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Product Description
Review
'A behind-the-scenes adrenalin rush of secret meetings, encrypted websites [and] passwords written on hotel napkins'
--Metro
'[A] very detailed, highly readable and, yes, rather racy volume. It is a fascinating and forensic analysis' --Tribune
--Metro
'[A] very detailed, highly readable and, yes, rather racy volume. It is a fascinating and forensic analysis' --Tribune
Book Description
The first inside and in-depth account of WikiLeaks
Inside This Book
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I don't agree that this book reads like sleazy tabloid journalism; it's better written than that and it has more integrity, just.
Sure, it's a shameless cash-in on the part of the Guardian, and it's dramatised to such an extent that it reads like a bad novel in places.
But...
It's an easy, entertaining read and if you tackle it with your eyes firmly open to its partisan position, some interesting background information can be teased out.
The Wikileaks `drama' raises some big questions which don't have easy answers. If you're interested in those questions and want your opinion to be as informed as possible, then this is worth picking up. You just have to take it with a healthy dose of cynicism.
Sure, it's a shameless cash-in on the part of the Guardian, and it's dramatised to such an extent that it reads like a bad novel in places.
But...
It's an easy, entertaining read and if you tackle it with your eyes firmly open to its partisan position, some interesting background information can be teased out.
The Wikileaks `drama' raises some big questions which don't have easy answers. If you're interested in those questions and want your opinion to be as informed as possible, then this is worth picking up. You just have to take it with a healthy dose of cynicism.
35 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As a member of the public who is following the Wikileaks drama (disinterested, but not dispassionate), I would like to say a few words about The Guardian journalists writings on Assange.
What one notices immediately is the general tone of these writings, not only devoid of any sympathy for the subject, but frankly bilious. Leaving you with an unpleasant taste in your mouth, this tone makes you slightly suspicious as for the authors' motivations and impartiality. It would also disappoint anyone hoping to get an insight into the "enigmatic" Wikileak's founder's human qualities. In fact, the way Julian Assange is presented throughout the book is not as a human at all, but rather as some exotic animal who needs to be constantly "managed" (and is now caged and can be poked at safely). Those few little human interest details about his childhood and youth included in the book can be easily searched for on the Internet (where the authors probably found them).
More than characterising its subject, this book characterises the media world. You do not get any sense of gratitude or recognition from The Guardian for Wikileaks giving it the biggest news stories of the last few decades, on a scale unimaginable to the Guardian's team of "investigative journalists". (Taking on Jonathan Aitken is not quite the same as taking on the Pentagon and the US government). There is no gratitude either for Julian Assange's hard work in taking the physical risks and psychological pressure for getting those news stories out. There is no sense of solidarity with Wikileaks, the organisation that essentially is serving the same purpose as any good newspaper should serve: getting the truth out.
This book is in line with some of the Guardian's previous publications on Assange, such as the leaked details of the rape accusations, carefully selected for their graphic impact. As well as smacking badly of vindictiveness, that publication was well in line with the good old English tabloid media tradition of hypocritical voyeurism, where one is meant to shudder in horror ("Why, isn't this awful, dear?!") while indulging in minute investigation of someone's sexual (mis)behaviour. The editors' claims that it was the paper's duty to publish such material once it came into their hands is risible and will not deceive anyone.
No doubt I am being naïve here, but I cannot help but cringe at the violation of one of the basic school playground rules of fair play: you don't kick your mate when he is down. Not even a former mate.
What one notices immediately is the general tone of these writings, not only devoid of any sympathy for the subject, but frankly bilious. Leaving you with an unpleasant taste in your mouth, this tone makes you slightly suspicious as for the authors' motivations and impartiality. It would also disappoint anyone hoping to get an insight into the "enigmatic" Wikileak's founder's human qualities. In fact, the way Julian Assange is presented throughout the book is not as a human at all, but rather as some exotic animal who needs to be constantly "managed" (and is now caged and can be poked at safely). Those few little human interest details about his childhood and youth included in the book can be easily searched for on the Internet (where the authors probably found them).
More than characterising its subject, this book characterises the media world. You do not get any sense of gratitude or recognition from The Guardian for Wikileaks giving it the biggest news stories of the last few decades, on a scale unimaginable to the Guardian's team of "investigative journalists". (Taking on Jonathan Aitken is not quite the same as taking on the Pentagon and the US government). There is no gratitude either for Julian Assange's hard work in taking the physical risks and psychological pressure for getting those news stories out. There is no sense of solidarity with Wikileaks, the organisation that essentially is serving the same purpose as any good newspaper should serve: getting the truth out.
This book is in line with some of the Guardian's previous publications on Assange, such as the leaked details of the rape accusations, carefully selected for their graphic impact. As well as smacking badly of vindictiveness, that publication was well in line with the good old English tabloid media tradition of hypocritical voyeurism, where one is meant to shudder in horror ("Why, isn't this awful, dear?!") while indulging in minute investigation of someone's sexual (mis)behaviour. The editors' claims that it was the paper's duty to publish such material once it came into their hands is risible and will not deceive anyone.
No doubt I am being naïve here, but I cannot help but cringe at the violation of one of the basic school playground rules of fair play: you don't kick your mate when he is down. Not even a former mate.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book lays out the story behind the founding of Wikileaks well but without stating the true underlying philosophy. He author appears more concerned with demonizing Julian Assange than analyzing his motives. This is obviously just a way to cash in on the Wikileaks saga, and I accept that, but this book seems to accomplish nothing other than state sensationalist quotes and anecdotes. This book is terrible.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
wikileaks:Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy
sleazy, self serving book. mundane gossip, not much info about the actual leaks themselves more about the authors and their opinion of assange. Read more
Published 8 months ago by japand
Wikihypocrisy
This is a self-congratulatory book by two Guardian journalists about the biggest leak of confidential government information in history brought about by two oddballs, an Australian... Read more
Published 8 months ago by John Fitzpatrick
Awful
Tragically written and lime light grabbing on Leigh's part. Like many of the Assange articles I have read from this source, its as if the author thinks its about him and not the... Read more
Published 8 months ago by readthisonetoo
Premature, biased and self-serving
As you would expect from a Guardian reporter, this book is quite well written. It also contains some interesting facts and anecdotes which shed some light on the whole WikiLeaks... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Christopher
WikiLeaks - an unfinished story....
This book reads like fiction as it details the remarkable story of WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Wynne Kelly
Plenty laughing out loud fictions
Hello! Here in Smolensk butcher shop we plenty big fan of "Tool Hand Luke" Harding, Guardian journalist, fantasist and keen amateur pole dancer. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Konnolsky
Article by Christopher Hitchens was better
I got more information about this topic from a short article by Christopher Hitchens published in Slate magazine than I think I got from this book. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Jon Gibson Mcgill
Cracking read
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and well done to the authors for getting it out so quickly. It was particularly interesting to read of how the various rival newspapers worked... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Cath Urquhart
Assange Analysed From Guardians Point Of View
This book is written by the Guardian reporters who had the most contact with Julian Assange. They even put him up on occasion. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Edsopinion.com
Wikileaks - Outstanding
'WikiLeaks' by David Leigh and Luke Harding is an astonishing piece of writing. It combines the depth of a research work with the immediacy of journalism. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Christopher Mulvey
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