Reviews (2)

riveting, relevant and hard to put down...
(had to enter this in "kid's review" as i don't want to sign up for an amazon account (sorry, amazon!)
Revisionism
I looked this book over at Borders and decided not to buy it when I saw that the author claims that the jury is still out on whether Alger Hiss was a Soviet spy.Frankly, it's my opinion that the Venona decrypts of KGB messages during the World War II era have pretty much settled this issue.Hiss was a spy and so were a number of other people that Ms. Knight seems to assert "reasonable doubt on."
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: World    4. Modern - 20th Century    5. History / Modern / 20th Century   

Editorial Review

America and Britain have long enjoyed what leaders in both countries have deemed a "special relationship." Their closeness has long been cemented, Richard Aldrich writes, by shared intelligence--"the hidden hand" of his title, even if their intelligence communities have sometimes been at odds and worked to different purposes. In the postwar era, writes University of Nottingham professor of politics Aldrich, American intelligence was aided immeasurably by Britain, which had had considerable experience in keeping tabs on Russian agents for decades, thanks to the long-played "great game" in Central Asia. One successful joint enterprise took place in Iran, threatened by Soviet invasion after World War II: even with a few missteps, joint American-British efforts led to victory in a battle largely fought through propaganda, even if that battle gave America strategic advantage in the Persian Gulf region at Britain's expense. Other joint efforts were less successful, including the cynical abandonment of the Hungarian rebels of 1956, and relations between the two powers were often strained by competing interests, such as those made evident by the Suez crisis. Despite errors of judgment, spy scandals, interagency and international competition, and other blights on the record, Aldrich observes that "Cold War intelligence was neither fruitless nor a zero-sum game, and its most substantial benefits might be measured through inaction"--that is, the fact that the war stayed for the most part cold. Aldrich considers the whole range of operations in this detailed account, which will be of considerable interest to students of cold war history. Read more

Reviews (1)

recent reviews submitted by a UK reader
Max Hastings in The Sunday Telegraph `Books of the Year'2 December 2001 >

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Central Intelligence Agency    3. Cold War    4. Espionage    5. General    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: American    9. Intelligence service    10. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    11. United States    12. History / Military / General    13. International Relations    14. United States - 20th Century    15. Intelligence Operations    16. World politics    17. Foreign relations   

Editorial Review

For many, the CIA conjures up a shadowy world of spies, international intrigue, and secret corridors of power. While this image may be partially accurate, the primary function of the agency is less romantic: the collection and analysis of information. To this end, the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology is indispensable. As the group responsible for creating the tools that allow the spymasters to do their jobs, the DS&T has been "a key element in the history of both the CIA and the entire intelligence community," writes Jeffrey Richelson, a specialist on American intelligence operations. In Read more

Reviews (16)

Needs more wizardry
If you go into reading this book with the idea that you are going to be learning about amazing gadgets and strange experiments you might finish the book disappointed.If you go into reading this book hoping to learn about the bureaucracy of the CIA than you'll probably leave satisfied.While Richelson does spend a portion of the book talking about technical wizardry such as spy satellites, spy planes, and other James Bond fare, much of the book is spent talking about directorate organization and hierarchy, and the political infighting that comes along with it.
Dry text with a few gems of info
Richelson has written a very complete, documented, book on the Directorate of Science and Technology.However, unless you are looking for how government organizations function, or don't function, there isn't much new information on the technological accomplisments of the CIA that hasn't been written about elsewhere. I found the detailed reporting on who hated who, and how the defense department fought with the CIA for control of programs only slightly interesting.The technological achievements of the CIA were really interesting but sometimes amounted toa half page of good stuff, then back to the petty infighting within the government. I don't recommend this book unless you are doing a research paper.

