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My Country Versus Me: A Los Alamos Scientist Who Was Falsely Accused of Being a Spy Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Wen Ho Lee (Author), Helen Zia (Author), Fred Stella (Narrator),

36 ratings

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Wen Ho Lee, a patriotic American scientist born in Taiwan, had devoted almost his entire life to science and to helping improve U.S. defense capabilities. He loved his job at Los Alamos National Laboratory and spent his leisure time fishing, cooking, gardening, and with his family. Then, suddenly, everything changed and he found himself in the spotlight, accused of espionage by members of Congress and the national media and portrayed as the most dangerous traitor since the Rosenbergs. He was even told that their fate - execution - might well be his own. Although Dr. Lee was horrified by these words, he knew he was innocent and believed that this was all a big mistake that would be cleared up quickly. But in December 1999, his worst fears were confirmed when he was manacled, shackled, brought to jail, and put in a tiny, solitary-confinement cell, where he would remain for the next nine months. His arrest sparked controversy throughout the country; it triggered concern for national security, debate about racial profiling and media distortion, and outrage over a return to McCarthy-era paranoia. Throughout the ordeal, Dr. Lee steadfastly maintained his innocence. Now, at last, he is free to tell his story. In this compelling narrative, Dr. Lee chronicles his experience before, during, and after his imprisonment. He takes readers inside Los Alamos and discusses how violations of national security occur in many government agencies. He describes how the FBI infiltrated his private life - lying to him and spying on him for nearly two decades. He relates his own anti-Communist stance, the result of tragic events from his past, and tells how he assisted the FBI to help protect nuclear secrets. He explains the role that the New York Times and unsourced "leaks" played in the country's rush to judgment. He details his harsh treatment in jail and how citizens can be incarcerated solely on government allegations and without factual justification. Finally, Dr. Lee accounts for why he downloaded codes, demonstrating once and for all that he is innocent of every charge leveled against him except for one, a security violation that many others had committed. A riveting story about prejudice, fear, suspicion - and courage - My Country Versus Me offers a revelatory first-hand account of one of the major abuses of our government's power in our time.

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Listening Length	11 hours and 22 minutes
Author	Wen Ho Lee, Helen Zia
Narrator	Fred Stella
Audible.com Release Date	October 22, 2008
Publisher	Brilliance Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B001J6XDSU
Best Sellers Rank	#177,652 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #445 in Biographies of Science & Technology Leaders #739 in Biographies of Authors #1,329 in Biographies of Politicians

Customer reviews

5 star		71%
4 star		16%
3 star		4%
2 star		4%
1 star		4%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Patricia Villella

good read especially in these divisive times

Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2020

Verified Purchase

America is not so perfect when it wrongly accuses its citizens of betraying it. It is a must read to learn the truth.

Helpful

King

The dark side of america, originally from Taiwan and ...

Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2016

Verified Purchase

The dark side of america, originally from Taiwan and educated in America, he could have been wrongfully sentenced to a long term in prison.

Helpful

The Last Chief

A well written book

Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2002

Verified Purchase

This is a well written book that reveals the dark side of all three branches of US federal government, especially DOJ, DOE, FBI, and the Congress. It also reminds people that the news media of this country, though enjoy the freedom of speech, is not really fair to minority groups, especially, in this case, the ethnic Chinese.

10 people found this helpful

Helpful

rosete1

Asians Guilty by Race Too?

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

excellent first-hand account - a lesson on two conflicting grand stereotypes of Asian Americans: model minority versus sneaky Oriental Other.

model minority almost always loses.

2 people found this helpful

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Thinker

History repeats itself!

Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2015

Verified Purchase

History repeats itself, the ordeal happened again to me, subject to selective prosecution and racial profiling. The difference between him and me, the opportunists going after him for patriotic reason but the attackers on me for purely personal retaliation with malicious intent, even worse!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Mike DePue, OFS

Guilt or Innocence???

Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2013

"Readers will have to decide for themselves whether Lee was a devious spy or an eccentric victim." This quote comes from a Library Journal review of another book on the subject: A Convenient Spy: Wen Ho Lee and the Politics of Nuclear Espionage . Both the Lee and Stober/Hoffman books should be read before making up your mind.

I gave a good deal of weight to the position taken by Bob Vrooman (p 192+ of My Country Versus Me). Vrooman had served in Vietnam, had worked for the CIA as an operations officer, and had been the counterintelligence chief at Los Alamos Nuclear Laboratory. He told the Washington Post: "I've had a distinguished career. And I'm not going to go down in history as the guy who screwed up this case, because I wasn't. This case was screwed up because there was nothing there--it was built on thin air." He went on to say: "Dr. Lee was identified... as the prime suspect based on an, at best, cursory investigation. ...It can be said at this time that Mr. Lee's ethnicity was a major factor."

At the very least, the government's inept and heavyhanded "investigation," with strong overtones of racism and nativism, should give civil libertarians considerable pause. We can be better than this; we can do better than this. The rest of the world is watching.

6 people found this helpful

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Suc Hamate

Disillusioning and Enlightening

Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2008

Suppose you're framed up and put to jail under the severest condition. You woe is none other than the country that you call "motherland" and for whose safety and benefit you've dedicated your energy and wisdom whole-heartedly for over two decades. Will you despair? Do you have the guts to fight, not only for your own freedom and reputation, but also for rendering this very country a more hospitable place to devote your alliegance?

Dr. Wen Ho Lee chose a positive answer. Though blatantly wronged, Dr. Lee never gave in or gave up hope. In this memoir, Dr. Lee recalls with utmost details the several years of nightmare he has gone through. His personal experience vividly shows that, how detrimental racial profiling and political bigotry, when armed with powerful governmental status, can be. As Dr. Lee sadly put in his account:

"All along the way, I was struck by the vast natural beauty of this country and how friendly most Americans are. I felt very proud to be here and believed Americans to be honest and trustworthy. I really didn't see the ugliness until all the lies, deceptions, and false accusations came into my life."

And

"There is one lesson I learned that everyone should know if the FBI should come to you to ask you questions: No matter how friendly they may seem, no matter what ruse they give you, NEVER speak to them unless you have a lawyer or at least a third party there with you."

Dr. Lee, fortunately or not, has been awakened from his nightmare. But the root for his suffering, i.e. the bias and panaroid against minority ethnic groups and color people, still exist. Who can guarantee you will not be the next victim?

3 people found this helpful

Helpful

Walter W. Ko

The scape-goat of Elephant & Donkey

Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2007

Dr Lee told his story in this book. As a naturalized American citizen, he does his professional job, raised a family with a typical middle class profile. But he was the wrong man as in the Chinese saying "The city gate fire victimized the fish in the pond" in the struggle of two parties ugly politics. Reading this book creates the following questions.

1. Where is due process for Dr. Lee?
2. What is the role of free press in democracy?
3. Why a free press is enthusiastic to make a guilty assumption on him?
4. Why there is silence on the spy on Crown Jewel Rocket secret afterward?
5. Why US Court Judge Parker ended the case with an unusual apology to Dr. Lee, an alleged felon in 9-month solitary confinement with 59 charges?
6. Why there is a plea bargain for one small charge to cover up lost face?
7. Why this case is important relating to US Constitution and the rule of law?

Dr Lee warns readers "Do not talk to FBI without your lawyer." This book gives the reality lesson of politics, humanity and justice.
All men are created equal - some are more equal than others?

6 people found this helpful

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My Country Versus Me: A Los Alamos Scientist Who Was Falsely Accused of Being a Spy Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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