Ιστορία της κατασκοπείας: Μια παρτίδα σκάκι ανάμεσα στην αλήθεια και το ψέμα, που διαρκεί 3.000 χρόνια

by Terry Crowdy, Γρηγόρης Α. Μηλιαρέσης (Translator), Σπύρος Κατσιγιάννης (Series Editor)

"Για να κλέψεις πληροφορίες, πρέπει να παντρευτείς τον διάβολο ή έστω να του δώσεις δουλειά. Πρέπει να διαπραγματευτείς μαζί του"... Ποιοι είναι λοιπόν εκείνοι που κάνουν τη "βρόμικη" αυτή δουλειά; Πώς ζουν, πώς σκέφτονται, τι τους σπρώχνει να την κάνουν...; Μέσα από τις εντυπωσιακές, και πολύ συχνά τελείως αλλόκοτες για τους "κοινούς θνητούς", ιστορίες αρχικατασκόπων και πρακτόρων, το βιβλίο περιγράφει τους σκοτεινούς τρόπους με τους οποίους, εδώ και 3.000 χιλιάδες χρόνια, αποκαλύπτονται ή διοχετεύονται μυστικά που ποτέ δεν είναι βέβαιο πως είναι, πράγματι, μυστικά.

Από τις "δηλητηριώδεις γυναίκες" της αρχαίας Ινδίας, μέχρι τη διείσδυση στον Επαρχιακό ΙRΑ του 20ού αιώνα και τις απίστευτες ιστορίες των χρόνων του ψυχρού πολέμου, η κατασκοπεία ξετυλίγεται κάτω από τα μάτια μας σαν μια τρομακτική παρτίδα ανάμεσα στην αλήθεια και το ψέμα. Και φυσικά, όπως όλες τις φορές που τα σύνορα ανάμεσα στην αλήθεια και το ψέμα μπερδεύονται συνεχώς, δεν ξέρουμε αν οι παίκτες αυτού του παιχνιδιού είναι αναζητητές της περιπέτειας, ψυχοπαθείς, φανατικοί ιδεολόγοι ή απατεώνες... Το βέβαιο είναι πως, όσο εκείνοι "διαπραγματεύονται με τον διάβολο"..., η ζωή τους και η ιστορία τους ξετυλίγονται σαν μυθιστόρημα.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Espionage, Research, Reference, Military History

500 pages, Paperback

First published October 31, 2006

About the author

Terry Crowdy was born in London in 1970. Initially a re-enactor, his interest in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars led to writing for specialist magazines, and then to book authorship.

Reviews

[Melissa McShane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information Crowdy presents is interesting, but the style is so dull I found my attention slipping. Recommended as a reference work--look up the spy you want to know about, but I can't suggest reading it for pleasure.

[catechism · Rating 1 out of 5]

this book is bad.

[Debbi Mack · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent and thorough overview of spycraft throughout history.

Not one I'd recommend unless you're very interested in the subject. But this comprehensive historical reference book reads, at times, like a spy thriller.

If history, politics, and spying interest you, this is one fantastic book to read!

[Linus Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book--it's about a subject I find quite fascinating. And indeed, the book starts off well. However, in the middle, it really is quite a drag to read. Perhaps I'm not the target audience to hear about the intricate court politics of Revolutionary and Napoleonic-era France, but my God that was a slog. We are introduced to snippets of people we have never heard of, who never show up again, and expected to keep many players straight. I frequently flipped back and forth to try to keep track of various dramatis personae. The book does pick back up in WW2 and cold war espionage, and I really almost wish there were more space devoted to these more recent spying episodes. It then falls on its face once again in the epilogue, talking about Israeli/Mossad secret actions.

It's not a 2-star, but that's only because I forced myself to finish it.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the earliest recorded examples from myth and history through to the end of the 20th century, this was an interesting and very readable overview over the history of espionage, touching on a wealth of different stories and events. While due to the breadth of subtopics covered, the book doesn't offer all that much depth for each of them, it is an excellent starting point from which to move on to more in-depth works with a narrower focus.

[Tinwerume · Rating 1 out of 5]

400 pages of absolute drivel.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I chose this book because I needed to do some research and was not familiar with the subject matter. There is always that fine line between too technical and too vague to be helpful.

Not so with this book. I learned a great deal and found evidence of documentation and quotes from others. There is a handy list of sources by chapter and word index in the back. But it was easy to follow and well written. I became so caught up in the writing that I forgot to take notes for my research.

The book covers spying from ancient times to the present.

Recommend for interest or for research.

[Lauren Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I walked away from this book was shock at how unbelievably stupid people could be--even in wartime. General X: "Well, you seem to be a nice, well-brought up young man. Why don't I give you a tour of our weapons facility." Okay, well, the dialogue is my own but the idea is for real. A fun, if scary, look at espionage across cultures and ages.

[Pete Stevenson]

I will tell you when I finish

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally got through this book. Not because it wasn't good, but just because of my own schedule and whims. It really was an interesting look at the history of spying.

[Angela Maria Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really interesting, concise, well-researched, and well-written. If you ever want to learn about the history of espionage this will be your go-to book.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent engaging and well written book, stylisitically pleasing to the layman and historian alike.