Permanent Record

Throughout the book, Edward Snowden alludes to previous whistleblowers. What is the purpose of placing himself into this historical context? How does the way he goes about blowing the whistle mimic or differ from their methods?

To what extent did the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center affect Snowden as a person? How did he react in their aftermath? How did the intelligence community react, and how did their reaction lead to the birth of mass surveillance? How did the attacks affect the American people and influence them to trade individual freedom for the security blanket of surveillance?

Snowden was raised in the Beltway—the area around Washington D.C.—and his parents worked with the U.S. government. How did his experience of public service differ from theirs?