The Patriot Act, warrantless wire taps by the NSA, increased government secrecy and monitoring. Since September 11, 2001, the government of the United States has taken steps to keep us safe. But at what cost? And are we truly safer? In her book, Susan N. Herman, the president of the ACLU takes a hard look at the human and social costs of the War on Terror. In Taking Liberties, Herman describes multiple cases where innocent people had their civil rights violated and their lives turned upside-down under both George W. Bush and Barack Obama. This a wake-up call for all Americans, who remain largely unaware of the post-9/11 surveillance regime's insidious and continuing growth.