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The Kingdom of Happiness: Inside Tony Hsieh's Zapponian Utopia
An insider’s look at Tony Hsieh, the enigmatic and phenomenally successful CEO of Zappos, and his audacious quest to create a utopia in the heart of Las Vegas.
After transforming Zappos into the world's largest online shoe store—by prioritizing customer satisfaction and employee well-being—and selling it to Amazon for $1.2 billion, Hsieh set his sights on revitalizing downtown Las Vegas through innovation, entrepreneurship, and social change. This book chronicles his ambitious plan to create a new, socially conscious Silicon Valley in the heart of the city, blending business insights with personal stories to reveal a visionary pushing the boundaries of what a modern community can be.
With unprecedented access, journalist Aimee Groth offers a candid view into Hsieh's world, chronicling his ambitions and philosophies. Drawing from hundreds of interviews conducted over five years—from Burning Man to Silicon Valley—Groth captures the triumphs and struggles of a pioneer who defied business norms and inspired a generation of entrepreneurs to rethink success, community, and human potential.
The Kingdom of Happiness reveals how Hsieh's dream for Las Vegas—and his relentless pursuit of happiness—redefined what it means to build a lasting legacy in business and beyond.
After transforming Zappos into the world's largest online shoe store—by prioritizing customer satisfaction and employee well-being—and selling it to Amazon for $1.2 billion, Hsieh set his sights on revitalizing downtown Las Vegas through innovation, entrepreneurship, and social change. This book chronicles his ambitious plan to create a new, socially conscious Silicon Valley in the heart of the city, blending business insights with personal stories to reveal a visionary pushing the boundaries of what a modern community can be.
With unprecedented access, journalist Aimee Groth offers a candid view into Hsieh's world, chronicling his ambitions and philosophies. Drawing from hundreds of interviews conducted over five years—from Burning Man to Silicon Valley—Groth captures the triumphs and struggles of a pioneer who defied business norms and inspired a generation of entrepreneurs to rethink success, community, and human potential.
The Kingdom of Happiness reveals how Hsieh's dream for Las Vegas—and his relentless pursuit of happiness—redefined what it means to build a lasting legacy in business and beyond.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 21, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 25, 2017
Scintilating journalism and wonderful storytelling. The work of a supreme talent.
September 1, 2018
If you were ever interested in Zappos or Downtown Las Vegas this is a great read.
Zappos used to be the IT company.....they were in the news, everyone wanted to work there....because it was such a cool place to work. I actually had gone on the Zappos tour probably in 2011 or 2012.
In any event, this book discusses how Zappos came to be and what the culture was like there. It then discussed Tonh Hseish inner circle and how he wanted to create start up city and Downtown Las Vegas was it, and wanting to relocate their offices from Henderson to City Hall and then buy up parcels of land and start up different businesses. Container Park downtown as well as 11th street records and Writers Block are in that footprint.
It then discussed how everything was not puppy dogs and rainbows once they moved into city hall and then them wanting to go to a flatter management style with Holacracy.
Towards the end of the book it went over what people were doing now and how Zappos and Tony's sphere effected them. I will be honest, towards the end I was starting to lose interest, maybe because my expectation was more about what happened to Downtown Project and Zappos and Tony...maybe it's just because I was missing the point...but from what I could tell....after the move downtown and the implementation of the new management style...things never were the same again....I mean.....Zappos used to be towards the top of Fortune 500's best places to work...and now they aren't. Speaks volumes....I personally work for a company that has a lot of ex Zapponians and they told me that when they left.....it wasn't all that great....they were part of the Great Exodus they were talking about where people were bought out.
Overall though...a great read.
Zappos used to be the IT company.....they were in the news, everyone wanted to work there....because it was such a cool place to work. I actually had gone on the Zappos tour probably in 2011 or 2012.
In any event, this book discusses how Zappos came to be and what the culture was like there. It then discussed Tonh Hseish inner circle and how he wanted to create start up city and Downtown Las Vegas was it, and wanting to relocate their offices from Henderson to City Hall and then buy up parcels of land and start up different businesses. Container Park downtown as well as 11th street records and Writers Block are in that footprint.
