugh. I hear the optimism in his California boyish voice(which is quite angelic tbh!) and just feel so relieved knowing he’s out of that dark hole now.
It also amazes me that on so many occasions, Tyler was so brilliant and poised under pressure. He didn’t crack, he was smart and sensible, quick to diffuse a difficult situation, thorough and logical when communicating his thoughts and feelings. All signs of a highly intelligent person. Also, although only mentioned a few times, his step-grandmother is helluva woman! High EQ for the win.
Congrats on your new chapter, Tyler! You deserve everything wonderful in this world. 🍀
February 19, 2022
I will never forget reading Bad Blood by John Carreyrou. I was absolutely gobsmacked! Elizabeth Holmes was so conniving and despicable I just couldn’t believe anyone could be that horrible. When I talked to anyone about the book, I always said it was the situation between Tyler Schultz and his grandfather, George Schultz, that I found the most heartbreaking and unforgivable. This Audible Original is Tyler’s story. Is “read” by Tyler, but feels more liken interview than a book. And let me tell you, it is even more heartbreaking than expected. Elizabeth is manipulative beyond compare, and the fact that she didn’t succeed in absolutely breaking this young man is a testament to his character, and the love and support of his parents. Even if you didn’t read Bad Blood, you can listen to this one. It is fairly short, but has enough detail that you will understand what happened without the background of the Carreyrou book. I know I will never have to go through what Tyler went through, but I sincerely hope I would have that same strength of character to stand up for what is right.
August 9, 2020
I got this audiobook for free as an Audible member benefit.
I saw the HBO documentary about Theranos and was interested to hear what happened from an insider. It was like listening to a friend tell about a horrific event in their life where they did the right thing even though it was costly to their family dynamics and mental health. I applaud Tyler for his integrity - for standing up for what he believed in - and for seeing things through to the end. His story also made me appreciate investigative journalists for their tenacity and dedication to finding and telling the truth.
The only con for me was that Tyler laughed a lot which I believe was from the incredulity of events and nervousness.
I saw the HBO documentary about Theranos and was interested to hear what happened from an insider. It was like listening to a friend tell about a horrific event in their life where they did the right thing even though it was costly to their family dynamics and mental health. I applaud Tyler for his integrity - for standing up for what he believed in - and for seeing things through to the end. His story also made me appreciate investigative journalists for their tenacity and dedication to finding and telling the truth.
The only con for me was that Tyler laughed a lot which I believe was from the incredulity of events and nervousness.
September 10, 2020
Tyler Shultz, grandson of former Secretary of State, and Theranos board member, Charles Shultz, relates his experiences at the now famously defunct tech start up. This situation held deep family issues for Shultz as his grandfather was caught in Elizabeth Holmes’s charismatic web. Shultz helped bring the fraudulent Theranos down, but at a great cost to his mental health. This is a must-read companion to Carryrou’s incredible Bad Blood.
September 5, 2020
Compelling listen! Heartrending to hear the trials this young man went through trying to be honest, loyal, steadfast and do the right thing.
November 26, 2020
It took me a while to make the decision to invest the time to listen to this Audible Original. I was wary because I didn’t think it would be that interesting or enlightening. I read Bad Blood, listened to podcasts about this, followed interviews, read articles, and more. So I thought I knew everything there was to know about the entire situation. But boy was I wrong. This was such a beautiful insight into the life of Tyler Shultz and it reminds you of the very real emotions, relationships and people behind the scandalous story.
Tyler Schulz did an incredible job of speaking his truth. He was honest, vulnerable and bold. There were so many parts where I just wanted to hug him and tell him that I believed him and that everything would be alright! The amount of resilience and courage it takes to do what he did is remarkable. There were times he felt isolated (by his own grandfather even!), betrayed, depressed and he spoke about these very sensitive topics with so much maturity.
I was so engulfed with his experience. And almost felt all the feeling that he was describing. So when he was finally vindicated I totally did a victory dance.
Beautiful audiobook. One that everyone should listen to.
Tyler Schulz did an incredible job of speaking his truth. He was honest, vulnerable and bold. There were so many parts where I just wanted to hug him and tell him that I believed him and that everything would be alright! The amount of resilience and courage it takes to do what he did is remarkable. There were times he felt isolated (by his own grandfather even!), betrayed, depressed and he spoke about these very sensitive topics with so much maturity.
I was so engulfed with his experience. And almost felt all the feeling that he was describing. So when he was finally vindicated I totally did a victory dance.
Beautiful audiobook. One that everyone should listen to.
September 5, 2020
A good companion to John Carreyrou's wonderful book, Bad Blood.
The audio format is perfect for the first person narrative.
The audio format is perfect for the first person narrative.
February 11, 2022
If I hadn't just read Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup this may have been interesting. As it is, even though Tyler was personally telling his part of the story, he didn't really add anything to what was already told.
August 15, 2020
I keep getting drawn into the Theranos story and this book does not disappoint. Tyler comes across as relatable and nice and he definitely has strong ethical values that I also share. His narration is excellent.
To be honest I first gave this book 4 stars because it was too short and some bits are hard to understand due to background music or noise (not too many though) but after starting to write this review I just changed to 5 as it was a truly engaging book, just wish there was more of it.
To be honest I first gave this book 4 stars because it was too short and some bits are hard to understand due to background music or noise (not too many though) but after starting to write this review I just changed to 5 as it was a truly engaging book, just wish there was more of it.
August 13, 2020
To a certain extent it is easy to approach this book with the idea that Tyler Schultz' problems all arose from the wealth and privilege he had as a grandson of George Schultz, and his easy access to Elizabeth Holmes and her high powered fraud at Theranos. This book is not so easily dismissed.
It is also a story of someone with a moral compass who couldn't look away from a genuine wrong, and who pursued right even at the cost of his relationship with his family. Whistle blowing is hard and destructively painful on every level to the whistle blower. Hard on the heels of re-reading Homeric epic, this is a story of a modern hero who wouldn't just take the easy path of fading into silence.
It is also a story of someone with a moral compass who couldn't look away from a genuine wrong, and who pursued right even at the cost of his relationship with his family. Whistle blowing is hard and destructively painful on every level to the whistle blower. Hard on the heels of re-reading Homeric epic, this is a story of a modern hero who wouldn't just take the easy path of fading into silence.
August 30, 2020
Very good!
August 13, 2020
Can't wait for Elizabeth Holmes' trial in March 2021!
August 13, 2020
US legal system vs investigative journalism
It's the personal account, and narrations, that brings this pain to life
It's the personal account, and narrations, that brings this pain to life
August 10, 2020
Fascinating, but was difficult to listen to with the background noise.
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