Welcome to Litsy!

Loved. Such a unique book. Such a creative winding through modern internet and government ties. Just really covers so much. Disturbing reminder of US interference in the middle east post (and pre) 9/11.

The book is interesting and readable but the organization is so confusing. It‘s like a hodge podge of individuals that got on the wrong side of the Us government. No one story is really fleshed out with a beginning to end. It‘s like the author gets bored with one story and moves on to the next.

I am perplexed by the NYT picking this as one of 2023‘s 10 best books. The subtitle is wildly inaccurate, the organization of the book is clunky, and it‘s largely a brief biography of Reality Winner. While there are some compelling bits in it, overall I thought it was not well done.

A great listen (audio format), but prepared to be disturbed.
This book is about surveillance, particularly by the US government and the fallout when those working in the intelligence sector become “whistleblowers”, focusing heavily on Reality Winner. There‘s also a significant dive into the US‘s use of torture techniques following 9/11 when the country had an “anything goes” mentality. (Still does?) Touches on QAnon and other conspiracies.

A fascinating, thoughtful, careful, often infuriating look at the world of surveillance, leaks, and the politicization of information in the US. Mind bending and Kafka-esque.

"The radical transparency we have accepted, step by step, these past years, is a bet we have made: that we and the people with the guns and cages will stay on good terms."

This book was so much more than I expected. Howley writes (and teaches) narrative nonfiction and this is an excellent example of that art form. It‘s an examination of privacy, secrecy, and (in)justice in our modern world. By the time the title‘s meaning punches you in the gut, you‘ll be long hooked by this book‘s power. 🛜 🥊