Everyone in the US will soon be headed to shady spots to enjoy the July 4th holiday. Although I work in the area of data security law, many of my clients have little background in the area. It occurred to me that many of you may want something exciting but nutritious to read during the break. With that in mind here are tales of digital espionage that will help you beat the heat. 

Non-Fiction Books - Because the Truth is Entertaining and Strange Enough

 CODE GIRLS: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE AMERICAN WOMEN CODE BREAKERS OF WORLD WAR II 

BY LIZA MUNDY

Hacking predates the modern computer. Cryptography can sometimes be hacking words with paper and pencil. During World War II, these code crackers laid the groundwork for what would become cybersecurity.

THE CUCKOO’S EGG: TRACKING A SPY THROUGH THE MAZE OF COMPUTER ESPIONAGE 

BY CLIFF STOLL

From the earliest computers, there were hackers and hacker hunters. This book traces a notable hack from the earliest days of the modern computer. 

CULT OF THE DEAD COW: HOW THE ORIGINAL HACKING SUPERGROUP MIGHT JUST SAVE THE WORLD 

BY JOSEPH MENN

What is a hacktivist? Why should I care? This book may give you the answers. Author Joseph Menn has also been very supportive of my own government investigations into hackers.

GHOST IN THE WIRES: MY ADVENTURES AS THE WORLD’S MOST WANTED HACKER 

BY KEVIN MITNICK

A first-hand account from one of the hackers. This hacker's memoir describes the walls closing in on him.

The Red Web: The Struggle Between Russia's Digital Dictators and the New Online Revolutionaries

by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan 

A drier but gripping tale from two Russia-based reporters who risk their lives to report on Russia state-sponsored hacking. 

Fiction - Because Sometime We Need a Break From Reality

NEUROMANCER 

BY WILLIAM GIBSON

This classic was so influential that many think that it caused the online world to copy its descriptions. A data thief has been punished for hacking, but he must return to the digital trenches when AI causes novel threats. That description is close enough to reality to give pause now. However, Gibson wrote it nearly 40 years ago!

SNOW CRASH 

BY NEAL STEPHENSON

Another eerily prescient book. Author Neal Stephenson has been an inspiration for many of the tech giants. This book, which coined the term "metaverse," is still being mined for ideas today. For what it's worth, I think that the book should be read as a comedy, not a straight drama. After all, the main character is named "Hiro Protagonist."  

Anyway, those are a few of my ideas. DM or email me for any deeper recommendations.