"CNN's former senior tech correspondent shares her front-row seat on the rise of Facebook, Twitter, and other new-media empires—and the geeks turned entrepreneurs who founded them." — People
“Fans of Brotopia or anyone who wants a backstage pass to Zuckerberg and some of the biggest co.’s of our time, you’ll devour this.” — The Skimm
“A candid account of tech’s evolution in the 2010s, a period of absurd revenue streams, noteworthy innovation and alarming scandals, Special Characters is also a relatable self-portrait of an ambitious, introspective person’s arrival at a professional crossroads.” — San Francisco Chronicle
“Inspiring on the personal level while somewhat chilling on the societal one.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Anyone eager for a glimpse inside the worlds of technology and network television journalism will enjoy Laurie Segall's candid and engaging memoir. Segall's energetic chronicle of her rise from an entry-level position at CNN to the network's senior tech correspondent is both an engrossing coming-of-age story and a revealing cautionary tale of the power Silicon Valley wields over modern life.” — Shelf Awareness
“In this memoir, [Segall] recalls her own coming of age among the titans who helped shape the world we live in now, and shares unparalleled insight about finding herself amidst a new guard of Masters of the Universe." — Town & Country
“Segall reflects on her years covering the likes of Uber’s Travis Kalanick and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. She also gives the backstory behind some of her more memorable adventures.” — Fortune
“Special Characters is a wild ride through a transformative decade that pulls back the curtain on the exclusive world of billionaire founders, entrepreneurs and mainstream media. With wit and candor, Laurie Segall offers an intimate account of a young woman finding her voice in the boys' clubs of Silicon Valley and cable news. Laurie Segall's memoir is funny, charming, and sincere, and a staggeringly good book.” — Sophia Amoruso, New York Times bestselling author of #Girlboss
“With Special Characters, Laurie Segall rips away the filters and brings to life both the glamour and grit of her journey from newsroom assistant to CNN Senior Technology Correspondent during the second wave tech revolution. Like the Carrie Bradshaw of technology journalism—her storytelling is sharp, sophisticated, and illuminating. This book is a seductive, insightful coming-of-age story of both Segall and the world as we know it.” — Nicole Lapin, New York Times bestselling author of Rich Bitch
“Laurie Segall's memoir is a witty, surprising and page-turning take on the grueling but exhilarating journey of becoming a television news reporter who finds herself covering the most powerful industry in the world -- technology. For anyone trying to find themselves, her tale might just give you the courage to make hard choices and take the road not taken, with the hope of finding what you've only dared to dream." — Emily Chang, author of Brotopia
“Special Characters is a must-read—it is both a mesmerizing memoir and an enthralling whirlwind ride through the highs and lows of the tech industry.” — Susan Fowler, author of Whistleblower