No Place to Hide

Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the U.S. Surveillance State

By: Glenn Greenwald

Narrated by: L. J. Ganser

In May 2013, Glenn Greenwald set out for Hong Kong to meet an anonymous source who claimed to have astonishing evidence of pervasive government spying and insisted on communicating only through heavily encrypted channels. That source turned out to be the 29-year-old NSA contractor Edward Snowden, and his revelations about the agency’s widespread, systemic overreach proved to be some of the most explosive and consequential news in recent history, triggering a fierce debate over national security and information privacy. As the arguments rage on and the government considers various proposals for reform, it is clear that we have yet to see the full impact of Snowden’s disclosures.

Now for the first time, Greenwald fits all the pieces together, recounting his high-intensity 10-day trip to Hong Kong, examining the broader implications of the surveillance detailed in his reporting for The Guardian, and revealing fresh information on the NSA’s unprecedented abuse of power with never-before-seen documents entrusted to him by Snowden himself. Going beyond NSA specifics, Greenwald also takes on the establishment media, excoriating their habitual avoidance of adversarial reporting on the government and their failure to serve the interests of the people. Finally, he asks what it means both for individuals and for a nation’s political health when a government pries so invasively into the private lives of its citizens - and considers what safeguards and forms of oversight are necessary to protect democracy in the digital age.

Coming at a landmark moment in American history, No Place to Hide is a fearless, incisive, and essential contribution to our understanding of the U.S. surveillance state.

Download the accompanying reference guide.©2014 Glenn Greenwald (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Not what I was expecting

I wanted to hear the back story of Edward Snowden. I wanted to hear about his life before, during, and after his disclosures. Snowden is discussed in the 1st quarter of the book but even this is superficial. The rest of the book discusses privacy and the NSA documents. I found this repetitive and boring. I also felt that Glenn Greenwald painted himself very favorably and so, to me, this book rang a little self serving and preachy.

powerful

What did you love best about No Place to Hide?

Informative. Makes you want to live off the grid.

What does L. J. Ganser bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Smooth narration

Any additional comments?

"In questions of power then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution." 
-Thomas Jefferson

True Journalism

Every American needs to read/listen to this book to have an understanding of just who and why Ed Snowden did what he did. Glenn Greenwald reveals the face of journalism today and how freedom and transparency have been lost at the hands of our governments.

Eye opening

Excellent story and very well written. Audio is not the best presentation format for the middle third of the book.

Fantastic! terrifying, compelling, heartrending

The government spying programs that Edward Snowden wanted us to know about are truly terrifying. A gov't spokesperson admits that collecting every bit of electronic info generated in the world is really giving them too much material to effectively search for terrorist clues. One is left with the terrifying thought....'Then, WHY?? If not 'national security', then why??'
Snowden and the journalists helping him publish the documents he took are heroes to me. It breaks my heart to see them treated like criminals. It breaks my heart to think that my government is lying to, spying on, cheating, and punishing its own citizens just like any cheesy banana republic would do. So much for 'my' president, Barack Obama. I will never trust another politician, not if it was my own mother.
This book is impossible to put down. Impossible to listen to without wanting to punch something, or scream! See the documentary described in this book, "Citizen Four". Stunning, and up for an Oscar nomination.

Critical read

Fully loaded with relevant information to understand the system. I would have liked to here glen voice

rare modern day heros working together for justice

loved the story and the players. It had always been said that you can run but not hide but this is a very different fix on the theme and not a very favorable one as for as our government is concerned.

good read

good read and fantastic background and lead up to the disclosure. although somewhat self congratulated in his writing

Enjoyable and informative

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The first half the book is really thrilling. Mr. Greenwald gets a little bogged down in the documents 2/3 of the way through and lost me a bit, and I think hearing the documents as opposed to reading them didn't help, but overall I was totally captivated. It was a great follow up to "Citizenfour" the Laura Poitrus movie. I saw the film and wanted more info and this was the perfect companion. I think every senior in high school should read this book so they understand what reporting is about and how not to trust blindly.

Revealing!!

Tremendous book About the power of ones courage and convictions against over whelming power. Snowden is a true hero and needs to be free!