Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
How Safe Are We?  By  cover art

How Safe Are We?

By: Janet Napolitano, Karen Breslau
Narrated by: Caitlin Davies, Janet Napolitano
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.49

Buy for $19.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Former secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano offers an insightful analysis of American security at home and a prescription for the future.

Created in the wake of the greatest tragedy to occur on US soil, the Department of Homeland Security was handed a sweeping mandate: make America safer. It would encompass intelligence and law-enforcement agencies, oversee natural disasters, commercial aviation, border security and ICE, cybersecurity, and terrorism, among others. From 2009-2013, Janet Napolitano ran DHS and oversaw 22 federal agencies with 230,000 employees.

In How Safe Are We?, Napolitano pulls no punches, reckoning with the critics who call it Frankenstein's Monster of government run amok and taking a hard look at the challenges we'll be facing in the future. But ultimately, she argues that the huge, multifaceted department is vital to our nation's security. An agency that's part terrorism prevention, part intelligence agency, part law enforcement, public safety, and disaster recovery makes for an odd combination for the protocol-driven, tradition-bound Washington, DC, culture. But, she says, it has made us more safe, secure, and resilient.

Napolitano not only answers the titular question but grapples with how these security efforts have changed our country and society. Where are the failures that leave us vulnerable, and what has our trillion-dollar investment yielded over the last 15 years? And why haven't we had another massive terrorist attack in the US since September 11, 2001?

In our current political climate, where Donald Trump has politicized nearly every aspect of the department, Napolitano's clarifying, bold vision is needed now more than ever.

©2019 Janet Napolitano (P)2019 Hachette Audio
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"This valuable work should appeal to readers with cool heads about national security, who will appreciate Napolitano's suggestion to evaluate risk based on data rather than rhetoric."—Publishers Weekly

"A measured, thoughtful analysis... A clear-eyed, rational examination of a government office that plays a key and often misunderstood role in the lives of all Americans."—KirkusReviews

"This succinct and insightful book should be widely read-whether by the expert practitioner or average citizen. It is an enlightening report card on the whole range of national challenges which come under the broad rubric of homeland security, including critiques of the current administration's approach. Janet Napolitano knows what she's talking about; unlike so many pontificators on this subject today, she's lived the issue. She is the consummate public servant and she has contributed to her distinguished record of accomplishment with this superb volume."—James Clapper, former Director of National Intelligence

What listeners say about How Safe Are We?

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    13
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    13
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Who can give me my money/credit back?

There were a lot of words but didn't say anything. She said that is you advocate for local or state government instead of federal government you can be seen as right wing extremist. WTF?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful