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.