Here are 64 books that The One fans have personally recommended if you like The One. Book DNA is a community of 13,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of The Circle

Olivia Alder Author Of Highly Compatible

From my list on Silicon Valley: sex, power, technology and ambition.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked in technology for more than a decade, living and working in Silicon Valley, where ideas that sound futuristic can feel inevitable and only a heartbeat away. It can sometimes feel strange, being surrounded by people building the next big thing while still wondering what any of it will actually mean for people, relationships, and society.

That tension is why I write near-future fiction. I love books with big ideas, but I also want heat, romance, ambition, and messy human choices. I’m drawn to stories that bring those worlds together—and ask what happens when the future arrives before we’ve figured out what it means for us.

Olivia's book list on Silicon Valley: sex, power, technology and ambition

Olivia Alder Why Olivia loves this book

I love how this book told the story of technology that feels only slightly ahead of reality.

I was working at Google at the time that I read this, and what resonated with me was the enormous amounts of data being collected, the optimism around what that data could enable, and the subtle ways algorithms were already beginning to shape human behavior.

It made me start thinking about where those nudges could ultimately lead. And it’s not just the amount of data being collected, but how willingly people embrace it when the experience is good enough, and it comes beautifully packaged.

That’s a similar idea I explore in my book: how much control we willingly hand over to our technology overlords in exchange for free email, better-targeted advertising, and a little more convenience.

By Dave Eggers ,

Why should I read it?

12 authors picked The Circle as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?


NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE starring Tom Hanks, Emma Watson and John Boyega

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - a dark, thrilling and unputdownable novel about our obsession with the internet

'Prepare to be addicted' Daily Mail

'A gripping and highly unsettling read' Sunday Times

'The Circle is 'Brave New World' for our brave new world... Fast, witty and troubling' Washington Post

When Mae is hired to work for the Circle, the world's most powerful internet company, she feels she's been given the opportunity of a lifetime. Run out of a sprawling California campus, the Circle links users' personal emails,…


If you love The One...

Book cover of Count To Ten

Count To Ten by Raúl Quintana Selleras,

When Evan Morris wakes bound in an abandoned warehouse, he finds ten numbered boxes—and no memory of how he got there.

The Chaos Killer, a murderer who has terrorized Dallas for years, has built a deadly game around relics from Evan's past. To escape, Evan must open each box and…

Book cover of The Startup Wife

Olivia Alder Author Of Highly Compatible

From my list on Silicon Valley: sex, power, technology and ambition.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked in technology for more than a decade, living and working in Silicon Valley, where ideas that sound futuristic can feel inevitable and only a heartbeat away. It can sometimes feel strange, being surrounded by people building the next big thing while still wondering what any of it will actually mean for people, relationships, and society.

That tension is why I write near-future fiction. I love books with big ideas, but I also want heat, romance, ambition, and messy human choices. I’m drawn to stories that bring those worlds together—and ask what happens when the future arrives before we’ve figured out what it means for us.

Olivia's book list on Silicon Valley: sex, power, technology and ambition

Olivia Alder Why Olivia loves this book

I love fiction that understands how intoxicating tech culture can be.

The Startup Wife captures technology, ambition, relationships, and founder worship in a way that is funny, sharp, and painfully recognizable. What resonated with me most was the way it explores how love can make ambitious women voluntarily surrender power—sometimes without realizing how much they’ve given away until it’s already gone.

That’s one of the places it overlaps with my book: both books satirize tech culture while still taking seriously the consequences of the products being built, and the human relationships tangled up in them.

By Tahmima Anam ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Startup Wife as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Selected as a Best Book of 2021 by the Observer, Stylist, Cosmopolitan, Red and the Daily Mail

Halfway through her PhD and already dreaming of running her own lab, computer scientist Asha has her future all mapped out. Then a chance meeting and whirlwind romance with her old high-school crush, Cyrus, changes everything.

Dreaming big, together with their friend Jules they come up with a revolutionary idea: to build a social networking app that could bring meaning to millions of lives. While Asha creates an ingenious algorithm, Cyrus' charismatic appeal throws him into the spotlight.

When the app explodes into…


Book cover of Annie Bot

Olivia Alder Author Of Highly Compatible

From my list on Silicon Valley: sex, power, technology and ambition.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked in technology for more than a decade, living and working in Silicon Valley, where ideas that sound futuristic can feel inevitable and only a heartbeat away. It can sometimes feel strange, being surrounded by people building the next big thing while still wondering what any of it will actually mean for people, relationships, and society.

That tension is why I write near-future fiction. I love books with big ideas, but I also want heat, romance, ambition, and messy human choices. I’m drawn to stories that bring those worlds together—and ask what happens when the future arrives before we’ve figured out what it means for us.

