Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#31

Post by supportengineer » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:16 PM UTC

2devnull wrote: post #24

corethree wrote: post #14

A bit of an aside. But I would love a book on the comprehensive history of silicon valley up to and describing the crisis we face today of housing and everyone leaving.

The book would be short. The “me generation” takes control, zeroes interest rates after they crash the world economy in 2008. Roll the clock forward 10 years, nimbyism plus importing cheap labor and allowing the housing market to be used as a Ponzi scheme because who cares about younger generations as long as the children of the 60s can buy vanity wineries, and all own multi-million dollar homes, drive corvettes or w…

You had me up until the very end

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#32

Post by themerone » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:22 PM UTC

marcuskaz wrote: post #4

Not a book, and a bit self promotional, but I have a small photo series I worked on https://mkaz.com/silicon-valley/ Also, look for Silicon Valley '07 by Gabriele Basilico, it's a photo book - not a huge coffee table book but pretty good with about 80-100 photos from 2007

I like your photos, but you should use small thumbnail images, instead of having the browser scale the full size images to thumbnail size.

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#33

Post by moose44 » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:25 PM UTC

Does anyone have any tips for moving to the valley at a young age?

I'm very young, not from the US and looking to move to the valley to be around more ambitious people.

Any tips or things I should know? Neighbourhoods to consider? Areas to be in? What to avoid? How to meet people? Hidden gems?

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#34

Post by electrondood » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:27 PM UTC

At Half Price Books in Fremont, there's an entire shelf dedicated to these local history books.

Some of my favorites:

https://www.amazon.com/Palo-Alto-Centennial-Ward-Winslow/dp/...

https://www.amazon.com/Menlo-Park-California-Beyond-Gate/dp/...

https://www.amazon.com/Seabright-Images-America-Arcadia-Publ...

In fact, the Images of America series is exactly what you're looking for, think.

https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/collections/images-of-amer...

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#35

Post by wojtczyk » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:29 PM UTC

moose44 wrote: post #33

Does anyone have any tips for moving to the valley at a young age? I'm very young, not from the US and looking to move to the valley to be around more ambitious people. Any tips or things I should know? Neighbourhoods to consider? Areas to be in? What to avoid? How to meet people? Hidden gems?

Just go to the coffee shops and meet people :)

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#36

Post by spking » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:29 PM UTC

This book has a lot of great Bay Area photos from the 50s-60s:

https://www.amazon.com/Mid-Century-Bay-Celebration-Francisco...

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#37

Post by troebr » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:30 PM UTC

moose44 wrote: post #33

Does anyone have any tips for moving to the valley at a young age? I'm very young, not from the US and looking to move to the valley to be around more ambitious people. Any tips or things I should know? Neighbourhoods to consider? Areas to be in? What to avoid? How to meet people? Hidden gems?

Maybe your question is worth its own thread. Your biggest hurdle will be immigrating to the US. As far as I know the best way to manage that would be to finish your studies in the US. If you're from Canada I believe getting a visa is easier. Many cities/countries have good startup cultures nowadays, and SV is no longer the only option to get started!

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#38

Post by corethree » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:31 PM UTC

coldpie wrote: post #21

corethree wrote: post #14

A bit of an aside. But I would love a book on the comprehensive history of silicon valley up to and describing the crisis we face today of housing and everyone leaving.

> the crisis we face today of housing and everyone leaving Well, which is it? ;)

Both

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#39

Post by kadoban » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:35 PM UTC

corethree wrote: post #38

coldpie wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> the crisis we face today of housing and everyone leaving Well, which is it? ;)

Both

Nobody goes there, it's too crowded.

Re: Ask HN: Any good Silicon Valley Photo coffee table books?

#40

Post by sizzzzlerz » Wed, Jan 31, 2024, 4:40 PM UTC

To really understand it's changes, you first need a book with pictures of the valley from the 1940's to the 1960's. I don't have such a book but I've seen a number of pictures when the valley was all orchards. Then you overlay those with modern day pictures and you see how places like Sunnyvale, Mountain View, and Palo Alto transformed into large cities that essentially removed those trees and replaced them with buildings, houses, and roads. I could study those pictures for hours.