Five Books That Have Left a Real Impact on My Life with Zoe Quinn
Zoë Quinn is a video game developer/ programmer who designed the awarding-winning game Depression Quest, among many others.
An artist, writer, and public speaker, Quinn speaks at conferences all over the country.
As the CEO of Crash Override Network, founded to aid victims of online abuse, she has been consulted by Twitter and Google on how to make the internet a safer space.
In summary, she’s awesome.
At one point, however, she was so viciously targeted by online hate groups that it nearly ruined her life. Out of the threats and tormenting from anonymous users all over the world during Gamergate, Zoe Quinn emerged stronger than ever and ready to tackle online hate. Combining her own traumatic experience with fierce determination, she rose above the hate — and wrote a book to boot.
Zoe will be at Strand Book Store on September 5th to share her new memoir, Crash Override (reserve your seat here!). In anticipation of her visit, we asked what books inspire her, and Zoe did not disappoint.
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Other Lessons From The Crematory by Caitlin Doughty
“Caitlin does so much to demystify the ultimate unknown of death and dying, something I’ve been fixated on since I was a kid. One of the few books that made me feel better about my mortality, and taught me a lot about an industry I’d never really given any thought to.”
The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays by Albert Camus
“This is the other book that made me feel ok about my mortality. It feels a little dry or pseudo intellectual to include an existentialist book on this list but hey, it was there when I needed it and Camus is a classic for a reason.”
Drawing Blood by Molly Crabapple
“I love memoirs about other fucked up girls who don’t care about being normal or nonthreatening. Molly is fierce, a hell of a writer, and a living inspiration. Rarely has reading a memoir made me respect a person more.”
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
“Clearly I have a thing for memoirs. It was hard to choose just one of David Sedaris’s works, but I love his candor and sense of humor and it’s had a major influence on me as a comedian and as a person.”
The Wicked and the Divine by Kieron Gillen
“Listen, I’m still a nerd okay? You weren’t getting through this list without at least one graphic novel. The Wicked and the Divine is some of the most unique premises I’ve ever seen in comics, the narrative and dialog are immaculate, and the art is stunning. It’s so good I’m a little mad at it, and it’s made me want to make comics too.”
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