Listen to a sample
Crystal Fire
- Author
- Lillian Hoddeson
- Narrator
- Dennis McKee
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 24 April 2018
- Run Time
- 12 hours 53 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
On December 16, 1947, two physicists at Bell Laboratories, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, jabbed two electrodes into a sliver of germanium half an inch long. The electrical power coming out of that piece of germanium was 100 times stronger than what went in. In that moment, the transistor was invented and the information age began.
Crystal Fire recounts the story of the transistor team at Bell Labs, led by William Shockley, who shared the Nobel Prize with Bardeen and Brattain. While his colleagues went on to other research, Shockley grew increasingly obsessed with the new gadget. He went on to form the first semiconductor company in what would become Silicon Valley.
Above all, Crystal Fire is a tale of the human factors in technology: the pride and jealousies coupled with scientific and economic aspirations that led to the creation of modern microelectronics and ignited the greatest technological explosion in history.
Critics Review
-
“Without the invention of the transistor, I’m quite sure that the PC would not exist as we know it today.”
Bill Gates
-
“Thoroughly accessible to lay readers as well as the techno-savvy…A fine book.”
Publishers Weekly
-
“A gripping read and a crash course in the dizzying complexity of information-age invention.”
Amazon.com review
-
“This book of ‘history in the making’ fascinates.”
AudioFile
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- Lillian Hoddeson
- Narrator
- Dennis McKee
- Duration
- 12 hours 53 minutes
- Release Date
- 24 April 2018
- ISBN
- 9781538590683
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- Electronic devices and materials
Synopsis
On December 16, 1947, two physicists at Bell Laboratories, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain, jabbed two electrodes into a sliver of germanium half an inch long. The electrical power coming out of that piece of germanium was 100 times stronger than what went in. In that moment, the transistor was invented and the information age began. Crystal Fire recounts the story of the transistor team at Bell Labs, led by William Shockley, who shared the Nobel Prize with Bardeen and Brattain. While his colleagues went on to other research, Shockley grew increasingly obsessed with the new gadget. He went on to form the first semiconductor company in what would become Silicon Valley.Above all, Crystal Fire is a tale of the human factors in technology: the pride and jealousies coupled with scientific and economic aspirations that led to the creation of modern microelectronics and ignited the greatest technological explosion in history.
About xigxag
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.