The Dangerous Trade. Spies, Spymasters and the Making of Europe

by Daniel Szechi

The secret history of Europe is drawn out in this book, examining the hidden world of the Dangerous the spying and secret operations that made and broke European nations between 1500 and 1800. Espionage, blackmail and bribery were the Trade's regular tools; assassination, provoking civil war and black propaganda were the ones used for special occasions. But who were the practitioners of these dark arts? How were they recruited? What did they achieve? By exploring the lives of spies and secret agents such as Giacomo Casanova, Nathaniel Hooke, Melchor de Macanaz and many others, the book reveals the unknown story that underlies the making of modern Europe.

Genres: History

314 pages

First published September 30, 2010

Reviews

[Truls Ljungström · Rating 4 out of 5]

Läsning 2: Mindre intressant vid omläsning. Innehåller inga insikter jag missade förra gången. Sänker från 5 till 4 stjärnor.

Läsning 1: En översikt över de mer ljusskygga aspekterna av renässans- och furstediplomatin. För de som är intresserade av fältet, så är den en utmärkt pendang till Garrett Mattinglys "Renaissance diplomacy".

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Dangerous Trade" by Daniel Szechi is a captivating and comprehensive exploration of espionage's profound impact on Europe's history, shedding light on the shadowy world of spies and spymasters.
Generally a boring book, but I still finished reading it because I love history.