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TC

Tech company stories

Technology

This niche holds reported histories and memoirs of individual technology companies and their founders, including Apple, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Twitter, AOL, Nokia, Samsung and video game studios.

72 books on Tech company stories, 1 of them tier 1, recommended by 55 people including Mohnish Pabrai and Keith Rabois.

72 books · 62 experts

Start here

  1. Masters of DoomDavid Kushner, 2003
  2. Show-Stopper!G. Pascal Zachary, 1994
  3. The New New ThingMichael Lewis, 1999
  4. The SearchJohn Battelle, 2005
  5. GoogledKen Auletta, 2009

The best books on Tech company stories 72

Masters of DoomMasters of Doom
T1 Masters of Doom
David Kushner · 2003
id Software, shareware distribution and the engine-licensing model.
Open Library
Recommended byAlexis OhanianPatrick Collison
Show-Stopper!Show-Stopper!
T2 Show-Stopper!
G. Pascal Zachary · 1994
The building of Windows NT; a classic of software-project reporting.
Open Library
The New New ThingThe New New Thing
T2 The New New Thing
Michael Lewis · 1999
OL lists title as 'New New Thing, The'
Open Library
Recommended byRyan HolidayAndrew ChenAusten AllredKeith Rabois
The SearchThe Search
T2 The Search
John Battelle · 2005
Google set inside the wider history of search and the database of intentions.
Open Library
Recommended byGary VaynerchukKeith Rabois
GoogledGoogled
T2 Googled
Ken Auletta · 2009
Google seen from the media industries it disrupted.
Open Library
Recommended byBrian CheskyKeith Rabois
The Facebook EffectThe Facebook Effect
T2 The Facebook Effect
David Kirkpatrick · 2010
The authorised early history, written at peak optimism.
Open Library
Recommended byDrew HoustonDustin Moskovitz
Idea ManIdea Man
T2 Idea Man
Paul Allen · 2011
Insider memoir by the co-founder, including his break with Gates.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
In the PlexIn the Plex
T2 In the Plex
Steven Levy · 2011
The fullest inside-access history of Google's first decade.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiCharlie MungerDrew HoustonJessica LivingstonPaul Graham
Steve JobsSteve Jobs
T2 Steve Jobs
Walter Isaacson · 2011
Authorised biography; the default account of Jobs and Apple.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiPatrick CollisonAndrew WilkinsonBill GatesBrett AdcockBrian CheskyChris FussellDavid Cancel+11 more
How Google WorksHow Google Works
T2 How Google Works
Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg · 2014
Insider account by the former CEO and product chief.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiCynthia JohnsonKeith RaboisSophie Bakalar
Losing the SignalLosing the Signal
T2 Losing the Signal
Jacquie McNish, Sean Silcoff · 2015
BlackBerry's rise and collapse, Canada's largest technology failure.
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew WilkinsonMohnish Pabrai
Marissa Mayer and the Fight to Save Yahoo!Marissa Mayer and the Fight to Save Yahoo!
T2 Marissa Mayer and the Fight to Save Yahoo!
Nicholas Carlson · 2015
The last turnaround attempt, with a long history of the decline.
Open Library
Blood, Sweat, and PixelsBlood, Sweat, and Pixels
T2 Blood, Sweat, and Pixels
Jason Schreier · 2017
Development economics told through ten troubled productions.
Open Library
RingtoneRingtone
T2 Ringtone
Yves Doz, Keeley Wilson · 2018
Subtitled Exploring the Rise and Fall of Nokia in Mobile Phones.
Open Library
FacebookFacebook
T2 Facebook
Steven Levy · 2020
Subtitled The Inside Story; the fullest institutional history.
Open Library
No FilterNo Filter
T2 No Filter
Sarah Frier · 2020
The Instagram acquisition and what Zuckerberg did to its founders.
Open Library
Recommended byCasey Neistat
Samsung Rising: The Inside Story of the SoutSamsung Rising: The Inside Story of the South Korean Giant That Set Out to Beat Apple and Conquer Tech
T2 Samsung Rising: The Inside Story of the South Korean Giant That Set Out to Beat Apple and Conquer Tech
Geoffrey Cain · 2020
The main English-language narrative, including the bribery scandal.
Open Library
An Ugly TruthAn Ugly Truth
T2 An Ugly Truth
Sheera Frenkel, Cecilia Kang · 2021
Cambridge Analytica onward; the standard scandal-era account.
Open Library
After SteveAfter Steve
T2 After Steve
Tripp Mickle · 2022
Cook and Ive after Jobs; the standard modern-era Apple book.
Open Library
Billionaire, Nerd, Savior, KingBillionaire, Nerd, Savior, King
T2 Billionaire, Nerd, Savior, King
Anupreeta Das · 2024