It then discussed how everything was not puppy dogs and rainbows once they moved into city hall and then them wanting to go to a flatter management style with Holacracy.
Towards the end of the book it went over what people were doing now and how Zappos and Tony's sphere effected them. I will be honest, towards the end I was starting to lose interest, maybe because my expectation was more about what happened to Downtown Project and Zappos and Tony...maybe it's just because I was missing the point...but from what I could tell....after the move downtown and the implementation of the new management style...things never were the same again....I mean.....Zappos used to be towards the top of Fortune 500's best places to work...and now they aren't. Speaks volumes....I personally work for a company that has a lot of ex Zapponians and they told me that when they left.....it wasn't all that great....they were part of the Great Exodus they were talking about where people were bought out.
Overall though...a great read.
June 18, 2018
As someone who lived in Vegas from 2011 to 2016, I had seen parts of the Downtown Project evolve from closer than most. I didn't know many of the details behind the high-profile exits and some of the suicides. Groth's book filled in many of the blanks and made me question Hsieh's cult of personality.
I have mixed feelings about what he was trying to do and how he was trying to do it. Groth's text is quite fair and I found her viewpoint refreshing. She didn't get sucked into the whole scene and I feel more informed about what went on with Vegas' nascent tech scene.
I have mixed feelings about what he was trying to do and how he was trying to do it. Groth's text is quite fair and I found her viewpoint refreshing. She didn't get sucked into the whole scene and I feel more informed about what went on with Vegas' nascent tech scene.
January 1, 2018
I found this book disappointing and boring, but perhaps because my expectations were incorrect.
Having heard about the Zappos/Delivering Happiness ethos and down town project in 2011, I really wanted to hear the business and community side on what was working, what wasn’t, how it could be improved, and what was worth replicating and avoiding. More of a business analysis/how to guide.
This instead was a personal narrative of the author’s experience being drawn into the cult-like environment for a few years of writing this book and emotionally processing her experience and those of some others she met along the way. Not what I was looking for and I have a particular pet peeve of narrators becoming the story of their book when I don’t find their story as interesting as the content I thought the book would be about.
Having heard about the Zappos/Delivering Happiness ethos and down town project in 2011, I really wanted to hear the business and community side on what was working, what wasn’t, how it could be improved, and what was worth replicating and avoiding. More of a business analysis/how to guide.
This instead was a personal narrative of the author’s experience being drawn into the cult-like environment for a few years of writing this book and emotionally processing her experience and those of some others she met along the way. Not what I was looking for and I have a particular pet peeve of narrators becoming the story of their book when I don’t find their story as interesting as the content I thought the book would be about.
March 28, 2017
Interesting on the whole as I live in Las Vegas close to Downtown and at one point interviewed at Zappos (didn't get the job, probably wasn't a culture fit!) Very in depth but it's a little difficult to follow as it rambles on quite a bit. There's an explanation for the rambling - it's detailed in the final paragraph of the notes section. I do wish the author had taken a more conventional storytelling approach - there really is a lot of interesting material here, particularly if you're familiar with the locale.
May 27, 2023
As someone who is familiar with the Downtown Project and has spent time with several people who were close to Tony (including longtime friends and business partners of 20+ years), it's clear that The Kingdom of Happiness is written in a compassionate way that honors Tony’s spirit. Many of these confidantes told the author this behind closed doors. It’s an experiential, 5-year walk through the energizing and chaotic environment that was the Downtown Project—a visionary experiment in stakeholder capitalism that went awry for a variety of reasons. I believe the unstructured writing style is designed to reflect the undercurrent of the community and its collective psychology—and its desperate search to reclaim its soul after years of encountering meaningful challenges and traumatic events in the Nevada desert. Especially after seeing the news that is coming out in the years following Tony’s passing, in hindsight it’s apparent why the author chose to focus on the meta-view of the experiment and its lessons, and not risk over-developing the characters (though she had the access and built relationships across all levels of hierarchy). This was a smart and respectful approach, thanks to guidance from Tony himself, who wisely recommended that she use her own story and “walk through the Downtown Project” as a storytelling device.