The "Bureaucrats" of Langley
If I had read Andrew S. Rogers's review of this book (see below), "The Wizards of Langley" would have moved to the back of the queue of unread volumes on my bookself.While Richelson does an excellent job researching and documenting the organizational history of the CIA's Directorate of Science & Technology (DST), he drags the reader through a morass of details regarding the bureaucratic battles among various organizations within the U.S. Intelligence Community.
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Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. History - Military / War    3. Military    4. Military - General    5. Political Process - Leadership    6. Political Science    7. Research & Methodology    8. Espionage & secret services    9. USA    10. Intelligence    11. Military Affairs    12. National Security   

Reviews (2)

It's a Picture Book, not really a Textbook
Make sure you have the proper expectation of this book.It is a picture book with no more than a paragraph or three on each page.The main emphasis is visual imagery.The accompanying paragraphs offer a thumbnail sketch of the individual or historical incident pictured, but the text does not go in depth.This is really more like an "Espionage for Dummies" type of introductory book on the topic.After thumbing through this book you might know the names "Oleg Penkovsky" and "Operation Overlord" but you would need additional texts to really understand the topics presented.

The Spy Primer
Great book! This book is a must for history and spy buffs. I was fascinated by the wealth of information presented in the book. The author takes the reader from Moses to present day Iraq and fills the pages with the exploits of the world's most influential spies. More importantly, the book details the cunning of their famous masters. The book is a fun read and is wonderfully illustrated with photos of the actors, spy gadgets, and secret messages. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art & Art Instruction    2. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions - Museum    3. Espionage    4. General    5. History (General)    6. Intelligence Operations    7. True Crime    8. Espionage & secret services    9. True Crime / Espionage   

Reviews (1)

Easy Going Advanced Reader with Future Vision
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Subjects:  1. Education    2. Espionage    3. Information warfare    4. Intelligence service    5. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    6. Testing & Measurement    7. True Crime / Espionage    8. Espionage & secret services    9. Military intelligence    10. Political Science / International Security   

Reviews (2)

Strongly recommended reading for students of economics, criminology, and global terrorism
The fully revised and updated third edition of Dirty Dealing: The Untold Truth About Global Money Laundering, International Crime And Terrorism by global crime expert Peter Lilly is an informed and informative study of international corruption and crime as resulting in over two trillion US dollars being siphoned for illegal purposes every year. Introducing readers to a methodical and documented account based upon expertly researched information and analysis, Dirty Dealing provides a progressive basis for comprehending the global funding of international terrorism, major national and international organized criminal groups, the impact of the internet and "cyber laundering", and international anti-money laundering strategies for all types of corporate and multinational businesses. A seminal work of considerable scholarship and insight, Dirty Dealing is very strongly recommended reading for students of economics, criminology, and global terrorism.
Highly Recommended!
The subtitle of this book promises the "untold story" of dirty international financial dealings. That's not quite what it delivers, because the book compiles already-published accounts, public reports and Congressional testimony, and adds to them. Given that money laundering involves drug dealers, terrorists and slavers, the book has some titillating asides about sex, violence and filthy money. Author Peter Lilley explains precisely how money laundering works, including an introduction to the practices and techniques that have proven most successful. While praising the author's reportorial depth, we note one dilemma that emerges from such thoroughness: we hope this book doesn't fall into the hands of someone who wishes to take up money laundering but is unsure how to proceed. Business people who want to avoid being victimized should take particular note of the chapter discussing well-known checks-and-balances, controls and best practices. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. Finance    3. Money laundering    4. Organized crime    5. Other Miscellaneous Crimes    6. Terrorism    7. True Crime    8. True Crime / Espionage    9. Business & Economics / International    10. International business    11. International finance    12. True Crime / General   

Reviews (1)

Inside MI-6
Most of the common knowledge about the British Secret Intelligence Service aka MI-6 comes from revelations of things like the breaking of the Enigma codes during World War II. This book goes into much greater depth than these, not on specific incidents, but on the organization of MI-6 and how it has attempted to provide its customers (other Government agencies) with the information they need.
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Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. Great Britain    4. Great Britain.    5. MI6    6. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    7. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    8. Political Science    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Military intelligence    12. Political Science / International Security   

Reviews (23)

Handling Spy Handler
I find this book very interesting as it relates to the infamous American spies Aldrich Ames and Robert Hansson.However, I find the details can be cumbersome at times even though it is written with obvious knowledge.All in all, if one is interested in the dark world of spying, it is a good read.

