Manning’s memoir is a rather depressing exploration of her radicalisation while an intelligence analyst for the US Army in Iraq leading to her leaking evidence of what America was actually doing in Iraq and Afghanistan to Wikileaks. It’s a clarion call for radical transparency as well as underscoring the damaging effects of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell on queer people in the hyper masculine environment of the military.
Chelsea tells her story with drive and intelligence and compassion. There is a lot of detail of the time in Forward Operating Base Hammer in Iraq, the documents leaked, the torture of solitary confinement, the details of the court-marshal, and her time in prison. Its a good look inside the government.
Des mémoires poignantes, qui m'ont un peu décontenancées car je m'attendais à ce que ce livre témoigne davantage des révélations faites par Chelsea (l'ayant découvert au sein de la catégorie Activisme du "Rayon numérique"), plutôt que toutes les épreuves qu'elle a traversé. Une lecture bien plus instructive, donc, sur l'acceptation, l'affirmation de soi et sur la transidentité, que sur les exactions commises par les États-Unis.
Quoi qu'il en soit, c'était une lecture prenante et passionnante.
A vivid, clear-eyed account of a series of lived experiences that nobody should have had to endure. As well as the story of her leaks and their aftermath, Chelsea discusses what it’s like to work in military intelligence in fascinating detail. This memoir is one of those historical documents that reveal so much about their era. More than that, and most importantly, it tells the truth. An important book written by a brave, fiercely intelligent, and fundamentally principled human being.
warts-and-all biography of a complicated figure, must-read for any 90s kid
4 stars
A clear-eyed, sometimes painfully straightforward accounting of Chealsea Mannings life.
Although everyone rewrites their past, you can feel the goal was to not hagiographise but rather an honest-as-possible accounting of the impacts of Don't Ask Don't Tell, the war on terror, and Mannings disillusion with the war.
Two stories in one book. One on the tough life as a transgender and the other on the tough as a prisoner of the US. Well written. It made me more aware of the struggle transgenders are facing, and of the cruelty of governments.
I think these kind of books often come off badly. They feel self serving, they feel like history rewriting, they feel, well, bad. This was none of that. It felt earnest and honest, the thrashing around of growing up. I highly recommend it.
Review of 'Untitled Chelsea Manning Memoir' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I was rather surprised that more people aren’t talking about this book, but whether that’s on the publishers or the public, I cannot say. I only heard of this from stumbling on a publicity event where Chelsea Manning was promoting the book in conversation with another. It was really cool to see her in person and also get to hear her talk about some of the experiences from the book, which she said isn’t really a memoir as such. It’s more of an expose on the defining events from her early life and what led her to where she is today—and importantly the events she is most famous for. During the leaks of the war logs, I was too young and politically inept to really concern myself with the details, though her name was vaguely familiar. This book doesn’t presume you know anything about what happened, but it does give …
I was rather surprised that more people aren’t talking about this book, but whether that’s on the publishers or the public, I cannot say. I only heard of this from stumbling on a publicity event where Chelsea Manning was promoting the book in conversation with another. It was really cool to see her in person and also get to hear her talk about some of the experiences from the book, which she said isn’t really a memoir as such. It’s more of an expose on the defining events from her early life and what led her to where she is today—and importantly the events she is most famous for. During the leaks of the war logs, I was too young and politically inept to really concern myself with the details, though her name was vaguely familiar. This book doesn’t presume you know anything about what happened, but it does give Manning a chance to defend her actions and explain her philosophy of transparency.
There are two major running themes here: that of abuse and poverty and what Manning has overcome to be in her current position, including having to fight for her identity, and the value and emphasis placed on government transparency above all (even such a highly noble cause as pacifism). Both may be preaching to the choir a bit, judging on some of the questions asked at the event’s Q&A session and some of the reviews on here. If you believe Manning leaked state secrets or caused irreparable harm to the country… then there isn’t a great compromise with Manning’s account, which categorically denies that this is the case. I’m much more sympathetic to her view, so it was easy for me to sympathize with her plight and confirm her philosophy.
The government should be more transparent, and Manning’s actions informed war policy for a lot of people in my generation and beyond in an invaluable way. That’s all I’ll say of my personal view on the matter. As for the book itself, it reads easily and captivated me. The start reads like a thriller, with Manning finding the single last Barnes & Noble cafe that is open and has wifi during an intense snowstorm on. The rest is perhaps less dramatized for effect but no less compelling. I was immediately drawn into her story of growing up in a rural, conservative town surrounded by family members who did not understand her or were downright violent towards her. Her zealousness for ensuring government transparency, and to make sure the truth prevails above all, was laudable. I’m not an activist and I don’t think it’s in my blood, but she even made me feel invigorated to try and participate in direct action.
Whether you agree with Manning’s decision or not, or even are skeptical, I think most people can agree that her conditions while imprisoned were condemnable. Before even having a chance to face trial, she was put in solitary confinement for almost a year, and then again later. Such a process is dehumanizing and, for Manning, almost fatal. Her experiences in the military also made it quite clear that its driven less by patriotism and more by a desire for upwards mobility by many of the downtrodden in the US who see no other recourse to improve their situation. It made me feel angry that the military’s legal processes were so horrific but also so incompetent in so many ways—especially when it came to matters of technological security. The security ‘measures’ on some of these things were truly laughable. I can only admire Manning for her curiosity and grit that served her well in being a great intelligence analyst as well as a great activist with the interests of the public at heart. This book is a great exploratory look at some of the ways even military and government officials can get basic things like computer security so wrong, and what needs fixing in this bureaucratic systems.
My only gripe with this book is mainly that the writing style felt a bit… repetitive at times. Manning’s style is succinct and to the point, perhaps a reflection of that military training. But it sometimes felt like I was reading her cover letter rather than her memoir: ‘my job consisted of…’ and similar. I would have also liked to see Manning engage more with the descriptions of her life—she does open up about her emotional responses in a few moments, but it would have been even better to see not only a description of her early life but more detail in her reflections on it.
I really hope more people hear about this book! There aren’t that many reviews on Goodreads, and I haven’t seen this in public book stands. Most people I’m acquainted with know who Chelsea Manning is, but their exposure to her was largely curated by the media. This book is not merely a memoir, but a chance for Manning to tell her story and provide greater context for her actions—as well as an introductory note in understanding who she is as a person. For that alone, I think all who are interested in security or politics or even just curious about her philosophy should read this. I doubt my review will reach that many people, but even if it nudges you towards this book a tiny bit, I think it’ll be worth it.
