Reviews (12)

Well detailed and researched book
The first thing we have to make clear in these types of books is who the author is and the author of this book is John Dinges. Dinges is a serious journalist who worked as the editorial director for National Public Radio for over ten years (1985 to 1996). He has worked as a foreign correspondent for Time, ABC, and most notably the Washington Post. And he is currently a Professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
A chilling look at US sponsored state terror in the Southern Cone
In "The Condor Years", Jonh Dinges does a wonderful job documenting US complicity in overthrowing the democratically elected Popular Unity government in Chile and instituting Operation Condor, a network of right-wing military dictatorships in Latin America's six southernmost countries with the aim of crushing popular movements for economic democracy, social justice and political freedom. As such, it is an essential text for activists and scholars interested in human rights, civil liberties, union organizing, political repression in the Americas, corporate globalization and peace. The book also delves into the role that pro-business, reactionary Cuban exiles played in hunting down Chilean dissidents living in the US. Given current events in Colombia, Iraq and elsewhere, this is an urgent and frightening book!

Good book but a little dry
I think this was a very good book.It gives you an excelent report on the atrocities committed by the military in countries like Chile,Argentina and Paraguay.Mr Dinges did a great work in gathering all the information and evidence necessary to present a clear and bullet-proof case against all the parties involved.I was fascinated by all the evidence and information that clearly connects Henry Kissinger with this military goverments and the uncontested proof of his knowledge about the situation in this countries.The only thing i didnt like about this book is that sometimes it gives you the impression that you are reading a goverment report.Because, at times, the author is just giving you facts, dates and names with a certain dryness that sometimes bored me.It felt like you were lectured like in a class room.But,again, the book is full of fascinating tales and information that makes you wonder about our own goverment and the way it manages information.Good work! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1973-1988    2. 20th century    3. Chile    4. Conspiracy & Scandal Investigations    5. Espionage    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History: World    9. Latin America - General    10. Latin America - South America    11. Modern - 20th Century    12. Pinochet Ugarte, Augusto    13. Political Repression    14. Politics and government    15. South America - History    16. Southern Cone of South America    17. State-sponsored terrorism    18. Victims of state-sponsored terrorism    19. Espionage & secret services    20. Political oppression & persecution    21. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    22. USA   

Reviews (2)

Great book.......
Terry Gould came to my school and discuss his book and the gave us in insight of the Triads and Kwan Kung. Just as he did when he came to the school, his book gives great information of how the Triads were created and why they chose the God Kwan Kung. Many more intresting facts he provides in his book. It is intresting and difficult to put down.

I was there. Therefore, I know.
While Steven Wong the Triad Gangster rose through the ranks in Vancouver's Gangland, I was a Vancouver cop who had many dealings with him. I probably knew Wong, and of his activities, more so than anyone in the Vancouver Police Department, other than a handfull of other cops who might be inclined to say the same thing. I was a cop who used Wong to my own end, while Wong used me to his. I still don't know who, if anyone, came out on top. Read more

Subjects:  1. 1964-    2. Biography    3. Canada    4. Gangsters    5. Infamous Crimes And Criminals    6. Organized Crime    7. Triads (Gangs)    8. True Crime    9. True Crime / Espionage    10. Wong, Steven,   

Reviews (7)

Good but not grate
This book does a good job of telling the reader about problems they can have with their pcs, and how easy it is for people to take control of their pcs. However if you are a navice to the world of computers this book will make you wish you never buight a computer, on the other hand if you work in the IT feild this book to be basic.

Full of scare tactics and misinformation
I had the misfortune of buying and reading this book for a course on Computer Security. If you're looking for the glance into the mind of a typical "3l33t h@x0r" you might find this interesting. If you're already familiar with the information security field you'll recognize that most of this book is at best very out of date, and at worst completely untrue.If you're not familiar with computers and the internet, please take this book with a HUGE grain of salt. It's meant to scare you, and if you let it, it will. This book ain't for you.....really
The book is a total waste of money, time and it will make you (that was mycase) wish you didn't buy it. It just tell you things a really experienceweb sufer (not hackers) already know. He says some stuff that could becalled hackers materials but it ain't that much as the title of the booksmakes you think. Anyway Robert Merkle, put another book that is calledInternet Outlaw i guess that seems to be pretty good for those interestedon hacking lessons...but the information that is on it will change soon soyou better buy it now while it still been valuable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer - Internet    2. Computer Books: Internet General    3. Computer Crime    4. Computer Data Security    5. Computers    6. Espionage    7. Internet    8. Internet (Computer network)    9. Internet - General    10. Security - General    11. Security measures    12. World Wide Web    13. Computer fraud & hacking    14. General Theory of Computing    15. Network security    16. True Crime / Espionage   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Espionage    3. General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Spies   

Reviews (4)

Original Contributions to Intelligence Reform Dialog
"Intelligence Guys Are Us" and Without Original Thought
Insightless readfor even current civilian, military intelligence or academia.All of the authors are FORMER intelligence officials, and as the saying goes-even if you reshuffel a deck of card, the same cards, or in this case,the same thoughts will remain.This book speaks out for only one clear reform-new blood in the United States and Allied Nations Intelligence Services.Can the authors all say- "original thought"? I think not.

