The Silicon Boys is a fantastic look into the history of the many successful

 The Silicon Boys is a fantastic look into the history of the many successful

(and some not so successful) companies that have come out of the Silicon Valley, but also a look into the mentality of the men who run the tech industry. The book is set up like a documentary, and stays interesting throughout by giving you lots of interesting facts and side stories about the men who make up the elite of Silicon Valley.

The book is split into ten chapters, and each talks about a different segment of the industry, starting with a history of why California, especially the Silicon Valley region, is great for the start of new ideas and money making. Kaplan goes into what is basically the birth of the consumer computer industry, with the invention of the transistor at Bell Labs, and how that progressed to the integrated circuit and the microprocessor.

A large part of the book dealt with the creation of these multi-billion dollar businesses, and the venture capitalists that believed in their ideas and handed over the money. Kaplan especially talks of the venture capitalist firm, Kleiner Perkins and their enthusiastic leader, John Doerr. After reading this book, you really get an idea of how much the venture capitalists are actually in charge of Silicon Valley.

In the last part of the book, Kaplan talks about the rise and fall of Netscape, and their battle against "the evil Microsoft." It really shows how unpredictable the web market can be, and how ruthless some companies get in search for market share. He ends the book by talking about Yahoo! and how they have created one of the most successful businesses online.

Price: 550/=

Pre-owned original hardback

0713054505