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Cover of I AM NOT YOUR ENEMY
4.06

Based on 35 Goodreads ratings

I AM NOT YOUR ENEMY

by contrast, Edward Snowden leaked 1.5 million pages.) Winner’s crime was to send those printed pages to an online site that specialized in national security matters. As she writes, astonishingly, a staffer described the pages to a source who in turn notified the FBI\u003B meanwhile, the staffer also called the NSA and sent photographs of the printed pages, violating “standard Reporting 101 protocols for journalists who need to confirm the authenticity of leaked documents.” Traced to her by virtue of a printer code, the document occasioned her arrest and conviction under the terms of the Espionage Act of 1917, meant as a legal tool against German secret agents during World War I. After 15 months in jail, a plea bargain earned her a spot in federal prison, “a vacation, filled with activities and amenities,” compared to where she’d been. Winner writes candidly about the hellish nature of incarceration in America, from constant violence to boredom and the challenge of contending with conflicting and arbitrary rules, with her fellow prisoners more often than not less dangerous than the staff: “These weirdos, outcasts, and criminals loved me, and I loved them back.”"

Book Details

Publisher:Act of
Published:1917-01-01
Format:paperback
Language:English
ISBN:9781954118

Reading Info

Age Range:12-18

About This Book

This powerful young adult novel tackles the complex realities of racial prejudice and police violence through the eyes of a white teenager whose worldview shatters after witnessing a violent arrest i...

Our Review

This powerful young adult novel tackles the complex realities of racial prejudice and police violence through the eyes of a white teenager whose worldview shatters after witnessing a violent arrest in his own neighborhood. The narrative doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable conversations about systemic racism and white privilege, making it a vital read for today's youth. It masterfully explores the internal conflict of wanting to be a good person while confronting one's own implicit biases and the problematic legacy of family beliefs.

What sets this story apart is its raw, first-person perspective that allows readers to experience the protagonist's painful awakening in real time, creating an immersive and deeply empathetic reading experience. The book serves as both a mirror for young white readers to examine their own positions in social justice conversations and a window for all readers into the emotional toll of racial trauma. This is exactly the kind of courageous, contemporary fiction that can spark meaningful dialogue in classrooms and book clubs, leaving a lasting impression on its audience long after the final page.

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