Edward Snowden and the NSA – there has been no more riveting or consequential story in recent years. Much of the coverage has been reflexive and tendentious. In the June–July issue of ABR, James Der Derian reviews four books on the subject, including Luke Harding and Glenn Greenwald’s accounts of Snowden’s defection. Also, Neal Blewett reviews Bob Carr’s controversial diaries, and adds a twist of his own. Other contributors include Sheila Fitzpatrick, Bill Gammage, Jennifer Maiden, Richard Toye – and ABR Roving Blogger Fiona Gruber.
June–July 2014 no. 362
Tony Birch reviews Chris Flynn
Tony Birch
The Glass Kingdom offers readers a wild ride through a world of misfits, meth, and the shadowy recesses of society. More
The LRB of life writing
Ann-Marie Priest
Anne-Marie Priest finds much to enjoy in LRB's new anthology of life writing (Hilary Mantel, Andrew O'Hagan et al.), but wonders about the elastic definition of what constitutes a memoir. More
James Der Derian on Edward Snowden and cyber-zombies
James Der Derian
Cyber-security expert James Der Derian reviews several books about Edward Snowden and his audacious revelations about US surveillance excesses and their implications for all private citizens. More
Neal Blewett reviews Bob Carr
Neal Blewett
Where Neal Blewett - another notable political diarist - wonders if Bob Carr recieved 'an epistle from on high' when he published his diaries, as happened to Blewett in the 1990s More
