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  • Permanent Record

  • Written by: Edward Snowden
  • Narrated by: Holter Graham
  • Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (989 ratings)

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Permanent Record

Written by: Edward Snowden
Narrated by: Holter Graham
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Publisher's Summary

An NPR Best Book of the Year - 2019

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, 29-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.

©2019 Edward Snowden (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

What listeners say about Permanent Record

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Great behind the scene story

I loved the genesis story of Edward Snowden. We're about the same age and our lives are quite similar in many ways. Hi act of bravery was to tell the world about digital spying and mine was to rescue my children from my ultra-militant Christian wife and mother of 3, who ended up dying for her faith while having a treatable cancer while living 25 minutes away from free top-tier cancer facility.

Loved the book and it might have impressed on me to write my story.

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Superb

Rarely finish autobiographies but finished this one! Great look at the values that define a person and their actions!

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a must read

this behind the scenes look at the details and happenings outside of the movie is a gift to the reader. I followed along intently. Listening to the story of a normal human being, willing to die for his country for the right reasons and being betrayed by them is heartbreaking. it answers the question definitively.. he is your everyday hero. what happened and what will happen in the new landscape of spying.. is all because of you. you have at least made everyone aware of the irrefutable fact that there is no such thing as a private conversation.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Good Listen

I just hope Ed gets a few bucks from each sale, as I believe the State Dept is suing to get the proceeds. #Hero

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Food for Thought

This was surprisingly well written and provided much to think about. I'm reminded that democracy like a good marriage is worth fighting for.

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I recommend this book...

I learned a lot about the history of the internet, as well as things I did not understand about what it means to use the internet and technology, in the past and no doubt currently. Edward Snowden I feel should be listened to and believed. Also his personal story, not just his previous career is interesting and gives a clear picture of who he is personally. We all have a right to understand the reality of technology that is necessary in our everyday lives, decide for yourself but regardless of what you choose to believe it’s a worthwhile read/listen, and in my opinion should not be missed by anyone with internet access of any kind. PS my name is Damon Robert Anderson, and I wish you well Edward.

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Interesting yet somewhat anecdotal

I bought the book because even if I had read some of the press coverage when the story broke out, I wanted to have a deeper understanding of the revelations he had made. In that regard, the book fulfilled its purpose. Also, it is undeniably interesting to get his story first hand and to have access to his state of mind and rationale at the time of the events. Along the way, he takes the time to explain the more technologic aspects with perfect clarity. He is a very skilled vulgarizer. and his approach didactic yet colorful makes his recollections even more compelling.

However, I have to admit that the book wasn't entirely what I had hoped for. I thought it would be more insightful and that he would be offering some sort of critique since the political and social issues in play interest me a lot more than details of his personal life. I knew these were his memoir yet I did not expect his biography per se, going back to his childhood. But in the end, I didn't mind it since my curiosity was piqued even if some parts of it veered towards the anecdotal,

Performance-wise, I only have praise for the narrator. Of course, if Snowden had read it, the story would only have been even more engaging. Nevertheless, in all truth, the actor gives a very convincing performance. Throughout the book, I kept forgetting that the voice I heard wasn't Snowden's. Nicely done.

If you wish to widen your scope and observe more closely some of the issues brought to light by Snowden's memoir, you should read "The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power" by Shoshana Zuboff. In her study, Zuboff details the challenges we face posed by the digital future, the quest by the corporations to predict and control our behavior and the emergence in the twenty-first century of a new form of power she calls "surveillance capitalism."

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Epic Story from the Source

On top of the Bio, really well thought perspectives and lessons to be learned. Highly recommend this.

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Highly recommend

Amazing book! The storyline is incredible and I enjoyed learning about it. Highly recommend to anyone

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Insightful

I had bought this book hoping it would give me some insight into why someone would be willing to scarf ice everything to become a Whistle blower. This book delivers that it gives me an appreciation for what Edward did what he did and the consequences he now suffers because of them. In a world where privacy is of increasing concern its a must read.

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