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A lesson in Silicon Valley’s History with these must-read books
Technology is never about yesterday, instead, it is always about the future. However, it is good to know where it all came from. My top recommendations to get a deeper understanding of Silicon Valley & its past.
The Soul of A New Machine by Tracy Kidder
If you want to learn about the microcomputer wars, this is as good as it gets. One of the all-time best books to be written about Silicon Valley.
The Chip : How Two Americans Invented the Microchip and Launched a Revolution by T.R. Reid
Silicon/chips are everywhere and have changed our world. And yet, so few people know about it. As a chiphead, I love this book and have read it multiple times.
What the Dormouse Said: How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry by John Markoff
John Markoff will always be the best technology journalist and thanks to his historical perspective, the one with the more context. This is another must read.
The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation by Jon Gertner
Everyone should know about Bell Labs and the role it has played in shaping the modern society. This is a great read. Two thumbs up
Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution by Steven Levy
Levy’s best work in my opinion. You gotta read it to appreciate it.
Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins Of The Internet by Katie Hafner & Matthew Lyon
We take Internet for granted, but the story of the Internet is educational and will make you appreciate it more.
High Stakes, No Prisoners : A Winner’s Tale of Greed and Glory in the Internet Wars by Charles Ferguson
Internet, during its early days was a tough place for those who were trying to colonize it. Try reading this to get a better understanding of Netscape, Microsoft and others.
Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure by Jerry Kaplan
Startups are a spectator sport these days. But before that, they were hard work. Great, fun read.
The New New Thing: A Silicon Valley Story By Michael Lewis
This is one of my favorite books — and stars some of the great names of modern, post-Internet Silicon Valley. It also shows how it all changed. Get it.
The New Venturers: Inside the High-Stakes World of Venture Capital by John Wilson
In case you were wondering about where the VCs came from. Little academic at times, but very detailed
The Big Score: The Billion Dollar Story of Silicon Valley by Michael Malone
The title says it all. And Michael is a great writer. I used to work with him back in the day.
Starving to Death on $200 Million by James Ledbetter
I absolutely love this book, for this captures the madness of the first Internet bubble in the most personal way. It is about the rise and fall of the Industry Standard, the “rolling stone” of dot-com economy.
Showstopper!: The Breakneck Race to Create Windows NT and the Next Generation at Microsoft by G. Pascal Zachary
Microsoft has always been a madhouse. Try learning about the company during its heyday and you realize it was even crazier. Anyway this is how software is built at scale.
The Little Kingdom: The Private Story of Apple Computer by Mike Moritz
The only book you need to read in order to understand early Apple. Long before Mike Moritz was the great VC in the world, he was a fantastic reporter and writer.
The Cathedral & the Bazaar: Musings on Linux and Open Source by an Accidental Revolutionary by Eric S. Raymond.
Software is key to everything. Open Source is the vital ingredient of modern life. How it all happened. An academic and educational book, that is worth every minute. A classic.
Originally published on March 1, 2015