I started one of those YC-funded companies that "crawled off somewhere and died." After that happened, I spent a couple of months staring at walls, feeling sor

I started one of those YC-funded companies that "crawled off somewhere and died." After that happened, I spent a couple of months staring at walls, feeling sorry for myself. During that time, I listened to everything at venturevoice.com, read Founders at Work, and kept thinking "man, these success stories are inspiring, but what I need right now are some goddamn failure storiesX." (If you're in the same position, I highly recommend this book: http://tinyurl.com/362eg5 http://tinyurl.com/362eg5 ) Anyways, you're both right. Founders at Rest: Stories of Losers Who Fucked Up and Gave Up would be boring and depressing. But interviews with successful people about their failures -- e.g., Evan Williams' Blogger saga -- would be fascinating and inspiring. The classic story arc doesn't let the hero succeed right off the bat. First he hits a low point, then pulls himself up by his bootstraps. One of these days I'll write that book. Right now, though, I'm too busy working on my next startup. Don't forget, Microsoft wasn't Bill Gates' first company.