Miles Harris, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped via Wikimedia Commons

Paul Allen

Co-founder, Microsoft

Microsoft co-founder, programmer, investor, and institution builder connected to the personal-computer revolution.

Wikipedia

Founder Technology Investor

1Book mentioned

1Book written

Books Paul Allen has mentioned

Paul Allen mentioned or cited these books. They are not counted as direct recommendations.

Rockets, Missiles, and Space Travel

by Willy Ley · 1951

WIRED reported that Rockets, Missiles, and Space Travel was one of Paul Allen's favorite childhood books.

Mentioned · Wording not verified Source: WIRED

Evidence details

385 Feet of Crazy: The Most Audacious Flying Machine Ever

The WIRED Stratolaunch profile describes Allen's childhood room being filled with science fiction and space books and identifies Rockets, Missiles, and Space Travel as one of his favorites. This is kept as a documented mention, not a reader-facing recommendation.

This text documents what the source says, but it is not verified as a word-for-word quote.

WIRED · 2018-08-20 · accessed 2026-06-22

Article · Reported childhood favorite

WIRED reports that Allen's boyhood room was filled with science fiction and space books and names Rockets, Missiles, and Space Travel as one of his favorites.

Books by Paul Allen

Written by Paul Allen. Not counted as recommendations.

Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission when you buy through some links. Recommendations are included because of the source, not because of the retailer. Details

Technology Founder Memoir Microsoft

Idea Man

by Paul Allen · 2011

Paul Allen's memoir of Microsoft, technology investing, and building institutions after the personal-computer revolution.

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