Admired as a visionary leader and brilliant business mind, feared as a ruthless and formidable competitor, and loathed as an egomaniac with an explosive temper, Oracle founder and CEO Larry Ellison has emerged as one of the most controversial figures in a sea of brilliant, eccentric Silicon Valley luminaries.

But for such a high-profile character, Ellison maintains an enigmatic air, and his superachieving, multimillion-dollar company remains a rarely studied entity. Now, The Oracle of Oracle goes behind the scenes to uncover the breakthrough ideas and winning strategies that have propelled Oracle's phenomenal growth and breathtaking success.

The book walks readers through Oracle's fascinating history since its relational database hit the market in 1977, identifying and explaining strategies such as:

* Forge ahead and fix weaknesses--lessons from the early 90s when Oracle derailed, but was nursed back to health. * Grow the Oracle way--by making new products, not acquiring new companies. * Crush the competition--it's not enough to succeed; all others must fail. * Sales today make markets tomorrow--tap into the sales force to develop products, promote a vision, beat competitors.

The Oracle of Oracle is an intriguing, illuminating read for entrepreneurs who wonder what it takes to build a world-class company from scratch...for managers and executives who want to integrate Oracle's philosophies and culture into their own...and for business readers who relish an up-close report from the battle zones of the software industry.