Best Read in Print Format

What did you like best about No Place to Hide? What did you like least?

I liked the inside look at the NSA revelations and feel that this is a great book, on the whole. However, the preponderance of NSA documents that are included, verbatim, in the text makes the audiobook suffer significantly. I don't know how many times I heard the phrase "REL to USA, NO FORN" or "TS/SCI". While I recognize that the documents themselves are an important part of the story Greenwald is telling, I think that such a format lends itself better to being read in print rather than having dozens and dozens of memos narrated to you.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The first third of the book wherein Greenwald describes initially meeting Snowden and the events that led up to the NSA revelations.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

I think the narrator did a fine job and I was happy with his performance.

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44 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Excellent! Engaging, thoughtful, and illuminating

This is a very well-written book, that works well as an audiobook as well because of its fast pace and engaging material. I followed the NSA revelations closely, but this book gives more depth and context. It's as much a book about the fragile state of journalism as it is about the pervasiveness of surveillance. A no-brainer for a download, and one of the five-star audiobooks that also justify a print version in my home library.

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30 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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.

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22 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Doesn't translate well to audiobook format.

What did you like best about No Place to Hide? What did you like least?

When he's not talking about the NSA, this is a book by Glenn Greenwald about Glenn Greenwald. It makes all the mentions of Mr. Snowden very interesting, as the juxtaposition between Mr. Greenwald writing about himself and his own flaws and Mr. Greenwald writing about Mr. Snowden creates an image of "Snowden as savior." I'm not saying this negatively, as I respect Mr. Snowden. This Snowden as savior theme kept running through my head while I was listening to the first chapter, and I am very curious if Mr. Greenwald's focus on himself amps the savior image.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

I feel like this is sighted privilege, but much of the book doesn't seem to be written to be read out loud. The author starts backing up his claims with block quotes starting in the middle of chapter 2. These block quotes are full of acronyms and the way they are interspersed with the text break the flow of narration. It's something that I would happily have in front of me, but is pretty difficult to follow on your car stereo. That said, this is more of a problem with the text and the way it can be performed than the narrator himself.

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21 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Agree or Disagree, Everyone Should Read This

This book begins like a mystery novel and expands into a wide ranging expose of the NSA documents disclosed by Edward Snowden. It then concludes with an expansive analysis and critique of the NSA, government officials, and, especially, the mainstream media.

I began this book with few preconceptions where it would lead. I was highly disturbed by revelations regarding the NSA, but also cognizant of the real danger posed by terrorism.

One thing that comes through from the outset is Snowden's sincere belief in what he did and his courage. As Greenwald points out repeatedly, Snowden made no effort to conceal his involvement and knew that doing so would almost certainly ruin his previously comfortable life.

The revelations regarding the NSA and the prior deception regarding the scope of its program--and the rather complete lack of meaningful oversight--are highly disturbing. Why does the NSA believe it needs to "collect everything" instead of using a targeted approach focusing on likely sources of danger?

Greenwald is at his best in making the case against mass surveillance. As he points out persuasively, people modify their behavior just by the threat of surveillance, and mass surveillance is the antithesis of a free society as history should have already taught us time and again.

Greenwald also makes impressive indictments against politicians who regularly and reflexively defend surveillance no matter how absurdly broad and unfocused it may be. And the Constitution gets lost in the wringer of life inside the Beltway.

Greenwald also swings for the fences and delivers in his indictment of the mainstream media. The mainstream media consist of lapdogs, pliantly doing the bidding of politicians. As Greenwald points out, the Obama Administration has not only carried on the Bush era programs, but has expanded them, with rarely an eyebrow raised in the media, especially a fawning media that (until recently at least) was willing to swallow and parrot whatever drivel the Administration chose to peddle.

Greenwald gets off target, in my judgment, in criticizing the NSA for studying the economic interests of foreign nations and industries in foreign nations. Of course the NSA (and the State Department) need to be fully aware of the such interests, as they often define policy interests and drive foreign policy decisions. This is far different than spying on all Americans.

Greenwald also, in my judgment, loses momentum in minimizing the threat posed by terrorism, particularly violent Islamic terrorism. While it may be true that a person (at least to date) is more likely to die of a lightning strike than in a terrorist attack, Greenwald ignores the damage that, for example, the 9/11 attacks did to the U.S. economy and our way of life. The reality is that it made a big difference. Greenwald's argument also pales--if not seems somewhat naive--in light of ISIS and other powder kegs around the world.

So perhaps Greenwald overstates in a few instances and gets off track in others. That does not detract from the importance of this book and the importance of what Snowden--with the help of Greenwald--revealed about what our government is doing to us.

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21 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

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

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21 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Exhilarating, infuriating, cannot stop listening

Would you consider the audio edition of No Place to Hide to be better than the print version?

I have not read the print version

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Mr. Greenwald and Mr. Ganser have perfectly captured how unreal the experience of meeting Snowden felt. It really feels like you're listening to a fictional spy story and when it's all true it sends shivers through your spine.

Have you listened to any of L. J. Ganser’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not. This one was excellent though.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I have been aware of these type of things being done by the NSA for some years now and when the Snowden revelations started to surface in the mainstream media I felt relieved and vindicated. Now that I listen to this audiobook I just feel excited about the story and angry and frustrated about the details.

Any additional comments?

Better reserve some time because this audiobook won't let you go for hours.

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18 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

A MUST Read!! Snowden a HERO!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I've recommended this book to many! Can't put it down, Edward Snowden is no traitor, he is a People's Hero. Risking Life & Limb to expose what the Truth really is, and where the NSA is Secretly trying to pull! 'Collect Everything!" is the creed by the head of NSA, and it's not enemies, but Everyone world wide is being watched! True, and frightening.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The build-up by Greenwald going to Hong Kong, and finding out that the Truth was there, all 20,000+ pages!

Which scene was your favorite?

All of them- It's a cover to cover read!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

The Truth is Exposed. The Secret Ideations of the President(s) & N.S.A. to keep every American under control. No Safe Haven: NO WHERE TO HIDE!

Any additional comments?

A Great Adventure Story, but the Reality & Truth of it, will frighten every citizen world-wide! NEVER will listen to the Spin-meisters anymore!

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7 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Starts strong, but slows down fast

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Got bogged down in the details

Would you ever listen to anything by Glenn Greenwald again?

maybe

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

he's ok

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I really liked the idea of the story. It was very compelling to read the why and how about Edward Snowden.

Any additional comments?

This book started out strong. Obviously the author has his agenda, and he does not shy away from that. It was intriguing and insightful, but then it ran into so many details, especially as the narrator would read samples of the leaked documents. The redeeming thing was that I bought the book to listen to on a long flight, and I was literally put to sleep during that phase of the book. So, that was nice.

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7 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Starts great but turns into a sermon on privacy

This book is purportedly about the Edward Snowden story, and it starts out telling that story but it becomes something much different. The Snowden story is really interesting and feels like a real-life thriller. But 1/3 of the way through the book it devolves into the author's pontifications on privacy, government surveillance, and so forth. I got really tired of hearing him talk about it all. I stopped listening.

One other thing to be aware of: this is a hard book to listen to (as vs. read). The narrator does an excellent job, but a good part of the book is composed of excerpts of the documents Snowden stole, and it's painful to hear the narrator read all the little details, including all the arcane government acronyms and terms ("No Forn...Target, Five Is...Subject: DISA counter actions for XYZ). It will drive you batty.

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6 personnes ont trouvé cela utile