Chris Arnade's blogOther Chris Arnade
loved
Chris Arnade's blog continues to be one of the very best: https://walkingtheworld.substack.com/.
2026-09-11·x.com ↗
Patrick Collison
Co-founder of Stripe. Publishes the contents of his bookshelf, marking the standouts.
113 things
The Dream MachineBook M. Mitchell Waldrop
loved
The Dream Machine -- probably the best overall book about the early days of computing and the internet.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Heat Death: Venture Capital in the 1980sOther Jerry Neumann
loved
Heat Death: Venture Capital in the 1980s -- a brief history of the venture capital industry since 1973.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Genentech: The Beginnings of BiotechBook Sally Smith Hughes
loved
Genentech: The Beginnings of Biotech -- the definitive history of Genentech.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
The Whole Earth CatalogOther Stewart Brand
loved
The Whole Earth Catalog -- the library at PARC was first composed simply of the books that the Whole Earth Catalog recommended.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Dealers of LightningBook Michael A. Hiltzik
loved
Dealers of Lightning -- the best history of PARC.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
The Idea FactoryBook Jon Gertner
loved
The Idea Factory -- sets the context for the hardware inventions that directly led to Silicon Valley.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Computer Lib/Dream MachinesBook Ted Nelson
loved
Computer Lib -- one of the greatest books about the possibilities of computers ever written.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Man-Computer SymbiosisOther J. C. R. Licklider
loved
Man-Computer Symbiosis -- established the vision of computing that inspired Engelbart, Kay, etc., to pursue what they did.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
The ChipBook T. R. Reid
loved
The Chip -- the invention of the microchip.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Something VenturedOther
loved
Something Ventured -- a lighthearted history of the venture capital industry.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
The Little KingdomBook Michael Moritz
loved
The Little Kingdom -- the early days of Apple Computer and the Macintosh.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
From Counterculture to CybercultureBook Fred Turner
loved
From Counterculture to Cyberculture -- Stewart Brand and his surrounding milieu.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Season of the WitchBook David Talbot
loved
Season of the Witch -- a cultural history of San Francisco from the late 60s to the early 80s.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Making Silicon ValleyBook Christophe Lécuyer
loved
Making Silicon Valley -- there aren't many books that say a lot about the Valley pre-Shockley; this one goes back to the 30s.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
The Tinkerings of Robert NoyceOther Tom Wolfe
loved
The Tinkerings of Robert Noyce -- the origins and cultural context of Fairchild and Intel.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Revolution in The ValleyBook Andy Hertzfeld
loved
Revolution in The Valley -- a hundred stories from the early days of the Mac, collected by one of its creators.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Swimming AcrossBook Andrew S. Grove
loved
Swimming Across -- Andy Grove's memoir.
His “Silicon Valley Canon & History” page, introduced as “my favorite books and articles about the history of computing and Silicon Valley”; posted after a question from Tanner Greer in August 2024.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
The Rise and Fall of American GrowthBook Gordon, Robert J.
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Mind-Body ProblemBook Rebecca Goldstein
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Poor Charlie's AlmanackBook Charles T. Munger
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Something Incredibly Wonderful HappensBook K. C. Cole
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Hard LandingBook Thomas Petzinger
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Nixon AgonistesBook Garry Wills
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
The Dream MachineBook M. Mitchell Waldrop
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Age of AmbitionBook Evan Osnos
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?Book Stephen Webb
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
The Beginning of InfinityBook David Deutsch
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
The Paris Review Interviews, IBook Philip Gourevitch
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
MindstormsBook Seymour Papert
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Out of Mao's ShadowBook Philip P. Pan
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Metamagical ThemasBook Douglas R. Hofstadter
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
The Art of Doing Science and EngineeringBook Richard Hamming
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
A Pattern LanguageBook Christopher Alexander
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Paradigms of Artificial Intelligence ProgrammingBook Peter Norvig
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
Anthropic BiasBook Nick Bostrom
loved
On his bookshelf, marked as one he thought was particularly great.
