I recently did a “Books Set in the Workplace” book recommendation and I had to leave out Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams off it because the rest of the list was completely fiction. I did not wish to associate this book with the rest of the books on that list, both because of the category mismatch and the fact that this non-fiction was so bizarre that it had indeed read like a fiction to me.

You can check out the list of fictional books set in the workplace across genres here.

If you have been here a while, you already know that I almost exclusively read fiction and make a conscious attempt to steer clear of non-fiction. This is because of all the literary theories I’ve had to read during my 5 years of academia. But I might have found a way around for non-fiction after all: memoirs.

Careless People fits right into this category. It is Sarah Wynn-Williams’ own experience of working at Meta, erstwhile Facebook. Shocking, triggering, extraordinary in its revelations and something that feels completely illegal (probably is) — are some of the emotions I went through while reading this book. I think we have this vague notion of rich people living in a whole different world where real-world consequences or concerns do not reach them, but this book chronicled the how in detail and it went beyond my limited notion of ultra-rich people.

I do not quite know how to rate non-fiction yet. This is a real person’s experience at a multi-billion dollar company. She has taken a great risk in publishing this book, she is facing lawsuits from Meta for defamation. Considering all of that, I have rated and reviewed the book on the content it brings to light and its writing style. Even though I have to admit that the shock factor of the content made up for the plain writing style.

The book strikes a curious balance between the personal and the globally significant events that shaped the author’s stint at Meta as the director of global public policy. From horrible work-life balance, unsupportive co-workers, abusive boss to election manipulation with selective information pushing, content algorithm geared towards teenagers and the China connection, this book traces Facebook’s metamorphosis into the global giant it currently is, and along with the the founder’s changing ethos about the company.

What was a dream job for the author and is still for so many aspirants, turned quickly into something straight from hell. The glamour and glitz of the job hides a dark truth of personal risk behind it all. As she rises through the company ladder without ever really fitting in with the culture of the company, Sarah remains an outsider and as much as she sees of the company and maps it down for us, the reader is made to wonder if that is for the best after all.

I read this book in audiobook format and it had me staring into space for most of it. This one is a definite yes for me. Why was I not told that non-fiction is this exciting? I am now on the hunt for more books like this. Feel free to drop recommendations.

You can grab your copy of Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams here.

(I earn a small commission from every qualified purchase from the link to continue reading and reviewing)

---

Have you read this books by Sarah Wynn-Williams? What are your thoughts on them? What are your favourite non-fiction books read to this date?

Feel free to drop a comment or reach out to me across social media at @thecalcuttanbibliophile. I would love to hear from you.