Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

When Walgreens and Safeway realized that their partnerships with Elizabeth’s company were in trouble due to technical problems with Theranos blood-reading machines, they each elected to stay the course. Why did they remain loyal to her in the face of so much uncertainty?

General James Mattis heard from Elizabeth that Lieutenant Colonel David Shoemaker was interfering with their plan to place Theranos machines on the front lines in Afghanistan, and Mattis demanded an explanation from Shoemaker. What did Elizabeth allege that made Mattis angry, and how did Shoemaker escape a career-ending debacle with the general?

General James Mattis heard from Elizabeth that Lieutenant Colonel David Shoemaker was interfering with their plan to place Theranos machines on the front lines in Afghanistan, and Mattis demanded an explanation from Shoemaker. What did Elizabeth allege that made Mattis angry, and how did Shoemaker escape a career-ending debacle with the general??

Theranos threatened Carreyrou and his employer, The Wall Street Journal, with a lawsuit if they published their exposé on Theranos laboratories. For what reasons did Carreyrou refuse to buckle under the pressure? 

Litigator David Boies represented Theranos in court. His name evoked fear in anyone who stood against him. For what cases was Boies famous, and why would these encourage such awe in his opponents?

What is “vaporware,” and how is it similar to Theranos products?

Who was really in charge at Theranos, Elizabeth Holmes or Sunny Balwani? Give reasons for your position.

Carreyrou suggests that Elizabeth was a sociopath, “someone with little or no conscience” (299). In what other ways might her behavior be characterized as dysfunctional?