Truth and Consequence

This is a fitting moment—a time of political upheaval much like the one in which Ellsberg first made his mark—to commemorate this remarkable and neglected American hero…. The self-portrait that emerges from the essays and reflections in Truth and Consequence is of a man both brilliant and haunted. * Edward Wasserman, Mother Jones *
A bracing moral perspective from the voluminous private notes and writings of Daniel Ellsberg… Truth and Consequence offers a glimpse of Ellsberg’s courageous and eventful life… His message was clear: we are not merely drifting toward Armageddon, we are racing there. * The New York Review of Books *
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 strikingly personal collection, one that shows how Ellsberg’s courage, commitment, and even his moral clarity derived from traumatic events in his past… Truth and Consequence is loaded with such insights, bearing witness to Ellsberg’s deep compassion wrought from tragedy. His sagacity, determination, and example will long endure. * Bill Lueders, The Progressive *
Truly accomplished… a magnificently edited book that offers a window into Dan’s innermost thoughts over a 50-year period… Dan was a gifted prose writer…. [he] lived his life governed by a passionate love of the world that asked everything of himself, a passion which has helped inspire many others. This year, amazingly, we have seen millions in the streets protesting for truth and justice. This book captures Dan’s passion for that truth movement, more clearly than anything he ever published in his lifetime. * Peter Dale Scott, Scheerpost *
[A] poignant, prescient, and clarifying posthumous collection of unpublished musings.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 fascinating window into the inner life of a whistleblower and the psychological turmoil behind a sweeping societal shift. * Publishers Weekly *
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 *

Daniel Ellsberg

The iconic whistleblower known for leaking the Pentagon Papers in 1971, Daniel Ellsberg 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, Michael Ellsberg, 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.

Jan R. Thomas

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.

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