Biographies:

Confessions of a Spy: The Real Story of Aldrich Ames ASIN:0425167127 Our Price: $15.00 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: Flawed man and Flawed System Comments: Aldrich Ames' met with the author for several sittings after he was jailed and without the government's permission. That was just one more offense in a career of treason, drunkenness, slough and almost revolting passivity. Yet this man not only sent as many as 25 agents to their execution, he also spared no information to his KGB handlers. At times, he would be rooting for our side by day and by night he would have reversed and treacherously divulged everything he had previously learned. Of course the answer is how? Despite the agency's superiority in resources and technology, they retain a dangerous and imbecilic "he's one of us" mentality. Ames repeatedly failed to follow protocol. He was spending money like a madman and while there were a few who were convinced of his guilt, the amount of time and the ultimate leakage that occured with every day was shameful. Interestingly or not, the CIA has satellites that could zero in on Brezhnev as his dacha while he was being detained-but when it came down to getting the goods on Ames, they were more like the Keystone cops. Stealing trashcans, going door to door as salesmen, til someone called the cops and all of the vaudeville that one associates with those types of blunders. The book is far more flattering to the 'bureau,' who took full honors for the arrest even though there had been an agency team that had first fingered Ames and his wife. The underlying issue for me was a) how the nature of espionage seems to be more about getting moles than about truly gathering intelligence and b) the astonishing lack of effective ways to figure out if someone is working for the other side. All of which, indicts or acquits the nature of being human in a world of frightening homeland security and total information awareness. Getting the info is apparently easier than managing it and logically acting on behalf of the constitution- not an ideology. There has been nothing discovered that has solved that problem. I really enjoyed reading this book and having some insight into diplomacy and superpowers and flawed characters all over.

Betrayal: The Story of Aldrich Ames, an American Spy ASIN: 067944050X Our Price: $16.95 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: Excellent resource on Counter-Intelligence Weaknesses Comments: This is a very readable book on Espionage and especially demonstrates the weaknesses in our Counter-Intelligence system. The CIA takes the heat in this book but this story demonstrates an inherint weakness in our security within ALL agencies involved in dealing with sensitive issues. I felt this book was well written and recommend it to anyone who wants to try and understand how this could have happened.

Killer Spy: The Inside Story of the Fbi's Pursuit and Capture of Aldrich Ames, America's Deadliest Spy ASIN: 0446519731 Our Price: $21.95 Customer's Rating: 2 Summary: Lots of fluff, little research Comments: THis book incorrectly focuses on the FBI as the capturers of Ames and leaves out the mole hunting CIA team's chase of Ames. While they did mess up and take years to identify the problem, the CIA team caught Ames. THis book is also way short on providing insight into Ames motives, tactics and techniques. A MUCH better book on the subject is "confessions of a spy" by Pete Early. Earley is the only journalist that was able to interview Ames and his well researched book provides the story in Ames own words as well as interviews with his russian accomplices.

Sellout: Aldrich Ames: the Spy Who Broke the CIA ASIN: 0140244670 Our Price:

Angleton, James Jesus:

Cold Warrior: James Jesus Angleton: The Cia's Master Spy Hunter ASIN:0671662732 Our Price: $24.95 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: Interesting story about the CIA's first CI chief. Comments: I read this book several years ago, and found it to be very interesting and worthwhile. James Jesus Angleton was one of the early members of the CIA - a graduate of Yale which, at one time, was one of the primary recruiting grounds for the CIA. Angleton, according to the author, cut a very shadowy figure in an already shadowy world. Some of Mangold's text seems biased against Angleton, such as references to "The Trust" - an early counter intelligence operation created by Feliks Dzerzhinsky, the founder of the Cheka. Angleton placed great emphasis on understanding this old operation. Mangold seems to deride this practice of Angelton's, which I felt was unfairly judgemental. Mangold, however, also describes an operation headed up my Angleton which caused the ruin of some productive CIA officers. All in all, though, the book is very interesting, and manages to submerge the reader into the world of counter intelligence during the cold war era. Counter Intelligence has been described by those who have practiced it as a "Wilderness of mirrors". After reading this book the reader will gain an appreciation, even if only superficial, of how nerve-racking the job could be - not knowing whom you can trust.

Bentley, Elizabeth:

Red Spy Queen: A Biography of Elizabeth Bentley ASIN:0807827398 Our Price: $19.25 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: History with intrique intact Comments: I was amazed that this book would be such a delight to read. Initially, the historical research is well narrated, maintaining the suspense, danger, and the confusion behind the real life espionage of Elizabeth Bentley. Kathryn Olmsted displays an enjoyable interest in the vocabulary of the time, and is not shy to weave a moral into the story, as lasciviousness trumps cleverness. This book is a great resource on the fascinating history of the puzzle called the "Red Scare". As the Russians open their archives, the truth can be sought from a new light. Kathryn Olmsted pieces together Elizabeth Bentley's life, exaggerations, and manipulations in the sordid web of spies testifying against spies amidst political ambition and posturing of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. Honestly, I couldnâ??t put the book down.

Berg, Moe:

Moe Berg: The Spy Behind Homeplate (Jps Young Biography Series.) ASIN:0827606206 Our Price: $9.95 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: A great book. Comments: I loved this book because it was just like an autobiography, but not in first-person. I never knew that someone can be a outstanding baseball player, but also a sneaky spy.

The Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg ASIN: 0679762892 Our Price: $10.50 Customer's Rating: 3 Summary: Fascinating guy, slightly less fascinating book. Comments: I'd never heard of Moe Berg before I received this book as a gift. Berg was a really unusual character, and I'm glad I read the book. Professional baseball catcher, intellectual, and OSS agent is a unique combination. One is left thinking, though, that the book could have been a lot shorter. The author tells stories repeatedly from different sources and different angles. He just didn't trust himself enough to synthesize more, and his editor didn't push as hard as he should have. It's enough to convince any future biographer to abandon hope of finding anything new--except perhaps a better way to tell the story. Berg didn't, by the way, save the world from nuclear annihilation, at least if this account is accurate.