After talking with the author, I learned even more about the great lengths she went to follow Tony’s broader philosophy and his personalized guidance for her book, which they collaborated on through a years-long partnership. This included following his direction to write the book in a pioneering style, layer genres, and take meaningful personal & professional risks to advance our collective empathy for entrepreneurs and what they go through emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, relationally, financially, intellectually to push society forward. As a prerequisite to understanding him more deeply, Tony asked the author to walk the entrepreneurial path herself, alongside everyone else. As a start-up founder and coach, I appreciate the way she conveys the entrepreneurial path as a walk in faith. It obviously took tremendous courage to warn Tony, a near-billionaire with meaningful societal influence, about his predicament and use her book to nudge the community onto a different path to reclaim its soul. Like Tony, this book was years ahead of its time.
After talking with the author, I learned even more about the great lengths she went to follow Tony’s broader philosophy and his personalized guidance for her book, which they collaborated on through a years-long partnership. This included following his direction to write the book in a pioneering style, layer genres, and take meaningful personal & professional risks to advance our collective empathy for entrepreneurs and what they go through emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, relationally, financially, intellectually to push society forward. As a prerequisite to understanding him more deeply, Tony asked the author to walk the entrepreneurial path herself, alongside everyone else. As a start-up founder and coach, I appreciate the way she conveys the entrepreneurial path as a walk in faith. It obviously took tremendous courage to warn Tony, a near-billionaire with meaningful societal influence, about his predicament and use her book to nudge the community onto a different path to reclaim its soul. Like Tony, this book was years ahead of its time.
July 13, 2017
Zappos is a company that is revered in many business books for its entrepreneurial style and obsession with a quality customer service experience. Yet, the company can also be unknown for many, in areas where the company’s reach is less visible. This book aims to lift the lid on the company for some, whilst adding extra “WOW” for the rest, by looking at Tony Hsieh, CEO and founder of the company, to see what makes him tick and how he is keeping busy today.
In a short time, Hsieh managed to get Zappos running, firing on all cylinders, making customers and employees alike fall in love with it. After a sale to Amazon, Hsieh focussed on trying to create a ‘desert utopia’ in Las Vegas, featuring peace, love, unity and respect, along with a range of new challenges and desires. A new door opens and… well, you must read the book to learn more.
Certainly, you won’t fail to be inspired and intrigued after reading this book. Whether you can transplant a bit of the Hsieh magic into your own company or management style is less clear, but it does not feel like a hagiography or PR-piece in any case. Where things went wrong, or veered off course, the author details this too. This alone can be a positive antidote to some of the other books out there, drawing on many off-the-record insider interviews too, inhabiting both ends of the fandom scale.
The author’s overly strong narrative style may be the least attractive part of this book, it just seems to grate, but fortunately the engaging nature of the content kept this reader engaged. Other readers may not react to it in such a way. Don’t let this concern be a reason not to check it out.
In a short time, Hsieh managed to get Zappos running, firing on all cylinders, making customers and employees alike fall in love with it. After a sale to Amazon, Hsieh focussed on trying to create a ‘desert utopia’ in Las Vegas, featuring peace, love, unity and respect, along with a range of new challenges and desires. A new door opens and… well, you must read the book to learn more.
Certainly, you won’t fail to be inspired and intrigued after reading this book. Whether you can transplant a bit of the Hsieh magic into your own company or management style is less clear, but it does not feel like a hagiography or PR-piece in any case. Where things went wrong, or veered off course, the author details this too. This alone can be a positive antidote to some of the other books out there, drawing on many off-the-record insider interviews too, inhabiting both ends of the fandom scale.
The author’s overly strong narrative style may be the least attractive part of this book, it just seems to grate, but fortunately the engaging nature of the content kept this reader engaged. Other readers may not react to it in such a way. Don’t let this concern be a reason not to check it out.
