Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble

Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble (Dan Lyons, 2016)

How I stumbled upon it: My dad got me a copy after he read it.

What it's about: As an older writer and journalist, Dan Lyons takes a job at HubSpot, a Boston start-up after he was laid off.  He chronicles his time in the new world of tech, working with people right out of college and experiencing the total demise of the traditional corporate culture in favor of outrageous perks, standing desks, and flat organizational structure.

What I thought: It was interesting because I could understand why Lyons had trouble with assimilating and enjoying parts of the culture; on the other hand, I can also understand why some of those perks (ping pong tables, beer on tap, open floor plans) are appealing. HubSpot definitely seemed to go off the rails a few times, and it made me appreciative of my job where I have the best of the tech startup culture, but I have it alongside an actual structured employment experience with clear product goals and vision.  The book was funny at times, but definitely got slower near the end when he stopped describing the humorous parts of his experience and mostly complained for the rest of the book.  Overall, would still recommend, especially if you watch Silicon Valley (Dan is a writer on the show).

You can get it here.