Doing Time Like A Spy: How the CIA Taught Me to Survive and Thrive in Prison

by John Kiriakou

On February 28, 2013, after pleading guilty to violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act, John Kiriakou began serving a thirty month prison sentence. His crime: blowing the whistle on the CIA's use of torture on Al Qaeda prisoners.
Doing Time Like A Spy is Kiriakou's memoir of his twenty-three months in prison. Using twenty life skills he learned in CIA operational training, he was able to keep himself safe and at the top of the prison social heap. Including his award-winning blog series "Letters from Loretto," Doing Time Like a Spy is at once a searing journal of daily prison life and an alternately funny and heartbreaking commentary on the federal prison system.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Politics, Espionage, Biography, Audiobook, Autobiography

293 pages, Hardcover

First published May 16, 2017

About the author

John served in the Central Intelligence Agency first as an analyst, and later as a counterterrorism operations officer, from 1990-2004. He spent much of his career working on Iraq and the Persian Gulf. In 1997 he changed career tracks from analysis to operations and moved to Athens, Greece, where he worked against the notorious terrorist group “Revolutionary Organization 17 November.” He became chief of counterterrorist operations in Pakistan following the September 11 attacks, and his tour climaxed in the March 2002 capture of Abu Zubaydah, then believed to be al-Qa’ida’s third-ranking official.

John Kiriakou became an anti-torture whistleblower and activist when he told ABC News in December 2007 that the CIA was torturing prisoners, that that torture was official U.S. government policy, and that the policy was approved by the President.

John eventually was charged with three counts of espionage, one count of violating the Intelligence Identities Protection Act and one count of making a false statement as a result of the 2007 ABC News interview. Even though he had no criminal intent, and there was no harm to the national security, accepting the plea resulted in a sentence of 30 months in prison.

Reviews

[Randal White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading the author's experiences of serving time in a Federal prison. As a retired Federal Bureau of Prison's employee, I recognized much of what the author experienced. The poor health care available, the abysmal education programs, the drama between inmates, and between staff.
The author is obviously not your typical inmate. Very educated, very experienced, very intelligent. Not the kind of inmate one typically runs into (but there were some!). I leave it up to you to decide if he belonged there or not.
I found the book to be well written, easy to read, and engaging. I recommend it to anyone interested in corrections or inmate behavior.
Time for a rant!
Taking all of the author's observations about the Bureau of Prisons into account, I still feel it necessary to defend my organization. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) seems to be at the bottom of the barrel for government funding. No one wants to give money to help inmates, they just want them put away out of sight and sound. But, for the most part, most BOP employees try their best with what they have.
When you have on physician assigned to a prison with over 800 inmates, it's an impossible situation. "Physician's Assistants" are hired to cover the shortages. In my experience, many of the PA's were from other countries, with poor English skills, and were just trying to get their foot in the door of the US healthcare system.
Education: when I began my career in the late 1980's, inmates had a much better chance of improving themselves through education. Many inmates were enrolled in college. Unfortunately, the government seen fit to cut all of the programs, not wanting to look "soft on crime". We're left with basically a warehouse of felons with no chance of improving their lives.
Food service: I had the opportunity to work with the "food dudes" for a period of time. Those folks were dedicated! Imagine turning out three meals a day to a thousand inmates. They did this with three or four BOP employees, supervising the inmates who actually did the cooking. Using government surplus food products. And with the inmates being paid about 10 cents an hour, food service got the most unmotivated "employees" that you could imagine. No wonder the inmates were always scamming to steal food, it was their only real source of income.
Correctional Officers: I hate it when these books characterize CO's as lazy, stupid, or incompetent. I challenge the author to try to run a unit of 100 inmates by himself. Everyone of the inmates thinking that they have the right to the officer's undivided attention as needed. Imagine an elementary school teacher with a class of 100 students! And all of them students who would much rather be anywhere else than where they are. I admit, there are some bad apples serving as CO's. Just like there are bad apples in the police force, the trades, the schools, etc. BUT, for the most part, CO's are some of the most dedicated people I ever met. When an incident occurs, the affected officer pushes his "body alarm", setting off a signal to the entire prison's employees. He then has to try to control the situation (being assaulted, a medical emergency, or a fight between inmates) by himself, until the "calvary" arrives to help. It is a sight to see, every employee not directly involved with an inmate at the time, running at full tilt to assist the affected officer. Knowing that by giving their all to help, that when the tables are turned and they need help, others will respond the same. It's a measure of their dedication.
Until the country as a whole wakes up and realizes that the men and women they send to prison are going to eventually get out and be alongside them in society, things will not improve. Without education and decent healthcare, these inmates are coming out more frustrated, more deadly, and without much hope of turning their lives around for the better.
A GOOD, ENTERTAINING BOOK!

