Computer History Reading List ============================= A collection of resources about the history of computing, with no particular strategy. PRs welcome -- I'm likely to read them if they look good! Popular books ------------- - Brian Bagnall, *[The Story of Commodore: A Company on the Edge](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0973864907)* - Bell, Mudge, McNamara, *[Computer Engineering: A DEC View of Hardware Systems Design](https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Engineering-Hardware-Systems-Design/dp/1483207676)* - Rod Canion, *[Open: How Compaq Ended IBM's PC Domination and Helped Invent Modern Computing](https://www.amazon.com/Open-Compaq-Domination-Helped-Computing/dp/1937856992)* - Brian Dear, *[The Friendly Orange Glow: The Untold Story of the PLATO System and the Dawn of Cyberculture](https://www.amazon.com/Friendly-Orange-Glow-Untold-Cyberculture/dp/1101871555)* - George Dyson, *[Turing's Cathedral](https://www.amazon.com/Turings-Cathedral-Origins-Digital-Universe/dp/1400075998)* - Freiberger and Swaine, *[Fire in the Valley: The Making of The Personal Computer](https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Valley-Birth-Personal-Computer-dp-1937785769/dp/1937785769)* - Jon Gertner, *[The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation](https://www.amazon.com/Idea-Factory-Great-American-Innovation/dp/0143122797)* - Katie Hafner, *[When Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet](https://www.amazon.com/Where-Wizards-Stay-Up-Late/dp/0684832674)* - Michael A Hiltzik, *[Dealers of Lightning: Xerox PARC and the Dawn of the Computer Age](https://www.amazon.com/Dealers-Lightning-Xerox-PARC-Computer/dp/0887309895)* - Andrew Hodges, *[Alan Turing: The Enigma](https://www.amazon.com/Alan-Turing-Enigma-Inspired-Imitation/dp/069116472X)* - Jerry Kaplan, *[Startup: A Silicon Valley Adventure](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L0M749M)* - Brian W Kernighan, *[UNIX: A History and a Memoir](https://www.amazon.com/UNIX-History-Memoir-Brian-Kernighan/dp/1695978552)* - Tracy Kidder, *[The Soul of a New Machine](https://www.amazon.com/Supermen-Seymour-Technical-Wizards-Supercomputer/dp/0471048852)* - David Kushner, *[Masters of Doom](https://www.amazon.com/Masters-Doom-Created-Transformed-Culture/dp/0812972155)* - Lécuyer, Brock, and Last, *[Makers of the Microchip: A Documentary History of Fairchild Semiconductor](https://www.amazon.com/Makers-Microchip-Documentary-Fairchild-Semiconductor/dp/0262014246)* - Steven Levy, *[Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution](https://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Heroes-Computer-Revolution-Anniversary-ebook/dp/B003PDMKIY)* - Scott McCartney, *[Eniac: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the World's First Computer](https://www.amazon.com/Eniac-Triumphs-Tragedies-Worlds-Computer/dp/0802713483)* - McNish and Silcoff, *[Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry](https://www.amazon.com/Losing-Signal-Extraordinary-Spectacular-BlackBerry-ebook/dp/B00Q20ASVS)* - Charles J Murray, *[The Supermen: The Story of Seymour Cray and the Technical Wizards Behind the Supercomputer](https://www.amazon.com/Supermen-Seymour-Technical-Wizards-Supercomputer/dp/0471048852)* - M Mitchell Waldrop, *[The Dream Machine](https://www.amazon.com/Dream-Machine-M-Mitchell-Waldrop/dp/1732265119)* - TR Reid, *[The Chip: How Two Americans Invented the Microchip and Launched a Revolution](https://www.amazon.com/Chip-Americans-Invented-Microchip-Revolution-ebook/dp/B000XU4UT4)* - Schein, DeLisi, Kampas, and Sonduk, *[DEC Is Dead, Long Live DEC: The Lasting Legacy of Digital Equipment Corporation](https://www.amazon.com/DEC-Dead-Long-Live-Corporation/dp/1576753050)* - Clifford Stoll, *[The Cuckoo's Egg](https://www.amazon.com/CUCKOOS-EGG-Clifford-Stoll-ebook/dp/B0083DJXCM)* - Randall Stross, *[Steve Jobs & The NeXT Big Thing](https://www.amazon.com/Steve-Jobs-NeXT-Big-Thing-ebook/dp/B006VOM5V6)* - Doron Swade, *[The Difference Engine: Charles Babbage and the Quest to Build the First Computer](https://www.amazon.com/Difference-Engine-Charles-Babbage-Computer/dp/0142001449)* - Torvalds and Diamond, *[Just for Fun: The Story of an Accidental Revolutionary](https://www.amazon.com/Just-Fun-Story-Accidental-Revolutionary/dp/0066620732)* - Lamont Wood, *[Datapoint: The Lost Story of the Texans Who Invented the Personal Computer Revolution](https://www.amazon.com/Datapoint-Invented-Personal-Computer-Revolution/dp/1936449366)* - G Pascal Zachary, *[Showstopper!: The Breakneck Race to Create Windows NT and the Next Generation at Microsoft](https://www.amazon.com/Showstopper-Breakneck-Windows-Generation-Microsoft-ebook/dp/B00J5X5E9U)* Documentaries ------------- - *[Triumph of the Nerds](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_of_the_Nerds)* - *[Silicon Cowboys](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4938484/)* Historically-inspired fiction ----------------------------- These items are included more because they're fun, and less because they're expected to be historically-accurate. There are often some interesting gems in them, though! - *[Blackberry](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21867434/)* - *[Halt and Catch Fire](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543312/)* - *[Pirates of Silicon Valley](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0168122/)*