An essential anthology for anyone wanting to learn about the origins of modern computing. Originally published in 1984, this book chronicles multiple groups dating back to the 1950s, the people who forged the original profile of the hacker. This book focuses on creators of early personal computing kits (Steve Wozniak and Lee Felsenstein), Ted Hoff, the designer of the legendary Intel 4004 microprocessor, and Stewart Brand, the publisher of The Whole Earth Catalog.
Recommendation
While this book is a great read to better understand the foundations of information technology in the age of the integrated circuit, it is very skippable for many/most people. I first read it around 2008, at which point it was already a 20 year old history book. Nearly 20 more years along, the stories are that of antiquity in terms of computers. It’s worth a read if you’re interested in the subject and history, but not where I would start for an IT or cybersecurity professional.