From the remarkable perspective of a man whose extraordinary life and
diverse experiences spanned much of the 20th century, ALAN F KAY is in a
unique position to expound on the ideals and philosophies that will get
us through the first hundred years of the new millennium. From his
tenure as an army interpreter in postwar occupied Japan and his years as
a mathematician and engineer on Defense Department projects during the
early days of the Cold War, Kay garnered lessons in how to conduct
military and intelligence operations in a humane, honorable, and
scientifically oriented manner. As a "serial entrepreneur" who built his
fortune on anticipating the telecommunications revolution of the 1960s
and '70s-indeed, in anticipating the Internet itself-Kay discovered how
a focused creativity can create entire new markets. As a worker for
world peace who joined nuclear-disarmament missions to the Soviet Union
in the 1980s, Kay saw how open-mindedness and a willingness to embrace
our fellows across our common ground is necessary for long-term accord.
Here, in his cheerful but frank autobiography, Kay shares the wisdom of
his life as a militarist, millionaire, and peacenik.