About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager begins questioning the status quo, debating the ethics of whistleblowing, or showing interest in how one person can impact national policy. It serves as a powerful bridge between history and modern civil discourse, helping young readers navigate the tension between loyalty to an institution and loyalty to one's own conscience. This narrative non-fiction follows Daniel Ellsberg from his role as a high-level government analyst to his decision to leak the Pentagon Papers, exposing years of government secrets regarding the Vietnam War. It explores heavy themes of integrity, the burden of truth, and the personal cost of bravery. Written with the pace of a thriller, it is developmentally perfect for high schoolers who are ready to examine moral ambiguity and the complexities of patriotism. Parents will appreciate how it grounds abstract concepts of justice in a meticulously researched, real-world context.
