Geek Girl Rising: Inside the Sisterhood Shaking Up Tech

by Samantha Parent Walravens (Co-author), Heather Cabot (Co-author)

Meet the women who haven’t asked for permission from Silicon Valley to chase their dreams. They are going for it -- building the next generation of tech start-ups, investing in each other’s ventures, crushing male hacker stereotypes and rallying the next generation of women in tech.

Geek Girl Rising isn’t about the famous tech trailblazers you already know, like Sheryl Sandberg and Marissa Mayer. Instead, veteran journalists Heather Cabot and Samantha Walravens introduce readers to the fearless female entrepreneurs and technologists fighting at the grassroots level for an ownership stake in the revolution that’s changing the way we live, work and connect to each other.

Genres: Nonfiction, Business, Feminism, Technology, Audiobook, Science, Womens

272 pages, Hardcover

Published May 23, 2017

About the author

Samantha Walravens is an award-winning journalist and editor of the New York Times-acclaimed book, TORN: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood. She writes about women, career and work-life issues for publications including Forbes, The Huffington Post, Disney Interactive and Modern Mom and speaks to audiences nationwide on the topic of work-life success, including groups at Google, Goldman Sachs, Deloitte, UBS, Northern Trust, the Society of Women Engineers and Princeton University. She has been a guest on the Today Show, Good Morning American and NPR. Samantha started her career as a technology reporter for PC World magazine in San Francisco, led marketing communications at Tumbleweed Software, and is currently uncovering the stories of women changing the face of technology for Geek Girl Rising. She is a member of Pipeline Angels, an angel network that invests in female-led companies, and serves on the Alumni Schools Committee for her alma mater, Princeton University.

Reviews

[Meagan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book Riot Read Harder Challenge #13 Read a nonfiction book about technology.

I was so happy to see a book about women in tech! And then:

She greeted us dressed in electric blue-dyed denim, suede peep-toed booties, and a fitted khaki blazer.

Now, dressed in strappy high-heeled sandals and a pretty black and white sleeves dress with a full skirt...

JoAnn was tastefully dressed in a cream-colored cardigan, matching slacks, striped silk blouse, and a sparkly diamond ring.

Gah! No! I don't care about Sukhinder Sing Cassidy's peep-toed booties. She founded Boardlist, a marketplace to help companies find women for their corporate boards. Sure, powerhouse ladies can like clothes, but do they have to be so much of a distinguishing factor?

The book is pretty well organized, and I like that a lot of women are represented. However, I was frustrated how so many women were introduced via their outfits or "So and so, mother of four...."

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Publication date is 23/05/17

As I continue on my journey of infusing more nonfiction into my 2017 reading challenge, I am attempting to ensure that a wide variety of topics are explored within that genre. Thank goodness for NetGalley , otherwise, I might have overlooked this book. Geek Girl Rising is a well researched and detailed exploration of women( mostly concentrated in the United States) that are breaking new ground in terms of entrepreneurship and technology. The authors explore the barriers that have existed in the past and linger in the present, the struggles particular to women in the tech world and the growing energy spreading across the country in an effort to draw more women and girls.

The chapters( maybe better to refer to them as articles) were well paced and I read the book with ease. BUT I have to give it a three star because I felt in some ways that there was a lot of name dropping( Make me the reader care) coupled with trying to highlight many of the battles that women face in any profession( even the female dominated ones). I wasn't really surprised that "geek girls" would come up against the same type of struggles. On the other hand, I do understand that the authors are trying to bring to our attention that there is a lot more shaking up to be done in the tech world.

All in all, a good vehicle to begin the discussion, but let's go deeper!