MuseSoftware Meta
liked
I've been enjoying Muse: https://muse.ai. Among many other things, you can use it to buy anywhere on the internet with @link.
2026-09-08·x.com ↗
Masters of DoomBook David Kushner
liked
There's a closely-related genre of great books (like Masters of Doom and Show-Stopper) that cover important projects in the industry's history.
A closing note on the same page, naming books about important industry projects that he left off the Silicon Valley list.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
Show-Stopper!Book G. Pascal Zachary
liked
There's a closely-related genre of great books (like Masters of Doom and Show-Stopper) that cover important projects in the industry's history.
A closing note on the same page, naming books about important industry projects that he left off the Silicon Valley list.
2024-08-19·patrickcollison.com ↗
PacificBook Simon Winchester
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Men, Machines, and Modern TimesBook Elting E. Morison
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Orality and Literacy: 30th Anniversary Edition (New Accents)Book Walter J. Ong
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
NixonlandBook Rick Perlstein
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The CowshedBook Xianlin Ji
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Journalist And The MurdererBook Janet Malcolm
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The HuntersBook James Salter
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Whole Earth DisciplineBook Stewart Brand
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The feminine mystiqueBook Betty Friedan
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Spacetime and GeometryBook Sean M. Carroll
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Princeton Companion to Applied MathematicsBook Nicholas J. Higham
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Planet RemadeBook Oliver Morton
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Long WayBook Bernard Moitessier
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Global Catastrophic RisksBook Nick Bostrom
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Toward a Theory of InstructionBook Jerome Bruner
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Myth of the MachineBook Lewis Mumford
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Season of the WitchBook David Talbot
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Stories of Your Life and OthersBook Ted Chiang
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Foucault's Pendulum By Umberto EcoBook -Author-
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Adventures of Hajji Baba of IspahanBook James Morier
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
On the Shortness of LifeBook Seneca the Younger
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Plato at the GoogleplexBook Rebecca Goldstein
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
A Vast MachineBook Paul N. Edwards
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Weather of the San Francisco Bay RegionBook Harold Gilliam
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
ScienceBook John R. Gribbin
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Ocean FlyingBook Louise Sacchi
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Medieval Technology and Social ChangeBook Lynn Townsend White
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Man Behind the MicrochipBook Leslie Berlin
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Old WayBook Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
In the Footsteps of Mr. KurtzBook Michela Wrong
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Postcards from Tomorrow SquareBook James M. Fallows
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
I Didn't Do It for YouBook Michela Wrong
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
On LispBook Paul Graham
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
MatterhornBook Karl Marlantes
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Stuff MattersBook Mark Miodownik
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Expert Political JudgmentBook Philip E. Tetlock
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Justice as FairnessBook John Rawls
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The City in HistoryBook Lewis Mumford
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Popper SelectionsBook Karl Popper
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Amusing Ourselves to DeathBook Neil Postman
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Nature of Mathematical ModelingBook Neil Gershenfeld
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Structure and Interpretation of Computer ProgramsBook Harold Abelson
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Dealers of LightningBook Michael A. Hiltzik
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Feynman Lectures on ComputationBook Richard Phillips Feynman
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Structure and Interpretation of Classical MechanicsBook Gerald Jay Sussman
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Technics and CivilizationBook Lewis Mumford
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The ChipBook T. R. Reid
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
LongitudeBook Dava Sobel
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Plagues and PeoplesBook William Hardy McNeill
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Scramble for AfricaBook Thomas Pakenham
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The ArabsBook Eugene L. Rogan
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Moral MazesBook Robert Jackall
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Ocean of LifeBook Callum Roberts
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Educated MindBook Kieran Egan
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
IncompletenessBook Rebecca Goldstein
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
DraculaBook Bram Stoker
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Midnight's ChildrenBook Salman Rushdie
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
On IntelligenceBook Jeff Hawkins
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Quantum Computing since DemocritusBook Scott Aaronson
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Wind, Sand and StarsBook Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Big ScoreBook Michael S. Malone
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
River TownBook Peter Hessler
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
A Great Leap ForwardBook Alexander J. Field
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Business AdventuresBook John Brooks
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Computer Lib/Dream MachinesBook Ted Nelson
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
The Count of Monte CristoBook Alexandre Dumas
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Asimov's New Guide to ScienceBook Isaac Asimov
liked
On his bookshelf, marked as substantially above average.