[JPM · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. If you are headed to prison, this would be a useful guide on how to make it through. The chapter that exposes the terrible medical care that prisoners receive is important. This book could have been significantly shorter -- it was repetitive. I found the author arrogant, immature and petty at times. I agree with his views on the Patriot Act, the drug war, sentencing and prison reform, and the paramount importance of the First and Fourth amendments.

[Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book explains his experience leading from criminal investigation for espionage into incarceration. He explains how his cia training helped him adapt. It also provides an inside look at the prison system. John spends a portion of the book defending his stance on torture and how he was wronged by the government.
Overall the book is interesting and informative into a portion of the government largely closed off to the public. (cia and prison).

[James R Ellison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written

Very well written and from an unusual perspective. The author was and is adamantly opposed to torture, his superiors weren't, and talking to the press about what his employer was up to sent him to prison.

[Sarah W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't expect to find this book nearly as interesting as it ended up being. John Kiriakou was employed by the CIA in the 1990s and early 2000s, but he ended up on the wrong side of a federal investigation after speaking to the press about the CIA torture program. In the end, Kiriakoou pled guilty to a felony and served time in a low security federal prison. The prison is a unique environment and Kiriakou finds that he can utilize the skillset he used as a CIA agent to navigate prison. This book is fairly short, but it's also powerful - at times it made me laugh and other moments horrified me. Overall, this book made me think more about prison reform than I ever considered and the author makes a compelling case for why ordinary Americans should care about the welfare of those held in prisons. This is a great book to read if you're interested in exploring prison reform as more than just a political issue.

[Mary Kroner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fascinating book combines a summary of the case of the only person to do time over US torture of CIA prisoners, for whistle-blowing, not committing torture, with a series of valuable lessons for everyday life, and a vivid description of daily life in a US federal prison.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is mostly assembled from letters Kiriakou wrote while in jail and posted on his blog, but is a great summary of what a minimum security federal prison is like. I knew about the racial segregation stuff, but did not know there were so many chomos (child molesters/pedophiles) -- since they're ineligible for Camps, but would get killed in Medium or higher, they end up in Minimum...

There was a bit of plotting and scheming using CIA/political manipulation techniques, and there was probably a 60 IQ point IQ gap between the subject and the other inmates and staff, but mostly it's just "federal minimum security prison is a shitty place to be".

(I think he should probably be pardoned; I think he's an asshole and should never have a clearance again, but what he was accused of and convicted of were pretty bogus; no intent, no real harm, etc.)

[Nikos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Η στιγμή της κάθε χρονιάς που στατιστικά θα πετύχω μια φορά ένα κακό βιβλίο.Μετριότατο,ο γράφων υπερόπτης,επαναλαμβανόμενο και προσπαθούσε ν' αποδείξει οτι οι άλλοι είναι χειρότεροι μιλώντας για πράγματα που έκαναν που σύμφωνα με τα λεγόμενα του τα έκανε και ο ίδιος και σε μεγαλύτερο βαθμό.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book encompasses John Kiriakou's time spent in prison for whistleblowing the CIA's torture methods used on Al Quaeda members following the attacks of September 11. During John's stint in the CIA, he was told about and talked into torturing members of Al Quaeda to get any information out of them that he could. John declined the opportunity to do so, with him citing it as unconstitutional, which it is. He eventually went on to share what the CIA was doing, which promptly got him fired. Over the next few years, the government attempted everything in their power to arrest Kiriakou. Eventually, he would find himself in jail.