Starts Good, Goes Downhill
This book is worth reading. You'll get the strong impression that Cherkashin definitely knows his subject, and there are some good tales told.
One of the best cold war memoirs
There isa large number of books dealing with Ames and Hanssen, and Cherkashin is the latest in a long line of former intelligence officers to write his memoirs. However, of all the accounts I have read, this one stands head and shoulders above the rest.
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Subjects:  1. 1932-    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Cherkashin, Victor,    5. Espionage    6. Espionage, Soviet    7. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    8. Government - National    9. History    10. History: World    11. Intelligence Agencies    12. Intelligence officers    13. Intelligence service    14. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    15. Soviet Union    16. Specific Groups - General    17. U.S. Government - Intelligence Agencies    18. Espionage & secret services    19. Russia    20. USA   

Reviews (2)

Food for thought, and a good read
Nobel Prize recipient Elias Canetti defined the "concentration" of a secret as the ratio between the number of people who know it, and the number of people it might affect. Canetti noted that modern technical secrets were the most concentrated type of secret because they have the potential to affect everyone, but are known only to a few.
What a great movie this book would make
A wonderfully written, exciting, unbelievable but true story that keeps your attention with new developments on every page. Imagine a defector hunted by the FBI who creates a new life in the Soviet bloc, learns the language, marries, rises to the top in his professional field, and 40 years later returns to the US. What was his life like for the 40 years behind the Iron Curtain? Why did he spy and defect? Imagine a woman who abandons her husband and children for a lover and defects with him, not knowing that she will not be able to return to her kids for decades, and then she reunites with them. This books combines elements of a spy thriller, a historical documentary, and a romantic novel, covering a variety of topics, from the roots of communist ideology among Americans and the history of computer and weapons development, to a spy's personal life that involved a Russian mistress and a Czech wife. This book shows life in Russia during the Cold War from the perspective of American communists. Well-researched and thoroughly documented, I think this book would make a great movie. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Communists    4. Electric engineers    5. Engineering - General    6. Espionage    7. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    8. Historical - General    9. Science/Mathematics    10. Soviet Union    11. Spies    12. Technology    13. United States    14. Espionage & secret services    15. European history: from c 1900 -    16. History / General    17. Marxism & Communism    18. Russia   

Reviews (2)

Very detailed and informative
Though it can get a bit dry at times, reading this book through is very well worth it.It covers a lot of material, whether it be foiling foot, vehicular, or technical surveillance attempts.Unlike some books that will include a few pages on eluding surveillance, listing techniques like "leave the TV on if you think you're bugged" or "make two right turns if you think you're followed" and leaving it at that, this one will provide you with more discreet and effective ways at accomplishing these goals.
How To Watch Your Backside?
In the ever changing "Information Age" in which we exist, more and more of us are voicing concerns about our fear of "Big Brother" and the amount of privacy that we can continue to maintain. With government agencies and pseudo-agencies, as well as more and moreonline businesses requesting more of our personal data, and storing thisinfo in larger and larger databases, we all should be rightly alarmed andconcerned.This book, I find, provides very helpful advice to the consumeron how to try and preserve their privacy while also making you aware of howothers (crooks) are constantly looking for ways to pilfer your identity. While some areas of the book I did not consider to be detailed enough(particularly, areas on surveillance), overall, I considered the book to bevery informative. However, be aware, that the everyday consumer is not theonly one who may be reading this book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Eavesdropping    2. Electronic surveillance    3. Espionage    4. Forensic Science    5. Investigations    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Personal & Practical Guides    8. Prevention    9. Problems & Exercises    10. Reference    11. Criminal investigation & detection    12. Human rights    13. True Crime / Espionage   

