Kara Swisher, renowned tech journalist, spills the tea on Silicon Valley

Burn Book is a book that stands out as it appeals not only to tech enthusiasts but also to those who are not particularly interested in technology. It offers a witty and engaging perspective on the rise and fall of internet companies and the often tumultuous personalities behind them, narrated by a well-connected outsider.

Kara Swisher is a journalist who is both feared and well-liked in Silicon Valley. Her complex relationship with figures like Elon Musk exemplifies this duality, where she initially supported and defended him but ultimately publicly called him out, expressing her disappointment in him. Swisher, who claims to have been born in the same year as the internet, has always been curious, with “why” being her favorite question even as a child.

Her career took off at the Washington Post in the early 1990s, focusing on internet technology and the personalities driving it, rather than political matters. Her famous quote from the early 1990s about digitization revolutionizing everything marked a turning point in her career.

Swisher’s fascination with the cycles of success and failure in technology, from CD-ROMs to Myspace, shaped her approach to covering the industry. She documents the rise and demise of various tech ventures that consumed investors’ funds and crashed, including Webvan, Kozmo, and Boo.com.

‘I hope Kara never sees this’

Described as affable yet hostile in her interviews, Swisher has a reputation for being tough on powerful individuals in the tech industry. Her ability to hold influential figures accountable has made her a force to be reckoned with, with even Silicon Valley executives jokingly fearing her scrutiny.

Swisher’s career, which later led her to the Wall Street Journal, has been marked by her willingness to challenge authority. Drawing inspiration from Stan Lee, she believes in the responsibility that comes with power. Her early coverage of tech and her identity as a lesbian set her apart in her field, earning her the nickname “Sherlock Homo”.

Top tech entrepreneurs ‘lying to themselves’

The book serves as a memoir and a narrative of the internet’s booms and busts. The title, inspired by the film Mean Girls, delves into the dynamics of high-stakes innovation and the harsh realities of the tech world.