Women in Journalism: Silicon Valley

Summary: A gossipy, but thoughtful look at Silicon Valley through the memoir of a tech journalist.

This was a delightful memoir from one of the first reporters to pay attention to companies that are big names in tech now. After all the reading I’ve been doing about war journalists, this felt like a nice break, even though it does touch on some tough topics. The bulk of the story is about the author’s career. It also includes a lot about her personal life and a close-up view of the way perception of Silicon Valley has changed over time.

I’m not sure this will be for everyone, but I enjoyed the blend of the author’s personal and professional life in this one. The focus is clearly her career, but this did remind me of the “people with jobs” romance subgenre (name courtesy of Jenny at Reading the End). Both the author’s career successes and her break-ups are big milestones in the story. I loved seeing her grow both personally and professionally. She really let us in and was open about her self-doubt. She also did a great job highlighting the more subtle kind of sexism women often face at work.

Getting her insider perspective on Silicon Valley was fun and informative. I appreciated her ability to give us a personal look at many important founders and CEOs. I also appreciated her overall perspective on how the relationship between society and technology changed over time. The author was one of the first people to recognize the importance of tech start-ups, so we follow many companies from their beginning. She also was one of the first people to spot the damage these companies were doing to our social fabric. Seeing the shift in how people viewed these companies from her close perspective was fascinating.

This was a light, enjoyable read with a mix of personal and professional stories. If you’re looking for a gossipy but thoughtful account of the changing relationship between society and Silicon Valley, this won’t disappoint. Perfect for fans of No Filter.

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