July 16, 2019
Oooh, the history of world-famous Zappos and its cult of happiness! Not quite. This is a book about the Downtown Project, a massive multi-million dollar private renovation project for downtown Las Vegas. The story is depressing: initiated under lofty and certainly respectable goals, the experimental project collapsed into disarray five years after it began, while burning through millions of dollars, and nothing to show for it in the end. Helmed by a man-child, the project had no central organizational or power structure and was led by completely inexperienced staffers.
But what's also sad is this book's writing style. It's clear that Groth is a magazine writer, first and foremost. There's nothing wrong with that, obviously, but there's a depth missing that you'd expect in this type of book. The book is described as being "gonzo journalism." It's really more of disorganized trains of thoughts and poor editing. Groth repeats herself quite often. Honestly, this book could have been written much more tightly and it would have been half the size.
While I'm glad I read it, it's not a book I'd recommend unless you're a Vegas history buff or you have a thing for Tony Hsieh.
But what's also sad is this book's writing style. It's clear that Groth is a magazine writer, first and foremost. There's nothing wrong with that, obviously, but there's a depth missing that you'd expect in this type of book. The book is described as being "gonzo journalism." It's really more of disorganized trains of thoughts and poor editing. Groth repeats herself quite often. Honestly, this book could have been written much more tightly and it would have been half the size.
While I'm glad I read it, it's not a book I'd recommend unless you're a Vegas history buff or you have a thing for Tony Hsieh.
April 15, 2021
I entered a rabbit hole about Tony Hsieh’s death last night and stayed there for hours, ultimately purchasing the kindle version of this book. All I could think was how much of a fascinating, engrossing read it would be had it been written in a more clear, linear fashion. Not only does the timeline jump around, it does so with no headings, chapter breaks or indication of the change. I got lost further in an alphabet soup of acronyms, names, and companies - and almost all the company names changed at least once.
While I believe the book was meant to be gently critical of Hsieh’s flawed implementation of his grand ideas, I got the sense that the author never truly stopped being a worshipful acolyte, despite the three suicides in Las Vegas and odd treatment she herself received from him. Reading the eulogies Groth wrote for Quartz and Business Insider after Tony’s death upon finishing the book confirmed that feeling. I would love to read a more comprehensive and balanced take written by someone who didn’t actually “drink the Kool-Aid.”
While I believe the book was meant to be gently critical of Hsieh’s flawed implementation of his grand ideas, I got the sense that the author never truly stopped being a worshipful acolyte, despite the three suicides in Las Vegas and odd treatment she herself received from him. Reading the eulogies Groth wrote for Quartz and Business Insider after Tony’s death upon finishing the book confirmed that feeling. I would love to read a more comprehensive and balanced take written by someone who didn’t actually “drink the Kool-Aid.”
July 26, 2023
I see a lot of people on here saying the flow of the book wasn't linear. I don't think it was supposed to be, at least not in the traditional sense. I was really impressed with Aimee Groth's ability to take five years of observing, interviewing, creating relationships, and personally processing all that happened (if it were me, I'd have crashed and burned a month in) with the downtown project and Tony Hsieh in realtime, and make it digestably descriptive and thoughtful. I DID see a linear theme of how a leader with an idea/set of beliefs can look great in the beginning, create a buzz, attract followers, and then overtime show the cracks that eventually give way to castastrophe. I was on the edge of my seat. It was captivating rollercoaster of a modern take on a tale as old as time. And I could tell that the author, who got so close to Tony and a lot of insiders worked judiciously to be honest but also respect each individual mentioned. Well Done.
As I was reading I was thinking I'd like to see the film version of this!
As I was reading I was thinking I'd like to see the film version of this!
September 7, 2024
A riveting first-hand account of life inside Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh’s visionary social experiment in Las Vegas, set against the backdrop of the 2010s start-up boom. The author immerses readers in a fascinating, high-stakes entrepreneurial game, crafted by Hsieh, whose eccentricity and ambition drive the narrative. With Sim City-like intricacies, The Kingdom of Happiness authentically captures the entrepreneurial spirit and the human challenges within this unique experiment.
The book also offers a prescient reflection on our cultural moment, as we face what Canadian philosopher John Vervaeke calls “The Meaning Crisis.” It pushes readers to question the direction of capitalism and explore new possibilities for its evolution, making it not just a chronicle of Hsieh's experiment, but a timely commentary on broader societal shifts.
