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README.txt
- A Memoir
- Narrated by: Chelsea Manning
- Length: 9 hrs and 3 mins
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README.txt
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Summary
Brought to you by Penguin.
An extraordinarily brave and moving memoir from one of the world's most famous transparency activists and trans women.
In 2010, Chelsea Manning was working as an intelligence analyst for the US Army in Iraq. She disclosed 720,000 classified military documents that she had smuggled out via the memory card of her digital camera. By far the largest leak in history, these documents revealed a huge number of diplomatic cables and footage of atrocities. She was sentenced to 35 years in military prison.
The day after her conviction, Chelsea declared her gender identity as a woman and began to transition. She was sent to a male prison, spent much of that time in appalling conditions in solitary confinement and attempted suicide multiple times. In 2017, after a lengthy legal challenge and an outpouring of support, President Obama commuted her sentence.
README.txt is a story of personal revolt, resilience and survival. Chelsea details the challenges of her childhood and adolescence in Oklahoma and in her mother's native Wales. She writes revealingly and movingly about a period of homelessness in Chicago, living under 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' in the US Army, and the experience of coming to terms with her gender identity and undergoing hormone therapy in prison. We witness her Kafkaesque trial and heroic quest for release.
This powerful, courageous and observant memoir sheds light on the big themes of today - identity, authenticity, technology, the authoritarian state - and will stand as one of the definitive testaments of our digital, information-driven age.
'Chelsea Manning is the biggest hero that ever lived' Vivienne Westwood
'Searing ... uplifting ... redemptive' The New York Times
'Electrifying ... an insider confessional turned inside out for the 21st century' Washington Post
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- James
- 25-11-22
A must read for some
A great story told by the woman herself!
Chelsea starts from her turbulent younger years; where she struggles with understanding her identity and place in the world. This alone makes the book a must listen!
She then goes into her time in the military and the pressures created from a homophobic and transphobic atmosphere and the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy.
Her most defining moment of her leaks feels like a footnote in an, until now, untold story.
Her time in and subsequent release from prison is a great end to the tail. Highlighting just some of the many injustices that happened to her in this book.
I will keep coming back to her story. If you listen to her tail then I'm sure you will too.
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- Cee Jay
- 13-11-22
wow
I thought I knew the story: of course, I knew the Fox/ US military story.
There's also horrific family abuse, enforced homelessness and poverty, and a military power that preys on the vulnerable, offering them 3 meals, a bed, and college which the Gov't won't.
Then there's the culture of bullying (not comradeship) in the military, brutality, lying about killing civilians, and the cover ups, and the millions in taxpayer money spent defending the military, rather than fessing up & changing the culture.
Chelsea Manning is braver than most.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- M. McGuirk
- 06-01-23
The Balls on this Woman
This is a fascinating story, of a person growing up in a dysfunctional family, partly caused by living in a dysfunctional society. It is a painful listen the pain of watching one’s Mother succumb to alcoholism and mental illness is almost too much to bear. Chelsea’s struggles to live independently in her late teens makes me shudder as a parent.
I can see how joining the military could be appealing to someone rejected by family and living on the fringes of society, but if you don’t fit in in the military the pack turns on you, and this is where I came to admire her so much. She saw first hand the difference between what was happening on the ground and what we were told on our TV screens and she wasn’t afraid to stand up and expose it.
Chelsea’s life is one of a brave person standing up to Bully’s all her life, wether it was her Father, homophobes, or the American Army and Government. History will look back positively on her actions.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Chandler Berg
- 20-10-22
A must listen from a modern day hero
Chelsea Manning not only has written an amazing insight to her story as one of the most amazing cases of someone standing by their principles even if means losing nearing everything. If into politics, social justice or just want to support one of the most amazing Trans person around then this auduibook is a must listen
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- Anonymous User
- 05-09-23
An inspirational women
Wow, you know when you get to the end of a book and think ‘I’m going to miss this person’. This would be one of those times.
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- Liam_H
- 05-11-22
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A wonderful listen, from a brave and principled woman. Well read. Definitely not a read for right wingers, trumpists or fans of "ST. Julian Assange"
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- Oscar
- 14-06-23
Intelligent emotional and precise account
It was a great surprise to discover how profound and graceful Chelsea is. The book taught me so much about resilience and the power of mind. I admire her!
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- Witchy One
- 31-12-23
Everyone should read this.
This filled in a lot of gaps of what I previously knew about Chelsea Manning’s story. It’s a story that everyone should know.
I always prefer Audio books narrated by the author. Even though sometimes at some points in this book (and others) the inexperience as an audiobook narrator generally does show through. At times the narration becomes mechanical with lack of flow. The best way I could describe it is that sometimes author narration can sound like the author is getting bored of reading out aloud. Losing interest in the job of narrating.
Obviously this is just my personal opinion.
And it’s important to point out that despite this, this true story is so compelling it’s easy to stick with it and rewind on occasion if necessary.
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