Reviews (3)

I only made it through Chapter One
I got this book from the library and was pretty excited to start reading it.It's possible that most of the book is great, but I won't find out as I struggled to make it through the first chapter before returning it.That chapter is filled with nothing but long lists of "this guy did that" and "another guy did something else" that was boring, disconnected and pretty repetitive. Breaks with Conventional Wisdom; Provocative; Incomplete
Well worth the read
Professor Alvarez has done his homework, although I do believe his presentation on how the Vatican has conducted its intelligence does not actually reflect the sometime morbid tone Vatican efforts sometimes undertook.I believe Profesor Alvarez could have been more helpful with the issue of the Croatians and the Vatican as to the terrible treatment of members of the Jewish faith there is concerned in WW II, and the terrible conduct that some clergy exhibited in Croatia.The Professor would have been well advised to look more into the role of members of the Sovereign Military Order of St. John Hospitaller, as some of its membership in WWII was of deep significance and use to the Vatican's overall intelligence attempts to understand and combat Facism and Nazism. Read more

Subjects:  1. 19th century    2. 20th century    3. Christianity - Catholicism    4. Christianity - History - Catholic    5. Espionage    6. History    7. History - Military / War    8. Intelligence Operations    9. Intelligence service    10. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    11. Military Science    12. Religion    13. Roman Catholic Church    14. Vatican City    15. Christian communities & monasticism    16. Espionage & secret services    17. History of specific subjects    18. Italy    19. Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church    20. Vatican    21. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (13)

An Investigative Reporter's attempt at writing History
The book as an investigative history is a good one. The author maintains drama and suspense and gives enough titalating detail (lots of sex and alcohol--The CIA must be one hell of a party) to keep you reading long into the night.
The secret struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union
"All the operations, all the billions spent, all the bodies we left around the world, all the lies to our countrymen, our friends, our families, our allies -- in the end we failed at the mission...Our problem was that we could not discern what mattered." --Dr. William R. Corson, American Counterintelligence Officer
POTWAC, n. Piece Of Trash With A Cover, as in, Trento's book is a POTWAC.
The faces of many of my family members, friends, and others, turned red when they read of Trento's (in my opinion) libel of one of my relatives.
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Subjects:  1. Central Intelligence Agency    2. Espionage    3. Government - U.S. Government    4. History    5. History - Military / War    6. History: American    7. Intelligence service    8. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    9. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    10. Politics - Current Events    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. United States.    14. Espionage & secret services    15. History / United States / 20th Century    16. History of specific subjects    17. USA   

Reviews (4)

This is one of two indispensable books for scholars
As both a teacher of intelligence and national security classes as well as a writer about intelligence, Lathrop's book is only the second indispensable book I have come across.The other is Polmar and Allen's Spy Book.
A Wonderful Resource!
This is a rare type of book--unique, fun, and useful all at the same time.To my knowledge, no other book brings together so many quotes and comments about the world of intelligence.These quotes, along with Mr. Lathrop's comments, provide a guide to how intelligence works--or doesn't work--and will help educate anyone interested in spying and intelligence.
An Indispensable Reference
A majority of Americans do not understand intelligence, given its necessarily sensitive and exclusionary nature.Greater news coverage of the subject, generally in the context of national security issues, does not appear to have enlightened a public that prefers to view things through an increasingly partisan political lens.
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Subjects:  1. Editing & Proofreading    2. Espionage    3. History, Modern    4. International Relations - General    5. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    6. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    7. Political Science    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Quotations, maxims, etc    11. Dictionaries of quotations    12. Espionage & secret services    13. History / General    14. Military intelligence   

Reviews (16)