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and authors Heather Cabot and Samantha Parent Walravens for a digital galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Julie Ehlers · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's good that there are people out there trying to fight some of the sexism in tech and encourage female tech entrepreneurs. I'm glad that's happening and I was happy to learn about it from this book. Beyond that, though, Geek Girl Rising had so many issues that I can barely understand why it was published. For starters, there is way, way too much emphasis on how glamorous and girly female tech entrepreneurs and venture capitalists are. I mean, it's fair enough to say that if women were equally represented in tech, business, and finance, things would be somewhat more girly, and maybe we should try to get used to seeing that. But I was really put off by the woman quoted early on who proclaimed that tech was now for everyone, not just "fat nerds" (really?), and I got very, very tired of constantly hearing about every woman's hairstyle and fashionable ensemble as soon as she was introduced. To be fair, the authors clearly made an effort to feature women of different races and backgrounds, but beyond that race and class are given a superficial treatment and every opportunity to delve deeper is squandered. As for the writing, it was like reading a bunch of magazine articles all in a row—it got tedious fast, and it took me much longer than it should have to read such a lightweight treatment of the subject. Not recommended!

[Carol · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm stopping here at 14%. After reading a confusing and chaotic first chapter I'm feeling completely mislead by the title. And chapter 2 begins by slamming you into Michelle Phan's morning routine. I know who Michelle Phan is and she has nothing to do with tech, STEM, or engineering. I don't understand this book or who it's for. If you already understand Silicon Valley insider terminology, businesses, what venture capitalists are, and how mergers and acquisitions work, you'll probably love this book or at least not have to re-read each paragraph multiple times and then look up the company or who this person is and then come back to the book. Grrr, frustrating doesn't cover it.

[Linden · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt that the title was somewhat misleading, since much of the book focused on female entrepreneurs. Interesting, but I expected to read about “geek girls,” more tech savvy women thriving in a male dominated field. Descriptions of these women in Louboutin shoes, designer clothing, and fashionable haircuts joining pricey exclusive clubs was not what I was expecting. I was, however, very interested in the stories of women working in STEM careers and creating tech opportunities for themselves and women in the future.

[Rachel Moyes · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, this is really not a book. It's more like a collection of magazine articles on related topics. They're good magazine articles, but that doesn't mean it's a book. I couldn't get over the verbatim quotes that did not have filler words and pauses edited out.

It was interesting, and at times, both inspiring and downright frightening (e.g. how am I going to handle motherhood and a career?!).

Criticism:
Whenever a new woman was introduced, the authors took a second describing her hair or what she was wearing when they met her. That was definitely annoying, but then it got me wondering, "Well, this is a book by women, about women, and, largely, for women. Maybe this is what it means to have equality for women--we can BE women and like clothes and makeup and shoes and still be entrepreneurs. Maybe this is freedom." But honestly, I don't care what they looked like or were wearing. I don't NEED that to be interested in the book. Yes, it's okay for women to like clothes and shoes, but not all women do. Not all women need to.

This segues into my other concern. One of the companies highlighted in the book was trying to interest middle school girls in learning to code, but they found that their first prototype didn't interest their target audience. Then they realized that middle school girls were very invested in relationships--specifically, the entrepreneurs discovered, the complex social networks of their school. So they capitalized on this to create a line of bracelets that girls could code to light up when friends were near, or to send secret messages to one another. In another example, an entrepreneur devised a way to teach girls the mechanics of coding the filters on their photos and videos for social media.

These examples were really frustrating to me. It felt so condescending. Like, "Yes, we admit that girls are just as good at math and science as boys, but they are socialized out of it. So we'll trick them into continuing to like these topics by embedding them in their 'feminine' interests." But it's not just their interests--these entrepreneurs seem to be tapping into something I find more sinister--their need to be accepted and loved, to put themselves out there to be judged and rated by others, often on the internet.

Can't girls just enjoy math and science?! Many do. So why is our strategy to trick them into it? It's especially sad because it's women sending girls this message: "We want you to learn to code, but really probably only so that you can be an entrepreneur of some sort of makeup or shopping app." Women need to be each other's greatest advocates, and not box each other into corners. But the book didn't even consider this. It just kept talking about how great it is to be part of the "tech sisterhood."