Blunt, Anthony:

Great Betrayal: The Definitive Story of Blunt, Philby, Burgess, and MacLean ASIN:0140061851 Our Price: $5.95 Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

The red and the blue : intelligence, treason and the universities ASIN:0297788663 Our Price: Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

The fourth man : the story of Blunt, Philby, Burgess, and Maclean ASIN:0436506009 Our Price: Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

Conspiracy of Silence: The Secret Life of Anthony Blunt ASIN:0374128855 Our Price: $22.95 Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

Mask of Treachery ASIN:0688044832 Our Price: $22.95 Customer's Rating: 2 Summary: Not for the Beginner Comments: Boy was MI5 asleep at the wheel. It is really something that this level of KGB penetration could take place, especially in a government that was so focused on the issue of stopping the spread of communism. This book details the Blunt, Burgess, Philby, Maclean and Cairncross USSR spy ring inside the British intelligence services. This books main theme is trying to increase the roll one of the 5 spy's from one that has been traditionally thought of as a lower level pawn to one of the leader of the whole enterprise. The book basically unfolds as a biography of Blunt, instead of an overall review of the full ring. Blunt being the subject of the book, the author goes out of his way to increase his involvement in the spy ring thus increase the readers interested in the book. He does a good job here, both with the detailed history and the way Blunt interacted with the others in the spy ring. I just did not believe this book that fly's in the face of all the other literature on the topic. I was a little put off by all the detail of Blunt's best known personality trait, homosexuality Regarding the telling of the story the author does a good job. The book was a bit jumpy, not the best construction of a story. It also tended to drag at times; the author did not have the skill to present a laundry list of facts in an interesting way. The author did do a very good job in documenting his sources. I have read a few books on this topic and this one would probably not be my first choice, I suggest Spy Catcher. This is a good book if you are deeply interested in the topic.

Sovetnik korolevy--superagent Kremlia ASIN:5856030567 Our Price: Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

Single spies : a double bill ASIN:0571141056 Our Price: Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

Canaris, Whilhelm:

Canaris: Hitler's Master Spy ASIN:0815410077 Our Price: $13.97 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: A Wonderful Study of the Anti-Nazi Resistance Comments: Like Albert Speer and Walter Schellenberg, Whilhelm Canaris is one of those enigmatic figures who emerged from the Third Reich. Hohne's book, 'Canaris: Hitler's Master Spy,' is a penetrating look at Hitler's head of military intelligence during World War Two. Hohne traces the rise of Canaris from his days as a lieutenant in World War One to his tenure as head of the Ahwehr and finally to his ultimate downfall at the hands of the Gestapo. The narrative does sometimes go off on tangents (notably the chapters on Canaris's role in the murders of communist leaders in the 1920's,) but also provides amazing insights into German foreign intelligence and the military conspiracy against Hitler that culminated in the July 20th 1944 bomb attempt. For anyone interested in World War Two espionage, the inner-workings of Nazi Germany, or deeper matters of conscience, Hohne's book will more than delight.

Cohen, Marte

Behind Enemy Lines: The True Story of a French Jewish Spy in Nazi Germany ASIN:0609610546 Our Price: $16.80 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: I had many sleepless nights because of Marte Cohen Comments: Marte Cohen, all 4 foot, 11 inches of her, a modest unassuming lady, is a member of my Temple, so I had heard snippets of her story before, which few people (even her children) may have known about. However, I had no idea of the incredible drama involved until my wife purchased a copy of Marte's recently published book. Since I do a lot of my leisure reading upon retiring, I never realized what sleepless nights I would have, inasmuch as I could not put the book down except when I might finally fall asleep from fatigue in the wee hours of the morning. Not only is it a wonderful story of the bravery of a self-described "average" (hardly), young, French woman who voluntarily experienced life-threatening situations during a period of incredible evil, it provides great insight into what everyday life must have been like in pre- and post-war France. This book was especially uplifting, even for an old cynic such as me.

Coplon, Judith:

The Spy Who Seduced America: Lies and Betrayal in the Heat of the Cold War: The Judith Coplon Story ASIN: 1931229228 Our Price: $17.47 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: Who Was the Real Judith Coplon? Comments: The fascinating and true case of Judith Coplon, who was arrested and charged with spying for the Russians against the US right after World War II, is a story which continued to unfold over a long period of time. For 18 years, the case was on hold, then dropped by Ramsey Clark, but interesting revelations have come forth quite recently. The Mitchells have done a masterful job of detailing this saga of love and betrayal, of guilt and innocence--some of the facts of this case still have powerful implications for today. This dramatic tale would make a wonderful film.

Dulles, Allen:

Gentleman Spy: The Life of Allen Dulles ASIN:1558490442 Our Price: $17.47 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: Great Book -- Fantastic life Comments: What a great book! If you are a history buff like me, you'll love this book. Allen Dulles, former lawyer, former diplomat, former OSS Operative, former President of the Council on Foreign Relations, for Director of the CIA (under Eisenhower and Kennedy), and brother of the Secretary of State (John Foster Dulles who the airport is named after), and member of the establishment -- this book is quite a treat. It takes us through the post-WWI years and then through WWII where Dulles was stationed for OSS in Bern. It then details the formation and escalation of the Cold War. Grosse does a terrific job detailing Dulles's public and personal lives. Highly recommended.

