Ellen Pao Books In Order

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Ellen Pao
Ellen Pao is a non-fiction author best known for her memoir, Reset. The talented author is also a tech investor, inclusion and diversity activist, and a former Reddit CEO. Pao co-founded Project Include, award-winning non-profit fighting for inclusion and diversity. The author credits her successes and works ethics to her parents. These values were imprinted at a young age, and Pao was all too happy to apply them in real life. After graduating from Princeton with an electrical engineering degree and Harvard with a business and a law degree, Pao joined the job market ready to take the world by storm. She has held high positions in different companies and helped many organizations build their workforce.

Reset
Reset is an autobiography that takes the reader on a journey through Ellen Pao’s life. Pao came into the limelight when she sued her former employer, Kleiner Perkins, for gender discrimination. While she did not win the case, she earned public support. The author also started a conversation that made many reflect on workplace discrimination against women, especially in the tech world. In this memoir, Pao talks about this case publicly for the first time. She detailed all that she went through during this harrowing time while letting us on what lessons she picked from the case. The reader also gets a chance to see Pao’s life as it is today and the efforts she makes to ensure the tech world more inclusive for women and other minorities.

Pao grew up in New Jersey in a high-achieving family. Born of Chinese immigrant parents, being different was nothing new for Pao. However, her family believed that education was an equalizer, so they pushed their children to do better in school. The author talks about her early life and education. Her three degrees from Ivy League universities are a clear indication that Pao was willing to do all it takes to ensure success in life. After school, Pao went into the business world, hoping that she would be offered the same opportunities as everyone else in the workplace. She joined Kleiner Perkins in 2005 after working in top startups in the US. As an employee of a top venture capital firm, Pao did everything right. However, she realized that she, other women, and people of color were being excluded.

To an outsider, it looked like the firm was all-inclusive. There were women and people of color in leadership positions. However, Pao learned that she and others were excluded in certain email-discussions, CEO events, and networking trips where they could interact with their peers. Their work was also appropriated or undercut by male executives. No one cared how hard the women worked or how competent the people of color were compared to the white executive. It is like the system was set to see them fail. Not one to take matters lying down, Pao spoke about these issues and later took her former employer to court.
The lawsuit came with its fair share of challenges for Pao. It changed the way men viewed and treated her in and out of the workplace. After leaving Kleiner, Pao was hired as the CEO of Reddit. Determined to be the change she yearned, Pao started by banning unauthorized nude photos and revenge porn on the site. This is something no company had succeeded in doing before. Other large media sites followed Reddit’s stand. Pao also shut down a few parts of Reddit because of online harassment.

The last part of this book highlights what the author has done and ensures diversity in the workplace. Her primary focus is in the tech industry where she works. The author went further to join the other seven women in creating Project Include, a non-profit dedicated to accelerating inclusion and diversity in the tech world. Despite her experiences in Kleiner, Pao has been hugely successful. She has worked with many startups and helped them build all-inclusive and winning teams. She has also continued to serve as an inspiration for many women determined to build successful careers.

Pao touches on many challenges the minorities undergo in the corporate world. She talks about troubling issues faced by women in a world dominated by men. Unfortunately, women who are ambitious enough to want a seat at the table are regarded as aggressive. The gender inequality theme is clear throughout her memoir. Pao doesn’t just point out the problems. She also highlighted enough solution for those who want to join the change movement. Pao’s solutions are practical, achievable, and inspiring. While the primary focus here is on Pao’s gender inequality case, this memoir further highlights the plight of other women. It is admirable that Pao is taking action and encouraging other like-minded professionals to join her. On her own, Pao cannot make much of a difference, but with others’ help, the professional world can be revolutionized.

This is a well-written memoir that addresses misogyny, a common problem in the workplace. Women have been fighting it for years, but it seems that the battle is far from over. Despite her success in bringing positive change in the workplace, Pao quickly points out that change is not easy. It does not happen overnight, and there is a lot of resistance along the way. However, change is possible. Career women will find Pao’s story inspiring. It is impressive what this woman has done in such a short time. It is clear that she is destined for greatness, and every woman determined to rise to the top can be all she is and much more.

Reset is a bold, eloquent, and powerful memoir. It is the story of a woman who refused to bow to society’s expectations and chart her path. Ellen Pao’s story became a headliner when she sued her employer for discrimination. Her move was bold and contradicted the criticisms the partners had made about her passive and risk-averse nature. If you followed this story, this book offers you a chance to hear everything that happened from the horse’s mouth. The narration is flawless, and Pao’s story is so inspiring it will make you rethink your goals and priorities. An excellent read for any career-oriented lady and employers who want to eliminate misogyny in the workplace.