Maybe I'm naive, and this is a viable path toward equality. It just really doesn't feel like it.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

The authors focus on the years 2014 to 2016 and tell the stories of women working in or leading tech companies. Also included are stories of women entrepreneurs in primarily internet companies. Cabot and Walravens include statics regarding women in the tech industry.

They tell the stories of many women such as Michelle Phan, creator of the e-commerce cosmetics company Ipsy, and Tracy Chou, a software developer at Pinterest. The authors also told the story of female “angel investor” Joanne Wilson who invests in women developed and owned businesses. The authors also have made a point of writing about minority women.

The book is well written, researched and organized. The authors cover failures as well as success. I felt the book focused more on female entrepreneurs instead of engineers, mathematicians and other STEM scientists. As a scientist, I was not the least interested in reading about what someone wore to the interview. I think the title of the book should have been Women Entrepreneurs instead of Geek Girls. I think the target audience of the book was high school girls. The overall presentation of the book was one of optimism and encouragement.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book was just over seven hours long. Author Heather Cabot narrated the book.

[Melanie H · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not going to lie; this book was inspiring (but then again, I'm the target audience, but more on that later). After reading Cabot and Walravens’ work, I was left with a renewed sense of energy to work harder, stay the course and do everything in my power to support my sisters in technology startups.

While it took me a few weeks to process and reflect on the stories of successful (and not so successful) women, I definitely feel I understand the challenges of the start-up world a bit better.

The authors do a great job of illustrating the power of shine theory and I’m all about it. They also highlight the importance of collaboration among women of our generation, something that wasn’t always the case in earlier generations of women in the workforce, especially those in the early 1980s.

That being said, I do want to offer a few items of constructive criticism that weighed heavily upon my reading:

First and foremost, I thought we were done caring what our fellow women wore to work! Ditto for how they style their hair. If you’re wondering, I’m in leggings and a $3 Old Navy tank top.

Second, this book is mostly about white women with privilege. There were certainly attempts to bring up the additional barriers faced by women of color (and all people of color, not just the women). They also showcase Asian American and Indian American womens' success stories as well. However, I think the audience would have been best served with a note from the authors that there are other issues at play when it comes to African-Americans, Latinos and Native Americans building careers in Silicon Valley that should be acknowledged and are worthy of their own book (or books!). Frankly, it seemed tacked on.

[melhara · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5

I felt like this book is marketed to girly-girls with the goal of convincing them that you can still live a glamourous and fashionable life while working in the tech industry - that you don't need to look or act like a geek or nerd if you work in tech.

For a book that's supposed to empower women to pursue careers in tech, or to promote women to pursue work or studies in the computer sciences, it sure focused a lot on female stereotypes. There was a lot of emphasis on fashion, glamourous lifestyles, female bonding time and girl power but not enough information on what it's like to work in a male-dominated field and how to promote gender diversity in these companies.

I do think this book is well researched though. It features a lot of interesting women in tech-related fields. But as one of the reviewers has pointed out - this book is like a collection of interesting magazine articles. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if this author has written articles for Cosmopolitan in the past because I could totally picture some of these bios being featured in Cosmo (like a feature article about how you can live a glam life while working for an up-and-coming start-up).

tl;dr - This book contains a collection of interesting bios on women in tech but it focused too much on how glamourous it is to work in tech when it should have focused more on the importance of having more women studying and working in this field.

[Karen Catlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a broad look at the individuals and groups across the US who are working to change the gender ratio in tech. The authors' collected these stories and expertly wove them together, providing us with insight into a powerful grassroots movement of women entrepreneurs and technologists who are inspiring and enabling more women to enter and stay in the industry.

I happen to be one of the technologists interviewed for the book. And while I already focus my professional time and energy on advocating for women in tech, I was deeply inspired by the book. Not only did I find comfort reading about the larger sisterhood working to change the ratio, I felt a renewed sense of urgency for the work that I do.

