6 Novels About Startups

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Enterprise books are informative and motivating for entrepreneurs, however should you’re something like me, you may desire to spend the winter months curled up on the couch with a novel. After all, that is even higher when coupled with a steaming scorching chocolate and roaring fire. 

Right here’s a round-up of some novels about startups. You received’t essentially study strategic strikes, however you’ll uncover a bit extra about what it takes to be an entrepreneur and the tradition of working at a startup.

“A biting and astute debut novel,” says The New York Times of Startup: A Novel. 

The American writer and podcast host Doree Shafrir has written for The Lower, The New York Occasions, and Slate and was an editor at Rolling Stone and BuzzFeed, which all seemingly impressed her first novel, Startup: A Novel, printed by Little Brown in 2017. 

This sharp, satirical ebook follows the journey of Mack McAllister, founding father of TakeOff, a mindfulness app that he suspects is a $600 million concept. However when tech journalist Katya Pasternack stumbles upon an incriminating textual content message, McAllister’s rise to the highest is stopped in its tracks.  

Startup: A Novel is a witty portrayal of startup life, together with its tech tradition and office relationships.

“A egocentric, unlikeable household makes for a compelling learn,” writes NPR of Household Belief.

Household Belief has been described as a mix of The Nest and Loopy Wealthy Asians. If that hasn’t enticed you already, I don’t know what is going to. 

Stanley Huang, a Chinese language American patriarch residing and dealing in Silicon Valley, is identified with pancreatic most cancers. As his dying looms, his ex-wife, second spouse, and two kids concern themselves with Stanley’s wealth. How a lot cash might be left, and to whom? Have a few years of extravagant residing diminished his fortune? Was it ever that enormous to start with?

This witty and transferring tragi-comedy explores themes of loss, household values, and pursuing the American Dream. 

“The Startup Spouse pulses with up-to-the-minute topicality,” says The Guardian of Tahmima Anam’s novel. 

Cyrus and Asha have co-founded a social media platform, We Are Infinite (WAI), that customizes ceremonies and rituals for individuals who aren’t non secular. However whereas Asha deserves credit score for each the thought and the app’s performance, Cyrus quickly turns into the face of the enterprise and is hailed as a visionary by its proponents. 

Drawing on her personal experiences because the spouse of a tech founder, Anam addresses themes together with startup tradition, workaholism, fame, religion, and trendy love in a satirical novel that’s gripping and transferring in equal components.    

“Can Girls Have It All? Not in Silicon Valley,” writes The New York Times about Anna Yen’s novel Sophia of Silicon Valley. 

Pioneering protagonist Sophia Younger is contemporary out of college and wanting to embark on an thrilling and fruitful profession in Silicon Valley. It’s her willpower and bravado that, partly, see her rapidly land the position of a right-hand particular person to Scott Kraft, CEO of the movie manufacturing firm Treehouse. 

Nonetheless, it’s not lengthy earlier than Sophia questions the toxicity of modern-day startup life.

Startup Dot Love is a white-knuckle journey into the wilderness of Silicon Valley. 

If the title sounds a bit eccentric, be warned that it’s bought nothing on the ebook itself. The blurb warns readers to “feed their children and cats” earlier than starting since “they won’t come again to actuality earlier than turning the final web page.”

This witty ebook includes a wrecked McLaren F1, a number of sneaky enterprise capitalists, a go to to the Golden Gate Bridge, and lashings of fruit wine. It’s an exhilarating and interesting window into startup life. 

“Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow renders the method of designing a fantastic online game as enthralling because the pursuit of that nice white whale,” says NPR of Gabrielle Zevin’s novel. 

This charming ebook explores themes of friendship, success, failure, video video games, fame, and love, with the story of protagonists Sam and Sadie spanning some 30 years. At 11 years outdated, they meet by probability in a hospital. Years later, they reunite in a crowded prepare station, go on to co-design a recreation referred to as Ichigo, and ultimately launch their very own firm, Unfair Video games.

You do not have to be a lover of gaming and even expertise to be enchanted by this novel. It’s completely compelling and provoking to witness these characters create digital worlds designed to immerse and delight audiences. 

Editor’s Observe: This text contains affiliate hyperlinks. 

Picture Credit score: Anna Shvets / picnoi.com

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