National Security with Dust. Good history but DOA
Roy and Ernie-professors of intelligence think the Cold War is raging, and given the sorry refocus they provide for even the Intelligence professional, this book is not going to help anyone in understanding how the U.S. Intel Services can best redistribute there efforts. Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. History - Military / War    3. History: American    4. Intelligence service    5. Military - General    6. Military Science    7. U.S. Government - Intelligence Agencies    8. United States    9. Espionage & secret services    10. USA    11. Warfare & Defence   

Subjects:  1. Central Intelligence Agency    2. Espionage    3. Foreign relations    4. General    5. Intelligence service    6. Military intelligence    7. Politics - Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. United States   

Reviews (19)

good read
Very good read for the details on this incident.More photos and diagrams would have been nice and the plane on the cover sure doesn't look like a FedEx DC-10!

A Really Good Book
This book really reads fast, the only thing that slowed me down was that I kept telling my wife bits from the pages. When the attack took place the author does a great job of making you see the full event?I do not even remember hearing much about this in the past but here are all the facts. It really makes the hardened cockpit doors look like a long overdue idea.Sometimes with airline books you get a lot of pilot speak that is hard to understand but not here - the author does a great job of explaining everything, almost like if he were with you in the living room while you read.You also really get to feel for the victims of this madman. You do not have to be interested in airlines to get a lot out of this book; it is just an overall great read.

WOW! HEROS! Ordinary men in an extraordinary situation
I first read about this story in Reader's Digest and was so engrossed in it that I went to my local Bookstore and ordered it shipped "RUSH".I was raised at an airport and have been an avid follower of aviation. I found this book to have a GREAT balance of technical and lay details of aviation.Furthermore, I had a long talk with a FedEx 727 Captain who was "Non-Reving" on our airline about this incident, he knows this crew personally and was there at the Memphis airport when this happened. He also thought that the book was well written and quite accurate and realistic. I LOVE true stories of courage and strength.I was not disappointed in the purchase of this book. GOOD LUCK to David, Jim, and Andy and their families. Our prayers are with you all. Dave ... Thanx for a GREAT Book. God Bless ... mike ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aviation - History    2. Espionage    3. Federal Express Flight 705 Hij    4. Federal Express Flight 705 Hijacking Incident, 1994    5. General    6. Hijacking of aircraft    7. Hijacking of airplanes    8. Infamous Crimes And Criminals    9. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    10. Sociology    11. True Crime    12. United States    13. True stories of endurance & survival   

Reviews (3)

Clarification
It should be noted that this book was written by Richard Bennett and contains only a FOREWORD written by James Bamford. Otherwise the reference book contains interesting and accurate insights into various terms and events inside/outside the intelligence community.

EspionageRichard M. Bennett
ESPIONAGE, An Encyclopedia of Spies & Secrets will become a standard work for those who wish to lift the curtain on the hidden world of the intelligence services. Bennett pulls no punches in his caustic comments and analysis of the events of 9-11 and the failure of Western Intelligence. It makes a hugely refreshing change from the stale old, but politically acceptable analysis pumped out by authors like Nigel West and others. Bennett redraws the battle lines on many historical espionage events and dares to disagree with the usually accepted versions. Perhaps his views might be questioned sometimes, but in a ground breaking work like Espionage that comes with the territory. I found his listings of the worlds major Intelligence services fascinating and very useful. I would have liked to see more cross-referencing and background material, but perhaps when the paper-back edition is published next year we can hope for it to be an updated and expanded edition as well. Overall a must buy and I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone who harbors any doubts about 'official' versions of events or the willingness of 'established' authors to rock-the-boat.

Ambitious, but erroneous
Tries to cover a wide area, but makes factual mistakes.For one example, the author has decided to include entries for special operations forces around the world.For the US entry, he asserts that the US Army's special forces are simply "elite infantry" similar to the French Foreign Legion.Entering the SF world is a process in which an NCO does not only change his unit of assignment but also his MOS (job description) to one of several specialties. 18 series MOSs (SF) cover medical, engineering, and communications in addition to light and heavy weapons.SF training spans military free fall parachuting to foreign language training.There is no way that someone with even casual knowledge of Army SF could confuse them with the Legion's infantry. A majority of the military info seems to have come from the "Soldier of Fortune Magazine"-types who sit on bar stools and recite anecdotes of stuff they never did. Not being a spy, I don't know how accurate the stuff closer to center mass of his subject matter is, but if the military material is any indicator.... And then there's the preface.Let's just say that the writer of that part of the book has, let us say, 'questionable', credentials.Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Espionage    3. True Crime    4. True Crime / Espionage    5. Espionage & secret services    6. Reference works   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Espionage    3. History    4. History - Military / War    5. Intelligence service    6. International cooperation    7. Military - General    8. Military - Intelligence/Espionage    9. Political Process - Leadership    10. Political Science    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Espionage & secret services    13. First World War, 1914-1918    14. Inter-war period, 1918-1939    15. Military intelligence    16. Political Science / International Security    17. Second World War, 1939-1945   