Allen Dulles : Master of Spies ASIN: 0895263149 Our Price: $24.47 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: Serious Book for Serious Professionals Comments: This is a book that had to be written and needs to be read by those who seek to understand Allen Dulles in greater depth. The author does break new ground and add valuable new detail to the history of Allen Dulles, and his hard work in bringing us this book merits appreciation. Having said that, I confess to three disappointments: 1) the use of years to demarcate the chapters, rather than meaningful titles, is both boring and representative of the book's lack of presentational "zing"; 2) the book obsesses on Allen Dulles as the center of the earth and leaves out the context within which Dulles achieved his successes-casual references to how he operated two additional French networks, for example, without covering the arduous and detailed path that led to the creation and maintenance of those networks, leave one feeling as if Dulles simply waved a magic wand to create networks whole-bodied and in full force; and 3) the conclusion of the book, purportedly a review of what Allen Dulles would see and feel if he examined today's intelligence community, is generally on target but rather terse-nothing that one could take to an incoming President to energize him into revitalizing and enhancing our national intelligence community. There are some gems in this book that reflect the author's dedication and merit notice: Richard Helms reflecting on how America came much too close to losing World War II; Walt Rostow on calming the Kennedy's and preventing a rash counter-attack once the Bay of Pigs was known to be a disaster-this is the stuff of history, and I therefore heartily recommend this book as a valuable contribution to our understanding of Allen Dulles' place in history.

Edmonds, Emma:

Behind Rebel Lines: The Incredible Story of Emma Edmonds, Civil War Spy (An Odyssey/Great Episodes Book) ASIN:0152004246 Our Price: $6.00 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: The story of the brave young lady with the imp voice... Comments: Written by Seymour Reit, "Behind Rebel Lines" tells the true story of Emma Edmonds. Running away from her father at the age of sixteen, she had left Canada for the country where freedom and liberty would become a reality. Now the year 1861, Emma is now 21 and the Civil War between states has begun. When President Lincoln asks for volunteers, Emma is determined not to just sit by. She disguises herself as a man and enlists herself into the Union Army. Now everyone, including her superior officers and fellow soldiers, believe her to be Private Franklin Thompson, assigned to Company F. But Emma wants to do more, so she volunteers to be a Union spy. But while she has been all this time fooling her own army, can she keep her secret behind rebel lines? A truly well-written story, "Behind Enemy Lines" is sure to please. The author did a lot of research to write this book, re-creating Emma Edmond's story through Emma's memoirs, U.S. Army Records, and files from the National Archive. At the front cover of the book it is written "Great Episodes". This is because each chapter is separated in such a way. In that sense, while reading the story the reader might feel as though the book does not really flow as well as you would like. But on the overall, the whole story is written well if not a bit aimed more for younger audiences. Emma's character is captivating and very realistic. Oh, I know that she WAS a real character, but in few cases, some authors cannot seem to grasp the character of who they're writing about. Fortunately, Seymour Reit puts down Emma's life down on paper flawlessly. You can almost 'hear' the imp voice in Emma's ear! On the whole, "Behind Rebel Lines" is a gripping and fascinating historical biography and I can easily recommend it. Best for ages 10 - 14 but older teens and some adults might find this a good read. "This stranger-than-fiction story will captivate history buffs and hold the attention of the most reluctant reader." -Bank Street College of Education-

Fuchs, Klaus:

Klaus Fuchs, Atom Spy ASIN:0674505409 Our Price: $12.95 Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

Gimpel, Erich

Agent 146: The True Story of a Nazi Spy in America ASIN:0312307977 Our Price: $17.47 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: A Riveting Story Comments: "Page-turners" in literature are a rarity, but Erich Gimpel's book will keep your interest from beginning to end. From his secret submarine trip to Maine in 1944 to his near-hanging, there is never a slack moment. Erich was one of the few German spies who actually operated in America during the war, and in the 1950s a film was made of his adventures entitled "Spy for Germany": it is still being shown on TV.

Hanssen, Robert Philip:

Spy: The Inside Story of How the FBI's Robert Hanssen Betrayed America ASIN:0375507450 Our Price: $17.47 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: Spy: The Inside Story of How the FBI's Robert Hanssen... Comments: This is a fascinating book. I couldn't put it down; stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to completely read in one sitting. David Wise definitely has contacts inside the FBI and CIA, otherwise it would be difficult to understand where he obtained his information. He goes into great detail and leaves one wondering exactly how competent are these agencies. I recommend this book to anyone who desires a better understanding as to how the FBI and CIA operate. After reading this book, you will want to read Wise's book on the Aldrich Ames case.

The Spy Who Stayed out in the Cold: The Secret Life of FBI Double Agent Robert Hanssen ASIN:0312287828 Our Price: $18.17 Customer's Rating: 3 Summary: Informative light read. Comments: This book provides a wealth of information for those of us who have not followed the Hanssen story closely, but find its murkey contours intrigueing. Yes, many of the sources (aside from interviews) are available on the Net, but who has the time and the inclination to compile this material merely to satisfy a superficial curiosity? I don't, and thus I found the book well worth the purchase price. One aspect of the book I find particularly interesting is that Hanssen reminds me of most of my former neighbors in the DC area. Middle Class, intelligent, somewhat geeky, no people skills, and suffering from ego wounds inflicted in high school and earlier. It is a personality type more prevelent in the DC suburbs than anywhere else I have lived. The book renewed my determination never to live in the Washington area again, or even to visit. A note on writing style: I don't like it. I find it cutesy and kitchy, the use of "Bob" particularly annoyed me for the first 30 pages or so. Things get better when Opus Dei is addressed and thereafter.

