CHATTER Dispatches from the Secret World of Global Eavesdropping

Chatter is a surprisingly interesting and eye-opening examination of the United States-led global surveillance network known as “Echelon.” In the book, Patrick Radden Keefe explores the nature of this vast program of worldwide communication interception, which sounds Orwellian yet remains all too real. The strength of the book lies with the detail of Keefe’s research and in the many characters whom he describes. Robertson Dean’s stentorian voice sounds authoritative and lends an additional level of credibility to the book. Dean relishes its many tales, which range from humorous to chilling. If the book has a weakness, it is Keefe’s failure to delve more deeply into the implications of this intelligence network and the way it serves as “Big Brother” to the world. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 05]