• Chip War

  • The Quest to Dominate the World's Most Critical Technology
  • By: Chris Miller
  • Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
  • Length: 12 hrs and 38 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (1,915 ratings)

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Chip War  By  cover art

Chip War

By: Chris Miller
Narrated by: Stephen Graybill
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Publisher's summary

One of Barack Obama’s Favorite Books of 2023

The Financial Times Business Book of the Year, this epic account of the decades-long battle to control one of the world’s most critical resources—microchip technology—with the United States and China increasingly in fierce competition is “pulse quickening…a nonfiction thriller” (The New York Times).

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—runs on chips, including cars, smartphones, the stock market, even the electric grid. Until recently, America designed and built the fastest chips and maintained its lead as the #1 superpower, but America’s edge is in danger of slipping, undermined by players in Taiwan, Korea, and Europe taking over manufacturing. Now, as Chip War reveals, China, which spends more on chips than any other product, is pouring billions into a chip-building initiative to catch up to the US. At stake is America’s military superiority and economic prosperity.

Economic historian Chris Miller explains how the semiconductor came to play a critical role in modern life and how the US became dominant in chip design and manufacturing and applied this technology to military systems. America’s victory in the Cold War and its global military dominance stems from its ability to harness computing power more effectively than any other power. Until recently, China had been catching up, aligning its chip-building ambitions with military modernization.

Illuminating, timely, and fascinating, Chip War is “an essential and engrossing landmark study" (London Times).

©2022 Christopher Miller. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

What listeners say about Chip War

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Required Reading

Excellent history and geopolitical analysis of why the US just passed the Chips Act. Better later than never!

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Thoroughly researched and engaging

This is an excellent audiobook, I listened to it over the course of a couple of days because it was so engaging and dense with valuable and interesting information.

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Required Reading 👍👍

Great, accessible book that outlines the development and evolution of the neurons of the digital world brain, and its enduring importance to leading, even surviving in the world of tomorrow.

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A More Relevant Story Doesn’t Exist

In our world of significant geographical turmoil, this book sheds brilliant light on the central driver for 100% of the super powers on planet Earth! The story binds together the science and political evolution of the semiconductor industry in a way that anyone can follow and appreciate.
I promise that you will feel educated when you turn the last page, or as I did listen to the last word.

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Great read

I learned a lot reading this book would highly recommend it for anyone interested in knowing about the history of the chip industry lots of great detail on rise and fall of intel,rise of tsmc, and all the events surrounding Huawei just a great buck all around

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A Must Read or Listen!!!

A really good and important book. Fascinating, in depth and even a bit scary. You do need to listen to this at 1.3X speed as the narration is too slow and monotone.

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Must read/listen.

The global geopolitics is so complicated. Mainstream news is just horrible. This book has the depth and intellectual discussion that every one who loves their country.

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Fantastic book, great narration

Very interesting book about the past, current and future challenges of chips. I loved it.

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Fascinating inside story of history and significance of the chip industry

Chris does a great job of telling this interesting and vital history in an understandable and entertaining manner. A great listen.

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Must read if you work on the semiconductor ind.

Great history on the semiconductor history. The last chapters will become outdated in some years. But the first 3/4 of the book will stand the test of time.

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