Into the Mirror: The Life of Master Spy Robert P. Hanssen ASIN:0060508094 Our Price: $18.17 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: ...an enlightening view of Hanssen Comments: "Into The Mirror" is the first work written by Lawrence Schiller that I've read. Naturally, I was extremely interested in reading about Robert P Hanssen's life. After all, who wouldn't wonder what kind of a childhood or life Hanssen had lived before/during that of a turncoat spy? When Hanssen's story first broke in the news media, and his position with the FBI that had allowed for his twenty years of spying, I was quite appalled. Who wasn't? Still, like every other American, I soon developed my own opinion. I thought Hanssen spied for the money. After reading Schiller's book, my first impression was right. With his back financially against the wall, Hanssen found an easy way out of his problem. Yet, I kept wondering how this man could sleep at night for twenty years, knowing what he had done. Not only had this traitor put the lives of every American in harm's way by divulging pertinent top-secret information to the Russians, but also the lives of his wife and six children. What a monster! There's no doubt in my mind that Hanssen has to be one very sick and mentally deranged individual. He endured a childhood that was a nightmare. An abusive father who openly flaunted his womanizing in front of his wife and Robert. No doubt, dressed in his policeman's uniform, Hanssen's father considered himself another King Kong. The things Hanssen's father did to him were incomprehensible and unforgettable. Yet Schiller showed in his research that Hanssen grew to manhood with a different outlook about life, marriage and raising children. The author is trying to convince his readers that Hanssen was unfaithful only once to his wife. That may be the case. Who oculd actually know for sure? But after reading the way Hanssen defiled Bonnie with his best friend, Jack, by showing Jack nude pictures of her and allowing Jack to observe what took place in the privacy of their bedroom...well, this is the part that proves Hanssen is mentally deranged. Perhaps he was trying to compare himself and his position to that of James Bond-Agent 007. The job put him above anyone or anything else. He too was another King Kong like his father, while toting his Walther PPK as an FBI agent. But instead of womanizing, which I would think he remembered his father here, he chose pornography. Everything Hanssen did in regard to sex was not normal. My only problem with this book was wondering if Schiller really did believe Hanssen's wife, Bonnie, was so gullible and naive. Surely he knows women better than that. If I found $10,000 in one of my husband's socks, I'd know something was going on. It's hard to beleive Hanssen succeeded for twenty years in giving his wife this kind of a snow job. Otherwise, I think Schiller has done a wonderful job in the research and portraying of Hanssen's life. I can't wait for the mini-series. I enjoy a book that keeps me wanting to turn the page. "Into The Mirrow" kept me turning its pages. I started reading and couldn't put the book down. I plan on recommending this book to my library book review group. And now, I'm going to the library and look for Schiller's book "American Tragedy".

The Bureau and the Mole: The Unmasking of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Dangerous Double Agent in FBI History (Wheeler Large Print Book Series (Cloth)) ASIN:1587242281 Our Price: $28.95 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: Let's rate all three Comments: Consider this to be a sort of consumer's guide to the three Hanssen books on the market, from one who's read them all . . . 1. THE BUREAU AND THE MOLE has a good photo section but no index or bibliography, both essential in my opinion. Half of it is a bio of Louis Freeh, who should hang his head in shame rather than be credited for uncovering Hanssen. The sex revelations are here, but unless you like pornography I advise you to skip the part about Hanssen's postings on the internet. Still, the information about Bonnie Hanssen's brother--an FBI agent--who suspected him and was ignored is almost worth the price of the book. Four stars. 2. THE SPY NEXT DOOR has an index but no photos and no bibliography. The writing is a little wooden and there are little mistakes like getting the the church where the Hanssen's were married wrong. They have some sex stuff too, but thankfully no internet ramblings. A workmanlike job that reads like a Time magazine cover story. Three stars. 3. THE SPY WHO STAYED OUT IN THE COLD has photos, a bibliography and an index. It's also about 30 pages longer than the other two. Alas, no sex though the chapter on the stripper runs for some 12 pages and is titillating. It's the most complete with it's biggest scoop being that Hanssen told friends he wanted to be a double agent long before he joined the FBI and thus should have never been hired. Four-and-a-half stars.

Spy: How the Fbi's Robert Hanssen Betrayed America ASIN:0375758941 Our Price: $11.16 Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

The Spy Next Door: The Extraordinary Secret Life of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Damaging FBI Agent in U.S. History ASIN: 0316718211 Our Price: $18.17 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: The Latest Spy . . . . But Probably Not the Last Comments: Shannon and Blackman have written an interesting book about the career of Robert Philip Hanssen, the FBI "mole" who was arrested in February 2001 for spying for the KGB and its successors. The authors' prose is clear and crisp, and in the end they settle for a "just the facts, ma'am" approach to the story. The book discusses Hanssen's childhood, education, career with the FBI, religious convictions, sexual fantasies, as well as the secrets he betrayed. Hanssen emerges as a study in contradictions: a vocal anti-Communist who spies for the Soviet Union; a devout Catholic who sells vital secrets to an atheist government; an apparent prude who patronizes a stripper and posts odd fantasies about his sex life on the Internet. Hanssen betrayed everything that he claimed was important to him--his wife, his family, his friends, his religion, and his country. But the motive for his horrendous crimes, which he committed over the course of more than twenty years, is anything but clear. I would have loved it if this book had had more to say about the psychology of a spy, but it didn't. How can someone like Hanssen wake up and go to work every morning, knowing what he's risking and what he's done? Why doesn't the contradiction between his public image and his life cause him to break down? Is he able to compartmentalize things, so that the "good" Hanssen can live his life while the "bad" Hanssen" lives a lie? Is he just a sociopath, who doesn't really care about anyone or anything but himself? Maybe the FBI's own behavioral science unit will weigh in on this subject one day, but Shannon and Blackman don't venture down this dangerous trail. For better or worse, they describe "what" Hanssen is without really explaining "why" he is. Another gap in the book is that, apart from a few generalizations, it doesn't address why the FBI and CIA seem so incompetent when it comes to catching spies (not that the KGB comes off looking a whole lot better). Perhaps the problem is that resources aren't allocated well, or that FBI and CIA personnel aren't trained to recognize the behavioral patterns of a spy--whatever the reason, the book largely leaves that problem to the reader's imagination. The thing that should really strike you about this book is the realization that, for the last 25 years, there has always been at least one--usually several--moles who are busily selling vital American secrets. And those are just the ones that we know about. There is no obvious reason to think that there aren't just as many spies today as there have been in the last two decades. A book like this cries out for an explanation: what, if anything, are the FBI and the CIA doing to make sure that a disaster like Hanssen doesn't happen again?

