Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi is a criminally under-rated book in this aspect, specifically the first half. Twain related how riverboat pilots talked, na

Mark Twain's Life on the Mississippi is a criminally under-rated book in this aspect, specifically the first half. Twain related how riverboat pilots talked, navigated, trained, and dispensed info on the Might Mo and how they formed a union (sort-of) that kept them well off. The key part is how the pilots acted when new technology and methods threatened their livelihoods. The parallels to modern computing and programmers are uncanny and provide a good reminder about how unions, capital, and labor all interact. Even though we imagine ourselves on some grand crusade of science and reasoning, ever towards the Kurtzweilian singularity of rationality and thinking sand, we are still bound by the same forces young Samuel Clemens was lashed into. In general, it's a great read and a great look into the life of one our greatest writers. Highly recommended. http://www.gutenberg.org/files/245/245-h/245-h.htm http://www.gutenberg.org/files/245/245-h/245-h.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_the_Mississippi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_on_the_Mississippi