by Nick Bilton
First published 2017
In 2011, a young libertarian programmer named Ross Ulbricht launches the Silk Road, an online black market where anyone can buy or sell anything—no questions asked. As the site explodes into a $1.2 billion enterprise, Ross embraces his new role as kingpin, enlisting a loyal crew to protect his empire. But the Feds are in hot pursuit, racing to catch a man who might not even exist.
Genres: american, crime, non-fiction, technology, 21st-century, true-crime
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: deception, hackers
Setting: Austin, United States
Period: 2011
328 pages · Hardcover · Portfolio
Content warnings: drug-use, violence