Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War (National Book Award Finalist)

Steve Sheinkin

Sep 2015 · Sold by Roaring Brook Press

About this ebook

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War is New York Times bestselling author Steve Sheinkin's award-winning nonfiction account of an ordinary man who wielded the most dangerous weapon: the truth.

“Easily the best study of the Vietnam War available for teen readers.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Award winner
A National Book Award finalist
A Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon book
A Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Young Adult Literature finalist
Selected for the Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People List

In 1964, Daniel Ellsberg was a U.S. government analyst, helping to plan a war in Vietnam. It was the height of the Cold War, and the government would do anything to stop the spread of communism—with or without the consent of the American people.

As the fighting in Vietnam escalated, Ellsberg turned against the war. He had access a top-secret government report known as the Pentagon Papers, and he knew it could blow the lid off of years of government lies. But did he have the right to expose decades of presidential secrets? And what would happen to him if he did it?

A lively book that interrogates the meanings of patriotism, freedom, and integrity, the National Book Award finalist Most Dangerous further establishes Steve Sheinkin—author of Newbery Honor book Bomb as a leader in children's nonfiction.

This thoroughly-researched and documented book can be worked into multiple aspects of the common core curriculum.

“Gripping.”—New York Times Book Review

“A master of fast-paced histories...[this] is Sheinkin’s most compelling one yet. ”—Washington Post

Also by Steve Sheinkin:

Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon
The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery
Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team
The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights
Which Way to the Wild West?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About Westward Expansion
King George: What Was His Problem?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution
Two Miserable Presidents: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the Civil War
Born to Fly: The First Women's Air Race Across America

Ratings and reviews

I don’t usually get into nonfiction this much, but this was beyond interesting. Somehow I never knew about most of it. I felt amazed actually to be so clueless about a part of fairly recent American history. Some parts were really exciting like when he was on the run and getting parts of the classified documents printed. I just wonder if I would have been more into History when I was in school if I would have had to read something like this.

About the author

Steve Sheinkin is the award-winning author of fast-paced, cinematic histories for young readers. His most recent, The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights, was included on the National Book Award Long List and received the 2014 Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Nonfiction. The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery, won both the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award and the YALSA award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults. Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal-the World's Most Dangerous Weapon was a Newbery Honor Book, a National Book Award Finalist, and winner of the Sibert Award and YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults. He lives in Saratoga Springs, New York, with his wife and two children.