Chip War
by Chris Miller · first published 2022
53% recommend44% neutral3% critical
Why HN recommends it
Gripping, approachable history of the semiconductor industry from WWII to the AI boom, covering key players, military ties, and geopolitics; suits readers wanting context on chip supply and government strategy.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
An epic account of the decades-long battle to control what has emerged as the world's most critical resource—microchip technology—with the United States and China increasingly in conflict. You may be surprised to learn that microchips are the new oil—the scarce resource on which the modern world depends. Today, military, economic, and geopolitical power are built on a foundation of computer chips. Virtually everything— from missiles to microwaves, smartphones to the stock market — runs on chips. Until recently, America designed and built the fastest chips and maintained its lead as the #1 s
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Chip War by Chris Miller. This is a well researched book on the chip war between the US and China Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker. I loved this book because I learned so many new things about sleep. It also made…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗Chip War (2022) by Chris Miller
on “Ask HN: Best books to understand semiconductor business?” ↗I've been reading Chris Miller's Chip War lately, highly recommend it: https://bookshop.org/p/books/chip-war-the-fight-for-the-worl... A really great dive into the history and players leading to where we are today. He was on the Odd Lots podcast…
on “How the First Transistor Worked” ↗Indeed.. just completed "Chip War" by Chris Miller which delves into the history and the Geopolitics of this wonderful invention. After WWII Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea owe their prosperities to the transistor.
on “Transistors are civilization’s invisible infrastructure” ↗Chris Miller's "Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology" recounts in much more detail the history of the semiconductor industry, the centrality of microchips to military might, major players (individuals…
on “‘An Act of War’: Inside America’s Silicon Blockade Against China” ↗In a similar vein, "Chip War" by Chris Miller is a more recent look at this. Not at all as dry as I expected it to be, surprisingly gripping for someone who didn't previously know much about this. It also provides a lot of historical…
on “Ask HN: Any interesting books you have read lately?” ↗Chip War [1] covers this kind of thing pretty well. 1 - https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Chris-Miller/dp/1668012057
on “Senior Arm China staff quit to create government-backed startup” ↗I recommend the book Chip War (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60321447-chip-war) if anyone’s curious to learn more about this topic and the history of semiconductor development. I feel like the history of computers and the internet…
on “Traitorous eight” ↗I absolutely love the book Chip War by Chris Miller. A fantastic history of the semiconductor industry and the geopolitical and economic consequences of its development.
on “Ask HN: What are some good resources for learning about the semiconductors?” ↗…on their own? I think it is an open question. I hope not, because that will mean effectively another 'end of history'[1], except with authoritarian states dominating. [0] see https://www.amazon.com/Chip-War-Worlds-Critical-Technology-e... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_End_of_History_and_the_Las...
on “Beijing criticises Netherlands’ move to block ASML exports to China” ↗This has nothing to do with jobs. Read Chip War by Chris Miller https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chip_War:_The_Fight_for_the_...
on “GlobalFoundries wins $3.1B in CHIPS Act subsidies for NY, Vermont” ↗Reading Chris Miller's Chip War allowed me to realise how mind-bogglingly complicated the chip making process is.
on “Japan bets $67B to become a global chip powerhouse once again” ↗A good book on semiconductors is "Chip War" by Chris Miller. It talks at length about TSMC and Morris Chang. Great book. [1] https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/Chip-War/Chris-Mill...
on “TSMC was founded by Morris Chang when he was 55 years old” ↗Perhaps ambitious for a weekend but Chris Miller’s Chip War will enlighten you quite a bit about both Silicon Valley’s history and the current politics around semiconductors.
on “Big Tech and Silicon Valley are transforming the military-industrial complex” ↗This year, I decided to read more fiction, and I like it.[1] Here are some of the interesting non-fiction books I liked; - Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology by Chris Miller - How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World by Steven Johnson - The Accidental Masterpiece: On the Art of Life…
on “Ask HN: Best non-fiction book you read in 2024?” ↗