The World's Best Book Summaries
Who is William Harris in Unbroken? William Harris was a high ranking officer that William Harris in Unbroken is one of the American soldiers that Louis Zamperini meets at Ofuna prison camp. William Harris in Unbroken is a role model and hero figure to Louis, and undergoes extreme abuse at the hands of his captors.
What is the status of the case of Edward Snowden? Was there ever an arrest? How did the Snowden case play out after he leaked and fled? The Snowden case is the result of Edward Snowden’s leak of government documents in 2013. Ed was in Hong Kong and ended up getting asylum in Russia to avoid extradition. Learn more about the Snowden case, how it unfolded, and where the current status of the case of Edward Snowden.
Was was the Enron bankruptcy case? How did Enron become bankrupt, and what happened when Enron filed for bankruptcy? Enron’s bankruptcy claim occurred in 2001, after years of unethical and convoluted business and accounting practices. The Enron bankruptcy scandal was one of the biggest moments of corporate and financial history.
How did Edward Snowden end up working at the NSA? Did he start as an employee or contractor? Would the NSA, Edward Snowden, and mass surveillance be the same if Ed had a different career trajectory? At the NSA, Edward Snowden started as a contractor while employed by the University of Maryland. His work in each role at the NSA and CIA gave him knowledge that was later used to blow the whistle on mass surveillance. Read more about the NSA, Edward Snowden, and issues with mass surveillance.
What is the President’s Surveillance Program? Which President authorized it? What does the program do and has it been a success? The President’s Surveillance Program was created by President Bush after 9/11. The purpose was to fight terrorism by gathering intelligence through surveillance of phones and internet. Learn more about the President’s Surveillance Program and how America’s influence on the internet magnifies the program’s impact.
What is the relationship between WikiLeaks, Snowden, and whistleblowing? How did Julian Assange and Edward Snowden work together to secure Ed’s asylum? After the leak, the US government wanted to extradite Snowden. WikiLeaks offered to help him avoid that fate. Read how WikiLeaks, Snowden, and luck combined after Ed blew the whistle.
How did Snowden get access to NSA documents? Were the Snowden files that were leaked stolen? What technology was used to access and organize the information? For Snowden, files were critical to bring to journalists when he blew the whistle. For Edward Snowden, documents separated his story from any internet conspiracy theorist. Read more about Edward Snowden, files taken from the NSA, and the lengths Ed went to in order to not get caught.
What came out in the Snowden leak? What came out in the revealed top secret documents? What was the Snowden leak strategy? After learning of mass surveillance, Edward Snowden leaks documents proving the government is carrying it out on its citizens. His 2013 leak came after evaluating and strategizing. Read more about the Snowden leak and how it came about.
What is the history of Johns Hopkins and its treatment of African Americans? Who were the night doctors? What reputation does Johns Hopkins have with Baltimoreans? Johns Hopkins night doctors were thought to kidnap people for inhumane experimentation. They are part of a history of mistreatment in the medical and research fields and related to how Hopkins treated Henrietta Lacks. Learn more Henrietta Lacks, Johns Hopkins, night doctors, and ethical issues in research.
What did Dr. Alexis Carrel win a Nobel Prize for? What was controversial about his other work and breakthroughs? Did Carrel really find the fountain of youth? Alexis Carrel was a scientist that invented a blood vessel suture technique that he won a Nobel for. Carrel also claimed to have cultured immortal cells in his lab, which turned out to be false. Read about Alexis Carrel, Nobel award work, and his Nazi sympathies.