Review my own reviews!
When this book was written it was the first one on the market for anyone seeking ANY kind of information on surveillance.While I am the first to agree this book is way past it's time several things still prevail.It has been said that the title is misleading.I guess that would be a matter of perspective.When I spoke of SERIOUS, I was referring to the amount of money one spends on buying the best equipment out there to do the job with.At the time of the writing, what I had was state of the art.While, several of you would disagree about "Doing one thing, about converting and old van into a surveillance van" is all the book is about.I have a couple of comments about that, that anyone doing surveillance should agree with.Once you are outside of your vehicle, your danger rate goes up about 90%.Your personal danger that is.If you stay in your van, or vehicle and stay far enough away, with powerful lenses you should have no problem being "Made".Your only concern are those around you.While at the time, I had serious competitors, I have now retired and can say what I want.I purposely left things out of the book so they could not see what we were really doing.If you live in NY, I would agree, this book is not for you.If you are over 40 you should have a van.Why?Comfort.
Serious Surveillance?Or Serious Joke?
Having spent a great amount of years carrying out surveillance both for the government and in the Private sector, I can honestly say that this book has to be one of the worst I've ever read on the subject.
Great !
I think that "Serious Surveillance for the Private Investigator" is a great book for anyone interested in surveillance and investigation. I found several good ideas , but as I like Computer Forensics, I've read too "Le Guide du Cyberd�tective", published in France by Editions Chiron, ISBN 2702707831, with interesting things about software surveillance ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. Military Science    3. Personal & Practical Guides    4. Personal Growth - Success    5. Self-Help    6. Technology & Industrial Arts    7. True Crime / Espionage   

Reviews (20)

Submarine
Very well written. Contained material I did not know prior to reading the book.

too hard to swallow
W. Craig Reed needs to be veted out.I question many of the "facts" he speaks of.A submarine SCUBA diver getting closed circuit training, going along on a gas dive, riding in an SDV...come on!No Master Diver on his worst day would allow any of that to happen.His submarine details are marginal at best...it's STS!And, it's periscope photography school!
Crazy Ivan, Lazy Writer
This is an exasperating book.Author Craig Reed gives the reader just enough details to keep him on the hook, then glosses over other incidents and examples from his career that would have made this book a much bettter read.Rather than tell the whole story, he cuts seeminly at random from anecdote to anecdote.Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. International Relations - General    3. True Crime    4. True Crime / Espionage    5. United States - General    6. American history    7. International relations    8. USA   

Reviews (24)

Riveting read about unimaginable corruption by former Romanian Dictator
The Ceausescu "presidency" and "government" is revealed from the ultimate insider point of view, that of his former head of Intelligence, General Pacepa.Pacepa describes with frank methodology Nicolae Ceausescu's, along with his ankle biting wife Elena's, abuse of power.Hidden microphones, dissidents being "taken care of" in ways completely mind boggling, disinformation spread to allow Romania to shine in Western countries, even Jimmy Carter made to look foolish... it's amazing how far Ceausescu's "government" went to enrich it's humble leader.It is extremely fascinating, and shines new light on Yasser Arafat and Mikail Gorbachev, as well as making one question their own government and how perhaps other modern day governments are really run, especially North Korea.
An interesting look at Romania's Ceausescu regime
Anyone who spent even a few months in Romania when Ceausescu ran it knows that it was very poorly governed.Some symptoms of this were the long lines, the empty shelves in the food stores, the lack of so many consumer goods, the dollar shops, the Securitate, the eagerness of so many citizens to emigrate (and the difficulty of getting visas), the lack of Western newspapers and magazines and the weakness of currency by Western standards.There were also the searches for contraband items at the borders, such as calculators, Bibles, or coffee.Bribery appeared to be part of the culture.Yes, a few people in the government were relatively well off, but very few others were.
Fascinating!!!!
Red Horizons: Chronicles of a Communist Spy Chief is a fascinating book.Pacepa has insights that you will fine nowhere else.