Inside WikiLeaks Book Review

I read this book do to my interest in the website WikiLeaks. Being an IT professional I thought this would be a great way for me to get a little back story on a website that is the center of news attention. The basis for the movie The Fifth Estate starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Julian Assange  written by Daniel Domscheit-Berg, the former spokesman of WikiLeaks and cofounder.

The first thing I noticed about the author is he seems like kind of a loaner. He seems to just follow Julian Assange and do whatever he says for the most part. From the way the book is written it does seem like Julian Assange is type of person that likes to have a group of people around him that does what he says.

Remember when reading this book this is written by Daniel Domscheit-Berg who was a very important person at Wikileaks but also someone who quit the company due to bad terms. Not taking anything away from Daniel Domscheit-Berg he was very unbiased in the book and did very little bashing of Julian Assange.

Since Daniel Domscheit-Berg is an IT professional himself before joining Wikileaks he really gives you an in-depth look at the infrastructure behind Wikileaks and the steps they do to keep their data safe and there leaks confidential.

One thing great about this book is you learn the history of Wikileaks how it was founded and how it went from a small website to a huge media infrastructure both on technology end and on reporting leaks end.

Overall I think this was a great book I enjoy any history as long as it’s well written. This book really takes you inside the company and there operation. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. The reason for 4 stars is because the book is a bit dated and I am sure some of the information on the technology infrastructure Wikileaks uses is not accurate anymore but the history still is accurate.

A Very Private Gentleman Book Review

Anyone who has seen The American with George Clooney will not recognize this book. The opposite is also true. They are very different. The book is literate the movie is entertaining unless you like car crashes and piles of bodies dripping gore in which case you will be bored .

I have to say after watching The American I wanted to read this book. Half way through there were a few high spots but I am not going to lie I was bored. The book is basically a biography told by the character examines where he lives how he lives and what he does to survive.

The main character and occupation are revealed in bits and pieces, slowly, almost like creating a mosaic or jigsaw, although, as he repeatedly states, much of it may be untrue in order to hide his location and identity.

That way the story tells the characters history even though technically “nothing” happens in the book we find out about his love for butterflies and his let's say, morally-questionable career. The novel is a beautifully-written insight into his philosophy and thinking, and, indeed, his whole way of life.

The novel is one man looking back on his life but also the story of a man falling in love with this part of Italy, as much as the young woman he meets there. 

I found the main character tiresome, especially all the nonsense about how he cannot divulge anything personal because then we could find him. At points I was

“Ok Mr. Butterfly. You are a dangerous, careful man, with many secrets. You're kind of cool. But let's move it along, shall we? Enough with the melodrama about your importance to history & the scenic tours of rural Italy. “

I found the book rather dull, and that is a shame. This is the first Martin Booth novel that I've read but it certainly won't be the last one. I don’t think he is a bad writer I just don’t think this book was for me I would give it 2 stars on a scale of 5.