John writes his personal experience of prison, and how he uses what the CIA taught him to survive and thrive behind bars. He goes into great detail of many different situations and encounters that he went through behind bars. He even goes into detail as well as gives some of his "Letters From Loretto," which were frequent letters he wrote to the editors of "firedoglake.com" to have posted online. Overall, this is a very nice description of a unique lifetime experience and is a good read for anybody interested in the prison system, United States laws, or just a story about how somebody got into and out of a bad situation.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun book to read. There are several laugh-out-loud moments and characters. Listen to his interview with Matt Taibbi and Katie Halper on Useful Idiots and you'll be convinced that this is one book you'll be glad you read. Or just wait for the inevitable movie.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting and funny stories and experienceces. Laughed out loud several times while reading this book

[MikamiHero · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great recount of a man's willingess to not cave to a system that set out to destroy him only because he was brave enough to speak the truth. You're a hero, John.

[Timothy Frasca]

Gripping account. Our "justice" system is a scandal worthy of a dictatorship.

[OCL G · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting a more profound, thoughtful memoir. Unfortunately, Kirikou came across as a whining, superficial man with a chip on his shoulder.

[Alejandro Martínez Varela · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Español mas abajo]

Almost as interesting and funny as "Orange is the New Black" by Piper Kerman. I started this book after learning about Kiriakou from clips on TikTok of interviews and podcasts discussing spy's stories and how they reflect on current events. Now I wanna read all the books he's participated in; particulary I want to read "The Convenient Terrorist" written with Joseph Hickman, another famous Whistleblower, both books were published the same month in 2017, Im hoping it delivers more of the spyverse that I now am addicted to. It's like a Clancy novel, but for real. In short the book is about Kiriakou's 30 months as an inmate in the Federal Correctional Institution Loretto Prison in Pennsylvania after being wrongfully sentenced for espionage. There he got to experience life as a regular convicted criminal. For us outsiders it may seem that there's a common standard way of surviving prision, but Kiriakou is very precise an elocuent on the diverse ways convicted criminals do their time. A system of casts and groups prevails on every prision and that explaining is what makes this book very interesting. There is also the twist of Kiriakou's Spy trainning applied to obstacles and situations he confronted on a daily basis.

All in all "Doing Time Like a Spy" is quite entertaining and worth your wile.

Casi tan interesante y divertido como "Orange is the New Black" de Piper Kerman. Empecé a leer este libro después de conocer a Kiriakou a partir de clips en TikTok de entrevistas y podcasts que discutían historias de espías y cómo se reflejaban en los eventos actuales. Ahora quiero leer todos los libros en los que ha participado; en particular, quiero leer "The Convenient Terrorist", escrito con Joseph Hickman, otro famoso denunciante, ambos libros se publicaron el mismo mes en 2017. Espero que ofrezca más del universo de espías al que ahora soy adicto. Es como una novela de Clancy, pero de verdad. En resumen, el libro trata sobre los 30 meses que Kiriakou pasó como recluso en la prisión de Loretto de la Institución Correccional Federal en Pensilvania después de ser sentenciado injustamente por espionaje. Allí pudo experimentar la vida como un criminal convicto común. Para nosotros, los forasteros, puede parecer que hay una forma estándar común de sobrevivir a la prisión, pero Kiriakou es muy preciso y elocuente sobre las diversas formas en que los criminales convictos cumplen su condena. En cada prisión prevalece un sistema de elencos y grupos, y esa explicación es lo que hace que este libro sea muy interesante. También está el giro del entrenamiento de espía de Kiriakou aplicado a los obstáculos y situaciones a las que se enfrenta a diario.

En general, "Doing Time Like a Spy" es bastante entretenido y vale la pena.

[Mostafa Amir, Ph.D. · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Doing Time Like a Spy" by John Kiriakou offers an intriguing juxtaposition of espionage tradecraft and the harsh realities of prison life. Written by a former CIA officer turned whistleblower, the memoir is undeniably unique in its framing: Kiriakou applies the skills and strategies honed during his intelligence career to navigate the complexities of incarceration. However, the execution of this concept falls short of its potential in several ways.

The book is structured around "Rules for Prison Survival," an inventive framework that reflects the author’s analytical approach to his circumstances. These rules, drawn from his intelligence training, provide an often entertaining lens through which to view his experiences. At its best, the book reveals a sharp wit and an insightful critique of the American penal and justice systems, particularly the treatment of whistleblowers.

