Brotopia

Subtitle: Breaking Up the Boys' Club of Silicon Valley

Author: Emily Chang

Genre: Non-fiction, Business

Format: Physical

Publish Date: February 2018

Read: August 2018, May 2021

Favorite Quote: Privilege accumulates as you advance in life.

Synopsis: Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys' Club of Silicon Valley is a fascinating look behind the scenes of some of Silicon Valley’s successful tech companies. Emily Chang, an investigative journalist, exposes the bro culture of the valley through the stories of women in tech. In Brotopia, you learn how difficult it is for women to break the ceiling, how the culture of many tech companies works in ways to actively discourage professional women from participating, and how these companies often believe they are standing on a moral high ground with their mission despite their contradictory actions.

Why does this book beguile? I loved this book from the moment I read it, and I’ve re-read it a few times more. Chang does an excellent job of sharing real stories from women in Silicon Valley who have fought against the double standards, bro cultures, and blatant disrespect that happens so pervasively in the tech industry. As tech becomes a predominant industry across the country (and world), especially with the rise of AI, it’s important for all women to read this book and know what to look out for, how to avoid it, or how to fight for what’s right in the industry.

Rating: 5/5

Link*: Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys' Club of Silicon Valley by Emily Chang - Amazon | Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys' Club of Silicon Valley by Emily Chang - Bookshop.Org

If you like this, read*: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez

Reading Guide: Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys' Club of Silicon Valley by Emily Chang