For a programmer moving to SF and trying to understand SF history and culture, and how it plays into our industry, I definitely recommend reading this paired with [b:What the Dormouse Said: How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry|725789|What the Dormouse Said How the Sixties Counterculture Shaped the Personal Computer Industry|John Markoff|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1397942318s/725789.jpg|712005] - they make a great pairing to help give a flavor of what was going on and how it fit together (for at least some people). And just a fun read :)