The Spycraft Manual

by Barry Davies, Richard Tomlinson (Foreword)

The Spycraft Manual is unique. There has never been a book that reveals the secret tradecraft techniques used by spies the world over. Until now. Intelligence in the field of counter-terrorism is a different and, in many aspects, arduous and dangerous task. The lives of many agents are in continuous danger. The rules of the game are cruel—as moral and ethical considerations are negated by the bullet. There is no honor between rivals on the streets of Beirut or Baghdad—only the most quickwitted survive. A modern spy must blend in, live among the enemy, speak the language, befriend, and exploit the enemy at very opportunity. They are required to be streetwise, rough, tough, and ruthless.

Genres: Nonfiction, Espionage, Reference

191 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2005

Reviews

[Piemaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

An acceptable entry level basic primer, but lacking in fine detail. It's a cousin to the SAS Survival Guides, so that should give you a good idea of what to expect if you're a fan. Some egregious errors - e.g. the oft-repeated but fundamentally inaccurate idea that it was the Germans in WW2 who perfected electrotorture rather than the French and Americans, or classifying a P90 as a sniper rifle - and some other outdated information.

[sbs transit · Rating 3 out of 5]

#nsreads 31

Underwhelming, but understandably so

[Vincent Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enlightening. Informative. The Perfect spy's guide (though I am not one, and I don't intent to except in the realm of my imaginations, creating the perfect spy characters for my fictional world).

Intelligence in the field of counter-terrorism is a different and, in many aspects, arduous and dangerous task. The lives of many agents are in continuous danger. The rules of the game are cruel as moral and ethical considerations are negated by the bullet. There is no honor between rivals on the streets of Beirut or Baghdad only the most quick-witted survive. A modern spy must blend in, live among the enemy, speak the language, befriend, and exploit the enemy at very opportunity. They are required to be streetwise, rough, tough, and ruthless. The Spycraft Manual is a step-by-step instruction book on the tradecraft and skills that spies use. Each individual subject contains masses of fascinating, previously undisclosed information, all graphically illustrated with simple black and white line drawings. From the seven basic drills of agent contact to satellite surveillance, The Spycraft Manual is a perfect reference to the whole world of espionage. The techniques and strategies used by actual spies much of it revealed for the first time! The first and only practical guide to reveal the secret trade-craft techniques used by spies today. Step-by-step illustrated instructions, riveting case history sidebars, and complete history and current uses of techniques.

[Aimee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been a huge fan of spy genre books and movies ever since I can remember. Maybe it's the thrill of the chase. Maybe it's the rush of knowing things that other people don't. Maybe I was sneaking into my mother's private chocolate stash and wanted some pointers. However I got started, picking up a nonfiction book on the same topic seemed like a natural match.

So I have to confess, I am a little disappointed. Much of the information in this book is repetitive, the author doesn't always explain abbreviations, and the editing in general is pretty poor. I did, however, learn how to turn a magazine (or newspaper) into a self defense weapon, so it wasn't a total loss. :)

[Bondan · Rating 5 out of 5]

i've finished this book. CIA, KGB, MI6, MOSSAD, SD6, BIN.. you can hire me.