[Danielle P]

Excuse my while I run away to learn all the techie things. It's so important to have women in tech, and Cabot/Walravens provide a wealth of examples of women who are doing great things in their field, despite the challenges presented by it being a very "bro-y" (my word, not theirs) culture.

[Madeline Stevens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Lynsey, for gifting me such an important book. Below are, in my opinion, some of the most important excerpts. The last two are the ones that hit the hardest.

Pg.19- “When you see it that way, you see how, very clearly, a system defaulted to highlighting and rewarding white men is a self perpetuating nightmare for women.”

Pg. 84- “The return on equity of public companies with diverse boards is 15 to 20% better than those that have no diversity.”- Theresia Gouw

Pg. 106- “The pressure for perfection among young women and girls in westernized countries often trumps the desire to try. The best selling book The Confidence Code published in 2014, argues that encouraging girls to be people pleasers or compliant from a young age can do long-term damage.”


Pg. 113- “On the day we attended write/speak/code we noted how organizers did their best to lower the barriers for mothers by offering child care and a nursing room, a rarity at professional conferences especially technology events.”

Pg. 126- “I am interested in fixing the ecosystem,” Sharon said. “Every time we focus the effort on women, we try and change how women behave so it can fit within a male paradigm. That doesn’t get us any closer to changing what needs to change, which is the paradigm.”

Pg. 140- “There is nothing more important in hiring a female engineer then to have a female engineer in the interview.”- Julia Hartz (CEO of Eventbrite)

pg. 158- “For mothers in the workplace, it’s death by a thousand cuts- and sometimes it’s other women holding the knives.” -Katharine Zaleski

pg. 163- “Forget female friendly, forget family friendly, we just have to be a human company. It just hit me. We have to do the human thing, and the human thing is to tell her, ‘Take whatever time you need. Don’t worry about your check. It’s still coming.’”- CEO Sara Holoubek after learning that one of her team members had suffered a late-stage miscarriage, and she wondered what the right thing to do was in terms of offering leave to her employee.

pg. 183 - “If you’re a woman in those early years, you didn’t have a roommate in the field, so you would not very often call up a guy in the middle of the night and say, ‘Help. Let’s work on homework together.’ You didn’t have that easy access. You didn’t have the role models. Your teachers were probably all men. You didn’t see anybody like yourself, or have anybody to talk with.” -Lenore Blum

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I paged through / skimmed a digital copy given to me by the publisher through Netgalley. Thank you.

This is a great book for anyone - women especially - interested in entrepreneurship or the current status of feminism & women in the tech industry.

It uses examples of real female entrepreneurs to discuss relevant topics including the history of women in tech, confidence, marketing and work-life balance. This is not a how-to manual. It's a discussion that serves as inspiration & motivation. A couple of sections toward the end of the book focus on the college and high school age groups.

[Karopapier · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was okay, because...
... it felt as if I was reading a very lengthy magazine article
... yes, the fashion descriptions do start to get on my nerves after page 80
... It's more about female entrepreneurs and not really about geek girls
... and yes, after half of it I put it to the side and was glad I didn't have to read on.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read The Fix: Overcome the Invisible Barriers That Are Holding Women Back at Work right before I read this, which was really helpful as Geek Girl does point out some of the unconscious biases against women in the tech industry, and some of the ways women are both conforming to the norm to succeed and breaking free of the norm to be themselves. The authors quote Sharon Vosmek, who is the CEO of an angel network and fund, "'there's a danger in teaching women to conform to the demands of the current system of venture capital, which tips toward making the culture of white men the norm, instead of fixing the underlying problem of bias'" (126). I agree with other reviewers that it was off putting to have the clothing choices of most of the women interviewed related by the writers, but I would not let that keep readers from this book. The stories are full of innovative and inspiring women, from diverse background who all have a passion for making change in the traditionally male dominated field of computer science, though not mentioned by this book computer science was not always a male dominated field but is now seen as one. See Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars, Hidden Figures, Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet as great examples of how women fit into the history of technology advancement.

