Special Agent Man: My Life in the FBI as a Terrorist Hunter, Helicopter Pilot, and Certified Sniper

by Steve Moore

For decades, movies and television shows have portrayed FBI agents as fearless heroes leading glamorous lives, but this refreshingly original memoir strips away the fantasy and glamour and describes the day-to-day job of an FBI special agent. The book gives a firsthand account of a career in the Federal Bureau of Investigation from the academy to retirement, with exciting and engaging anecdotes about SWAT teams, counterterrorism activities, and undercover assignments. At the same time, it challenges the stereotype of FBI agents as arrogant, case-stealing, suit-wearing stiffs with representations of real people who carry badges and guns. With honest, self-deprecating humor, Steve Moore’s narrative details his successes and his mistakes, the trauma the job inflicted on his marriage, his triumph over the aggressive cancer that took him out of the field for a year, and his return to the Bureau with renewed vigor and dedication to take on some of the most thrilling assignments of his career.   Steve Moore is a former agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation who had assignments as a SWAT team operator, sniper, pilot, counterterrorist, and undercover agent. He received multiple awards from the Department of Justice before his retirement in 2008, has written two episodes for an FBI-themed TV series, and is a regular commentator for Headline News. He lives in Thousand Oaks, California.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

346 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Moore wrote with honesty, integrity, hilarity, and reverence for God, respect for life, family and friends. I've read dozens of books written by ex members of the FBI, CIA, DIA, NSA and a whole lot of other agencies, because, I admire greatly what you and your comrades do. Truth be told, I would have been thrilled to do what you do, rather than to have become a lawyer, but I admit I didn't have the guts. I guess that's why I like to read about what I never could do.

Now I've read a book that makes Mr. Moore my hero not just because of what he did in the bureau, but for his incredible humanity then and now. The story he weaves includes telling of his thinking first of two children in an FBI raid on a high value target, which although a SWAT mistake, was such a demonstration of his heart. This is a heart that continually is seen in the book, but there, but there is so much more than that in the book.

Anyone who wants to know what it takes to get into the FBI, the FBI flight program, SWAT, how it will impact their lives, their families and their friends has to read this book, because it honestly lets them know. Anyone who wants to read stories of danger, fear, excitement and adrenalin rushes, should read this book. Anyone who wants to know anything about weapons, airplanes, helicopters, and anything wearable by an assault team member, should read this book. Anyone who wants to just know that around death and craziness and in Steve's own fight against cancer, when things weren't going the way he planned or thought they should, he leaned on God and proudly display that in this book.

So for anyone who reads this, I'm not a book critic, I'm just a guy who loves this kind of book, I recently read a book called "Operation Dark Heart" about a CIA special operative out of Afghanistan and a quarter of the book was redacted by the CIA. In spite of the redaction's, I could tell in many cases what was written since they were merely XX(s) through some of the words, and in several cases they didn't seem to be anymore secret than what Steve Moore has written about the FBI and its cases. That, for one thing, gives me a better feeling about the FBI and what it does not fear sharing with the public as opposed to the CIA, DIA NSA and others who think that everything in which they are involved is top secret and sacrosanct and for their eyes only; damn the public. Although Operation Dark Heart was a good book, even with the redactions, it does not come close to Steve Moore's book. It was exciting, but it lacked the heart; the human toll; the good and bad and the ugly things that being in the business of protecting our country can lead to and in most cases, must. Steve Moore gives us that side of the business he was in for one half of his life. I found myself crying at the end knowing the tragedy this type of life could bring to a family, yet also knowing how important it was and is for these brave men and women who put on the FBI badge everyday. As with Steve, it must be with other law enforcement personnel, a challenge to continue the day to day fight against crime. I can say without fear of contradiction once you start reading Special Agent Man" I still hate the title, you won't put it down, and Steve will become your hero and his wife Michelle will become your heroine. You'll have to read the book to find out why.

[Kirstin Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about even more than it appears, meaning this book isn't just about the FBI, it's about a life dedicated to law enforcement - including the costs. It's an exciting read and very informative.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An operator who's been there and done that, according to this autobiography. Moore is atypical, as he seems to be a (retired) Fed with a sense of humor. The final chapter is surprisingly poignant.

[Patrick Hamblin · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can you read the title of this book and not be interested in reading it. I heard the author being interviewed on KFI AM 640 one night at work and had to read it. Steve Moore certainly had an exciting career. The book also details his battle with a severe form of cancer and how he realized he needed to value his marriage over just climbing the career ladder.

Compelling read, especially as he describes flying surveillance missions on bank robbery suspects and kidnapping suspects. Moore also shows his "cop humor" which, even if it is FBI, is still quite funny.

[Roger Weston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moore puts a human face on the special agent. The book reads fast with the kind of stories you might hear at Thanksgiving dinner--if your relative was a terrorist hunter and certified sniper.

