# Event Details - **Event Name**: MICHAEL STEINBERGER at Books Inc. Palo Alto - **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 02 Apr, 2026 at 07:00 pm – Thu, 02 Apr, 2026 at 08:00 pm - **Event Description**: Acclaimed New York Times Magazine writer Michael Steinberger visits Books Inc. Palo Alto to discuss his book The Philosopher in the Valley!About this EventJoin author Michael Steinberger at Books Inc. to discuss the controversial technology firm Palantir, its outspoken CEO Alex Karp, the rise of surveillance technology, and the shifting global balance of power in the 21st century.In The Philosopher in the Valley, journalist Michael Steinberger explores the world of Alex Karp, Palantir, and the future that they are leading us toward. It is an urgent and illuminating work about one of Silicon Valley’s most secretive and powerful companies, whose technology is at the leading edge of the surveillance state.Palantir builds data integration software: its technology ingests vast quantities of information and quickly identifies patterns, trends, and connections that might elude the human eye. Founded in 2003 to help the US government in the war on terrorism—an early investor was the CIA—Palantir is now a $400 billion global colossus whose software is used by major intelligence services (including the Mossad), the US military, dozens of federal agencies, and corporate giants like Airbus and BP. From AI to counterterrorism to climate change to immigration to financial fraud to the future of warfare, the company is at the nexus of the most critical issues of the twenty-first century.Its CEO, Alex Karp, is a distinctive figure on the global business scene. A biracial Jew who is also severely dyslexic, Karp has built Palantir into a tech giant despite having no background in either business or computer science. Instead, he’s a trained philosopher who has become known for his strongly held views on a range of issues and for his willingness to grapple with the moral and ethical implications of Palantir’s work. Those questions have taken on added urgency during the Trump era, which has also brought attention to the political activism of Karp’s close friend and Palantir cofounder Peter Thiel.“Engrossing . . . A chilling portrait of genius in the yoke of authoritarianism.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)“A quick, well-written, and fascinating read, in part a biography on Alex Karp as well as a deep dive on Palantir. I found the book to be an honest portrayal of both. Definitely worth a read.” —Bill Ackman, founder of Pershing Square Capital Management“For the past few decades, Karp has stayed largely under the radar, but a new biography, The Philosopher in the Valley, reveals him to be a complex, thoughtful, often contradictory personality, with a background that explains many of his insecurities.” —The GuardianMichael Steinberger is a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/palo-alto/michael-steinberger-at-books-inc-palo-alto/100001985398609687 - **Event Categories**: art, literary-art - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Palo Alto - **state**: CA - **country**: United States - **location**: Books Inc. Palo Alto - **lat**: 37.4380888 - **long**: -122.15956130000001 - **full address**: Books Inc. Palo Alto, 74 Town & Country Village, Palo Alto, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: MICHAEL STEINBERGER at Books Inc. Palo Alto - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events5/banners/a40be3e17c96ccc14265beb70ccf2f5af690c67a730e8cff8736a5aed358460f-rimg-w1200-h600-dcf0eee9-gmir.jpg?v=1774195503 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is MICHAEL STEINBERGER at Books Inc. Palo Alto being held? - **A:** MICHAEL STEINBERGER at Books Inc. Palo Alto takes place on Thu, 02 Apr, 2026 at 07:00 pm to Thu, 02 Apr, 2026 at 08:00 pm at Books Inc. Palo Alto, 74 Town & Country Village, Palo Alto, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing MICHAEL STEINBERGER at Books Inc. Palo Alto? - **A:** MICHAEL STEINBERGER at Books Inc. Palo Alto is organized by Books Inc.. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "MICHAEL STEINBERGER at Books Inc. 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In the meantime, we are working on an exciting list of virtual events for both adults and children and we look forward to exploring this new format with you.Sales equate success, and as with in-store events, booksales made from an independent bookstore benefit the author, publisher, and lead to future event bookings. Please help us keep the Bay Area the wonderful literary hub that it is by supporting your local Books Inc." } ] } ] ```