Olivia's book list on Silicon Valley: sex, power, technology and ambition

Olivia Alder Why Olivia loves this book

I’m fascinated by the ways AI and intimacy are becoming intertwined.

We already trust AI with our deepest thoughts, questions, and secrets. Increasingly, people are forming intimate relationships with this software that knows them so well. The more it learns about us, and the better it becomes at anticipating what we want, the more complicated our ideas about desire, consent, and control become.

Like my book, Annie Bot asks whether a choice can truly be yours if someone (or something) has been designed to shape it. If technology can influence or even manufacture desire, what does consent look like?

By Sierra Greer ,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked Annie Bot as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Provocative...a Frankenstein for the digital age...a rich text about power, autonomy, and what happens when our creations outgrow us." — Esquire

"Unexpected and subtle...delicious and thought-provoking." — New Scientist

For fans of Never Let Me Go and My Dark Vanessa, a powerful, provocative novel about the relationship between a female robot and her human owner, exploring questions of intimacy, power, autonomy, and control.

Annie Bot was created to be the perfect girlfriend for her human owner Doug. Designed to satisfy his emotional and physical needs, she has dinner ready for him every night, wears the pert outfits he orders for…


If you love John Marrs...

Book cover of i4Ni

i4Ni by John Priest,

Prisons are at bursting point. Criminals are released early and the guilty walk free from courts. The Justice system is in a state of collapse and no-one is safe.

i4Ni is created to solve the problem. i4Ni is a humanoid which, according to its 'creator' Jules Von Beck, will serve…

Book cover of Careless People

Olivia Alder Author Of Highly Compatible

From my list on Silicon Valley: sex, power, technology and ambition.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked in technology for more than a decade, living and working in Silicon Valley, where ideas that sound futuristic can feel inevitable and only a heartbeat away. It can sometimes feel strange, being surrounded by people building the next big thing while still wondering what any of it will actually mean for people, relationships, and society.

That tension is why I write near-future fiction. I love books with big ideas, but I also want heat, romance, ambition, and messy human choices. I’m drawn to stories that bring those worlds together—and ask what happens when the future arrives before we’ve figured out what it means for us.

Olivia's book list on Silicon Valley: sex, power, technology and ambition

Olivia Alder Why Olivia loves this book

I devoured this book.

Yes, it’s nonfiction, but it has everything I love about great Silicon Valley fiction: big tech insider energy, corporate absurdity, bizarre culture, powerful people behaving badly, and the feeling that the decisions being made inside an office might eventually affect everyone outside it.

It’s sharp, wildly entertaining, and exactly the kind of tech-industry drama I’d happily take to the beach.

By Sarah Wynn-Williams ,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Careless People as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 New York Times Bestseller

A 2025 best book of the year so far by The New York Times, The Economist, NPR, and more

“Careless People is darkly funny and genuinely shocking...Not only does [Sarah Wynn-Williams] have the storytelling chops to unspool a gripping narrative; she also delivers the goods." -Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times

“When one of the world's most powerful media companies tries to snuff out a book ― amid other alarming attacks on free speech in America like this ― it's time to pull out all the stops.” –Ron Charles, The Washington Post

An explosive memoir…


Book cover of Uncanny Valley

David Buckmaster Author Of Fair Pay: How to Get a Raise, Close the Wage Gap, and Build Stronger Businesses

From my list on the importance of expecting less from your workplace.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve worked with business leaders on pay projects all over the world, at companies like Nike and Starbucks, in places like Brazil, Mexico, Vietnam, Singapore, the UAE, and all over Europe. While many business books are written from a theoretical or academic perspective, I bring an operator’s perspective. I get to work out the ideas in my book, Fair Pay, on a daily basis, and so I wrote the book to be a realistic and practical guide for understanding the perspectives of business leaders, human resources, and the typical employee. 

David's book list on the importance of expecting less from your workplace

David Buckmaster Why David loves this book

Changing careers from publishing to tech is a path not often traveled. Wiener made this jump from a world legendary for its light pay compensated by romanticism, to an industry best known for generous “perks that landed somewhere between the collegiate and the feudal.” Wiener’s experience makes for one of the most entertaining books I’ve read in years—she is a gifted writer and unafraid to call out the over-seriousness of the tech bro mentality as an ultimately “dreary” worldview. 

By Anna Wiener ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Uncanny Valley as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. ONE OF THE NEW YORK TIMES'S 10 BEST BOOKS OF 2020.

