Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
Book review: Permanent Record: Whistle-blower Edward Snowden’s story.
From blowing bubbles to whistles, here’s how Edward Snowden found his conscience.
‘Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say…’ – Edward Snowden
IN 2013, at the age of 29, Edward Snowden shocked the world when he revealed that the American government was secretly embarking on a mission of mass surveillance against its own citizens. He exposed the underhanded tactics used by the American National Security Agency (NSA) who had been collecting every single email, phone call and text message without consent.
His new book, Permanent Record, isn’t about the need to expose government secrets, but rather what it means to stand up for your own beliefs, and in Snowden’s case, what he believed to be unequivocally wrong. Is it idealistic? Yes. Will it turn Snowden haters into fans? Maybe.
Snowden’s life story is a necessary and compelling read. About half the book tells the story of his upbringing while the other details every decision that brought him to that fateful revelation – this is where he begins to explain the mechanism behind the mass surveillance and his actions in bringing it to light. How did he help build the system and what exactly motivated him to try and bring it down?
It’s all programming, encryption and other related computer topics, but explained in a reader-friendly way, which keeps you riveted to the end. Even if you’re familiar with his story, Permanent Record is full of surprises, and Snowden is a captivating and engaging narrator throughout.
Permanent Record manages to be both evocative as well as entertaining yet a serious read, and regardless of your opinion of Snowden (and whether or not he is a hero or a traitor) it’s a well-written autobiography and highly readable book, told through the lens of one of the most important figures of recent history.