Reviews (5)

Adds to Our Cumulative Knowledge.
I agree with the other reviewers here as this book is not perfect. It was written before the Venona Transcripts or the Mitrokhin Files became known, and, for this reason, is not as complete a work as something like the Sword and the Shield would be. Regardless, it is an extraordinary primary source testament concerning one of the most secretive, nefarious, and befuddling organizations in history. I got the impression that Mr. Andrew wrote this account based on notes he obtained from Mr. Gordievsky. The result is a somewhat lumbering, and often repetitive, narration. A few of the same sentences are repeated at different points in the book which could potentially irritate many a reader. I did like the chapter outline, however, as it was sequenced chronologically which is helpful considering the varying scenarios within the foreign directorate discussed. We're very lucky in the west that men like Gordievsky had the courage to defect because, if they didn't, there would have been little chance of obtaining information about the Soviet Union at all.

Flawed and incomplete yet still a good read
When this book came out, it was considered to be groundbreaking and astonishing as far as new information about Soviet operations goes. However, it is almost completely irrelevant. If one takes a close look at the book and compares it with "The Mitrokhin Files" (Mitrokhin being another KGB officer who defected several years later), it will be noted that much of the information Gordievsky SHOULD HAVE KNOWN if he really had access to all top Soviet files is missing. This, along with several other contradictory statements, leads us to conclude that the Soviets knew of Gordievsky's activities and so were using him to feed false and/or irrelevant information to the West.

Monumental but hardly captivating
This book tries to be both academic and a good read. Many writers stronger than Gordievsky failed when trying to achieve this. Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. Espionage, Soviet    3. General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Intelligence service    7. KGB    8. Komitet gosudarstvennoi bezop    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Soviet Union    11. Espionage & secret services    12. Former Soviet Union, USSR (Europe)   

Reviews (1)

Excellent resource for both novice & expert computer users.
I considered myself a mid-range computer user and still found lots of great info in this book. My business has already streamlined and improved. I'm already saving a good 2-8 hours a week using the info I've learned so far. It's a keeper and invaluable reference for any PI or anyone in LE. My local PD has a copy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. True Crime    3. True Crime / Espionage    4. Criminal investigation & detection   

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - History - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Espionage    5. History    6. History - General    7. History - Other    8. Juvenile Nonfiction    9. Juvenile literature    10. Spies   

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. Espionage, American    3. General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. Intelligence Operations    8. United States   

Reviews (1)

Very informative and well told.
As a jarhead myself I had to read this book. I was captivated by the whole intrigue of the spy world and the involvement of the U.S. Marines. This book is a good recommendation for just about anyone, it even has a twist of romance. I strongly recommend it! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. Nonfiction - True Crime / Espionage    3. Sociology    4. Non-Classifiable   

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. Intelligence service    3. Political Freedom & Security - Intelligence    4. Political Science    5. Politics/International Relations    6. True Crime / Espionage    7. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    8. Political Science / International Security    9. Reference, Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects   

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. Europe - Great Britain - General    3. General    4. History - General History    5. True Crime    6. History / Great Britain   

Subjects:  1. Espionage    2. True Crime / Espionage   

Subjects:  1. 1902-    2. Biography    3. Espionage    4. Gehlen, Reinhard,    5. Germany    6. History - Military / War    7. Intelligence Agencies    8. Intelligence officers    9. Military - General    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Secret service    12. United States    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. Gehlen, Reinhard   

Reviews (6)

Lies without end

Messy but interesting
This book is badly edited and loaded with typographical errors; if it were a toaster, I'd call it defective and return it. Yes, it is an interesting addition to the literature of the Soviet revision. But the editing and the typos are horrible. You are left to figure out what word was meant-- does "writing" mean "writing"? is "ind" really "find"? -- and doing so continually interrupts the narrative.

An eye opening and very interesting
This is the kind of book that makes you ask yourself every few pages "did you know that?!", "how come I didn't know this!", and "how come nobody talks about this!"Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Communism    3. Communist strategy    4. Espionage    5. Espionage, Communist    6. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Propaganda    11. Russia (pre & post Soviet Union)    12. American history: from c 1900 -    13. Espionage & secret services    14. Europe    15. European history: from c 1900 -    16. Former Soviet Union, USSR (Europe)    17. History / General    18. History of ideas, intellectual history    19. Inter-war period, 1918-1939    20. Marxism & Communism    21. Münzenberg, Willi    22. Postwar period, 1945 to c 2000    23. Second World War, 1939-1945    24. USA