I have worked with computers since the late 70's. So reading computer books was just part of my job. I read Tracy Kidders Soul of a New Machine in the late 80's and it was a real buzz to "see" all that background stuff. So I slowly got hooked on computer history.
I always wondered how Xerox discovered Windows, Apple made the first Windows interface and Microsoft sold it to the world. This book explained all this to me in gorgeous detail and so much more as well. It was such a good read I remember thinking about reading it slowly to make the fun last longer. I am amazed to see that nobody has yet given this a 5 star rating. Guess it just pushed the right buttons for me.
I am not a Mac guy or a programmer, just a corporate PC tech kinda guy. ( )

The creation of the Mac in 1984 catapulted America into the digital millennium, captured a fanatic cult audience, and transformed the computer industry into an unprecedented mix of technics, economics, and show business. Now veteran technology writer and MacWorld columnist Steven Levy zooms in on the great machine and the fortunes of the unique company responsible for its evolution. Loaded with anecdote and insight, peppered with sharp commentary, created entirely on the computer it celebrates, and now with a new afterword on the PowerMac, Insanely Great is the definitive book on the most important computer ever made. It is a must-have for Mac users and anyone curious about how we've arrived at the portal of the interactive era.