Conspiracy

Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue by Ryan Holiday, 295 pages

In 2007, the website Valleywag, part of the Gawker family of gossip sites, outed Silicon Valley entrepeneur Peter Thiel as gay.  Five years later, Gawker published a "highlight reel" of moments from a sex tape involving Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, and the then-wife of his then-best friend, a tape which had been made by said friend without Bollea's knowledge or consent.  Thiel, through intermediaries, secretly paid for Bollea's lawsuit against the website, a suit which ultimately resulted in a nine-figure judgment and the bankruptcy of Gawker.  Conspiracy is the story of how all this transpired, a story involving a determined, methodical billionaire, a company of brash, arrogant bloggers, and an aging sports entertainment superstar with mountains of baggage.  It's the story of why as well as how, and also the story of what happened after, when the conspiracy to bring down Gawker was revealed and a backlash began as the media came more and more to support Gawker's argument that journalists should be entirely free from any form of responsibility or accountability.

Holiday doesn't dwell on that last part, preferring to quote Machiavelli and ruminate on the nature of conspiracies.  It might have been interesting to contrast this case to the lawsuits resulting from Rolling Stone's false accusations of rape by members of a UVA fraternity and the complicity of the college administration, which unfolded simultaneously with the Hogan-Gawker case but involved an establishment publication and lacked a crusading billionaire.  Likewise, although he speculates as to whether the mainstream media would have been as sympathetic to Brietbart as they were to Gawker, he does not mention the demonstrated lack of sympathy when Matt Drudge was sued by Sidney Blumenthal a decade earlier.  Indeed, while he states that "Champerty - the funding of lawsuits you have no direct interest in - dates back to at least medieval times", he cites no other actual instances, preferring to lament the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.

If Holiday seems uninterested in, or blind to, the similarities between this story and other recent legal and journalistic events, he more than makes up for it with his thoroughness telling the story he has chosen to tell.  Remarkably, he was able to secure the cooperation of all of the principals and much of the supporting cast.  One of the major themes of the book is the question of how much empathy a journalist should have with his subjects, and while no definitive answer is given, Holiday himself exhibits considerable empathy and an evident desire to treat his subjects fairly.  At the same time, he keeps the narrative moving forward at a brisk pace, not always easy when dealing with years of interminable legal maneuvers.

Eyes & Spies

Eyes &Spies: How You’re Tracked And Why You Should Know by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, 135 pages

“Written for middle-grade and older readers, Eyes and Spies looks at the way information and data about us is collected and used by individuals, governments, companies, and organizations. Each chapter covers one aspect of the subject, from data collection to computer surveillance to personal privacy. Arguments for both increased security and increased privacy are offered, which encourages readers to think critically about issues and decide for themselves. The book asks three simple questions: Who's watching, and why? Where is the line between public and private? How can you keep your secrets to yourself? "Creepy Line" sidebars highlight controversial real-life scenarios and ask readers where they would set their own boundaries. Action Alerts encourage readers to find out more about how surveillance and data mining affects them. Other topics include how students are tracked at school; cyberbullying, and cyber safety. Color illustrations and a dynamic design make this an enlightening and engaging read.” This was a great introduction into privacy on the Internet.  I can’t say that I learned much new, as I was already aware of how much tracking is being done, but there were a couple of tidbits in here that I didn’t know.  I would definitely recommend this for kids who are interested in the topic.

The Royal Rabbits of London

The Royal Rabbits of London by Santa Montefiore and Simon Sebag Montefiore   208 pages

I love books about animals. Remember the All Creatures Great and Small series by James Herriot that came began in 1973? If you haven’t read them, do so. They are wonderful.  I also love rabbits, so how could I pass up a chance to read a book about a little rabbit that has to wear an eyepatch to help correct his vision?

I couldn’t, and I’m glad that I didn’t. This novel, aimed at middle school readers, is adorable and a fun read, even for middle-aged adults.

In this first book in the Royal Rabbits series, readers are introduced to Shylo Tawny-Tail, the runt of his litter and Mom’s pet. Shylo has made friends with an elderly rabbit who lives on the other side of the pasture. Horatio, the old rabbit, tells Shylo about the Royal Rabbits, the noble defenders of the royal family, a secret society of rabbits that live beneath Buckingham Palace.

On his way to visit Horatio, Shylo encounters his oldest brother, Maximilian. Rather the divulge his secret path, Shylo takes off in a different direction and looks for a low place to hide. He is successful and Maximilian soon tires of chasing him. As he waits to make sure that his brother has truly left, three Ratzis, under the control of Papa Ratzi, amble up the path, making plans to snap photos of the Queen in her nightie and selling it to the tabloids for big bucks.

When Shylo finally makes it to Horatio’s burrow and explains what he has just heard…and smelled, Horatio convinces him that the only way to save the Queen from total humiliation is for Shylo to travel to London, find the Royal Rabbits, and alert them to be on guard. Shylo, small and timid, rises to the challenge.

What an adventure Shylo has! This is a fun, light-hearted that teaches children about privacy, facing your fears, and being the best bunny that they can be.

The Royal Rabbits of London gets 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Privacy

Privacy: A Very Short Introduction by Raymond Wacks, Paperback book: 155 pages

As the title suggests, this book is an overview on the subject of privacy and not an in-depth look.

Wacks covers multiples facets of privacy. Privacy can be surprisingly hard to define some people may not consider privacy to be very valuable.

Technology, especially the internet, has a large role to play in privacy. There are many ways in which our privacy can be violated through technology. It may not be a question of how much privacy we have but of how our information is being used.

It is worth noting that there are differences in the protection of privacy in Europe and US based on laws of countries (or lack thereof) and European Union laws.

There is also consideration of whether celebrities and other public figures should be given the same protection to their privacy as everyone else or whether they forfeit it to some degree.

Depending on how much you have read or considered about the subject before, this book may be worth reading or not. This book is a good introduction to privacy but if you are looking for something more in depth you should look for a different book.