Podcast
Acquired
The hosts highlighted the book as one of their top picks for the year, noting its compelling parallel title to another favorite. David Rosenthal praised it as a standout read, while the episode on Sony discussed how the memoir recounts Morita's early engineering career, the impact of the Hiroshima bombing on his outlook, and the unexpected cultural revolution sparked by the Walkman. The overall tone was enthusiastic and the book was presented as a highly recommended insight into Sony's origins.
Episode: Holiday Special 2022
This book was mentioned as a top pick for the year alongside its companion piece, 'Made in America'. The podcast hosts were amused by the coincidence of both books having such similar titles.
My top two Acquired books and they genuinely are also my top two Acquired books for the year Made in Japan and Made in America.
Isn't that crazy that they're both named that and they're both so good
Episode: SONY
Morita writes about his experiences as a young engineer in the Navy, his feelings after the atomic bombs, and his decision to start a company with Masaru Ibuka.
I was having lunch with my Navy colleagues when the incredible news of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima arrived. The information was sketchy. We were not even told what kind of bomb had been dropped, but as a technical officer just out of college with a degree in physics, I understood what the bomb was and what it meant to Japan and to me. The future had never been more uncertain. Japan had never lost a war and only a young man could be optimistic yet I had confidence in myself and my future even then.
I do not believe any amount of market research could have told us that the Sony Walkman would be successful, not to say a sensational hit that would spawn many imitators. And yet the Sony Walkman has literally changed the habits of millions of people around the world.