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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 (997 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
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What listeners say about Permanent Record

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  • Overall
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very entertaining and informative

great book would absolutely reccomend to anyone. Snowden is a surprisingly good writer and keeps you interested every chapter.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Nothing new

It's mostly his story so if you already know it or have seen him speak (find the youtube video of joe rogan and him) you wont get much out of this book. It's interesting though.

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Informative and interesting

Ever since the world has heard of Edward Snowden, many people like myself have wanted to hear the full story from his perspective. This book has great detail on the accounts of his involvement in the NSA. What lead him to work there, and what inspired Snowden to leak very informative secrets the US government, and other world governments have been keeping the globes population on our privacy and human rights.
I highly recommend this book.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

I wish it was longer, very good book

It would have been nice if there was a chapter about things we could do to help free ourselves, and limit the prying eye.

Help Ed !

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This was brilliant

Snowden is, obviously, an American hero, but also an excellent writer. Glad I read this.

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most heros don't wear capes.

this is an excellent and eye opening story peformed by a very talented narrator. id like to think that i would have this level of fortitude.

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Must Read

This story is sure to be marked in history. Thank you for everything you have done for us Mr. Snowden.

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Started off a little slow but got better

Congratulations! Just by reading this review, you are being watched.

The book is a good listen for those of Plebeian computer knowledge. It could be much more technical for those with decent networking skills but never gets there.

Still happy with the purchase.

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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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