First full modern biography, covering the post-Microsoft reinvention.
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew Wilkinson
Character LimitCharacter Limit
T2 Character Limit
Kate Conger, Ryan Mac · 2024
Subtitled How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter; the fullest takeover account.
Open Library
Apple in ChinaApple in China
T2 Apple in China
Patrick McGee · 2025
What Apple actually built by renting other people's factories for two decades.
Open Library
“This is a phenomenal read... A brilliantly researched book. This book was hard to put down.”Christopher Bloomstran
Recommended byChristopher Bloomstran
Careless PeopleCareless People
T2 Careless People
Sarah Wynn-Williams · 2025
Insider memoir by a former director of global public policy.
Open Library
The Philosopher in the ValleyThe Philosopher in the Valley
T2 The Philosopher in the Valley
Michael Steinberger · 2025
Alex Karp and Palantir's path from CIA money to the surveillance state.
Open Library
The Macintosh WayThe Macintosh Way
T3 The Macintosh Way
Guy Kawasaki · 1990
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiNaval Ravikant
Steve Jobs and the NeXT Big ThingSteve Jobs and the NeXT Big Thing
T3 Steve Jobs and the NeXT Big Thing
Randall E. Stross · 1993
Contemporaneous account of the NeXT failure.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiKeith Rabois
Architects of the WebArchitects of the Web
T3 Architects of the Web
Robert H. Reid · 1997
Contemporary profiles including Yahoo's founding by Yang and Filo.
Open Library
Recommended byKeith Rabois
OverdriveOverdrive
T3 Overdrive
James Wallace · 1997
Sequel to Hard Drive, on the browser wars and the road to antitrust.
Open Library
The Difference Between God and Larry EllisonThe Difference Between God and Larry Ellison
T3 The Difference Between God and Larry Ellison
Mike Wilson · 1997
Unauthorised; Ellison tried to block it.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Breaking WindowsBreaking Windows
T3 Breaking Windows
David Bank · 2001
Internal strategy fights over the internet and the antitrust case.
Open Library
The Ultimate History of Video GamesThe Ultimate History of Video Games
T3 The Ultimate History of Video Games
Steven L. Kent · 2001
Open Library
Nokia: The Inside StoryNokia: The Inside Story
T3 Nokia: The Inside Story
Martti Häikiö · 2002
Company-sanctioned history with access to the boardroom record.
Open Library
The Perfect StoreThe Perfect Store
T3 The Perfect Store
Adam Cohen · 2002
eBay: the cleanest early case of a pure marketplace take rate.
Open Library
Recommended byEv Williams
Stealing Time: Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and Stealing Time: Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Collapse of AOL Time Warner
T3 Stealing Time: Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Collapse of AOL Time Warner
Alec Klein · 2003
Washington Post reporting on AOL's accounting and the merger.
Open Library
There Must Be a Pony in Here SomewhereThere Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere
T3 There Must Be a Pony in Here Somewhere
Kara Swisher · 2003
The AOL side of the merger, reported as it collapsed.
Open Library
Optical IllusionsOptical Illusions
T3 Optical Illusions
Lisa Endlich · 2004
Lucent and the collapse of the equipment vendors.
Open Library
Planet GooglePlanet Google
T3 Planet Google
Randall E. Stross · 2008
Open Library
Recommended byKeith Rabois
Sony vs SamsungSony vs Samsung
T3 Sony vs Samsung
Sea-Jin Chang · 2008
Strategy comparison explaining how Samsung overtook Sony.
Open Library
The Accidental BillionairesThe Accidental Billionaires
T3 The Accidental Billionaires
Ben Mezrich · 2009
Dramatised founding story; source for The Social Network.
Open Library
Replay: The History of Video GamesReplay: The History of Video Games
T3 Replay: The History of Video Games
Tristan Donovan · 2010
Open Library
The Launch PadThe Launch Pad
T3 The Launch Pad
Randall E. Stross · 2012
Inside Y Combinator in the years before Altman ran it.
Open Library
Recommended byGarry TanPaul Graham
Chaos MonkeysChaos Monkeys
T3 Chaos Monkeys
Antonio Garcia Martinez · 2016
Insider account of Facebook's ads business by a product manager.
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish PabraiNat EliasonAlfred LinAntonio García MartínezPatrick O'ShaughnessyRaoul Pal
BrotopiaBrotopia
T3 Brotopia
Emily Chang · 2018
Reporting on the culture that produced Uber's 2017 crisis.
Open Library
