The raw facts that surround the founding and growth of the world-wide social networking site we all spend a good percentage of our study time on — Facebook — are the only absolutes in Ben Mezrich's dramatic narrative "The Accidental Billionaires."

A geeky Harvard computer science major named Mark Zuckerberg hacks into the university's computer system and obtained pictures of the school's female population. He calls this enterprise "Facemash," and it's essentially a “Hot or Not” for the local school population, where people can compare the attractiveness of girls on campus.

For his actions, the university charges Zuckerberg with violating copyrights, breach of security and violating individual privacy, but they eventually drop the charges. Twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss then approach Zuckerberg to help them with the programming of a Harvard dating website called "Harvard Connection."

Zuckerberg creates “thefacebook,” an early version of the site we all know now, after his meetings with the Winklevoss twins. Zuckerberg makes his best friend, Eduardo Saverin, the official head of business of thefacebook due to Saverin's business savvy.

But both the Winklevoss twins and Saverin eventually end up suing Zuckerberg, with both parties feeling as if he screwed them out of their end of the deal.

Mark Zuckerberg is the world's youngest billionaire, so his story correctly deserves some attention, and it will be getting more than enough attention with the recent release of “The Social Network," which is based on Mezrich's book. Mezrich takes creative liberty in fleshing in the facts with what may or may not have been what actually occurred. The copious amounts of alcohol, desire to get laid and apathy toward school (How can you be apathetic when you are at Harvard?) are entertaining if unnecessary speculations that distract from the more interesting, core story.

The complicated nature of many of Zuckerberg's relationships throughout his creation of Facebook is enough to raise questions about either Zuckerberg's character or his social skills, and this confusion about who the hell Zuckerberg exactly is, is what makes “The Accidental Billionaires” so intriguing.

What were his motivations in making this monumental website? Was he a kid yearning for acceptance and this is how he went about that? Or was he just a good old-fashioned nerd that simply took pleasure out of playing on the computer? What really happened with the Winklevoss twins? Did he screw them over? Did he screw his best friend Eduardo over? Who is this man, Mark Zuckerberg, who is the youngest billionaire on the planet and whose creation has affected the way we socialize and how much time we spend on homework forever?

— Janna Gentry, English junior