The Innovators (How a Group of Inventors, Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution)(Paperback)

A masterful tour of the creative people behind the development of computers and the digital revolution using a frame that probes the relative contributions of teamwork vs. individual genius. As I continually benefitted the ever increasing capabilities of computers from the 70s onward for my former science career and I enjoyed Isaacson’s biography of Ben Franklin, I figured I couldn’t lose. Plus friends praise his skills in the history of science as revealed in his books on Einstein and Steve Jobs. I wasn’t disappointed, given that he inevitably had to focus on highlights and distillations to cover his intended scope. His story of the “pioneers, hackers. Inventors, and entrepreneurs” who made the evolution possible makes for exciting reading even if you are not technically oriented. That’s because it’s a human story, mixing the personal history behind the ambition and dreams and the energy of both competitive and collaborative forces.