“He called it a "historically important book" he hopes will be a catalyst for change in tech.”Bill Gurley
Recommended byAaron LevieAileen LeeArianna HuffingtonBill GurleyMelinda GatesSteph Smith
Creative SelectionCreative Selection
T3 Creative Selection
Ken Kocienda · 2018
Insider account by the engineer who built the iPhone keyboard.
Open Library
Recommended byChris DixonJordan HughesKeith Rabois
ZuckedZucked
T3 Zucked
Roger McNamee · 2019
By an early mentor and investor who turned against the company.
Open Library
Recommended byMarc Benioff
WhistleblowerWhistleblower
T3 Whistleblower
Susan Fowler · 2020
Insider memoir by the engineer whose blog post triggered the reckoning.
Open Library
Press ResetPress Reset
T3 Press Reset
Jason Schreier · 2021
Studio closures and the industry's labour instability.
Open Library
The ContrarianThe Contrarian
T3 The Contrarian
Max Chafkin · 2021
Peter Thiel biography with substantial Palantir founding material.
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew Wilkinson
Binge TimesBinge Times
T3 Binge Times
Dade Hayes, Dawn Chmielewski · 2022
The streaming wars Netflix started, from the studios' side.
Open Library
Influence Empire: The Story of Tencent and CInfluence Empire: The Story of Tencent and China's Tech Ambition
T3 Influence Empire: The Story of Tencent and China's Tech Ambition
Lulu Yilun Chen · 2022
Alibaba's principal rival; the two firms are best read together.
Open Library
Breaking Twitter
T3 Breaking Twitter
Ben Mezrich · 2023
Fast narrative of the takeover and the layoffs.
Open Library
Broken CodeBroken Code
T3 Broken Code
Jeff Horwitz · 2023
Built on the Facebook Files documents leaked by Frances Haugen.
Open Library
Battle for the BirdBattle for the Bird
T3 Battle for the Bird
Kurt Wagner · 2024
Jack Dorsey's second tenure through the sale to Musk.
Open Library
Burn BookBurn Book
T3 Burn Book
Kara Swisher · 2024
Memoir by the reporter closest to Altman through the board crisis.
Open Library
Extremely HardcoreExtremely Hardcore
T3 Extremely Hardcore
Zoë Schiffer · 2024
The takeover told through the employees who lived through it.
Open Library
Sam Pitroda: A BiographySam Pitroda: A Biography
T4 Sam Pitroda: A Biography
Mayank Chhaya · 1992
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
AOL.comAOL.com
T4 AOL.com
Kara Swisher · 1998
Open Library
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Barbarians Led by Bill GatesBarbarians Led by Bill Gates
T4 Barbarians Led by Bill Gates
Jennifer Edstrom, Marlin Eller · 1998
Insider account by a former Windows developer; hostile in tone.
Open Library
World War 3.0World War 3.0
T4 World War 3.0
Ken Auletta · 2001
Open Library
Recommended byKeith Rabois
Samsung Electronics and the Struggle for LeaSamsung Electronics and the Struggle for Leadership of the Electronics Industry
T4 Samsung Electronics and the Struggle for Leadership of the Electronics Industry
Anthony Michell · 2010
Business-school style account of the memory and display strategy.
Open Library
No Better TimeNo Better Time
T4 No Better Time
Molly Knight Raskin · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byBrad Feld
The Year Without PantsThe Year Without Pants
T4 The Year Without Pants
Scott Berkun · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byMatt Mullenweg
Without Their PermissionWithout Their Permission
T4 Without Their Permission
Alexis Ohanian · 2013
Open Library
Recommended byEric JorgensonGarry TanJustin Kan
Haunted EmpireHaunted Empire
T4 Haunted Empire
Yukari Iwatani Kane · 2014
Early and much-disputed argument that Apple declined after Jobs.
Open Library
We Are the NerdsWe Are the Nerds
T4 We Are the Nerds
Christine Lagorio-Chafkin · 2014
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew Chen
A Truck Full of MoneyA Truck Full of Money
T4 A Truck Full of Money
Tracy Kidder · 2016
Open Library
Recommended byBrad Feld
DisruptedDisrupted
T4 Disrupted
Dan Lyons · 2016
Open Library
Recommended byAndrew WilkinsonKara SwisherMatej Latin
The Third WaveThe Third Wave
T4 The Third Wave
Steve Case · 2016
Open Library
Recommended byAlfred LinBrad FeldGeorge HatzisNaval Ravikant
Twitter: A Biography
T4 Twitter: A Biography
Jean Burgess, Nancy K. Baym · 2020
Scholarly account of the product and its user culture.
Open Library
Uncanny ValleyUncanny Valley
T4 Uncanny Valley
Anna Wiener · 2020
Open Library
Recommended byKara Swisher
The Nudist on the Late Shift
T4 The Nudist on the Late Shift
Po Bronson
unverified
Recommended byMohnish Pabrai
Wired
T4 Wired
Gary Wolf
unverified
Recommended byEv Williams

