Tech Books to Add to Your New Year’s Resolutions

Technology evolves rapidly nowadays. Innovations happen so fast that it’s nearly impossible to keep track of everything that goes on. Spending your weekend trying to cram as many newsletters is both ineffective and unsustainable. You should focus on building an overarching understanding of technology as a function of humanity. What is the best way to do this? Books!

We sifted through hundreds of options and landed on the following seven books: They paint a picture of technological evolution that starts with the dawn of mankind and ends with our development of artificial intelligence. Without further ado, here’s our pick for the top seven tech books.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

This may not be a book about technology as we understand it today, but that doesn’t diminish its importance. Harari provides the ideal setup for your journey into understanding technology because he goes straight to the roots of innocence. You’ll be taken along for a mind-bending exploration that starts with ancient civilization setting the groundwork for all our innovation. We move through time, picking up key bits and pieces from our history that sparked evolution and experienced societal shifts that paved the way for the digital age.

Books — *The story of humanity’s progress.* Source: Gates Notes

The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution by Walter Isaacson

Once you understand the cultures that made way for technology, we can move closer to the modern day. Isaacson creates a masterful roadmap for the advent of the digital, which is almost universally regarded as the guide to how technology really began. The method of delivery sets The Innovators apart from the dozens of books produced in this genre.

Rather than exploring different innovations, we peer into the minds behind them. Our journey begins with Ada Lovelace, the pioneer of computer programming in the late 19th century, while going all the way to Steve Jobs and Apple Computers. Connect the dots between pioneers, visionaries, and technology to fully understand why we create the things that we do.

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel

If you haven’t heard of Peter Thiel, he’s the co-founder of PayPal. Considering his company changed the way we view online transactions, it makes sense that Thiel is committed to the idea that innovating is the only way to survive an industry harboring innovation.

Zero to One looks at the unique experience of going from nothing to something. Differentiating yourself from the competition is the only way he thinks a company can achieve long-term success. Simply existing is not enough; you must seek novel paths. The book tries to crack the ideal mindset entrepreneurs need to have if they want to make something truly groundbreaking.

Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software by Charles Petzold

Once you get an appreciation for how technology developed with the books above, we can start getting into the details. ‘Code’ assumes you know nothing about coding and computer programming, as it explains the basics of how hardware and software work together. It may not explain the extremely complex systems we work with today, but it’s not meant to. It’s designed as a starting point for anyone looking to understand the essence of coding.

Hackers and Painters: Big Ideas from the Computer Age by Paul Graham

Paul Graham’s company, Y Combinator, has funded over 4,000 tech startups to date. He understands better than anybody that computers and hacking go hand in hand. It would be disingenuous not to give you some background on some of the most dangerous criminals of the digital age.

The thoughtful collection of essays is an unflinching exploration of the motivations behind innovations. Graham wholeheartedly believes some of these motivations are ignorant at best and malicious at worst. He goes so far as to call the age of innovation an ‘Intellectual Wild West, so prepare yourself for an eye-opening perspective on the artistry of coding.

Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker by Kevin Mitnick

This may be the most exciting entry on our list. Once you understand the concept of hacking with hackers and painters, you’re transported into the mind of a master of the craft. Mitnick gives a thrilling firsthand account of his cat-and-mouse game with the authorities in the dark world of virtual crime. We watch as he narrowly escapes prison by switching networks, phones, computers, and locations before eventually being hounded by the people who want to put him behind bars. Even if you aren’t looking to learn anything, it doubles as a suspenseful crime thriller you won’t be able to put down.

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance

It doesn’t matter who you are or what your interests are; if you’re on the internet, you’ve likely heard of Elon Musk. It’s hard to make a case for anyone rivaling his influence in the technology industry today. We may not get a firsthand account of Musk co-founding PayPal, leading SpaceX, and buying Twitter, but Vance makes for an extremely compelling storyteller. We get valuable insights into the visionary approaches that made Musk one of the richest men on the planet.

Spend a couple of months reading each of these books to properly absorb them. In just over a year, we can guarantee you’ll have a changed perspective on technology and innovation. If that’s too much, just start with one! There’s enough variety in this list to pique anybody’s interest.

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FAQs

Are these books suitable for beginners with no tech background?

Yes, many of these books, like Code by Charles Petzold, are great starting points for beginners.

Which book is best for learning about artificial intelligence?

While this list doesn’t focus solely on AI, Sapiens and The Innovators provide historical context, and Zero to One offers insights into tech innovation that influence AI today.