The Big Score: The Billion Dollar Story of Silicon Valley

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The only contemporary history of the birth of Silicon Valley, from a reporter with a front-row seat. Over the past five decades, the tech industry has become a crucial part of the global economy, with Silicon Valley housing many key players amid sprawling office parks and high rents. However, its origins are much more humble. As tech companies' influence expands, this account chronicles their beginnings. Michael S. Malone, one of the first reporters on the tech beat at the San Jose Mercury-News, details the passionate efforts of young technologists and entrepreneurs striving to create groundbreaking innovations and achieve financial success. Starting with the founding of Hewlett-Packard in the 1930s, Malone illustrates how decades of technological advancements set the stage for the Valley's explosive growth in the 1970s. Through exclusive interviews, he provides incisive profiles of early tech luminaries like William Shockley and Steve Jobs, showcasing their struggles as they worked long hours in garages. The narrative also explores the darker aspects of the Valley, including espionage, drugs, harsh working conditions, and betrayals that influenced the industry's trajectory. This decades-long story highlights individual sacrifice, ingenuity, and the pursuit of wealth at the heart of today's dominant sector.