Julian Assange

Last December, in the midst of a battle against allegations concerning his personal life, and with angry denunciations of American politicians ringing in his ears in the wake of the US Embassy Cable releases, Julian Assange began writing the story of his life. What took shape over months of effort is a book that describes not only the work of WikiLeaks, but the moral and political development of its founder, from his childhood in Australia, through travels in Europe, Asia and Africa, right up to the present day. Although the publication of this autobiography has occurred in controversial circumstances, the result is nonetheless a book that burns with passion and anger, an essential book for our time, and a meditation on the meaning of disclosure.

'Although Mr Assange makes an easy target, he has interesting things to say, however controversial. And the world does sometimes need such annoying, single-minded people to move forward. Mr Assange and his creation, WikiLeaks, have made it a more open and transparent place, and hence a bit more just.' Economist