How America Lost Its Secrets: Edward Snowden, the Man and the Theft

No data theft in history comes close to what Edward Snowden walked away with in 2013, revealing a program of government infiltration, data gathering, and spying unlike anything the world had ever seen. And by the time people had processed this information, Snowden was in Russia, and we were left with so many questions.

How America Lost Its Secrets is, thus far, the most complete attempt to unravel why Snowden did what he did, how, and the aftermath. It’s a monumental undertaking, and although Epstein seems biased against the whistleblower mythology of Snowden, he does an admirable job of presenting all the facts and allowing the reader to make up his or her mind.

The book offers a thorough breakdown of Snowden’s life and actions up to and after the theft, including hard questions we don’t have answers to. It acknowledges the role Snowden played in uncovering government deceptions, but it doesn’t shy away from the devastating ramifications of Snowden’s actions. It reveals a man of contradictions, one who seeks to play a role he might not be ready for.

How America Lost Its Secrets doesn’t have all the answers, but it might be as close as we ever get.