Book in Assange's Hand Is Getting Attention

Wikileaks founder held a book of interviews
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Apr 13, 2019 9:32 AM CDT
Updated Apr 13, 2019 11:15 AM CDT
Assange Was Holding a Book When He Got Arrested
Police bundle WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange from the Ecuadorian embassy into a police van in London after he was arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police and taken into custody Thursday April 11, 2019.   (@DailyDOOH via AP)

The arrest of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has made a book of interviews with Gore Vidal an unexpected best-seller, the AP reports. Assange was carrying a copy of Gore Vidal: History of the National Security State & Vidal on America when he was arrested Thursday at the Ecuadoran embassy in London. On Friday afternoon, the 2014 publication was No. 35 on Amazon.com but has since dropped to No. 50. Gore Vidal features conversations between the author-playwright and Paul Jay, founder of The Real News Network, a nonprofit with a stated mission of "independent, verifiable, fact-based journalism."

Vidal, who died in 2012 at age 86, had a longtime aversion to US military force and surveillance. Assange hadn't left the embassy since 2012 for fear of arrest and extradition to the US for publishing thousands of classified military and diplomatic cables. (Read about an old case that may return to haunt Assange.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X