Truth and Consequence - by Daniel Ellsberg (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

From the legendary Pentagon Papers whistleblower and anti-war activist-a posthumous collection of Daniel Ellsberg's previously unpublished writings that offers a window into his courageous life, work, and most deeply held beliefs.

When Daniel Ellsberg passed away in 2023 at the age of ninety-two, his lifelong commitment to nuclear disarmament and truth-telling at the highest levels of government enshrined him as one of the most courageous patriots America has ever seen. From his role in leaking the Pentagon Papers in 1971, for which he was charged with multiple felonies under the Espionage Act, to his anti-war activism and writings in the decades that followed, his effects on American nuclear policy, peacemaking efforts, and information politics cannot be overstated.

Yet the principles he stood on remain more urgent than ever, as catastrophic wars break out and political unrest throws into question the authority of democracy and governments across the world. Truth and Consequence-edited by his son, Michael Ellsberg, and his longtime assistant Jan R. Thomas-captures Ellsberg's lifelong preoccupations with the problem of evil, the massacre of civilians, the threat of nuclear annihilation, the dangers of unquestioned obedience, and the necessity to cultivate empathy for those whom we have been taught to see as enemies.

In this posthumous collection of previously unpublished writing, including autobiographical and personal essays, manifestos, and reportage, Ellsberg's ideas burst from the page with acerbic critique and powerful introspection, cementing him as one of the most heroic champions of truth in American history. Truth and Consequence does not equivocate about the bedrock convictions we must continue to uphold in his wake: freedom, integrity, and, above all, truth.

Review Quotes

"Fascinating... I found dozens of thoughts in Truth and Consequence that speak to our political moment. In many aspects Ellsberg was prophetic... [he] possessed the kind of moral clarity and courage that seems almost entirely absent among today's political, corporate, and social elites; when the right thing to do carries little to no chance of reward, and a big chance of loss or punishment, far too many retreat into comfortable silence and profitable acquiescence." --Brian Tanguay, California Review of Books

"A wonderful window into the mind and heart of a great American hero, a compassionate human being, and finally a wise and thoughtful teacher." --Massachusetts Review

"A fascinating window into the inner life of a whistleblower and the psychological turmoil behind a sweeping societal shift." --Publishers Weekly

"[A] poignant, prescient, and clarifying posthumous collection of unpublished musings. Three heart-seizing essays about Ellsberg's anguished childhood set the template for his ardent and risky life as a marine, national security analyst, whistleblower, and antinuclear, peace, and environmental activist... Here readers can immerse themselves in the depth and wisdom of his profound concerns about evil, conscience, compassion, and complicity... Knowledgeable and bracing perceptions and truths abound in this treasury of galvanizing insights, convictions, and conundrums." --Booklist

"A resonant volume that affirms Ellsberg's rare moral conviction and his unwavering belief in truth as a force for change . . . Personal essays, handwritten notes, and ruminations reveal Ellsberg's moral clarity, intellectual rigor, and prescient warnings about the dangers of unchecked power and collective denial." --Kirkus Reviews

"In this extraordinary book, Daniel Ellsberg reveals what others in the know dare not say: we are on the precipice of apocalyptic danger. Like no one else I have known, he candidly reflects on his own life and on the wider human predicament-and fearlessly calls out the 'reckless, evil gamble' that America and other nuclear powers take every day. We encounter here a fascinating story, but more to the point, an inspiring quest to live life with meaning and utter honesty." --Jerry Brown, Former California Governor and current executive chairman of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists

"You will never read a more profound book about obedience and conscience. Ellsberg writes with intimate candor about the deadening-and often deadly-results of undue trust in authority. This book draws you close, sharing the innermost thoughts and visionary wisdom of America's greatest whistleblower." --Norman Solomon, author of War Made Invisible: How America Hides the Human Toll of Its Military Machine

"While Daniel Ellsberg is best known for a single, transformative act of civic courage-making public the Pentagon Papers-he also committed his life to anti-nuclear and anti-war activism. In this gripping collection, Ellsberg and the world he so deeply engaged come into sharp focus, highlighting the fascinating human dimension of his life and work." --Christian G. Appy, author of American Reckoning: The Vietnam War and Our National Identity and Director of the Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy

"Henry Kissinger called Daniel Ellsberg 'The Most Dangerous Man in America.' Dangerous because of Ellsberg's courageous integrity and principled moral power, which in today's world is desperately needed and frighteningly absent. In this book we see into Ellsberg's mind and soul, his strengths, his fears and doubts. Through Ellsberg's own words one can begin to understand the forces that forged him into one of the 20th centuries most honorable, intriguing, and all-too human figures." --Robert J. Rosenthal, CEO Emeritus for The Center for Investigative Reporting

About the Author

Daniel Ellsberg, the iconic whistleblower known for leaking the Pentagon Papers in 1971, was the author of The Doomsday Machine and Secrets. A lecturer, scholar, writer, activist, and truth teller, he robustly communicated his lifelong concerns about the dangers of nuclear weapons and wars of intervention until his death in 2023.

Michael Ellsberg, Daniel's son, is the author of three previous books. His writing has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time, and more. He lives in Berkeley, CA. Visit him on the web at www.ellsberg.com.

Jan R. Thomas was Daniel Ellsberg's longtime assistant. In preparing Ellsberg's papers for the UMass Amherst Archives, she recognized the importance of his unpublished notebooks, which became the impetus for this book. Jan lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.