Named one of the Best Books of 2020 by The Washington Post, The Atlantic, NPR, the Los Angeles Times, ELLE, Esquire, Parade, Teen Vogue, The Boston Globe, Forbes, The Times (UK), Fortune, Chicago Tribune, Glamour, The A.V. Club, Vox, Jezebel, Town & Country, OneZero, Apartment Therapy, Good Housekeeping, PopMatters, Electric Literature, Self, The Week (UK) and BookPage.A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice and a January 2020 IndieNext Pick.

"A definitive document of a world in transition: I won't be alone in returning…


Book cover of Road to Nowhere: What Silicon Valley Gets Wrong about the Future of Transportation

Douglas Rushkoff Author Of Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires

From my list on understanding how tech billionaires think.

Why am I passionate about this?

I believed the Internet would be as colorful a cultural phenomenon as LSD. But before I was even able to convince people that something wonderful was on the horizon, big business swooped in and recontextualized the digital renaissance as a business revolution and the Silicon Valley mindset was born: Companies should grow exponentially forever! Any tech problem can be solved with more tech! Humans on Earth are just larvae–maggots–while wealthy tech bros will get to Mars or upload their minds to the cloud. This list of books is meant to show how these guys think and why they’re taking us in the wrong direction. 

Douglas' book list on understanding how tech billionaires think

Douglas Rushkoff Why Douglas loves this book

This book reveals that the whole electric vehicle industry is pretty much a scam.

I love it when someone hits me with counterintuitive logic. And I love it even more when they back this up with real reporting. For example, I was shocked to learn that Musk’s famous hyperloop tunnels were really just a way to stall light rail in California so that people would have to buy electric cars instead.

This book reveals how the Silicon Valley mindset doesn’t actually foster innovation. If they wanted to innovate, they wouldn’t just find new ways of propelling automobiles. I love that this book gives me strong, factual arguments for how crazy these guys are.

By Paris Marx ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Road to Nowhere as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Silicon Valley wants us to believe that technology will revolutionize our cities and the ways we move around. Autonomous vehicles will make us safer, greener, and more efficient. On-demand services like Uber and Lyft will eliminate car ownership. Micromobility devices like electric scooters will be at every corner, and drones will deliver goods and services. Meanwhile visionaries like Elon Musk promise to eliminate congestion with tunnels, and Uber help with flying cars. The future of transport is frictionless, sustainable, and according to Paris Marx, a threat to our ideas of what a society should be.

Road to Nowhere exposes the…


If you love The One...

Book cover of The House Swap

The House Swap by Miranda Rijks,

Two perfect families. Two beautiful homes. A one-way trip to hell.

When the Browns and the Lesters organise a house swap, it seems like the perfect holiday arrangement.

Sounds wonderful. Except for one thing - both families are hiding dark secrets, and secrets have a way of coming out...

In…

Book cover of The Great CEO Within

Bianca D’Alessio Author Of Mastering Intentions

From my list on rebuilding, rising, and redefining your power after adversity.

Why am I passionate about this?

Every person faces moments that test their strength, their identity, and their belief in what is possible. For me, those moments became the foundation of Mastering Intentions. These five books reflect the power of mindset, discipline, and self-awareness to transform challenge into clarity. They each carry a truth I live by: that you can rebuild from anything when you move with intention. Each of these authors has, in their own way, taught me how to align thought with action, faith with focus, and purpose with power. If you are navigating transition, rebuilding after loss, or simply ready to step into a new chapter, these books will help you rise stronger and more grounded than before.

Bianca's book list on rebuilding, rising, and redefining your power after adversity

Bianca D’Alessio Why Bianca loves this book

This book is a practical and thoughtful guide for entrepreneurs who want to scale both a company and their leadership capacity.

Mochary blends systems, emotional intelligence, communication, and performance habits into a clear roadmap for becoming an effective and grounded leader. His teachings reinforce a belief I center my work around: structure creates clarity, and clarity creates growth.

A great leader is not someone who has all the answers. A great leader builds processes, empowers talent, and creates an environment where people succeed together.

This book is a reminder that leadership is earned through self-management, humility, and the discipline to improve every day.

By Matt Mochary , Alex Maccaw , Misha Talavera

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Great CEO Within as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Matt Mochary coaches the CEOs of many of the fastest-scaling technology companies in Silicon Valley. With The Great CEO Within, he shares his highly effective leadership and business-operating tools with any CEO or manager in the world. Learn how to efficiently scale your business from startup to corporation by implementing a system of accountability, effective problem-solving, and transparent feedback.

Becoming a great CEO requires training. For a founding CEO, there is precious little time to complete that training, especially at the helm of a rapidly growing company. Now you have the guidance you need in one book.


Book cover of Regional Advantage: Culture and Competition in Silicon Valley and Route 128

Joanne McNeil Author Of Lurking: How a Person Became a User

From my list on the origins of the tech industry.

