[SkyMarshal]

Code, by Charles Petzold: http://www.charlespetzold.com/code/

Explains how we got from Boolean logic to microchips and software.

Also, the Computer History Museum in Silicon Valley has an excellent exhibit containing both early computing devices and the seminal papers that were the precursors and enablers of modern computers: https://www.computerhistory.org/revolution/; https://computerhistory.org/timelines/;

[gonehome]

I’ll second code - I love that book and haven’t found a better explanation elsewhere.

For more general history, Hackers, The Dream Machine, Crypto, and to a lesser extent What The Dormouse Said are all good.

I’d add in In The Plex, Masters of Doom, and Facebook: The Inside Story for company specific books.

I haven’t ready show stopper yet, but that’s on my list.

[macintux]

IIRC, that museum also sometimes has retired pioneers in computing offering demonstrations.