Yet, despite these strengths, "Doing Time Like a Spy" struggles to maintain a consistent tone. The oscillation between levity and somber reflection, while perhaps intended to mirror the dualities of Kiriakou’s experience, often undermines the narrative’s impact. Moreover, the memoir leans heavily on anecdotal storytelling, which, while engaging in parts, sometimes lacks the depth or analytical rigor that could elevate it beyond a surface-level recounting of events.

Readers seeking a profound critique of systemic injustices may find the book lacking in substantive engagement with broader socio-political implications. Instead, it tends to focus on the minutiae of Kiriakou's personal journey, which, while compelling, does not always justify the broader claims implied by the narrative.

In sum, "Doing Time Like a Spy" is an interesting but uneven work. It succeeds as a curiosity for those interested in the intersection of espionage and incarceration but may leave others desiring a more nuanced and cohesive treatment of its themes. A commendable effort, though ultimately one that could benefit from greater intellectual depth and narrative focus.

[Jamison Ousley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard Kiriakou for the first time on the Useful Idiots podcast and found his story intriguing, so I decided to give the book a shot. I had heard a lot of people criticize the Obama administration for prosecuting whistleblowers and never really understood what that was all about. Kiriakou, a former CIA agent details how he was targeted by the federal government over the course of 7 years, ultimately taking a plea deal for 30 months in a low security prison. His description of the experience is an indictment of the justice system and the board of prisons.
I love the overall message of the text, but I docked it a star because I felt it could have been planned better. Kiriakou sells the book on the premise that the CIA has very specific rules for negotiating any situation, but I would say that is only half of what the book is about. While I engaged with the content, a lot of the text is letters that he either wrote to the website that published his experiences while in prison. He usually drops the letters at the end of a chapter, and they tend to repeat a lot of what the narrative has already communicated, so it can be a little tedious.
That said, there are so many interesting characters and stories, I couldn't stop reading. I will definitely be checking out Kiriakou's other books.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an interesting read if you are trying to learn more about the prison industrial complex and the general treatment of prisoners in the United States. The stories about prison life, medical neglect, the interactions between CO's and minimum security prisoners, etc. were compelling and well written.
However, I found myself having to take everything Kiriakou said with a grain of salt because he spends most of the book trying to assure the reader that he is different from the 'real criminals' with whom he served his sentence. I was worried in the first few chapters that I wouldn't be able to get through the book as he spent a large chunk of the introduction describing other prisoners with derogatory language, inflating his position as a genius from the CIA, and insisting that he is still a patriot after all that happened to him. He does tone it down a bit as the book goes on- and he does express more nuanced, sympathetic views on what prison is like for people without the money, lawyers, fame, etc. that he had while serving his time.
It's a bit repetitive and could have been a lot shorter, but definitely an interesting story and would recommend if you want a unique, if not a bit entitled, view on the prison experience.

[William Zafra Velasco · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Mr. Kiriakou's book, I am shocked that a highly-decorated CIA agent, who came forward regarding illegal torture by the American "government," would be thrown under the bus by same said American 'government' for trying to stop torture. To add insult to injury, the United States 'government' would then sentence the author of this book to over two years in prison for doing the right thing. What a shame for the 'government' to do to a patriot standing up for the right thing. This book is a must-read. It proves that the United States "justice system" is an absolute scam. And mass incarceration, which affects millions of Americans--especially pertinent because the United States of America now has a larger jail and prison population than the prison populations of China, Russia, and Saudi Arabia put together--has the potential to reach not only ordinary Americans, but also the most highly-decorated and patriotic Americans who do the right thing (in this case, John Kiriakou). Mr. Kiriakou is a hero, despite what the American 'government' says, no doubt about it. As Mr. Kiriakou has said, "Fuck the American government! What has the United States government done for me, except violate my rights?!"

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Kiriakou tells a first hand account of going up against the federal government and losing. He is forced to take a plea deal for an email. He also demonstrates the problem in our justice system that almost everyone is forced to do the same. (see Orange is the New Black) The story of his time in federal prison is interesting; but I am shocked at his self professed cruelty. It is apparently necessary in prison but is shocking none the less. It is surprising he doesn't pull punches. He shares the skills he learned in the CIA and how they work for him in every aspect of his life, especially federal prison.