[Rodolfo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to thank Steve Moore for not only writing a fantastic account of his time in the FBI, but also for serving our country proudly, even at great cost to himself at times. As early as the book's first sentence I felt like I was along for a roller-coaster of a ride, from start to finish. Steve had an incredible career and experienced myriad situations across the world in some very exciting cases. I was especially touched and misty-eyed as he wrapped up his last day in the Bureau, a very poignant and reflective chapter. I felt the heavy heart he carried that day, the reflections of a lifetime filled with a series of decisions that led him to that moment, flying as an agent one last time. Every chapter was a page-turner, and it was with great reluctance that I flipped to the last page.

Thank you for allowing us a brief taste of your career and glimpse into your personal life, both the hardships and the successes you had, Mr. Moore.

[Tom Ritt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This autobiography of Steve Moore was truly fantastic and gave great insight into the life of an FBI agent. It gives insight into the profession of this highly successful agent and the types of experiences that would come to pass throughout his career. If you have an interest in law enforcement or military I highly suggest this book. The only person I would say this book is not for is for an ATF agent. This novel is also good for people who do not know much about the FBI and what they do and have an interest in learning more. Finally, the last group of people I would say this book would be intriguing towards would be pilots and aviation enthusiasts. It was truly captivating. I'd like to thank the author for his service to our great country and for this interesting read that will hopefully guide my own career.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the real life story of a man who spent a lifetime as an FBI agent, a Swat team member, sniper, pilot, anti-terrorist agent, and undercover agent. He has won many deserved awards. I really like the way he wrote this book, and the cost it can have on a family.

[Nathan Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realistic but fascinating account of the life of an FBI agent.

[Douglas Lord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not everybody’s life can be transcribed into a book successfully; consider the postman, the lunch lady, the chicken farmer. Moore, an ex-FBI dude, has a conversational tone and a sense of humor that adds warmth to his stories which read like talking over a beer, or a long bike ride. Once readers get past his Wonder Boy early life, the book becomes a manly read that chronicles his training. “From day one the FBI was magic for me,” he writes, even at his first post in Salt Lake City in 1984, when he drove a ’78 Volare station wagon. As Moore takes readers through his career, he shares that the FBI should be considered as “multiple careers using the same retirement system” and goes from coffee-making rookie to investigator of gruesome, eeeewwwwww cases to SWAT team stuff. He’s investigating the Aryan nation! He’s apprehending bad dudes! He’s busting anthrax hoaxes! He’s a pilot, a sniper, an antiterrorism investigator—a good guy! He survived a cancer scare (at age 39 ouch!) and a rocky place in his marriage and is now a technical advisor and TV talking head. But like any experienced dude, he’s also comfortable with his scars. If you ever wondered ‘what it would be like to be FBI,’ this is your book.
Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this. It's very "American", if I can put it that way. Boy's-Own type adventures of a guy who admits he never really grew up, or wanted to. But he was raised as a God-fearing boy and that comes up in his stories now and then. Not enough to affect the stories, but enough to know he comes from the good ol' U S of A, where football teams pray for divine assistance - to both sides.

This isn't a diary, but rather a series of vignettes in more-or-less chronological order, with occasional references during an LA SWAT event to some previous event in Utah which he then describes.

He really has done a lot of interesting things, and many of the large events are familiar to the general public, such as Sept 11, Pakistan and the like. He was involved in some pretty heavy activities.

His family and his health are in the background of all the tales, and his revelations about his attitude and behaviour seem very honest, as if he considered them more of a hammock to fall back into when he needed the support but that he could leave swinging in the breeze on their own so he could go gallivanting off to exotic locations. . . which he did all the time.

Basically, it was a lot of fun, an easy read, and an honest (I think) appraisal of how the FBI works (and doesn't) and how agents need to work the system to get things done.

[Amarion Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a guy name Steve Moore who was in the FBI and wrote about his time in the FBI. Steve Moore was one hard time, honest, working guy. Steve loved his life but his life became really boring and Steve was addicted to adrenaline so his father encouraged him to get into the FBI. Steve sent his letter to the FBI and was accepted to work as in FBI and was sent to the academy. Steve worked hard in long at his time in the academy with his friends who one of them named Patty he had met the day before camp and bud in the game for drinks had been friends through out the camp. As it came time for them to pick where they wanted to go for the next few years of life Steve picked closest to home and he had gotten the choice he had asked for. Steve life was not the ordinary life you would see on Tv in the movies or at least at the first it wasn't. Steve first adventure in the FBI was watching an all white supremacist group who sparked violence . Steve wasn't good on his first job and was honest about his mistakes which makes the book more interesting and intriguing then it seems in the movies, but Steve became more and more well experienced at his worked and it gave him even more adrenaline for his work as it became more adventurous. This was a good informative ok and I would recommend this book to all my friends.