cover image The Cyberthief and the Samurai

The Cyberthief and the Samurai

Jeff Goodell. Dell Publishing Company, $5.99 (328pp) ISBN 978-0-440-22205-7

Goodell, a journalist who first wrote about Mitnick for Rolling Stone, here describes how computer hacker Kevin Mitnick was tracked down and finally caught with the help of computer security agent Tsutomu Shimomura. But this is not just a high-speed chase along the information superhighway; it is also the story of how the media hyped the concepts of the hacker and the high tech theft. There is enough accurate technical information to intrigue and educate readers (especially about cellular phones), and Goodell provides a good, clear look at the people, egos, companies and agencies involved in the search for this troubled man. But the mass of details and personalities threatens to overwhelm the book, and the plot plods slowly until the end of the final chase and capture. (Mar.)