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My CIA: Memories of a Secret Career
A master spy and decorated espionage veteran tells of his career as an officer in the CIA's clandestine service during the last years of the cold war, starting from his early training through his senior tours as a chief of station.
He expounds on the principles and practice of clandestine operations, and he elucidates the interaction between clandestine information and analysis in the so-called "intelligence cycle."
His narrative is replete with war stories not only about operational activities but about his struggles with the CIA bureaucracy. This book contains a devastating account of CIA management as it was in his day, and debunks much of the public's perception of the clandestine service.
Sometimes amusing and sometimes dead serious, this entertaining memoir of an American spy's career will fascinate espionage buffs, foreign policy aficionados, and institutional managers.
He expounds on the principles and practice of clandestine operations, and he elucidates the interaction between clandestine information and analysis in the so-called "intelligence cycle."
His narrative is replete with war stories not only about operational activities but about his struggles with the CIA bureaucracy. This book contains a devastating account of CIA management as it was in his day, and debunks much of the public's perception of the clandestine service.
Sometimes amusing and sometimes dead serious, this entertaining memoir of an American spy's career will fascinate espionage buffs, foreign policy aficionados, and institutional managers.
- GenresBiography
433 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 9, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 3, 2025
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from other reviews
James Jesus Angleton
a real operational genius, but later he grew irrational
[i'm not so sure of that assessment]
[the irrational was always there]
Richard Helms
cronyism abounded
Wiliam Colby
some good reforms
James R. Schlesinger
myopia and incomprehension of the service’s problems
Robert Gates
his policies fully embodied the prejudices toward the perceived elitism of the clandestine service
from other reviews
James Jesus Angleton
a real operational genius, but later he grew irrational
[i'm not so sure of that assessment]
[the irrational was always there]
Richard Helms
cronyism abounded
Wiliam Colby
some good reforms
James R. Schlesinger
myopia and incomprehension of the service’s problems
Robert Gates
his policies fully embodied the prejudices toward the perceived elitism of the clandestine service
January 21, 2014
I will try to make an unbiased review of this despite a family member being the author!
This book is not filled with hard to believe edge of the seat scenes from James Bond movies, yet it is an attention grabber. Very well written and well planned piece of work spends much of its weight describing the post war until early 1990's era CIA. Growth pains, organizational and personality struggles of the times. The author seems to be at the center and at key timings of challenging the ways of the agency and monumental changes that modernized and focused the force for the better. Although frustrating he continued the arguments via logic but also in the name of the improvement of the agency on the global scale.
In the last several chapters some general insider knowledge of what daily life was like in the field was very interesting. This brings the reader a healthy dose of reality as compared to the mass flashy media portrayal of the clandestine service. A definite worth read.
This book is not filled with hard to believe edge of the seat scenes from James Bond movies, yet it is an attention grabber. Very well written and well planned piece of work spends much of its weight describing the post war until early 1990's era CIA. Growth pains, organizational and personality struggles of the times. The author seems to be at the center and at key timings of challenging the ways of the agency and monumental changes that modernized and focused the force for the better. Although frustrating he continued the arguments via logic but also in the name of the improvement of the agency on the global scale.
In the last several chapters some general insider knowledge of what daily life was like in the field was very interesting. This brings the reader a healthy dose of reality as compared to the mass flashy media portrayal of the clandestine service. A definite worth read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews