The Boy Who Could Change the World: The Writings of Aaron Swartz - Softcover

Swartz, Aaron

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1784784966 ISBN 13: 9781784784966

Publisher: Verso, 2016

Synopsis

In January 2013, Aaron Swartz, under arrest and threatened with thirty-five years of imprisonment for downloading material from the JSTOR database, committed suicide. He was twenty-six years old. But in that time he had changed the world we live in: reshaping the Internet, questioning our assumptions about intellectual property, and creating some of the tools we use in our daily online lives. Besides being a technical genius and a passionate activist, he was also an insightful, compelling, and cutting critic of the politics of the Web. In this collection of his writings that spans over a decade he shows his passion for and in-depth knowledge of intellectual property, copyright, and the architecture of the Internet. The Boy Who Could Change the World contains the lifes work of one of the most original minds of our time.

About this title

Review:

“A kid genius ... Aaron was not just, or even primarily, a computer geek. His defining feature was a constant struggle for what he believed was right.” – Lawrence Lessig

“Aaron had an unbeatable combination of political insight, technical skill, and intelligence about people and issues. I think he could have revolutionized American (and worldwide) politics. His legacy may still yet do so.” – Cory Doctorow

“I always found it genuinely inspiring to watch Swartz exude courage and commitment at such a young age.” – Glenn Greenwald

“This volume makes clear what those of us who knew Aaron already grasped: when we lost Aaron, we lost one of the most exciting minds of our time.” – Chris Hayes

“We’ve lost a fighter. We’ve lost somebody who put huge energy into righting wrongs.” – Sir Tim Berners-Lee

“Swartz left behind an impressive body of writing that still has the power to rally others... Clear, well read and sourced” – Financial Times

About the Author:

Aaron Swartz (1986-2013) was involved in the development of RSS, Creative Commons, web.py, and Reddit. He helped launch the Progressive Change Campaign Committee in 2009 and founded the online group Demand Progress. He is survived by his parents and two brothers, who live in Chicago.

About this edition

• Publisher: Verso
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1784784966
• ISBN 13: 9781784784966
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 368