[Jonna Higgins-Freese · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had some useful information for a woman working in tech, though the breathless optimism so typical of tech-related writing is wearisome. And the fact that she consistently described the women she profiled by their clothing, nail polish, and jewelry was offensive and, I thought, counterproductive -- unless she was trying to counter some notion that girly girls can't also do tech.

The profile of the founders of The Muse was amusing without being aware of its own irony -- as a "cool company that cares about its employees," they "allow" employees with babies younger than six months to bring their babies to work (versus, say, offering family leave) and "turn the lights off promptly at eight to remind people to go home and have a life" (46). This may count as a liberal policy among startups, but it's completely insane.

Their founder did have a useful way to address "sexist or uninformed questions from prospective investors. Instead of arguing she goes into a dead stare, looking across the table with a straight face for one second longer than necessary, and then smoothly steers the conversation to another topic" (47). She A/B tested her outfits and found that all black worked best with potential investors -- who also were often only interested in hitting on her.

Interesting anecdote about how care.com is working with Ai-jen Poo, the director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, who has been collaborating with Sheila and Anne-marie Slaughter of the New America Foundation on a new initiative to redefine care in the United States as an economic and moral imperative.



Jewelbots
littleBits
HopSkipDrive
RockPaperRobot
Modsy
LearnVest
Birchbox
The Muse
Feetz
Dynepic
Flower app, DogPatch technology
Blendoor -- remove bias from resume screening

Pipeline program - teaching women to be investors
Monarq
Babyhood
SheHacks

Women's Startup Lab
PowerToFly
Avaaz.org
VidCode
Blink Blink

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway.

Co-authors Heather Cabot and Samantha Walravens set out to highlight the sisterhood of the tech world - the women who are banning together to empower young women to pursue careers in tech and create more opportunities for women in the field. While the concept of the book is interesting and I think, important, the book felt a little disjointed for me.

The book starts with a large focus on female entrepreneurs and then female investors who are supporting them. While some of the companies they talked about were tech-focused, the book really seemed to lose that tech focus throughout. Frankly, the only chapters that I felt really aligned with what I expected the book to be about were the last two. Furthermore, the book got really jargon-y which I found to be annoying (B-school, really? We can't type out business school?) and the whole section on angel investors, etc. just seemed really unnecessary to me. A lot of others also critiqued the focus on what many of these women were wearing, etc. when the authors met with them which, I agree, was a little annoying but, I won't hold that against the authors as I think they were solely trying to highlight that powerful, smart women can care about fashion/their appearance, etc., breaking the mold of what the "techie" looks like, and still be successful, respected, and taken seriously.

Now that I'm no longer in school, I don't make it a point to read a lot of non-fiction research which makes this a little hard to rate/review for me. All in all, I thought some of the women and movements that were covered were very interesting and absolutely stories that should be shared. However, I think the authors tried to cover a bit too much and lost focus on what the main goal of their book was - highlighting women in tech (not to be confused with entrepreneurial women and investors which is where they ended up going for the majority of the book). So, this book gets a three-star rating from me for the great stories that were highlighted paired with the conversational tone that made (most of) the book easy to read.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

"(especially against the dramatic backdrop of the polarizing 2016 presidential race and Donald Trump's win)."
What does this have to do with anything the book is about?!? Am I wrong in assuming the book was written by liberals who just had to get a dig in at the President they don't like? Somehow this statement doesn't sound like something a conservative or even neutral party would include in a book that has nothing to do with who the President is. I am very concerned with what I am seeing happening in the publishing world. This is being done more and more frequently.

Anyways other than the poor start, I found this book unreadable and did not finish it. I am an female engineer, so I was really looking forward to reading it. However, the emotional tone implying the world was out to get women really rubbed me the wrong way. Yes, there are things that can be done better to encourage women, and yes, the old boys club existed in the past. But I find that people are trying, and are being more open and sensitive to stereotypes, even if they are not always aware of the consequences of some of their actions. I was looking for a calm, rational discussion, perhaps highlighting some research showing some non-obvious ways we are funneling girls away from computers. I don't think this is the book.

