I’m Kaylee! I give insight on the life of a woman in tech and share my tips, tricks, and advice on how to succeed in the tech industry. I love coffee, coding, and traveling - sometimes all 3 at once. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook to get the latest updates!
I love reading and think it is so important to continue reading books to learn about new topics, ideas, and exercise your creativity through some fiction as well. Here are a list of books that I have read which I recommend for you — overall I like to tailor my recommendations to technology, career, finance and some oddballs! If you have a recommendation you think I should check out and feature - feel free to drop me a line!
In addition to what’s listed here I occasionally update my lists on Bookshop.org - a certified B-corp that raises money for local bookstores with every purchase! I am very excited about this partnership and encourage you to consider purchasing books from Bookshop and use your $$$ to support an ethical company!
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This is an entirely different kind of book but I absolutely loved it. This is captivating story with really relevant contextual evidence introduced throughout all while weaving a tale of human history since the beginning of time. Not to mention - if you do end up getting the physical copy it’s got a really great weight to it that I personally love when reading a book!
As you can tell this is a bit different from the other books on my list but I really think everyone should give it a try as it’s such an important story of the evolution of human culture, civilization and so much more.
If you’re like me and LOVE fantasy books you will thoroughly enjoy The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. His storytelling and high quality writing are captivating and you won’t want to put this down. I genuinely think this is the best fantasy book I’ve read since Lord of the Rings and you will be just as captivated by Kvothe’s journey as Frodo’s. Especially if you’re looking to escape from the Covid world this will do it!
I was lucky enough to meet Reshma in person just a few weeks ago where I got a signed copy of this amazing book! Reshma talks about how we need to learn to be #bravenotperfect and discusses how we can unlearn the culture of perfectionism that women are taught to strive for. It’s easy to read, inspiring as heck, and will leave you taking a good long look at yourself in the mirror and thinking about what positive changes you can make in your life to embody the bravery that Reshma has. If you’re looking for a dose of inspiration to kick start you into action - this is the book for you.
You might be wondering, why is Kaylee recommending a book about shoes? Well that’s the cool part this book isn’t just about shoes - it’s about Phil Knight’s story for how Nike was founded. It details everything from his idea for the company through the many ups and downs and how he persevered through almost total failure. I found the writing style to be simple, clean, and honest which was really refreshing and inspiring and not at all what I expected. If you’re looking for some inspiration on how to overcome obstacles and an example of what pursuing a dream/passion looks like, this is a great read.
I absolutely loved this book - it’s been really popular lately and I completely understand why. It cuts through all the crap that we all know but secretly tell ourselves is okay and gets down to the important things. It’s the perfect read going into 2019 because it will help you get your head screwed on straight and figure out your priorities.
For those of you who have been following me you’ll know I think pretty highly of the minimalist lifestyle. I think there is so much more to life than just our stuff. Most of us have grown up in some kind of consumer driven culture that has told us over and over that the more stuff we have, the happier we’ll be. I’ve found that this is just not true!
Especially going into the holiday season (cough consumer season) if you’re curious to learn a little more about minimalism and how you can embrace this movement I highly recommend giving this book a read. It’s easy to read and straight to the point. Let me know what you think of minimalism!
Given the large amount of media dedicated to Elon Musk and the recent SEC announcement - I figured I would share with you all a book that helped me to (kind of?) start to understand Elon Musk.
This book is well-written and is an easy read. It dives into the details of Elon Musk and his personal life, his ambitions, and how he came to be who he is today. If you are like me and think he’s a genius but also completely confused how he manages to get himself into these situations I highly recommend reading this book. I think it’s also a great book to read if you ever aspire to go into the start-up world because it discusses Elon Musk’s beginnings and PayPal. After finishing it, I couldn’t help but feel inspired and like I needed to go and get back to work!
This is an easy read and incredibly informative about the not-so-straightforward world of personal finance. Since I just graduated and am making preparations for working full-time I am learning so much about what "adult" responsibilities I need to take on. It can be scary if you're not prepared so I highly recommend reading this book! In my opinion everyone (especially women!!) need to be proactive about finances and it's never too early to start learning 😊💸💰
I first got a copy of this book during GHC 2016 and absolutely loved it! It has the best advice on everything you need to know as a #womanintech and is a nice easy read. It's especially perfect for heading into recruiting season for those of you who are looking for jobs/internships!
The book does a great job of breaking down different topics so there is something in here for everyone. This makes it especially nice since you can read individual sections that are relevant to you!
This month I'm featuring Emily Chang's Brotopia which provides a well-researched and insightful look into why Silicon Valley became a brotopia and what needs to change. She does an amazing job of laying out hard truths and I believe this is a must-read for everyone in the industry.
From the PayPal Mafia to current day this book delves into how Silicon Valley became the boys’ club it is today. Everything from sex parties to angel investors are discussed so take a weekend to educate yourself on the tech industry!
