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Monday, May 19, 2008

Reading Today

posted by on May 19 at 13:10 PM

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Slog tipper Rob informs me that Cory Doctorow is reading from Little Brother at All For Kids today at 4 pm today. This is true. Rob is bringing his two kids, and if you have the afternoon off, you should go, too. You’ll have one more chance after today: Doctorow reads at Third Place Books tomorrow. I wrote about the book in this week’s Constant Reader:

Little Brother is the story of Marcus, a 17-year-old hacker who gets secretly arrested by Homeland Security. In true young-adult-novel fashion, Marcus and his friends fight back against the theft of their freedoms.

Doctorow’s prose is light and explanatory, and it’s the explanations that really make the book important: Hidden inside Little Brother is a manual for civil disobedience. It has useful advice for what to do when detained by authorities; information about methods the government employs to track its own citizens; and actual, working tips on how to modify technology to maintain your anonymity. With a copy of the book and Google, it’s possible for an inspired reader to scan his surroundings for miniature cameras, free his computer from spyware, and set up anonymous internet identities.

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1

I read this book, and gave it to my 14-yo son. It's what you said, an introduction to resistance, and an example of making tech work for you, even while the same tech is being used against you. Buy it for a kid.

Instructables has instructions for some of the devices and techniques in the book:

http://www.instructables.com/member/w1n5t0n/

Posted by pox | May 19, 2008 1:22 PM
2

With a copy of the book and Google, it’s possible for an inspired reader to scan his surroundings for miniature cameras, free his computer from spyware, and set up anonymous internet identities.

The literary merits of his book notwithstanding, Mr. Doctorow is completely extraneous here. This stuff's pretty easy to find on one's own.

Posted by shub-negrorath | May 19, 2008 1:25 PM
3

Will there be steam-punk?

Posted by Bon Scott | May 19, 2008 1:40 PM
4

Easy for you, shub-negrorath. Maybe not so easy for a 13-year-old who doesn't even know these things exist.

Posted by Fnarf | May 19, 2008 1:48 PM
5

@3 -

the steam punk was limited to Cory's very steamy, very punky wristwatch, which is huge AND HAS A BUILT IN CATAPULT!!!

After my son went to bed last night, I read the book. I want to be 12 again.

Posted by rtm | May 20, 2008 7:10 AM

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