Permanent Record

Edward Snowden

Book Synopsis

"Permanent Record" by Edward Snowden is a gripping memoir that unveils the author's journey from a promising young intelligence officer to becoming one of the most notorious whistleblowers in recent history.

Spanning across several continents and chronicling his time working for the National Security Agency (NSA) and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Snowden explores the extensive surveillance programs employed by the United States government in the name of national security.

As he conscientiously documents the shocking extent of mass data collection and interceptions, Snowden becomes increasingly disillusioned with the moral implications and far-reaching consequences of these practices. Motivated by his firm belief in privacy as a fundamental human right, he decides to leak classified documents to the public.

The book bravely delves into the personal sacrifices and struggles Snowden faces as he goes on the run, leaving behind his family, friends, and a comfortable life to seek refuge in Hong Kong and later in Russia. He exposes the lengths governments will go to silence dissent and the complex legal battles that follow his revelations.

"Permanent Record" serves as a powerful cautionary tale, highlighting the urgent need for transparency and accountability in a digital age where personal information is constantly under surveillance. A testament to one individual's commitment to truth, this memoir challenges readers to question the balance between privacy and security and encourages them to reevaluate their own ideas of liberty and democracy.

In this intimate and thought-provoking narrative, Snowden, a deeply principled whistleblower, pulls back the curtain on the pervasive reach of government surveillance while urging readers to demand greater respect for privacy and fundamental human rights.

Explore More Books

See All
How To Avoid a Climate Disaster
The Inimitable Jeeves
The Blank Slate
Fortitude
Blueprint
The Language Instinct
Life on the Edge
What If?
Edison
Tribe of Mentors
Diet for a Small Planet
Linchpin
The Box
Who Am I
Learn or Die
Command
East of Eden
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Am I Being Too Subtle?
Experimental Man
Empire of the Summer Moon
7 Powers
The Success Equation
Information
The Company
The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing
The Choice
The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership
Confessions of a Philosopher
All Out War
Swarm Troopers
Dying Every Day: Seneca at the Court of Nero
Turn the Ship Around!
Don't Shoot the Dog!
Acid Test
A Short History of Nearly Everything
Keeping At It
Continental Reckoning
National Economic Planning
Holistic Management
Lost in Shangri-La
Stuff Matters
Beyond Entrepreneurship
A History of Western Technology
The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World
Cognitive Surplus
Status Anxiety
Old Man and the Sea
The Third Chimpanzee
The Road to Character
Play Anything
Stalingrad
You Can Be a Stock Market Genius
Crash Proof 2.0
Believe In People
The Friction Project
The Venture Mindset
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
The Social Animal
Twilight of the Bombs
Take On The Street
Getting Real
Daughter of the Heartland
Eat a Peach
The Robber Barons
Manias, Panics, and Crashes
Malabar Farm
The Only Game In Town
Elon Musk
The Little Book of Common Sense Investing
The E-Myth Revisited
Portfolios of the Poor
The Blazing World
Into The Silence
Built from Scratch
Savage Son
Oscar
The Alchemist
Consolations
The Diversity Myth
Little Fires Everywhere
The Art of Stillness
Ishmael
I Want To Be A Mathematician
1984
Boom
Prof. Arnold Ehret's Mucusless Diet Healing System
Atomic Habits
Connectography
The Power of Relentless
The Story of Civilization: The Age of Faith
The Farming Ladder
The Half-Life of Facts
Paper Lion
Tao Te Ching
Viral Loop
The Alliance
Pebbles of Perception
The Real Crash