Hari, Mata:

Eye of Dawn: The Rise and Fall of Mata Hari ASIN:0025940309 Our Price: $9.95 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: Eye of Dawn Comments: A bit romantic at times...obvious that the author has a sincere admiration for Mata Hari. (But then, who can blame her? ) Lays out the chronology of her life quite well and draws logical conclusions. Reads almost like a novel. Very enjoyable.

Harris, Kitty:

Kitty Harris: The Spy with Seventeen Names ASIN: 1903608066 Our Price: $11.16

Hiss, Alger:

Witness ASIN: 039445233X Our Price: $16.37 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: Time to accept the painful truth Comments: It's only after the cold war that we can accept the threatening truth of "Witness". There was a massive spy network in place in the United States. Many of our best and brightest worked to subvert the American democracy and Constitution. Any objective look at history now shows that Alger Hiss was guilty just as the Rosenbergs were. But there's a deeper message behind "Witness". Chambers wants us to know that the Cold War wasn't about the conflict between faith and no faith. It was about a war between two faiths, both deeply held. Chambers ultimately opted for Christianity over Communism because he became aware of the evil the latter inevitably produced. He gave the reason one of his acquaintances gave up the Communist faith. It was simple and moving: He heard screams. Read this book and appreciative the moving genius of Whittaker Chambers.

The Alger Hiss Communist Spy Trial: A Headline Court Case (Headline Court Cases) ASIN: 0766014835 Our Price: $20.95

The sleeping truth: the Hiss-Chambers affair: the spy case that split a nation ASIN: 0090868900 Our Price: Customer's Rating: 3 Summary: A rather run-of-the-mill account of the famed Hiss case Comments: As Ronald Seth ever so casually admits, this is a novel that is so partial so Mr. Alger Hiss that one wonders why one of Whittaker Chambers' descendents did not bother filing some sort of a complaint against him? Perhaps it was because the Chambers's were by then used such people lashing out against Whittaker, and after all, there is such thing as the right of the freedom of the press. Mr. Seth was indeed entitled to say as he wished, whether it be kind, or even necessarily true. One of the things that bothered me most about his writing was hypocrisy, a tactic he seemed to use when comparing the acts of Mr. Chambers to the acts of Mr. Hiss. Seth views Chambers as some sort of liar for mishandling dates, but when Hiss did the same, the excuse became "but what man doesn't after so many years?" He also believes that Chambers is some sort of fake for saying that Alger Hiss was 5'9 when he was really 6'0, that he was never really in his house because he could not remember a distinctly patterned mirror, and because he said their library was "simple" and "non-descript", even though Alger was always supposed to show off a book that was important to him. True, it would have added to the credibility of Chambers's testimony, had he remembered such things, but forgetting them should not deem him a liar, as Mr. Seth seems to think. If failed memory deems one a liar than what does that make Hiss, who could not even recall the name of George Crosely(the man whom he said was Chambers, using one of his many aliases)and even flubbed the address of his own street once while cross-examining Mr. Chambers? Besides glorious praises of Hiss and numerous insults aimed at Chambers(he didn't have to call the "Letter to my Children" section of Witness nauseating!), this book fails to account little more than some re-hashes of the trials, as well as a section of Seth's view of "what really happened", which at times was so outrageous I was literally laughing out loud. Not exactally earth-shattering material in other words, but he does have a smooth writing style, and his vast knowlege of espionage and spy tactics was actually quite interesting, a point in his favor. With that in mind, I would advise that people read this book if interested in getting a "pro-Hiss" view on the cases, but it would simply not do to ONLY read this book if wanting to find out about the case and nothing more. You would surely be missing out.

Whittaker Chambers : the secret confession ASIN: 0951873806 Our Price:

Howard, Edward Lee:

The Spy Who Got Away: The Inside Story of Edward Lee Howard, the CIA Agent Who Betrayed His Country's Secrets and Escaped to Moscow ASIN:039456281X Our Price: $18.95 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: Exellent! Comments: This was a very interesting book for me to read because Edward Lee Howard's son lives by me and goes to school with my sister. I also think it was very informative on how he got away.

Krivitsky, Walter:

In Stalin's Secret Service: Memoirs of the First Soviet Master Spy to Defect ASIN:1929631030 Our Price: $18.90 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: The First and the Best Comments: Walter Krivitsky served most of his career not in the OGPU/NKVD but in the Red Army Intelligence directorate, known during most of his tenure there as the "Fourth Department" (i.e., Fourth Departmnent of the Red Army Staff). He only came to the OGPU in the late 1930s, during Stalin's purge of the Red Army. Shortly thereafter, he defected to the West, where he was ignored by British and American counterintelligence until he wrote a series of articles on Stalin's foreign policy in 1938 for the Saturday Evening Post in which he predicted that Stalin and Hitler would negotiate some sort of alliance (this is still when Stalin appeared to much of the world as the leader of the anti-Fascist forces of the "Popular Front"). After that, "experts" in London and Washington finally got around to de-briefing him, and he even testified before the U.S. Congress before his mysterious death. No one really undersood what he had to say, however, and even today there are many (including scholars) who fail to comprehend the diference between Red Army intelligence and the secret state police. Krivistky's information should have been a "wake-up" call for western counterintelligence. Among other things, in the course of his debriefings he provided clues about an OGPU ring in Cambridge (the Blunt-Philby network--in fact, acting on the suspicion that he had tipped MI5 about their most valuable asset in the UK, the NKVD actually launched a full-scale investigation of Krivitsky in 1943--three years after his death!--whom they described as "the traiter from Red Army intelligence"), and offered comprehensive details about Fourth Department and OGPU operations in the U.S., including info. about a Fourth Dept. network with access to the State Department which later was corroborated by Elizbeth Bentley and Whittaker Chambers. Krivitsky got his start in the Comintern and was involved in a wide range of espionage and subversion. The previous reviewer is simply incorrect about this. A careful reading of his memoirs reveals fascinating details about Soviet intelligence operations throughout Europe, including attempts to topple governments in Germany, Bulgaria, and Estonia through outright insurrection. Krivitsky also relates insider information about early Soviet signals intelligence, and top-secret details about Japanese intentions in the Far East. He was privy to Stalin's reaction to Hitler's purge of the SA. Krivitsky offers insights into a wide range of additional topics, including the role of Comintern and Red Army intelligence operatives in the Russian Civil War and war with Poland; the organizational development of Red Army intelligence; key personalities like Yan Berzin and Otto Kuussinen; the infighting between Red Army intelligence and the secret police (Cheka-OGPU-NKVD); the struggle for control of the CPSU leadership after Lenin's death; the role of Soviet intelligence in the Spanish Civil War; the origins of the purges; and even the value of American passports for covert operations. Krivitsky remains to date the highest ranked publically indentified GRU (as Soviet/Russian military intelligence is known today)defector in history, and he was also one of the first. His insights and details have been confirmed by dozens of other accounts and sources down through the decades. Familiarity with the historical context of his work enhances its value, but anyone with an interest in Soviet espionage (which in the case of the Soviet Union is inseparable from issues of state policy and politics--indeed, the more "sensational" works which focus exclusively on "spy stories" inevitably miss the larger point) should find Krivitsky's memoirs provocative, entertaining and rewarding.

Masetti, Jorge:

In the Pirate's Den: My Life As a Secret Agent for Castro ASIN: 1893554422 Our Price: $17.47 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: Unusual, revealing, and highly recommended reading Comments: In The Pirate's Den: My Life As A Secret Agent For Castro is the autobiography of Jorge Masetti, a man who worked as a secret agent for Fidel Castro for twenty years. Bringing the reader a uniquely personal and informative viewpoint from inside the war rooms of the Cuban revolution, In the Pirate's Den is filled with accounts of international intrigue, drug smuggling, counterfeiting U.S. dollars, and international missions for Cuban Intelligence that often extended into war zones. An often dramatic, sometimes horrifying, and always keenly insightful testimony, In The Pirate's Den is unusual, revealing, and highly recommended reading.

Orlov, Alexander:

Deadly Illusions/the KGB Orlov Dossier Reveals Stalin's Master Spy ASIN:0517588501 Our Price: $25.00 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: Necessary reading for the espionage historian Comments: 4 1/2 stars. As the several reviews above have noted, this is the biography of Alexander Orlov, the pre-WWII Soviet foreign intelligence general whose flight from the reaches of the NKVD was broadly and mistakenly believed by the Americans (and most Soviets) to be a genuine defection. Costello and Tsarev, through reference to genuine KGB archives, convincingly show that belief to be completely incorrect, as Orlov deceived the West for many years. This book, as it states on the cover, was the first history of espionage by a Western author actually based upon KGB files. Discussions from an earlier document request to the KGB by Costello led to a surprising agreement for him to co-author this book with his KGB press office contact, Oleg Tsarev, shortly before the failed coup attempt and fall of the Soviet Union. Tsarev was given wide latitude in utilizing and disseminating information from the KGB files on Orlov and his various colleagues and agents. Furthermore, Costello takes academic-level care to document accurately all sources for all facts and assertions in this book, a welcome contrast with the cursory, sometimes conclusory books by other British so-called "historians" of espionage such as West, Knightly and Pincher. The primary discovery made by the authors was that while Orlov did indeed flee to the U.S. with his family, he never genuinely defected. In 1938 during the height of the purges within the Soviet military and intelligence services, Orlov received cryptic instructions to rendezvous with another NKVD officer on a ship. He failed to keep that meeting, knowing it to be a trap to return him to Moscow for execution and fled to North America. Upon arrival in Canada, Orlov wrote to Stalin and NKVD chief Yehzov and set forth a simple blackmail to insure that he did not suffer the fate of Ignace Reiss, an NKVD deserter caught by his former service's assasination squads. Orlov listed the various operations he had planned or worked on, including political assasinations and kidnapping, the theft of the Spanish gold reserves to Moscow and the development of spy networks throughout Europe (along with a list of sixty Soviet agents) with the implied promise that this information would be released to Western intelligence services if he were assasinated or kidnapped. Both the Soviets and Orlov kept to their bargains. Orlov was able to stay hidden in the U.S. for fourteen years before immigration problems and his release of a book condemning Stalin brought Orlov to the attention of the FBI and CIA in the early 1950's. Although interrogated extensively by American intelligence, he substantially downplayed his seniority, participation and knowledge of NKVD activities and never disclosed the names of dozens of Soviet agents who had infiltrated into Western governments, keeping loyal to communism to the end. The authors state that the CIA had substantial doubts about the true extent of knowledge that Orlov was disclosing, but somehow were never able to bring enough pressure upon him to divulge that information. The major disappointment of this book (through no fault of the authors) is that aside from the revelation that Orlov deceived the U.S. for so many years, that there are no other major revelations. The authors do reveal many significant previously unknown details from KGB files concerning Orlov's involvement in the founding of the Cambridge spy ring (including the fact that Philby was the "first man' of the ring), the founding of the Rote Kapelle and his involvement in the Spanish Civil War as the NKVD resident and senior Soviet officer in the country. However, the Russian Intelligence Service refused to disclose any facts regarding agent names or missions that were never discovered by Western intelligence services, leaving readers impatient to know the identities of those sixty agents whose names were redacted from copies made from KGB files, particularly the completely undiscovered KGB Oxford spy ring. Hopefully, in not too many further years, the need to protect the individuals involved and operational strategies will no longer exist and the RIS will open up all of the KGB files. Deadly Illusions is a very interesting history of Orlov and soviet foreign intelligence operations, but readers expecting it to read like a Forsyth spy novel will be disappointed; it is not a difficult read, but not at all a quick one. The faults of this book are minor: Costello has a sometimes annoying habit of diverting the reader on tangents that, while not uninteresting, are not logically and relevantly tied to the preceding text. I also felt that the authors downplayed Orlov's role in political terrorism too much; aside from a somewhat limited description of Orlov's involvement in the NKVD assasination of Andres Nin, the leader of the anti-Soviet Spanish Republican faction POUM, the authors failed to emphasize Orlov's real role in establishing Soviet dominance of the Republicans during the Spanish Civil War, via terrorism. Finally, I found Costello's admission of error with regard the main theory of his previous book Mask of Treachery (in which he claimed that Anthony Blunt was the "first man" of the Cambridge ring - see my Amazon.com review of Mask of Treachery) to be rather sparse and barely adequate. Overall, this is an extremely significant book that should be part of any espionage historian's library.

