Cory Doctorow’s Picks & Shovels is a charming coming-of-age story set against the chaotic birth of the San Francisco tech scene in the 1980s. It follows Martin Hench, an MIT dropout turned forensic accountant, as he navigates the high-stakes world of Silicon Valley before it became the empire we know today. The novel is part cyber-thriller, part noir, and part historical fiction—blending them all into a propulsive, thought-provoking ride.
Doctorow brings to life an era when computing was the Wild West, where idealism and cutthroat capitalism clashed in equal measure. The tech moguls here aren’t just greedy businessmen—they’re gangsters, priests, and rabbis, wielding both power and morality in ways that blur the lines between right and wrong. The novel doesn’t just paint a nostalgic picture of the past but also hints at the forces that shaped today’s tech industry.
Martin’s journey from hired gun to true believer is compelling to follow, especially as he falls in with the rebellious women of Computing Freedom, a scrappy startup trying to take on an entrenched, corrupt system. The tension escalates beautifully, with Doctorow layering in corporate espionage, betrayal, and a genuine sense of danger. The stakes feel real, and the pacing never drags.
For me it was a bonus that the book occasionally delved into explanations of early computing and financial sleight-of-hand.
Picks & Shovels is a must for anyone who loves tech history, anti-establishment thrillers, or simply a well-told tale of underdogs fighting against impossible odds. Doctorow has delivered a story that’s as smart as it is entertaining.