Delve into the myth of genius perpetuated by the tech industry and its destructive consequences. This discussion will explore themes of sanctioned vs. unsanctioned criminality, the complicity of tech wives in their partners’ dominance, and our collective roles as consumers of technology, highlighting the urgent need to resist the unchecked power of Big Tech.

About the speakers:

Kirstin Chen is the author of three novels: Counterfeit, Bury What We Cannot Take, and Soy Sauce for Beginners. Her forthcoming book, Tech Wives, unmasks the myth of tech founders as solitary geniuses by contemplating the women who enable their success. 

Kirstin Chen is also a 2024-25 American Library in Paris Scholar of Note.

Colombe Schneck is the author of eleven books of fiction and non-fiction. She has received prizes from the Académie Française, Madame Figaro and the Society of French Writers. The recipient of scholarships from the Villa Medicis in Rome and the Institut Français, as well as a Stendhal grant which allows French writers to do research and write abroad, she also spent fifteen years as a broadcaster for Canal Plus, France TV and Radio France.

Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.

Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.