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
The Course of Love
Battlegrounds
The Immateriality of the Material
The Rise of the Rest
Ask The Dust
Ready Player One
American Exceptionalism
The Professor in the Cage
Epic Measures
What's Our Problem?
Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Guns, Germs, and Steel
Thinking and Deciding
Sun Rises in the Evening
Win Your Inner Battles
The Statistical Mechanics of Financial Markets
René Girard's Mimetic Theory
The 10,000 Year Explosion
The Big Short
The Coaching Habit
Setting The Table
Tragedy and Hope
Musashi
The World We Have Lost
The Columbian Exchange
Idoru
Adult Children of Alcoholics
Mathematician's Delight
Exhalation
The Lessons of History
I am Benjamin Franklin
The Bias That Divides Us
Thinking In Bets
A Life
A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things
Cold Calling Techniques
Limitless
The Idealist
The Politics Industry
Triggered
The Moment of Lift
Man's Search for Meaning
Things Never To Tell Children
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant
Turtles All The Way Down
Mountains Beyond Mountains
Powernomics
The Madness of Crowds
Spiritual Warfare
Imaginable
Accidental Presidents
A Father First
The Making of the President 1960
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Tomorrow's Table
Whole Earth Discipline
The Paris Architect
Boom
The Power of Habit
Essays and Lectures
Natural Born Heroes
Diaminds
Algorithms to Live By
Fast Food Nation
The Last Days of Night
Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment
War Nerd
Talking to Strangers
Eating to Extinction
American Prison
The Warrior Ethos
The Jungle Grows Back
The Hustler
String Theory
The Big Test
Where Wizards Stay Up Late
Life After Power
Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius
A World-Class Education
Soon I Will Be Invincible
Insanely Simple
The Little Book of Investing Like the Pros
The Forgotten Man
At Play in the Fields of the Lord
The Eden Project
The Art of Seduction
I, Robot
Prelude to Foundation
Business Adventures
How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
Meditations
Rise of the Dungeon Master
Dealing with Darwin
Play Anything
One Up
Mindfulness in Plain English
Cradle to Cradle
History Has Begun
We Were Soldiers Once... And Young
Undaunted Courage