We Were Burning by Bob Johnstone
Johnstone, Bob. We Were Burning: Japanese Entrepreneurs and the Forging of the Electronic Age. New York: Basic Books, 1999
We Were Burning came out in 1999 and is an essential read for anyone who wants to understand the history of technology and entrepreneurship in Japan. Bob Johnstone, who worked in Japan as a correspondent, interviewed as he describes “the actual participants in the drama.” The book offers a unique insight into events that have shaped our daily lives since the end of WWII.
Technology is often ubiquitous, and most people take the devices they use daily for granted. The book covers three significant technologies.
Part 1: Calculators and watches: semiconductors Part 2: Camcorder and synthesizers: image sensors Part 3: CD Players, Printers and lights: laser and LED
The book’s first part covers the early efforts of Japanese companies such as Sharp to create the first pocket calculator and Seiko to manufacture the first digital watch.
The second part covers the work done to create the first CCD. To this day, Sony remains a leader in image sensors. This chapter about CCD helps us understand the history behind SONY Semiconductor and why it is central in bringing TSMC to Silicon Island Kyushu.
The last part of the book covers the creation of lasers used in printers and CD players. The second part of the chapter describes Shuji Nakamura’s effort at Nichia to create a blue LED, which led him to receive a Nobel Prize.
I don’t plan this post as an exhaustive review of the book but more as a recommendation for people interested in the history of technology.
Bob Johnstone is a great historian, and I would love to have a chance to chat with him.
His book is essential to fully understanding the current semiconductor activities in Japan.