Short Synopsis
Here is the ultimate book on the worldwide movement of hackers, pranksters, and activists that operates under the non-name Anonymous, by the writer the Huffington Post says "knows all of [Anonymous's] deepest, darkest secrets."

Full Synopsis
Here is the ultimate book on the worldwide movement of hackers, pranksters, and activists that operates under the non-name Anonymous, by the writer the Huffington Post says "knows all of [Anonymous's] deepest, darkest secrets."

Half a dozen years ago, anthropologist Gabriella Coleman set out to study the rise of this global phenomenon just as some of its members were turning to political protest and dangerous disruption. She ended up becoming so closely connected to Anonymous that the tricky story of her inside–outside status as Anon confidante, interpreter, and erstwhile mouthpiece forms one of the themes of this witty and entirely engrossing book.

The narrative brims with details unearthed from within a notoriously mysterious subculture, whose semi-legendary tricksters—such as Topiary, tflow, Anachaos, and Sabu—emerge as complex, diverse, politically and culturally sophisticated people. Propelled by years of chats and encounters with a multitude of hackers, Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy is filled with insights into the meaning of digital activism and little-understood facets of culture in the Internet age.

"A consistently fascinating ethnography . . . An intensive, potent profile of contemporary digital activism at its most unsettling—and most effective." ---Kirkus

“[An] eye-opening ethnography . . . This all-access pass into the dark and wild corners of the Internet is timely, informative, and also frightening.” ---Publishers Weekly

“Anyone hoping to understand this mostly hidden world will find [Coleman's] book crucial and even prescient.” ---Boston Globe

"Coleman’s study is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the increasingly visible and powerful world of digital activism." ---Booklist

"Reader Gilbert maintains a clear and consistent tone that captures Coleman’s prose effectively. . . . Her natural delivery moves effortlessly through the prose that she sounds as familiar with the text as an author reading her own words." ---Publishers Weekly Audio Review