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4.31 AVERAGE
4.31 AVERAGE
First off, Ed (I call him "Ed" because that's what he seems to prefer) is a phenomenal writer and found a fantastic editor. This bio reads like a movie and flowed perfectly.
Of course, Permanent Record starts at the beginning. In the early 80s, as a child, Ed discovers video game consoles and soon thereafter, computers. Instantly, he's enamored. He talks of dial-up and meeting people on BBSes (BBSes were fairly niche back in the late 80s and early 90s) and forums- which is a total throwback for me. Here in these forums, he learns the importance of anonymity and finds that he has a voracious appetite for learning how all of this new tech works. This appetite follows him into adulthood.
Permanent Record is so well written that I didn't notice that the "juicy bits" don't come until the 3rd and final part of the book. I'll spare the details, because you should have an idea of what happened, but probably not the how or the why. I mean, his actions were all over every news outlet around the world. It is Through Permanent Record that Ed humanizes himself. Up until now, I just saw him through the lens of the media. No connection, really. Mad respect, yes. But he was just a dude who has to hide for exposing the deceit, corruption, the blatant illegal actions, and total disregard for the basic human right to privacy of the United States government. What he discovers is disturbing and sickening.
If you have just a passing curiosity or if you're of the "I have nothing to hide and don't care that the government spies on EVERYTHING" mentality, Permanent Record will enlighten you for sure. Well done, Ed and please keep writing!
#PermanentRecord
Of course, Permanent Record starts at the beginning. In the early 80s, as a child, Ed discovers video game consoles and soon thereafter, computers. Instantly, he's enamored. He talks of dial-up and meeting people on BBSes (BBSes were fairly niche back in the late 80s and early 90s) and forums- which is a total throwback for me. Here in these forums, he learns the importance of anonymity and finds that he has a voracious appetite for learning how all of this new tech works. This appetite follows him into adulthood.
Permanent Record is so well written that I didn't notice that the "juicy bits" don't come until the 3rd and final part of the book. I'll spare the details, because you should have an idea of what happened, but probably not the how or the why. I mean, his actions were all over every news outlet around the world. It is Through Permanent Record that Ed humanizes himself. Up until now, I just saw him through the lens of the media. No connection, really. Mad respect, yes. But he was just a dude who has to hide for exposing the deceit, corruption, the blatant illegal actions, and total disregard for the basic human right to privacy of the United States government. What he discovers is disturbing and sickening.
If you have just a passing curiosity or if you're of the "I have nothing to hide and don't care that the government spies on EVERYTHING" mentality, Permanent Record will enlighten you for sure. Well done, Ed and please keep writing!
#PermanentRecord
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
This was an intriguing read and insightful. Only Snowden could accurately portray his story from his point of view. This goes well beyond the headlines in the news.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
It was insightful but also really scary knowing how much someone like the government could learn about you. Its funny knowing that when governments collect mass data and stuff they aren't actually going through like your texts and things but rather just looking at trends and things cause like as long as you aren't doing anything suspicious, you're irrelevant, but the thing is they COULD. like that's why they have all this data, all your texts, photos, search history and even this goodreads review. So apparently they can keep all this data in case one day they needed to blackmail you or stalk you down one day which is creepy but also impressive. In a bad way of course.
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Let me start by saying: Edward Snowden is the hero we didn’t deserve but definitely needed. The fact that he risked his life, freedom, and reputation to expose the truth is incredible, and this book gives you an up-close-and-personal look at the man behind the headlines. Spoiler: he’s not the villain the media wants you to believe he is.
Snowden’s writing is straightforward but compelling, which makes sense because his story doesn’t need extra fluff. What really struck me was how relatable he is. His love for computers, the internet, and tech? Same. The way he describes growing up during the dawn of the digital age? So nostalgic, it hurt a little. He captures that magic of early online exploration that I think a lot of us miss—before the algorithms and corporations took over.
But the book isn’t just about his childhood or tech nerd nostalgia. It’s a warning—a deeply personal one—about privacy, government surveillance, and how much we’ve willingly (or unknowingly) given away. And yet, it never feels preachy. Snowden lays out the facts and lets you connect the dots.
On a personal level, I couldn’t help but feel a little wistful reading about the support he had for his love of tech. That’s not something everyone gets, and it makes his story even more powerful—he used that foundation to fight for something bigger than himself.
Whether you agree with his choices or not, this book is a must-read. It’s gripping, thought-provoking, and, at times, a little gut-wrenching. If you care about your digital rights or just love a well-told story, pick this one up.
3.5 stars. In the interests of full disclosure, I 'read' this book as an audiobook through Audible. I don't think it had much of an impact on my perception of the book.
I really didn't have any expectations when I started this book, as it was a selection my boyfriend made for a roadtrip-I was simply along for the ride. Literally. I didn't have a very high opinion of Mr. Snowden from news coverage of this historical event. This was certainly an interesting read, far more interesting than I was expecting.
This book does an admirable job of presenting a complete picture of Edward Snowden, including his early history, as well as his motives for what he did. This gave me a new perspective, though I wish there was more wrap-up of his story (though, given the timing, that's not possible). This book was complete, illuminating, entertaining and gave me a new perspective on something I had thought I already made my mind about.
I recommend this book to everybody-it's not too technical, and should be understood by as many people as possible.
I really didn't have any expectations when I started this book, as it was a selection my boyfriend made for a roadtrip-I was simply along for the ride. Literally. I didn't have a very high opinion of Mr. Snowden from news coverage of this historical event. This was certainly an interesting read, far more interesting than I was expecting.
This book does an admirable job of presenting a complete picture of Edward Snowden, including his early history, as well as his motives for what he did. This gave me a new perspective, though I wish there was more wrap-up of his story (though, given the timing, that's not possible). This book was complete, illuminating, entertaining and gave me a new perspective on something I had thought I already made my mind about.
I recommend this book to everybody-it's not too technical, and should be understood by as many people as possible.
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced