How did the suburb of Palo Alto become the epicentre of a global tech revolution, changing not just American capitalism but the world?
Malcolm Harris was raised in the town of Palo Alto, the heartland of Silicon Valley, home of Stanford University, and the birthplace of the digital age. We live in the world created by The Palo Alto System – a set of 19th century ideas for innovation that have subtly shaped the way that business is still done in the Valley today. Malcolm’s new book Palo Alto offers a critical history of the town and its hugely influential residents. Featuring robber barons, eugenics, murder, missiles, mining, and two infamous Presidents, this is a startling look at the making of the contemporary world.