Parsons, Chick:

Chick Parsons, America's master spy in the Philippines ASIN:9711001993 Our Price: Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

Philby, Kim:

The Private Life of Kim Philby: The Moscow Years ASIN:088064219X Our Price: $32.00 Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

The Philby Files: The Secret Life of Master Spy Kim Philby ASIN:0316102849 Our Price: $24.95 Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

Reilly, Sidney:

Sidney Reilly: The True Story of the World's Greatest Spy ASIN:0312723385 Our Price: $12.95 Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

Reilly: Ace of Spies ASIN:0140068953 Our Price: $4.95 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: A deadly dance of intrigue, daring and ruthless manipulation Comments: Behold one of the true forces shaping the balance of power of the early 1900's. You will not find this in your history books. Enter into the fascinating, mysterious world of Sidney Reilly, the number one field agent in the British secret service and the man who was the real life model for Ian Flemming's James Bond character. His was the world of passion for power, high intrigue and brutally daring exploits that must have insipred the writers of the "Mission Impossible" television series. Witness perhaps the greatest British folly of all in backstabbing their own man who was poised to spare the world the brutal insanity of Lenin and Stalin. Then read how he brought down Russia's "the Trust", the most devious intelligence organization ever devised.

Sakakida, Richard:

A Spy in Their Midst: The World War II Struggle of a Japanese-American Hero ASIN:1568330448 Our Price: $22.95 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: Breathtaking, but true Comments: A vivid tale of horrifying torture told by a man who experienced it all. Richard Sakakida was a true hero. For those who love books on survival, war, adventure, or the American spirit.

Sorge, Richard:

Stalin's Spy: Richard Sorge and the Tokyo Espionage Ring ASIN: 0312193394 Our Price: $25.95 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: The story of a remarkable espionage agent. Comments: STALIN'.S SPY The man who changed the course of history.. Richard Sorge my favourite spy.Born in 1896 at Baku ,Azerbaijan, to a German father and a Russian mother.Sorge grew up as a loyal citizen of imperial Germany and upon the outbreak of First World War enrolled in Kaiser's army.It was while recuperating from a battle wound that he came under communist influence.Soon after Germany's surrender he joined communist party and later went on to become a comintern agent. Impressed by his activities Sorge was recruited into the GRU by Jan Karlovich Berzin founder and its head.After completing his posting in Shanghai, China, Sorge was assigned to Tokyo. Things were hotting up for the Russians .After the Mukden incident in September 1931,the Japanese army invaded Manchuria and the buffer zone which shielded Soviet Far East ceased to exist.Now Kwantung Army stood at its very door step. In Germany Hitler had come to power.Germany and Japan were trying to forge closer ties which could lead to an encircling alliance. Hence Sorge was told to penetrate the German Embassy by his Soviet masters. For this purpose he started perfecting a journalistic cover .Took up the job of Tokyo correspondent of German paper Frankfurter Zeitung and also got a accredition to the German Embassy in Tokyo. Then reinforced his bonafides by taking Nazi party membership. In Tokyo Sorge befriended Col.Eugen Ott the German military attache who later became the ambassador and won his trust .Soon Ott started passing confidential informatin to his friend.After the outbreak of war in Europe in September 1939 Sorge worked in the Press section of the Embassy. GRU now had eyes in the Nazi citadel and access to information of crucial importance to Soviet strategic planning.Sorge's bonhomie with the German Embassy officials in Tokyo helped him to know Hitlers's biggest secret:Nazi Gernany was planning to invade Soviet Union.The information was first brought to his notice by Lt.Col. Erwin Scholl who succeded Ott to the post of Military Attache. This report was later confirmed by Ambassador Ott, Sorge promptly informed his Soviet masters.But Stalin contemptously brushed aside this report and later paid a heavy price for doing so.Another important contact that Sorge cultivated in Japan was Ozaki Hotsumi with whom he became friendly at Shanghai . Hotsumi , a journalist working for Japanese daily Asahi ,had many contacts in Nipponese Government circles.With the help of this wily Japanese Sorge informed Moscow of how Germany and Japan were co-ordinating their policies . On 27 September 1940 Japan signed Tripartite Pact, joined Rome -Berlin Axis.The pact designed to ensure mutual security of Axis powers ;however,Germany had other designs. Berlin wanted to harness Tokyo in its global strategy to contain its adversaries. Soviet Union had a cause for concern. On June 22 ,1941,Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa,the invasion of Soviet Union.Immediately the Nazi Foreign Minister Hans Joachim Ribbentrop started putting pressure on Tokyo. He wanted Japan to renounce its neutrality pact with Russsia and fall on her rear.It was now that Sorge scored the biggest intelligence triumphs of his career. Sorge through his Japanese contact Hotsumi endeavoured to find out for his Soviet masters how Japan would react to this proposal.Tokyo procrastinated adopted a policy of cautious opportunism. Besides relations with Western powers deteriorated when US imposed an oil embargo on August 1 August 1941.Attempts to resolve the dispute through diplomatic means failed.Konoye Government resigned and war party under Hideki Tojo assumed power October 16,1941.This made war with US certain.The Soviet Far East for a while would be safe from the depredations of Kwantung Army.By mid-October 1941,Sorge's radioman tapped out in Morse code to Moscow of these political developments which had a profound historical impact. Wehrmacht's armoured spearheads were now within the striking distance of Moscow as Stalin started denuding Far Eastern front. According to John Keegan in his "'Second World War" ,the force withdrawn amounted to 10 divisions ,1000 tanks and 1000 aircraft in October and November.The redeployed Siberian divisions managed to contain the German drive to take the Soviet Capital. Later Marshal Zhukov used them to launch a massive counter-offensive which evicted the German invaders from the approaches to Moscow. Undoubtedly Sorge's information was instrumental in saving Soviet capital which otherwise would have been difficult to defend.This brings to my mind what Napoleon had said two centuries ago "one spy in the right place is worth 20,000 men in the field."Tokyo spy net work which worked flawlessly, impeccably was betrayed to Tokko (Japanese special Police) by Ito Ritsu, a communist turned police agent. Tokko apprehended few members of the spy network ,a trail which led to Ozaki and Sorge.After a trial which lasted for two years both died in the gallows of Sugamo prison on Nov.7,1944. The author has written a spicy account of Sorge's life . Many pages of the book is filled with lurid details of this remarkable agent's private life which I found boring. In the foreward Mr Whymant says this is by no means a final book on Richard Sorge. I wonder what more details on him need to be unraveled.On the whole a well - written book,use of Japanese words has made the prose quite colourful..

