Sample
  • Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution

  • 25th Anniversary Edition
  • By: Steven Levy
  • Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
  • Length: 20 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,939 ratings)

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Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution

By: Steven Levy
Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
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Publisher's summary

Steven Levy's classic book traces the exploits of the computer revolution's original hackers - those brilliant and eccentric nerds from the late 1950s through the early '80s who took risks, bent the rules, and pushed the world in a radical new direction. With updated material from noteworthy hackers such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Stallman, and Steve Wozniak, Hackers is a fascinating story that begins in early computer research labs and leads to the first home computers.

Levy profiles the imaginative brainiacs who found clever and unorthodox solutions to computer engineering problems. They had a shared sense of values, known as "the hacker ethic" that still thrives today. Hackers captures a seminal period in recent history when underground activities blazed a trail for today's digital world, from MIT students finagling access to clunky computer-card machines to the DIY culture that spawned the Altair and the Apple II.

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What listeners say about Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution

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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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It's a classic

A must read for anyone interested in the history of the software industry. The "hacker ethic" theme feels outdated now, but the stories are captivating.

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8 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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A good audio book.

A good audio book, this book will give you a good understanding of the pc. And I think it is a must for anyone thinking of looking at computers as a hobby or a job.

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4 people found this helpful

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Great book on the history of computer

Very interesting to hear about how it all started and the key players who moved forward the dream of everyone having a personal computer.

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interesting history on the early days of computers

A pretty cool history about computer 'hackers' through the ages. The author does a great job of organizing the narrative into a series of themed eras, focusing on different themes, personalities, and locations that were important for the development of the digital world.

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Better than expected

Sits just aside of Masters of Doom, complement perfect all the stories of the first hackers, mention Apple, Atari, Origin, etc.

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4 people found this helpful

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An Excellent and Inspiring Dive

This was truely one of the most inspiring books I've read in a good while.

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1 person found this helpful

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Great book and enlightening history about hackers

Very useful historical progression of technology. It is honest and great to hear what it takes to be in the leading technology around us.

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Too long yet narrow thread through history

It had some good parts and some boring parts. It is unapologetically narrow in focusing on a single location while progressing through time from the 60s to the 90s.

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a classic!

loved the book, the topic was a deeper dive into true hacker story and lore vs Walter Isaacsons Innovators book. narration was ok, not bad, but not great either.

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Must have for any tech enthusiast!!

Really worth the read. The stories of the founders of the Hacker ethic is inspirational.

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