Unwanted Spy: The Persecution of an American Whistleblower

by Jeffrey Sterling

The powerful story of a CIA whistleblower and political prisoner who refused to give up on his American dream



In 2015, Jeffrey Sterling was sentenced to prison, convicted of violating the Espionage Act. Sterling, it is now clear, was another victim of our government's draconian crackdown on alleged leakers and whistleblowers.




Sterling grew up in a small, segregated town in Missouri and jumped at the chance to broaden his world and serve his country, first in law school and later in the CIA. After an impressive career, Sterling's progress came to a sudden he was denied opportunities because of his race and was pushed out of the Agency. Later, Sterling courageously blew the whistle on the CIA's botched covert operation in Iran to Senate investigators. After a few quiet years in Missouri with his wife, he was arrested suddenly and charged with espionage.




Unwanted Spy is an inspiring account of one man's uncompromising commitment to the truth and a reminder of the principles of justice and integrity that should define America.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

272 pages, Hardcover

Published October 15, 2019

About the author

Jeffrey Sterling is a former CIA case officer who was convicted of violating the Espionage Act and was in federal prison in Colorado. Before his trial and conviction, Sterling worked at the CIA, including for the Iran task force, for nearly a decade. He studied political science at Millikin University and holds a law degree from the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis. He was released from prison in January 2018.

Reviews

[Molly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of story that one doesn't want to believe is true, but, there you go, so much of current reality is so unbelievably true, and sad.

Jeffrey Sterling is one incredibly strong human being. I have read more than a few stories of former CIA agents, and spy stories in general. I love Homeland (TV series) - and all of it reaffirms you can't trust anyone, even your colleagues.

I am so sorry that this man had to be treated so unfairly. Until this country, at all levels accepts the diversity that is us, and the world, awful things will continue to happen to innocent people.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating on this book is more for the person Jeffery Sterling writes about than the significance of his being a 'whistle blower'. This is the story of a man who grew up with not many advantages but thought enough of himself to better his life and of his country to try to serve. Life does not always work out as we have planned and this is a very good example of that situation. I hope for Jeffery and Holly's sake life will be better from now on. I recommend the book if you are interested in what life in the CIA is for a man who is not white and some of the things going on that comes to light more as time goes by. The story follows a black man's life really and just a part of it was with the CIA..

[Book Him Danno · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am fence sitting with this story. The man is a whistler blower turning on his government and those who trusted him. At the same time how can someone not see that his conviction and desire to do what is right by what he knew.
The readers are really only given the view of Jeffrey Sterling which is scary, startling but at the same time he knew what he was doing and what would happen to him. Reader might want to have a balance of the two sides to get a better understand of who, what, where, when and why Jeffrey Sterling felt he had no other choice.
Thank you to Netgalley for a advance copy of Jeffrey Sterling Unwanted Spy

[Anthony D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am forever grateful to our journalists who share their stories with the world, especially when they are potentially at risk of negative consequences.

Jeffery Sterling, a former case officer, graduate of Millikan University, and holds (or held) a law degree from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis; has demonstrated an uncommon zeal for justice in America.

Mr. Sterling’s accounting of his struggle is a first edition, copyright 2019, and published by Hatchette Book Group, Inc., is just the beginning of a story that is both heartbreaking and revelatory of the obstacles that stand in the way of genuine and substantive change.

I am a fan of spy fiction despite the fact that there is very little black representation in fiction and nonfiction (real life). I also like to read books like Mr. Sterling’s that uncover bad actors, policies, and corruption because I believe this is how the world is changed for the better.

Unfortunately, for Mr. Sterling incarceration, systemic imperialism, colonialism, and persistent racism—challenges that are overwhelming for one person.
Did he bite off more than he could chew? Like far too many black people, did he suffer from what I call the cry wolf syndrome? Far too many black people are prematurely motivated to call out racism despite little or no proof. So, when racism does show up, it’s “harder” to prove because the truth gets drowned in a sea of perceived and previously unfounded “claims”.


These are Jeffrey Sterling’s words, “Realizing that, for my efforts, I couldn’t satisfy the expectations of either the black people I lived among or the white people who barely recognized my existence, I finally stopped trying. Since neither the black world nor the white world wanted me, I decided to belong to neither. I decided to be Jeffrey who is proud to be black without being defined by his color—as if I could live in an America beyond race, like the one I learned about in books and on television.”

Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, the most damning statement that Mr. Jeffrey could have made as a case officer for the CIA is his honesty about US intelligence “fumbles”. This is what he said,” …US intelligence agencies were well aware that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction, though they hid that fact from both the general public and the president.”

The most troubling thing about Jeffery’s story is that our government invoked the Espionage Act of 1917. Mr. Sterling is one of only five people in history to be indicted under the Espionage Act.

My purpose for writing this review is to encourage the audience to read this book and to show my support for Mr. Sterling. I too am a whistleblower and have endured abuse similar to what Mr. Jeffrey Sterling has experienced.

I am a better human being for reading this book!

[jane c · Rating 4 out of 5]

I opened reading it expecting to understand the details of Jeffrey Sterlings whistle blower case. Instead we go on a journey of his lifelong striving to BE. Not black, not white, but a well educated patriotic citizen of this country. To defy expectations of his family and become something satisfying to himself.Very interesting read following racial events of this year.
His CIA experience and subsequent troubles are woven into this personal narrative well.

[Howard Cummins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure what to think

Interesting read. Clearly he is and has been really full of himself his entire life. Always the victim it seems. Perhaps that attitude was subtly behind all that he’s experienced. He clearly got screwed by the CIA and this country and I hope at some point that will be acknowledged