Experts 62

The people who wrote this page's books, and the people who recommend them.

Authors 9

RE
Randall E. Strosswrote 3 books hereKara Swisherwrote 3 books hereSteven Levywrote 2 books hereBen Mezrichwrote 2 books hereMichael Lewiswrote 1 book hereEric Schmidtwrote 1 book hereWalter Isaacsonwrote 1 book hereGuy Kawasakiwrote 1 book hereAlexis Ohanianwrote 1 book here

Recommenders 55

MP
Mohnish Pabrairecommends 12 books hereKeith Raboisrecommends 9 books here
AW
Andrew Wilkinsonrecommends 5 books hereBrad Feldrecommends 3 books hereDrew Houstonrecommends 3 books herePaul Grahamrecommends 2 books hereAlfred Linrecommends 2 books here
AC
Andrew Chenrecommends 2 books hereBrian Cheskyrecommends 2 books hereEv Williamsrecommends 2 books hereGarry Tanrecommends 2 books hereGary Vaynerchukrecommends 2 books here
Show all 55
GH
George Hatzisrecommends 2 books hereKara Swisherrecommends 2 books hereNaval Ravikantrecommends 2 books herePatrick Collisonrecommends 2 books hereCharlie Mungerrecommends 1 book hereRay Daliorecommends 1 book hereJohn Doerrrecommends 1 book hereMarc Benioffrecommends 1 book hereRyan Holidayrecommends 1 book hereAaron Levierecommends 1 book hereAileen Leerecommends 1 book hereAlexis Ohanianrecommends 1 book here
AG
Antonio García Martínezrecommends 1 book hereArianna Huffingtonrecommends 1 book here
AA
Austen Allredrecommends 1 book hereBill Gatesrecommends 1 book hereBill Gurleyrecommends 1 book hereBrett Adcockrecommends 1 book hereCasey Neistatrecommends 1 book hereChris Dixonrecommends 1 book here
CF
Chris Fussellrecommends 1 book here
CB
Christopher Bloomstranrecommends 1 book here
CJ
Cynthia Johnsonrecommends 1 book here
DC
David Cancelrecommends 1 book here
DH
David Hellmannrecommends 1 book hereDustin Moskovitzrecommends 1 book hereElon Muskrecommends 1 book here
EJ
Eric Jorgensonrecommends 1 book hereJessica Livingstonrecommends 1 book here
JH
Jordan Hughesrecommends 1 book hereJustin Kanrecommends 1 book here
LM
Library Mindsetrecommends 1 book here
ML
Matej Latinrecommends 1 book hereMatt Mullenwegrecommends 1 book hereMelinda Gatesrecommends 1 book hereMr. Beastrecommends 1 book here
NE
Nat Eliasonrecommends 1 book here
PO
Patrick O'Shaughnessyrecommends 1 book here
RP
Raoul Palrecommends 1 book hereScott Belskyrecommends 1 book here
SB
Sophie Bakalarrecommends 1 book here
SS
Steph Smithrecommends 1 book here
BI
The Barefoot Investorrecommends 1 book here
See all 62 in the Experts tab →

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