Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin

I was a little hesitant when I found out we would be listening to an audio recording about some guy from the history books. I thought, “here we go again – another dry story listing facts from the life of some boring dead white guy.” I was partly right – the story is about a white guy – but on the other points I was very wrong. And boy, was I glad to be mistaken!

My owner checked out the mp3 recording of Steve Sheinkin's biography Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War in its full, unabridged format from our local library. As I listened and learned from the book, I realized it was filling a gap in my education: throughout my schooling, my history teachers all wrapped up the year with a fleeting mention of a war in Vietnam that was somehow controversial. Sheinkin managed to bridge that gap exquisitely with a carefully crafted history, told as a compelling story. School Library Journal praises Sheinkin for his storytelling as well as his accuracy: “In Sheinkin’s careful hands, Ellsberg and others, including Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger, and Robert McNamara, are fully realized characters with strengths, flaws, and motivations that grow more clear as the story unfolds” (Kopple 2016). His writing is clear and easy to follow without being dry; he peppers the telling of the story of the Vietnam war with beautifully detailed anecdotes to develop a connection to the people in the story. I hesitate to call them “characters,” as the term implies that they are fictitious, although Sheinkin manages to paint them as vividly as any storybook character. Kirkus Reviews raves that “[a]s always, Sheinkin knows how to put the “story” in history with lively, detailed prose rooted in a tremendous amount of research, fully documented” (Kirkus Reviews 2015).

The recording for this book is done superbly, with just short of eight hours of crisp, clear narration by professional narrator Ray Porter. While only one narrator was used, Porter effectively created a unique voice for each person in the book by modifying his tone, accent, and pitch of speech. I was most impressed by his Lyndon Johnson impersonation – as a native Texan, I could tell he did his homework in replicating an accurate Texas accent. The narrator clearly delineated each section by reading the chapter titles with appropriate pauses. There was very little extra information at the beginning and end of the recording: the only data of note was bibliographic and recording information read aloud at the conclusion of the book. However, the physical book contains extensive documentation, including a bibliography, source notes, and an index (Kirkus Reviews 2015).

Sheinkin's writing style, coupled with Porter's knack for pacing and voices, kept me on the edge of my seat as a listener. The story begins with a cut to a scene of men of questionable motives breaking into a building in search of something. This setup is a clever way to hook the audience and provide a bit of foreshadowing about what might happen as the story unfolds. He then proceeds with the telling of how the Vietnam War came into existence, with Ellsberg's experiences interwoven. While there is some dialogue, it is factually accurate rather than something Sheinkin invented to further the story. Winner of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults, Sheinkin has crafted a story that is both riveting and eye-opening.

One of the features I most appreciated about this book was the way Sheinkin weaves in open-ended questions. He asks questions of morality (should Ellsberg have taken the Pentagon Papers from the office?) and tactfully leaves the reader to draw his or her own conclusions. These questions serve as perfect conversation points for small group or class discussions. Furthermore, the book finishes with an epilogue about the more recent news of Edward Snowden and his leaks, including Ellsberg's take on these events. This too offers a perfect jumping-off point for discussions about ethics, morality, and the truth, and opens the door for research into other modern-day whistleblowers. In an era of alternative facts, Sheinkin cuts straight to the heart of truth. I give this book two paws up!

Wags & Woofs,

Charlie Brown

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References:

Kirkus Review. 2015. “Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War.” Kirkus Review, posted June 23, 2015. https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/steve-sheinkin/most-dangerous-sheinkin/.

Kopple, Jody. 2016. “Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War.” School Library Journal 62, no. 12: 75.

Sheinkin, Steve. 2015. Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN: 978-1-59643-952-8