Accidental Empires：How the Boys of Silicon Valley Make Their Millions, Battle Foreign Competition, and Still Can't Get a Date

Computermanufacturingis--aftercars,energyproductionandillegaldrugs--thelargestindustryintheworld,andit'soneofthelastgreatsuccessstoriesinAmericanbusiness.AccidentalEmpiresisthetrenchant,vastlyreadablehistoryofthatindustry,focusingasmuchontheastoundinglyoddpersonalitiesatitscore--SteveJobs,BillGates,MitchKapor,etc.andthehackerculturetheyspawnedasitdoesontheremarkabletechnologytheycreated.Cringelyrevealsthemaniasandfoiblesofthesemen(theyarealwaysmen)withdeadpanhilarityandcogentlydemonstrateshowtheirneuroseshaveshapedthecomputerbusiness.ButCringelygivesusmuchmorethanhigh-techvoyeurismandinsidergossip.Fromthebirthofthetransistortothemid-lifecrisisofthecomputerindustry,hespinsasweeping,uniquelyAmericansagaofcreativityandegothatisatonceuproarious,shockingandinspiring.