In 'Permanent Record,' Edward Snowden, the whistleblower of the NSA surveillance scandal, recounts his journey from a young tech prodigy to a global symbol of privacy advocacy. With a gripping narrative, he reveals the shocking extent of government surveillance and the ethical dilemmas he faced. The book provides an intimate look at his motivations, fears, and the ultimate decision to leak classified documents. Snowden's story raises critical questions about freedom, security, and the role of technology in our lives. This thought-provoking memoir invites readers to ponder the cost of surveillance on democracy itself.
By Edward Snowden
Published: 2019
"In the age of information, privacy is an illusion; the only defense we have is to be aware of the choices we make."
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Edward Snowden, the man who risked everything to expose the US government’s system of mass surveillance, reveals for the first time the story of his life, including how he helped to build that system and what motivated him to try to bring it down. In 2013, twenty-nine-year-old Edward Snowden shocked the world when he broke with the American intelligence establishment and revealed that the United States government was secretly pursuing the means to collect every single phone call, text message, and email. The result would be an unprecedented system of mass surveillance with the ability to pry into the private lives of every person on earth. Six years later, Snowden reveals for the very first time how he helped to build this system and why he was moved to expose it. Spanning the bucolic Beltway suburbs of his childhood and the clandestine CIA and NSA postings of his adulthood, Permanent Record is the extraordinary account of a bright young man who grew up online—a man who became a spy, a whistleblower, and, in exile, the Internet’s conscience. Written with wit, grace, passion, and an unflinching candor, Permanent Record is a crucial memoir of our digital age and destined to be a classic.
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“In the age of information, privacy is an illusion; the only defense we have is to be aware of the choices we make.”
Permanent Record
By Edward Snowden
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Edward Snowden is a renowned whistleblower, privacy advocate, and the author of notable works such as 'Permanent Record' and various articles on surveillance and government transparency. His writing style is direct and compelling, often blending personal narrative with insightful analysis of privacy issues and civil liberties. Having worked as a contractor for the National Security Agency (NSA), Snowden's revelations about mass surveillance sparked global debates about privacy rights and government overreach.
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