Truth and Consequence: The Unpublished Writing of Daniel Ellsberg

From the legendary Pentagon Papers whistleblower and anti-war activist-a posthumous collection of Daniel Ellsberg’s previously unpublished writings that offers a window into his courageous life, work, and most deeply held beliefs.

When Daniel Ellsberg passed away in 2023 at the age of ninety-two, his lifelong commitment to nuclear disarmament and truth-telling at the highest levels of government enshrined him as one of the most courageous patriots America has ever seen. From his role in leaking the Pentagon Papers in 1971, for which he was charged with multiple felonies under the Espionage Act, to his anti-war activism and writings in the decades that followed, his effects on American nuclear policy, peacemaking efforts, and information politics cannot be overstated.

Yet the principles he stood on remain more urgent than ever, as catastrophic wars break out and political unrest throws into question the authority of democracy and governments across the world. Truth and Consequence-edited by his son, Michael Ellsberg, and his longtime assistant Jan R. Thomas-captures Ellsberg’s lifelong preoccupations with the problem of evil, the massacre of civilians, the threat of nuclear annihilation, the dangers of unquestioned obedience, and the necessity to cultivate empathy for those whom we have been taught to see as enemies.

In this posthumous collection of previously unpublished writing, including autobiographical and personal essays, manifestos, and reportage, Ellsberg’s ideas burst from the page with acerbic critique and powerful introspection, cementing him as one of the most heroic champions of truth in American history. Truth and Consequence does not equivocate about the bedrock convictions we must continue to uphold in his wake: freedom, integrity, and, above all, truth.

Daniel Ellsberg, the iconic whistleblower known for leaking the Pentagon Papers in 1971, was the author of The Doomsday Machine and Secrets. A lecturer, scholar, writer, activist, and truth teller, he robustly communicated his lifelong concerns about the dangers of nuclear weapons and wars of intervention until his death in 2023.

Michael Ellsberg, Daniel’s son, is the author of three previous books. His writing has been featured in the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time, and more. He lives in Berkeley, CA.

Jan Thomas was Daniel Ellsberg’s longtime assistant. In preparing Ellsberg’s papers for the UMass Amherst Archives, she recognized the importance of his unpublished notebooks, which became the impetus for this book. Jan lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.