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Sometime in high school (middle maybe?), I had to pick a non-fiction book to read for school, and picked Cuckoo's Egg by Stoll. I was already in to computers, b

Sometime in high school (middle maybe?), I had to pick a non-fiction book to read for school, and picked Cuckoo's Egg by Stoll. I was already in to computers, but had no idea what was possible or where that interest in computers would or could go, and this booked changed my view for the better. I distinctly remember my teacher questioning it was non-fiction when reading the jacket, but sure enough, it was. It's an great memory and amazing book, well worth reading still.

nerfhammer 7y ago
Check out more recent interviews with him. Interesting guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k3mVnRlQLU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k3mVnRlQLU
- hindsightbias 7y ago
  Wow. I dont really want to spoil it for anyone, but you REALLY need to watch this video. Flips work table, opens secret door and...
- tectonic 7y ago
  He's my neighbor. I went over to his house and received this exact experience. It's very practiced and pretty amazing.
whalesalad 7y ago
I recently purchased a used copy to re-read. I also read it for the first time in freshman or sophomore year of high school. I haven’t started yet because I’m worried it won’t live up to the first time. It’s in my top five for most exciting page turner.
- CliffStoll 7y ago
  Next time, buy a new copy, oh Salad of the Whale. My kids need help with their tuition.
  - archagon 7y ago
    Any thoughts on making an audiobook?
  - soulofmischief 7y ago
    Just purchased a copy. I've heard a lot of good things about it.
  - taborj 7y ago
    Hey Cliff, I found your Grateful Dead concert mentioned in the book: https://archive.org/details/gd86-06-21.sbd.brame.15406.sbeok.shnf https://archive.org/details/gd86-06-21.sbd.brame.15406.sbeok... (for clarification, yes, that's me commenting on that site back in 2013)
- taborj 7y ago
  Do it. I read it about once every year or two. It just keeps getting better, as you find new details you missed the last time.
euvitudo 7y ago
Great book. I couldn't put it down. However, it was anti-climactic--just like real life I guess.
gyc 7y ago
Yeah I read the book in middle or high school in 1993 or so and really turned me on to learning UNIX.
zinckiwi 7y ago
I also bought a copy of the Cuckoo's Egg when I was 12ish and devoured it. Then figured out enough about BBSes and the weird link some of them had to be able to send email to write him some fan-mail, to which he graciously replied. Thanks Cliff. Together with my father, you two set me on my career path.
DanBC 7y ago
It's a great book! (and the cookie recipe is great too.)
v77 7y ago
You are one of many. He also heavily influenced my employment career aim in what I call 'para-academia', similar to Stoll's niche of being a quasi-academic/quasi-technologist. There are many satisfying jobs in that space.
- teachrdan 7y ago
  That's very interesting to me--are you at liberty to share what you do?

nerfhammer 7y ago

Check out more recent interviews with him. Interesting guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k3mVnRlQLU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k3mVnRlQLU

hindsightbias 7y ago
Wow. I dont really want to spoil it for anyone, but you REALLY need to watch this video. Flips work table, opens secret door and...
tectonic 7y ago
He's my neighbor. I went over to his house and received this exact experience. It's very practiced and pretty amazing.

whalesalad 7y ago

I recently purchased a used copy to re-read. I also read it for the first time in freshman or sophomore year of high school. I haven’t started yet because I’m worried it won’t live up to the first time. It’s in my top five for most exciting page turner.

CliffStoll 7y ago
Next time, buy a new copy, oh Salad of the Whale. My kids need help with their tuition.
- archagon 7y ago
  Any thoughts on making an audiobook?
- soulofmischief 7y ago
  Just purchased a copy. I've heard a lot of good things about it.
- taborj 7y ago
  Hey Cliff, I found your Grateful Dead concert mentioned in the book: https://archive.org/details/gd86-06-21.sbd.brame.15406.sbeok.shnf https://archive.org/details/gd86-06-21.sbd.brame.15406.sbeok... (for clarification, yes, that's me commenting on that site back in 2013)
taborj 7y ago
Do it. I read it about once every year or two. It just keeps getting better, as you find new details you missed the last time.

euvitudo 7y ago

Great book. I couldn't put it down. However, it was anti-climactic--just like real life I guess.

gyc 7y ago

Yeah I read the book in middle or high school in 1993 or so and really turned me on to learning UNIX.

zinckiwi 7y ago

I also bought a copy of the Cuckoo's Egg when I was 12ish and devoured it. Then figured out enough about BBSes and the weird link some of them had to be able to send email to write him some fan-mail, to which he graciously replied. Thanks Cliff. Together with my father, you two set me on my career path.

DanBC 7y ago

It's a great book! (and the cookie recipe is great too.)

v77 7y ago

You are one of many. He also heavily influenced my employment career aim in what I call 'para-academia', similar to Stoll's niche of being a quasi-academic/quasi-technologist. There are many satisfying jobs in that space.

teachrdan 7y ago
That's very interesting to me--are you at liberty to share what you do?