The book also offers a prescient reflection on our cultural moment, as we face what Canadian philosopher John Vervaeke calls “The Meaning Crisis.” It pushes readers to question the direction of capitalism and explore new possibilities for its evolution, making it not just a chronicle of Hsieh's experiment, but a timely commentary on broader societal shifts.
July 7, 2017
I lived in Las Vegas for 4 years and heard of the Zappos story and was curious to learn more about it. I
was also looking for insight on starting and running a business and this book provided some. A lot of the discussion pertains to business entrepreneurship in relation to Zappos very unique corporate culture. Tony Hsieh and Zappos/Downtown Project are fascinating characters to study and I understand why the author chose them as a subject. Another theme is how difficult start up culture is and in this era of everyone should be a business owner this book offers a strong counterpoint and warning about entrepreneurship.
“SF tech culture is focused on solving one problem: What is my mother no longer doing for me?”
was also looking for insight on starting and running a business and this book provided some. A lot of the discussion pertains to business entrepreneurship in relation to Zappos very unique corporate culture. Tony Hsieh and Zappos/Downtown Project are fascinating characters to study and I understand why the author chose them as a subject. Another theme is how difficult start up culture is and in this era of everyone should be a business owner this book offers a strong counterpoint and warning about entrepreneurship.
“SF tech culture is focused on solving one problem: What is my mother no longer doing for me?”
May 26, 2023
Riveting, simply riveting. Rarely do you get a book where the author personally immerses oneself into the lifestyle of an revolutionary leader. Aimee just doesn't write it, she lives it by leaving her job, moving across the country to experience Tony Hsieh's world. She has relationships, friendships, and access to his inner circle of confidants. Aimee experiences Tony's brilliance and erratic ideology as she follow him on his successes and failed dreams. Although Tony's dream of building an Utopia society failed, this book succeeds in being insightful, astute, and riveting. I highly recommend it.
October 31, 2018
I respect her attempt to create a stream of consciousness gonzo-style documentary a la hunter thompson. I understand why many reviewers have categorized this book as a unfocused - an assessment that I agree with.
However the book does provide you with an insider's perspective and a good feel for the experiences that the author went through.
This book does need a better editor - and a better flow. Many of the anecdotes lacked context and the reader is left wondering what point the author was trying to drive in.
However the book does provide you with an insider's perspective and a good feel for the experiences that the author went through.
This book does need a better editor - and a better flow. Many of the anecdotes lacked context and the reader is left wondering what point the author was trying to drive in.
January 1, 2019
Insightful look at the eccentric Tony Hsieh's post-Zapos project in downtown Las Vegas. Too soon how it will turn out but if this book plays a prophetic role, many young rich people will realize money can't fix things for the Long haul. It a pipe dream. Community is too mysterious to manufacture with proximity, money, and rave-like lifestyles. Hubris recorded in its finest by someone from the inside of Hsieh's circle of peeps.
March 12, 2017
This topic is super interesting and fascinating -- starting a new city/town from scratch. But the book was kind of disappointing. It was rambling and didn't really give a narrative or reach any definite conclusions. Tony Hsieh, the CEO of Zappos also didn't really give a good impression.
In conclusion, this book sucks.
In conclusion, this book sucks.
July 22, 2017
The Kingdom of Happiness is an absolutely riveting look at the inner workings of Tony Hsieh's world. I always love a good "behind the scenes" kind of book and Aimee Groth is shockingly honest in what she found when she became a part of The Kingdom of Happiness.
Read full review here: http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....
Read full review here: http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot....
June 28, 2023
A beautiful glimpse into the spiritual struggle for meaning and purpose during the startup boom of the mid 2000s. Groth challenges the traditional beliefs around success and invites us to dream bigger.
May 9, 2017
I want to know what happened w/ Zappos post-"holacracy." Or are they still using it?! Sounds batshit crazy to me.