[Antonis Petropoulos · Rating 1 out of 5]

Δεν κατάφερε να το ολοκληρώσω, απέμειναν οι 100 τελευταίες σελίδες αδιάβαστες. Αλλά θεωρώ πως δεν έχασα κάτι. Ο τίτλος και η φράση "Πώς η CIA με δίδαξε να επιβιώνω στη φυλακή" είναι παραπλανητικά στοιχεία για ένα σύγγραφα που είναι κάτι μεταξύ ημερολογίου και καταγραφής της καθημερινότητας στη φυλακή, που έκτισε την ποινή του ο συγγραφέας, χωρίς να παρουσιάζεται κάποια ιστορία με μεγάλο ενδιαφέρον.
Ο συγγραφέας επαναλαμβάνεται σε σημείο που γνωρίζεις εκ των προτέρων τι θα διαβάσεις και παρότι στην αρχή το βιβλίο δείχνει ενδιαφέρον, αυτό σταδιακά εξασθενεί. Επίσης, ο κομπασμός του συγγραφέα στις ιστορίες που αφηγείται είναι ένα άλλο ενοχλητικό στοιχείο.

[Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

CIA operative John Kiriakou was imprisoned for exposing the US torture program. After that the government made his life in prison as difficult as possible. During his time in prison he wrote regular letters to the press exposing the minor and major injustices foisted on US prisoners.

It's well written and interesting book if you are interested in the author, life in US prisons, prison gang life. Worth a read/listen.

You’ll also learn a lot about the treatment and lifestyle of pedophiles in US prisons.

[Sebastián Jaén · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because a liked so much his first one. I wanted to know how everything had turned out after him denouncing the US Government. I had a surprise because in this book we can see more the spy in action than in the first one. The book is very engaging, however, you can feel how the guy is affected by his time in prison and how the whole experience is affecting his narrative. Even though I don't think this book is as good as the first one, still I think is good enough and engaging. Also, it is a scary portrait of the US prison system.

[Emily McKeehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this after listening to John Kiriakou’s interview on the Dalton Fischer Podcast on YouTube. Kiriakou is a great storyteller, and his look inside the prison system is at once fascinating and (rightfully) depressing. Parts of the writing were a bit repetitive, primarily because of the way the book was formatted to include Kiriakou’s “Letters from Loretto” (which he wrote and published while in prison to document his experience). It was nonetheless an interesting read detailing how a CIA officer approached the gritty life inside prison.

[Carlos Ceja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful story on America’s prison system

i’ve seen John speak on many podcasts, i came across this book on Amazon knowing nothing about it and decided to give it a read. I’ve been glued to this since I’ve started reading it. 10/10, not only will you see a firsthand look at how govt bureaucracy can be used against america, but you’ll also hear the hardships of the prison system.

[Resenese · Rating 3 out of 5]

My issues with this book are mostly structural. He sets up chapters with stories but then includes articles he wrote in prison that repeat verbatim lines told in the earlier story. People who were transferred to another prison are suddenly back because their story had been concluded prior to the article, but the article is later in the book. I enjoyed the narrator in the audiobook but feel it was a missed opportunity to not have the author record it.

[James McGlynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written book by CIA spy who was imprisoned for blowing the whistle on torture. Incarcerated amongst all races- so everyone picks a gang. Crazy. The most common reason to fight is arguing over tv shows- and whites don't get to choose-only blacks and latins. Also prison chock full of chomos--child molesters who have their own gang but are shunned by the rest. Another reason to rethink our enormous waste in the corrections game.

[Joanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kikakou served prison time for outing some of the CIA's secrets, a charge he feels was trumped-up and unfair.

This book is apparently the result of one of his blogs from prison - and there are whole excerpts from the blog in here, which makes it not very well-written, and he's pretty bitter. I also did not need to know as much about prison life as he shares.

[Cormac Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Kiriakou clearly has a great personality and this shines through in the book. The stories from prison were generally engaging and I learned a lot about how bad the prison system in the US is. The book was, however, a bit disjointed (the chapters and stories mixed with letters and articles seemed scattered).

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Only finished for book club. This book reeks of the author’s ego. Kiriakou clearly felt inferior, small, and threatened in prison and tries to make up for it with arrogance, bigotry, self-righteousness, and self-importance. The whole book felt like a facade, which made it difficult to impossible for me to get anything about the very real issues of incarceration and whistleblowing.