The Computers That Made Britain

June 2021

The home computer boom of the 1980s brought with it now-iconic machines such as the ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Commodore 64. Those machines would inspire a generation. The Computers That Made Britain tells the story of 19 of those computers – and what happened behind the scenes.

INSIDE THE HOME COMPUTER REVOLUTION OF THE 1980s

The home computer boom of the 1980s brought with it now iconic machines such as the ZX Spectrum, BBC Micro, and Commodore 64. Those machines would inspire a generation. Written by Tim Danton.

The Computers That Made Britain (300 pages, hardback) tells the story of 19 of those computers – and what happened behind the scenes. With dozens of new interviews, discover the tales of missed deadlines, technical faults, business interference, and the unheralded geniuses who brought to the UK everything from the Dragon 32 and ZX81, to the Amstrad CPC 464 and Commodore Amiga.

Best-selling author and journalist Stuart Turton says:

The Computers that Made Britain is one of the best things I’ve read this year. It’s an incredible story of eccentrics and oddballs, geniuses and madmen, and one that will have you pining for a future that could have been. It’s utterly astonishing.