[Andrea Rufo (Ann) · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was a child I was excessively concerned that there would be no scientists in my generation. Somehow I had realized that for society to really advance and succeed there needed to be scientists and mathematicians and inventors, and I already had a pretty strong feeling that I was not going to be one of them. My parents were not scientists. My entire family was humanities leaning and if we had creativity, it tended toward the artistic and literary (3/4ths of us would end up lawyers). So I worried, where would the scientists and the inventors come from? What if we just ran out of them? Had Cabot and Walrevens released their book back then it would have made me feel a lot better. But of course, they couldn't have. It would have been a very different book back then, more of a "Man Still Here" than a girl rising. I found a unique pleasure while reading knowing that my young nieces would grow up with this book, and this context and this amazing rise of women in science and technology (also they live in Seatlle so that helps). Combining their own research data with interviews of prominent women in technology and science, the authors provide not only exciting proof of women's rise but the constant reminder that we are still not there yet.

[Sasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I would like to state that I received this book through the Goodreads giveaway in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank the author for giving me this opportunity and honor in being able to read this book. When I received this book I began reading it at once. . This is not a how-to manual. This book takes a broad look at the individuals and the groups that are across the US who are working toward change. The authors' collected stories and have woven them together to provide us with an insight into the powerful early grassroots movement of women entrepreneurs who are inspiring more women to stay in the tech industry. I feel this is a good book for anyone but women especially. It has used examples of real female entrepreneurs, in discussing relevant topics including the history of women in tech, confidence, marketing and work-life balance. It was a very interesting read that I feel others would benefit from by reading. One for the book shelves to read over and to refer back to.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to get a kind of survey of girls and woman who are out there is the tech world in some way, trying to create something. It is unclear who the audience was meant to be or exactly what the authors were hoping for readers to take away. I personally came away thinking there were some cool apps and educational options out there that I should take a look at. And also that things really haven't progressed that much. I graduated with a computer science degree in 1984 which apparently was close to the peak of women getting CS degrees. I have always worked in tech but not startups. I guess it was intentional to mainly address startups and to a large extent, Silicon Valley, but it didn't really speak to me. After a while, all the stories sounded similar and I couldn't really keep the different women straight. I also noticed that each woman's clothing and appearance was described in some detail - I think there was a bit of a "Look these women are pretty and fashionable and in tech!!" angle. I think this book will fade fast from my consciousness.

[Tara L. Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Packed with a lot of anecdotes and stories, the book does a pretty good job of making a case for the positive movement of women in tech. It's encouraging that the authors drew attention to the current problem which isn't a lack of interest or college majors, it's the mid-career dropout rate. I'm there now and having a hard time finding a reason to stay in the field so it's nice to know it's not just me.

My only complaint with the book is that while there were plenty of rags-to-riches stories, those "rags" examples were of ivy-league students and alumni. Not average university students but people who had a larger pool of resources--intellectually and financially. The one example from Salem might be the exception in the line up. It'd be great if the authors would tackle this topic again in a few years with how it plays out for women who don't have an advantage over the rest when they set out.

Still a good book that I'd recommend to others.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book about "STEMinists"! Up until now I have only read a few articles about women in tech, and the horrors they face. This book was a really good introduction to more about that, but also to the great things that women are doing in tech, and how they are supporting each other. I appreciated how much research and time the authors put into this book, it made for an interesting read for sure. The only thing I didn't like was when they would describe the women's looks that they were interviewing, it just seemed out of place and not necessary to the story at all. That being said, the book was overall very uplifting and I liked the end quote "It's OK to be a princess. We just think girls can build their own castles, too." (read for the Book Riot 2017 Read Harder challenge - read a nonfiction book about technology)

[Melissa Jacobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating 4.5

"It's okay to be a Princess, but Princesses can make their own castles." This last line of Geek Girl Rising does such a good job summarizing the message and vibe of this book. This book is a celebration of the tech related accomplishes of women from every walk of life. Single moms, queer women of color, rich investors. This book is such a well written and concise summary of every kind of woman on the tech industry and I really enjoyed it and I learned alot. It isn't a new favorite, but I also am not a woman in tech. Though this has made me want to borrow some of my brothers coding books and maybe learn a bit more about coding.