Sam Enright’s newsletterOther Sam Enright
liked
The links post is an underrated artifact. These people produce links roundups that I particularly enjoy.
His /links page: a short standing list of the links roundups he reads, introduced by this line. Page carries no date; it has been live in this form since at least 2021 (Internet Archive). He lists this one as “Sam Enright”.
Alexey Guzey’s linksOther Alexey Guzey
liked
The links post is an underrated artifact. These people produce links roundups that I particularly enjoy.
His /links page: a short standing list of the links roundups he reads, introduced by this line. Page carries no date; it has been live in this form since at least 2021 (Internet Archive). He lists this one as “Alexey Guzey”.
Marginal RevolutionOther Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok
liked
The links post is an underrated artifact. These people produce links roundups that I particularly enjoy.
His /links page: a short standing list of the links roundups he reads, introduced by this line. Page carries no date; it has been live in this form since at least 2021 (Internet Archive). He lists this one as “Tyler Cowen”.
Luke Muehlhauser’s blogOther Luke Muehlhauser
liked
The links post is an underrated artifact. These people produce links roundups that I particularly enjoy.
His /links page: a short standing list of the links roundups he reads, introduced by this line. Page carries no date; it has been live in this form since at least 2021 (Internet Archive). He lists this one as “Luke Muehlhauser”.
Scott AlexanderOther
liked
The links post is an underrated artifact. These people produce links roundups that I particularly enjoy.
His /links page: a short standing list of the links roundups he reads, introduced by this line. The page names each one by its author, which is the name used here. No date on the page; live in this form since at least 2021 (Internet Archive). This one is published as Astral Codex Ten.
GwernOther
liked
The links post is an underrated artifact. These people produce links roundups that I particularly enjoy.
His /links page: a short standing list of the links roundups he reads, introduced by this line. The page names each one by its author, which is the name used here. No date on the page; live in this form since at least 2021 (Internet Archive). This one is the gwern.net newsletter.
Dan LemireOther
liked
The links post is an underrated artifact. These people produce links roundups that I particularly enjoy.
His /links page: a short standing list of the links roundups he reads, introduced by this line. The page names each one by its author, which is the name used here. No date on the page; live in this form since at least 2021 (Internet Archive). This one is he notes: “Science news posts; weekly-ish.”.
Jose Luis RicónOther
liked
The links post is an underrated artifact. These people produce links roundups that I particularly enjoy.
His /links page: a short standing list of the links roundups he reads, introduced by this line. The page names each one by its author, which is the name used here. No date on the page; live in this form since at least 2021 (Internet Archive). This one is published as Nintil.
Life and FateBook Vasily Grossman
recommended
Grossman’s Life and Fate is maybe a useful counterpoint.
2026-10-11·x.com ↗
asteriskmgznOther
recommended
You should subscribe to @asteriskmgzn, in addition to @WorksInProgMag of course. They have a very good print edition.
2026-09-04·x.com ↗
WorksInProgMagOther
recommended
You should subscribe to @asteriskmgzn, in addition to @WorksInProgMag of course. They have a very good print edition.
2026-09-04·x.com ↗
TempoService
recommendedtheir own
Tempo is growing very quickly and there are a lot of new use-cases coming online. Reach out to the team if you’re building with stablecoins.
2026-09-02·x.com ↗