Brad Stone's The Upstarts chronicles the rise of Uber and Airbnb. It covers the companies' early years, including their founders' backgrounds, the challenges they faced, and their eventual successes. The book also examines the impact of these companies on the transportation and hospitality industries, including their confrontations with regulators, competitors, and taxi drivers. The excerpt highlights the companies' growth, expansion, and evolving business models, as well as the controversies and ethical questions that arose from their disruptive impact on the traditional industries they challenged.