Overall this is a fast paced, optimistic celebration of women in the Tech Industry and I highly recommend it for people who want to learn quite a bit in a short book that will make them proud to be a woman!

[Nura Yusof · Rating 1 out of 5]

Stopped at page 70. Just could not finish this. So far, from what I've read, the book has been a collection of stories strung together by the hardships they faced being in the tech industry. I was really hard pressed to learn anything beyond keeping up your perseverance and surrounding yourself with great support. And I have a feeling the rest of the book would probably continue in the same vein. The other thing that struck me about the book is the importance of women sticking up for each other which brings me to a glaring missed opportunity: a list of resources that we could refer to, either to join up, lend support, discover opportunities, get mentorship and what have you. If the issue is that women techpreneurs are not getting a fair share of the spotlight then why not provide these resources so that the message can be spread in a meaningful way rather than just left in a book?

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I stopped this book after the very first paragraph. Before the very first sentence. Here it is : "Who would have guessed that on Super Bowl Sunday, America's manliest night of the year, the issue of women in tech would get some much needed airtime." I admit I bring prejudice against Goldieblox, since their whole concept of "here are STEM toys that appeal to GIRLS! Gasp!" is annoying, but calling Super Bowl Sunday "America's manliest night?' WTF? I'm surprised there wasn't a recipe for snacks that a woman could make included.

It goes on. Almost every woman is described by her appearance, and her attire. Most of the snippets read like PR press releases rather than showing any depth or analysis.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much, I finished it over the weekend. I was familiar with many of the groups, companies and individuals mentioned within but learned about a few. I especially enjoyed the author describing how fashionable some of the women were dressed and feel like it added to the book. It's no secret many tech companies use the casual or business casual dress code and while there's nothing wrong with jeans and a t, some individuals enjoy wearing skirts, pumps and dresses. Changing the Culture, not the Women was the most highlighted section because it is so important that we fix the culture surrounding technology. Overall, I enjoyed reading about those who are shaking up the industry, the financiers and women who are lighting a path for the next generation of computer scientists.

[Deborah Martinez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched and detailed exploration of women that are breaking new ground in terms of entrepreneurship and technology.

The authors explore the barriers that have existed in the past and linger in the present, the struggles particular to women in the tech world. It is sad to me that it is 2017 and this is still the issue - let's move forward and empower young women to go into technology fields, the pay is good, and they are capable. I know a lot is being done to encourage young girls and women, and that is great, but what else can be done? Obviously mentorship is a huge issue - and more mentors are needed!

Good read, good ideas, now let's make it a reality!

[Cassie Buckner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major takeaways:

* I made the right decision leaving mortgage and heading to tech (even though it is mortgage tech).
* I need to learn code.
* We need to continue to empower our fellow female rock stars to realize there is more than just makeup and clothes for us to pursue. STEM is ours.
* Boys clubs exist in a lot of places.
* We need to look in our communities and make sure CS opportunities are available to our youth.
* Why didn't I want to pursue CS? I loved typing out DOS commands.
* Join or die.

[Bree Neely · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a quick and interesting read about the women creating a new work reality in tech and beyond. This book is essentially a series of vignettes or stories of these women, everyone from founders to makers to VC partners, interspersed with good data (loads of footnotes). Really appreciated much of this research, and will put it to great use in my own work. Not sure how overall interesting it would be to anyone who's a. not working in tech and/or b. trying to improve the 'women at work' situation for companies, individuals, society, etc. but as I fall in both camps -- it was great for me.