Why am I passionate about this?

Joanne McNeil has written about internet culture for over fifteen years. Her book considers the development of the internet from a user's perspective since the launch of the World Wide Web. Her interest in digital technology spans from the culture that enabled the founding of major companies in Silicon Valley to their reception in broader culture.

Joanne's book list on the origins of the tech industry

Joanne McNeil Why Joanne loves this book

Until the 1980s, it seemed like Route 128 in Massachusetts was set to be the dominant location for the tech industry. What could have been a dry look at comparative corporate organizational structures is instead a compelling analysis of the contrasting cultures, business climates, and other forces resulting in the ultimate victory of Silicon Valley. The book is full of fascinating details that I haven’t read anywhere else like the role that California community colleges played in ensuring companies could swiftly train new employees.

By AnnaLee Saxenian ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Regional Advantage as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Why is it that in the '90s, business in California's Silicon Valley flourished, while along Route 128 in Massachusetts it declined? The answer, Annalee Saxenian suggests, has to do with the fact that despite similar histories and technologies, Silicon Valley developed a decentralized but cooperative industrial system while Route 128 came to be dominated by independent, self-sufficient corporations. The result of more than one hundred interviews, this compelling analysis highlights the importance of local sources of competitive advantage in a volatile world economy.


Book cover of Work Pause Thrive: How to Pause for Parenthood Without Killing Your Career

Daina Middleton Author Of Grace Meets Grit

From my list on ambitious women embracing their authentic selves.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been passionate about personally and professionally lifting women up throughout my career. Today, it is how I spend my time and energy – in a way that makes a difference to those individuals and the greater world. Books have always filled my insatiable desire to continuously learn and explore mysterious, unknown worlds. As a writer, I read books to expand my understanding and push my comfort zones. I also read them so that I can share with others what I have learned in the hopes they will have a positive impact on them – a pay-it-forward of sorts. I hope you enjoy the books on this list as much as I have!

Daina's book list on ambitious women embracing their authentic selves

Daina Middleton Why Daina loves this book

The myth that family can’t come first or that taking a break kills your career unfortunately is alive and well today.

Yet, this is flawed thinking and doesn’t reflect the true stories of successful women who have paused their careers and gone on to do great things. Lisen names the myth and reveals the stories of trailblazing women who have disrupted the traditional career paradigm to be successful at building a career and family.

By Lisen Stromberg ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Work Pause Thrive as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

We worry putting our family first means we'll be forced to abandon our careers. We're afraid if we pause our careers, we'll be forever off-track. This thinking is outdated—forget what you've heard about how pauses are career limiting, about how those who pause lack ambition, or that if you do pause you won't be able to re-enter the paid workforce. That's a flawed reality, one that doesn't reflect the truth of the careers of some of the most successful women in this country.

Author Lisen Stromberg knows this success firsthand. After the birth of her second child, she did something…


Book cover of Palo Alto: A History of California, Capitalism, and the World

Wendy Liu Author Of Abolish Silicon Valley

From my list on critical perspective on the tech industry.

Why am I passionate about this?

I fell in love with technology from a young age. I taught myself how to code by making websites, then blazed through an undergraduate degree in computer science, then co-founded a tech startup. For years, I was in thrall to the idea of the Silicon Valley dream and could not accept any critiques of the tech industry. It was only when my startup failed that I became open to alternative worldviews. I wanted to understand why the dream had felt so hollow. I have a master’s degree in sociology from the London School of Economics and Political Science and have written for The Guardian, The Atlantic, and the Boston Review.

Wendy's book list on critical perspective on the tech industry

Wendy Liu Why Wendy loves this book

Malcolm Harris is a brilliant thinker in the tradition of the radical writer, whose books are always deeply researched, fearlessly polemical, and highly relevant. His previous books talked about millennials, Occupy Wall Street, and growing inequality.

This new book is a magisterial and incredibly ambitious work of nonfiction that focuses on Palo Alto and then zooms out from there to explain the formation of the contemporary economy, including but not limited to the modern-day tech industry. Full of fascinating stories and shocking insights.

By Malcolm Harris ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Palo Alto as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The true, unvarnished history of the town at the heart of Silicon Valley.

Palo Alto is nice. The weather is temperate, the people are educated, rich, healthy, enterprising. Remnants of a hippie counterculture have synthesized with high technology and big finance to produce the spiritually and materially ambitious heart of Silicon Valley, whose products are changing how we do everything from driving around to eating food. It is also a haunted toxic waste dump built on stolen Indian burial grounds, and an integral part of the capitalist world system.

In Palo Alto, the first comprehensive, global history of Silicon Valley,…


Book cover of The Circle
Book cover of The Startup Wife
Book cover of Annie Bot

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