Exploding the Phone
by Phil Lapsley · first published 2013
88% recommend12% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Engrossing, well-researched history of phone phreaking from the 1950s to mid-1980s, including how the Bell phone system worked and why it was so hackable. Suits readers curious about early hacker culture.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Before smartphones, before the Internet and before the personal computer, a misfit group of technophiles, blind teenagers, hippies, and outlaws figured out how to hack the world's largest machine: the telephone system. Starting with Alexander Graham Bell's revolutionary "harmonic telegraph," by the middle of the twentieth century the phone system had grown into something extraordinary, a web of cutting-edge switching machines and human operators that linked together millions of people like never before. Unfortunately for the telephone company, the network has a billion-dollar flaw. And once pe
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2008–2018The Watchman
Jonathan Littman
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 33 recommend · 3 mention3 recommend · 33 recommend
2015–2023The Chip
T.R. Reid
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 33 recommend · 3 mention3 recommend · 33 recommend
2011–2026Ghost in the wires
Kevin D. Mitnick
Recommended by 63 · mentioned by 8663 recommend · 86 mention63 recommend · 8663 recommend
2009–2025Computing in the Middle Ages
Severo M. Ornstein
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 108 recommend · 10 mention8 recommend · 108 recommend
2009–2026Takedown
Tsutomu Shimomura, John Markoff
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 166 recommend · 16 mention6 recommend · 166 recommend
2008–2025Cyberpunk
Katie Hafner, John Markoff
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 106 recommend · 10 mention6 recommend · 106 recommend
2009–2025The Last Lion
William Manchester
Recommended by 11 · mentioned by 1411 recommend · 14 mention11 recommend · 1411 recommend
How the Internet happened
Brian McCullough
Recommended by 7 · mentioned by 117 recommend · 11 mention7 recommend · 117 recommend
…the book is, I think, inaccurate. The book as much a story a story about Cliff as the shadowy hacker on the other side of the wires, and that's a big part of its charm, IMHO. Ghost in the Wires, and Exploding the Phone are also good, and true stories.
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗…worked at, and I'm sure everyone here can say the same. It's less of a history and more of a study of people. I enjoy this genera though, and I'll add Gertner and Lammers to the list. You may want to try Exploding the Phone by Phil Lapsley (about phone phreaking) and The New New Thing by Michael Lweis.
on “Windows NT and VMS: The Rest of the Story (1998)” ↗…were what I called 'Hacker stories that start at the beginning'. That is, ones that start with how this person got interested in the first place. I finally put this desire to bed after reading Lapsley's Exploding the Phone (2013), which was so chock full that this book single handedly satisfied my need for them. Exploding of course gives much more information on the subject of phreaking to anybody interested. The author…
on “Secrets of the Little Blue Box (1971)” ↗…http://www.amazon.com/Turings-Cathedral-Origins-Digital-Univ... Other great titles I'd recommend is Steven Levy's "Hackers" http://www.amazon.com/Hackers-Heroes-Computer-Revolution-Ann... and Phil Lapsley's "Exploding the Phone" http://www.amazon.com/Exploding-Phone-Untold-Teenagers-Outla... Hope you enjoy!
on “Ask HN: How to learn about the history of computing?” ↗…wrong: Calling John Draper one of the first phone phreaks, and treating him as representitive of the rest, or even claiming he made the discovery that gave him is nickname is just flat out incorrect. Read "Exploding the Phone," by Phil Lapsley, for a more accurate take on phreaking. Secondly, IMHO, those "sillicon valley types," people begging for capital to build new things, aren't dissimilar to the kind of academic environment…
on “How yuppies hacked the original hacker ethos (2015)” ↗Ghost in the Wires compares favorably, also being a personal memoir, although from the other side of hacking. Exploding the Phone takes an ousider's perspective, having been written by a relative outsider, and the information having been gathered from interviews with those involved. However, I would say it's better than Ghost in…
on “Ask HN: What book have you given as a gift?” ↗…Grid". Technical infrastructure is always fascinating and awe-inspiring. ...Which brings me to one of the two books that I reccomend on HN every time the subject comes up, because they're just that good. Exploding the Phone, a fascinating dive into the world of phone phreaking that really needs more attention. It not only discusses the people and culture of the phreaking scene, but also the technology that drew them to the…
on “My Favorite Books of 2016” ↗…beautiful in a way I can’t quite describe - Century Rain (Reynolds), which is best described as a hard boiled 1930’s noir hard science fiction novel. Books I read this year which I really enjoyed:’ - Exploding The Phone (Lapsley): Super engrossing description of the phone phreak scene almost from its start to its end - Hyperion and sequels (Simmons): Probably one of my favourite science fiction series now, and I’ve…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗>> - Exploding The Phone (Lapsley): Super engrossing description of the phone phreak scene almost from its start to its end Haven't heard of this one, sounds right up my alley too! I need to check out more Gaiman too, I really…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2023 and recommend for 2024” ↗I really enjoyed reading Wozniak's foreword to Phil Lapsley's 'Exploding the Phone' book [0], as well as reading about the time period when Wozniak began college and what they were up to. It's a great book about phone freaking. [0] http://explodingthephone.com
on “Wozniak: “Actually, the movie was largely a lie about me”” ↗Besides the above linked Exploding the Phone, no. They seem to be very rare, or at least I'm not searching in the right place for them. I would like to note though that the first chapter of Exploding is available through google books, and features…
on “Evan Doorbell's Telephone Tapes” ↗Phil Lapsley's book "Exploding The Phone" [0] gives a well written overview for anyone interested. [0] http://explodingthephone.com/ (AudioBook also available)
on “I Dialed a Wrong Number and Stumbled into International Phone Fraud” ↗…they're already dead.) From the perspective of computer history, pay phones are interesting because of their being the main host for phreaking subcultures. The best book on such is still probably Lapsley's Exploding The Phone: http://explodingthephone.com/
on “Last call for the phone booth?” ↗Sure, one is 'Exploding the Phone', 2013, by Phil Lapsley. http://explodingthephone.com Great book.
on “Evan Doorbell's Classic Phreaking Tapes” ↗Exploding the Phone (Phil Lapsley): A history of the Phone Phreak phenomenon. If you've browsed around ancient hacker lore or read textfiles.com, you'll enjoy it. Giving Good Weight (John McPhee): Some John McPhee articles.…
on “Ask HN: Favorite nonfiction books of 2018?” ↗