Hackers

By Steven Levy

O'Reilly Media, Paperback, 9781449388393, 499pp.

Publication Date: May 30, 2010

List Price: $21.99*

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Description

This 25th anniversary edition of 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.

About the Author

Over the course of twenty-two years of teaching, Steven Levy has taught every grade level from kindergarten through college. He has been recognized as the 1992-93 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year and honored as the Outstanding General Elementary Teacher by the Walt Disney Company ion 1994-95. Levy has also received the John F. Kennedy prize for the teaching of history, and his project Lexingtons, USA, was chosen by the American School Board Association as one of the hundred best curriculum ideas in the nation.

Where Are The 'Hackers' Now?

Friday, Jul 16, 2010

In his 1984 book, Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution, author Steven Levy profiled some of the personalities whose work brought PCs to the people, including Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. Levy discusses his book, recently reissued, and hacker ethics in the Internet age. More at NPR.org

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