Sumaida, Hussein:

Circle of Fear: My Life As an Israeli and Iraqi Spy ASIN:0028810996 Our Price: $15.95 Customer's Rating: 3 Summary: Circle of Hate! Comments: "Cirlce of Fear" is the story of a young author (Hussein Sumaida) whose father (a prominent figure in Saddam's regine) has abused Hussein since he was a child. To get even with his father, and his country (Iraq), he decides to work as a spy for Mossad in England. When the Iraqi secret service (Mukhabarat) catches up with him, the author switches sides and decides to work for Iraqi intelligence. By doing so he gets an inside look of the Iraqi regime and its brutalities. In this book Hussein exposes the inner workings of Saddam's regime, the torture of Iraqis, and the leacherous life-style of the government officials in great detail. Hussein hate of his father, and his country is carried over to his religion that he mis-quotes, derides and mis-interprets. This book ranks among such espionage books as "By Way of Deception" and "The Other Side of Deception" both by Victor Ostrovsky -the Mossad agent who turned against the Israeli regime because of Mossad's atrocities and Israeli government policies in terrorizing the Palestinian population.

Suvorov, Viktor:

Inside the Aquarium: The Making of a Soviet Spy ASIN:0026154900 Our Price: $17.95 Customer's Rating: 5 Summary: Shows true nature of Soviet system - fun to read Comments: This book is one of series of really great books of Viktor Suvorov. Here he describes his life (with some necessary changes,required by his current situation) as a Soviet military officer, spy, terrorist. This book is a must to anybody interested in main events of 20th century. It is nicely written, I would definately recommend it before reading Ice-Breaker (Who started World War II).

Van Lew, Elizabeth:

Southern Lady, Yankee Spy: The True Story of Elizabeth Van Lew, a Union Agent in the Heart of the Confederacy ASIN:0195142284 Our Price: $21.00 Customer's Rating: Summary: Comments:

Elizabeth Van Lew: Southern Belle, Union Spy (People in Focus) ASIN: 0382249607 Our Price: $11.00 Customer's Rating: 4 Summary: Elizabeth Van Lew: Southern Belle, Union Spy (People in Focus) Comments: This book was very informational. This book was also a great source to learn more about the Civil War. Not only did it focus on Van Lew, it also contains a plump amount of information on the Civil War. I enjoyed reading it and learning about a person of the Civil war that made a significant effect on the war, but not taught it text books. I wish there had been more about her personal life, but a lack of source of her personal life could be reasoning for this. It was also interesting that the last chapter explains how the information about Ezilabeth Van Lew has been found an saved over the years. I recommend this book to anyoe who enjoys reading about the Civil War and women of earlier eras.

Wolf, Markus:

Man Without a Face: The Autobiography of Communism's Greatest Spymaster ASIN: 0812963946 Our Price: $25.00 Customer's Rating: 3 Summary: Far From the Full Story Comments: This book is basically the autobiography of Markus Wolf, who was the head of East Germany's foreign intelligence service (their version of the KGB). The best parts of the book for me were the accounts of his organizations dealings with world wide terrorism and the trade craft his group used. The details of the Stasi and his work history seemed to me to be only presenting the most positive sides. He was the head of one of the nastiest groups out there during the cold war yet he tries to present the Stasi as closer to the CIA / FBI then the Nazi SS they were more like. I was also disappointed that there was really nothing all that new here. The book is well written and given this was his first book and there was a translation involved, I am sure the other writer did most of the heavy lifting. All in all this is not a bad book, but it is definitely not the definitive account of the Stasi.