My memoir Source Code comes out next year

I’m excited to announce my new book, Source Code, which will be published next February. It’s a memoir about my early years, from childhood through my decision to leave college and start Microsoft with Paul Allen. I write about the relationships, lessons, and experiences that laid the foundation for everything in my life that followed.

Get updates and exclusives! Sign up to become a Gates Notes Insider to receive news about the book and gain access to exclusive content. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP Already joined? Log in here.

I’ve been in the public eye since my early twenties, but much of my life before then isn’t well known. Over the years, I’ve often been asked about my upbringing, my time at Harvard, and co-founding the company. Those questions made me realize that people might be interested in my journey and the factors that influenced it.

In the book, I share some of the tougher parts of my early life, including feeling like a misfit as a kid, butting heads with my parents as a rebellious teen, grappling with the sudden loss of someone close to me, and nearly getting kicked out of college. And I cover the challenges of dropping out of school to make a bet on an industry that didn’t really exist yet. But throughout it, you’ll also find the stories of the many people who believed in me, pushed me to grow, and helped me turn my quirks into strengths. And I reflect on the luck I had to be born to a great family in a time of historic technological change and optimism, and to come of age just as the personal computer revolution was taking off.

I’m planning to write two more memoirs, one about my work with Microsoft and one about philanthropy. But Source Code is my origin story, and I’m looking forward to sharing it.