I talked with author Chris Miller for Slate Gabfest Reads about his new book, Chip War: The Fight for The World’s Most Critical Technology. We discussed how semiconductor chips became so important, why everyone is so dependent on Taiwan for chips, and what lessons China can glean from what’s happening in Ukraine.

My first favorite book in life was The Soul of a New Machine by Tracy Kidder. This brought me back to that. The description of the process of building the modern semiconductor also thrilled me, as did the reorientation of my worldview around the fight for independence in semiconductor production. It’s a great book.