John Markoff, "Whole Earth: The Many Lives of Stewart Brand" (Penguin, 2022)

Stewart Brand’s life trajectory mirrors the transformation of the Bay Area from a bohemian enclave into the epicenter of the personal computer revolution. As a central figure in the 1960s counterculture, Brand catalyzed the transition from psychedelic experimentation to a digital, tool-oriented worldview, famously championing the *Whole Earth Catalog* as a resource for individual empowerment. His career spans diverse roles, from organizing the seminal Acid Tests to co-founding the Long Now Foundation and pursuing controversial genetic engineering projects like Revive and Restore. By bridging the gap between the hippie movement and Silicon Valley’s technological optimism, Brand consistently challenged conventional political categories, evolving from a small-L libertarian to a pragmatic environmentalist who advocates for nuclear power and long-term civilizational maintenance. His life serves as a blueprint for navigating and shaping rapid cultural and technological change.