📚 Eva Dou’s House of Huawei is a timely examination of one of the world’s most influential yet enigmatic technology companies and its equally mysterious founder, Ren Zhengfei. As a technology reporter from The Washington Post, Dou’s journalistic clarity and detailed research diligently unpacks the story of this telecommunications giant, which is regarded not just as a success story, but as a symbol of China’s technological rise and its foothold in global geopolitics.

Dou connects dots between China’s turbulent 20th century history with Huawei’s meteoric ascent, showing how national ambitions shaped the country’s trajectory. The book opens with Ren’s family background, including how his father struggled under Mao’s Great Leap Forward, providing context for understanding the political environment that would later influence Huawei’s development. But what makes the narrative particularly compelling is the portrait of Ren himself, detailing how a self-doubting military engineer would go on to build a global technological empire.

The book doesn’t shy away from controversies. It addresses Huawei’s early reputation as a copycat — including Cisco’s 2003 lawsuit alleging source code theft — and its evolution into an innovation powerhouse that — according to Barron’s — now files more patents than any other company globally. Dou goes as far as exploring the espionage concerns surrounding the company, including how its technology was allegedly used for surveillance in Africa.

While House of Huawei provides an in-depth analysis of the company’s history and significance, some areas remain underexplored. There is limited discussion of how Huawei became a leading smartphone manufacturer before US sanctions curbed its growth — though it seems the Chinese giant may get the last lick now —, and a noticeable lack of firsthand accounts from former employees.

Footnote: The book has an unconventional referencing system — citations are only available on the book’s website, rather than as footnotes or endnotes.

WHERE TO FIND IT- House of Huawei is available at Diwan.

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