Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War
By Michael Berry,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Gripping nonfiction account of Vietnam-era whistle-blowing.
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What's the Story?
In 1964, Daniel Ellsberg helped plan the war in Vietnam as a Pentagon insider. But after journeying to the embattled country, he saw firsthand that what the U.S. government was telling the American public did not match what was happening on the ground in Southeast Asia. Ellsberg changed his mind about the war and decided to leak to the national media top-secret documents that detailed years of misinformation. In doing so, he put himself at risk for a lengthy prison sentence and earned the title "The Most Dangerous Man in America."
Is It Any Good?
Meticulously researched and clearly presented, this history of the Pentagon Papers shows how one man helped topple an American president by insisting the truth be told to the American people. The issues are extremely complicated, but author Steve Sheinkin takes care to present Daniel Ellsberg's story with clarity, compassion, and an insistence on the facts. Kids interested in military history or journalism will be drawn in by Sheinkin's straightforward yet lively approach to the material. MOST DANGEROUS presents a concise and gripping account of the Vietnam War and offers detailed portraits of some of the most influential men of the later 20th century, from Jack Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson to Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger. The book even has its own brand of comic relief, in the form of G. Gordon Liddy and his notorious band of "Plumbers," who couldn't seem to get the simplest illegal mission right.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the history of the Vietnam War. How did it shape American politics and culture?
If government officials willfully mislead the public, is it right to leak classified information to the press and expose the truth? Do you know of any more recent examples?
What other figures in American history have been willing to go to jail rather than betray their principles?
Book Details
- Author: Steve Sheinkin
- Genre: History
- Topics: Great Boy Role Models, History
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
- Publication date: September 22, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 10 - 14
- Number of pages: 370
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Award: ALA Best and Notable Books
- Last updated: July 13, 2017
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