July 27, 2017
too much rambling.. horrible account :(
March 23, 2017
First - bias disclaimer - the author is a close friend of Sam and Katie (my son and daughter-in-law). I was fascinated by the subject matter and really wanted to know more about the tech startups and people behind them. But I was extremely frustrated by the stream-of-consciousness style, poor character development, and one-paragraph description of new startups and projects. This book also badly needed an editor - there was actual repetition of entire sentences. But I did enjoy the brief revelations by the author of the holes in the utopia - I loved the way many chapters ended with a question or doubt about the whole lifestyle. I think the book could have been fantastic with more developed stories and characters, and especially with more reflection on the complete vacuousness of the lifestyle, endless festivals, and businesses with no real substance beyond promoting brands, media, PR, venture funding, and "happiness". I think the author offered a taste of this emptiness and wish it had been explored more. I enjoyed the book much more after reading it on a Kindle where I could search for the countless characters who drop in and out of the story.
February 27, 2017
Excellent journalism
I swallowed whole the story of the downtown project. I took it on surface value. Like many of us I suppose. But this book has opened my eyes and helped me with the structure of my ideas and company when I have one. Fascinating read. What in took away was if everyone is in charge, who's in charge? Strong recommend
I swallowed whole the story of the downtown project. I took it on surface value. Like many of us I suppose. But this book has opened my eyes and helped me with the structure of my ideas and company when I have one. Fascinating read. What in took away was if everyone is in charge, who's in charge? Strong recommend
February 7, 2017
I skimmed through the book with the courtesy from Netgalley.
This book heavily focuses on Tony Hsieh's time in Vegas building up his downtown venture.
Did not really appeal to me as the writing style was pretty documentary.
Those who are into Tony Hsieh might find it interesting and insightful but not for me this time round.
This book heavily focuses on Tony Hsieh's time in Vegas building up his downtown venture.
Did not really appeal to me as the writing style was pretty documentary.
Those who are into Tony Hsieh might find it interesting and insightful but not for me this time round.
March 22, 2017
Digressed too much, could have been shorter and tighter. Tried to cover too many people and events, hard to follow.
April 11, 2017
Quality of writing and crap talking was on a all time high. Negative undertone and bitterness throughout the book with no one spared except the deceased. At best I got the feeling she was just okay with only a handful of people and didn't enjoy their companionship much.
Working in Downtown Las Vegas, Aimee interactions are with some of the people I indirectly deal with on a monthly bases. This is the first time in my life I have seen an official publication stating both the positive and negative sides of Zappos, Downtown project and other the Las Vegas Downtown. Some of her points she nailed, but others she was off the mark.
After reading this, I understand why she was treated like a social outcast. I am just grateful my professional path never crossed hers.
Working in Downtown Las Vegas, Aimee interactions are with some of the people I indirectly deal with on a monthly bases. This is the first time in my life I have seen an official publication stating both the positive and negative sides of Zappos, Downtown project and other the Las Vegas Downtown. Some of her points she nailed, but others she was off the mark.
After reading this, I understand why she was treated like a social outcast. I am just grateful my professional path never crossed hers.
April 3, 2017
Although this book is centered in Las Vegas, it gives an excellent overview of Silicon Valley start-up and venture capital culture. If you are a fan of HBO's "Silicon Valley" you will enjoy reading "The Kingdom of Happiness" and will realize that reality is crazier than fiction. The tour through Burning Man and Electric Daisy Carnival festivals provided a glimpse into the wild side.
I saw many parallels to "Animal Farm" in the descriptions of how the Downtown Project operated. "The Kingdom of Happiness" is recommended for readers interested in management theory, entrepreneurship and those who wish to avoid chaos in business. Also recommended for anybody curious about how to spend (or not spend) hundreds of millions of dollars earned from selling a start-up.
I saw many parallels to "Animal Farm" in the descriptions of how the Downtown Project operated. "The Kingdom of Happiness" is recommended for readers interested in management theory, entrepreneurship and those who wish to avoid chaos in business. Also recommended for anybody curious about how to spend (or not spend) hundreds of millions of dollars earned from selling a start-up.
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October 30, 2017Explodes the hagiography of the entrepreneur.
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