Angels in the Silicon

This creative non-fiction book for the reader is a great introduction to the effects of global capitalism on the dynamic region that is the San Francisco Bay Area. It is written by the author with deep knowledge of the business practices, which have shaped the area into what it is today. What will interest the reader most, however, are the multicultural aspects in the book, from the main protagonist’s background as an Eastern European, to the chasing of the American dream, afforded and provided by opportunities in the Silicon Valley. Things are not so simple. What the book does well is offer a perspective of the globalized effects that fracture the American dream in terms of both business and law practices sweeping the region (and the U.S. at large). For someone who is a new transplant to the area under question, it was truly fascinating to get this well-documented historical perspective. What is more, and this is where the true literary merit of the book comes from, is that this larger economic element is reflected in the fracturing of the American family itself, issues with which Thaddeus Sikorski, the protagonist of the novel, struggles. To this, readers get access to a perspective on the laws shaping divorce in America, the repercussions of which causes emotional turmoil for Thaddeus and his “Angels”. These more personal, emotional stakes are what will truly grab the reader. They provide a much-needed grounding of the broader themes explored in the novel, making them palatable and engaging to a casual reader. We are taken through the pursuit of the American dream, the establishment of the American family, and a smattering of suspense and intrigue. If you want to know more about the forces that shape modern business practices in all their dream-fulfilling and dream-shattering capacities, this is a good read.