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Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to Al-Qaeda
An unprecedented history of the CIA's secret and amazing gadgetry behind the art of espionageIn this look at the CIA’s most secretive operations and the devices that made them possible, Spycraft tells gripping life-and-death stories about a group of spytechs—much of it never previously revealed and with images never before seen by the public. The CIA’s Office of Technical Service is the ultrasecret department that grappled with challenges such What does it take to build a quiet helicopter? How does one embed a listening device in a cat?What is an invisible photo used for? These amazingly inventive devices were created and employed against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions—including the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and continuing terrorist threats. Written by Robert Wallace, the former director of the Office of Technical Service, and internationally renowned intelligence historian Keith Melton, Spycraft is both a fantastic encyclopedia of gadgetry and a revealing primer on the fundamentals of high-tech espionage. “The first comprehensive look at the technical achievements of American espionage from the 1940s to the present.”—Wired “Reveals more concrete information about CIA tradecraft than any book.”—The Washington Times “This is a story I thought could never be told.”—JAMES M. OLSON, former chief of CIA counterintelligence
591 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2008
237 people are currently reading
3166 people want to read
About the author
Robert Wallace
3 books8 followersRobert Wallace, a retired CIA officer, also publishes under the name Bob Wallace. After a 33-year intelligence career, he co-authored SPYCRAFT: The Secret History of the CIA Spytechs from Communism to al-Qaeda and THE OFFICIAL CIA MANUAL OF TRICKERY AND DECEPTION. These books launched Robert’s lecture career that has included presentations at Presidential Libraries, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, libraries and civic organizations and major universities throughout the US and abroad. The works have been translated in multiple languages and published through Europe and Asia.
Wallace and co-author H. Keith Melton, in cooperation with Georgetown University Press undertook a project beginning 2015 to produce a one-of-its-kind image rich history of sites of significant US intelligence history. With the publication of SPY SITES OF PHILADELPHIA, the completed three volume work includes SPY SITES OF WASHINGTON, DC and SPY SITES OF NEW YORK. Together this three book series presents unique descriptions and images of six hundred major spies and their operations through two centuries from the Revolutionary War to the 21st century.
Robert’s first book, NINE FROM THE NINTH, is a memoir of a year with Company E, 75th Infantry (Rangers) Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol company in Vietnam. The work includes essays and stories by three infantry soldiers who formed a lifetime bond of friendship forged in combat operations in Vietnam during 1969.
Robert Wallace lives in Virginia and may be contacted at bobwq@hotmail.com
Wallace and co-author H. Keith Melton, in cooperation with Georgetown University Press undertook a project beginning 2015 to produce a one-of-its-kind image rich history of sites of significant US intelligence history. With the publication of SPY SITES OF PHILADELPHIA, the completed three volume work includes SPY SITES OF WASHINGTON, DC and SPY SITES OF NEW YORK. Together this three book series presents unique descriptions and images of six hundred major spies and their operations through two centuries from the Revolutionary War to the 21st century.
Robert’s first book, NINE FROM THE NINTH, is a memoir of a year with Company E, 75th Infantry (Rangers) Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol company in Vietnam. The work includes essays and stories by three infantry soldiers who formed a lifetime bond of friendship forged in combat operations in Vietnam during 1969.
Robert Wallace lives in Virginia and may be contacted at bobwq@hotmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
March 4, 2018
Although a bit dry & repetitive at times, this was a fantastic look into the CIA, especially the OTS (Office of Technical Services) by the guy that ran it for a long time. It's pretty pro-CIA, of course. While they have done some pretty awful things, usually they were ordered to & some things were overblown. What's even more surprising is that some of the trade craft is really off the wall & requires seemingly silly solutions, so this is a good balance & an excellent history of the tech side of the organization.
Q of Bond fame is mentioned more than a few times & seems to be highly regarded. He really is the epitome of an OTS. He comes up with gadgets for the operatives, teaches them how to use them, fixes or installs them on site when needed, & pleads for them to be returned in working order. While the CIA's OTS guys & gals are far more specialized, that's pretty much what they do often coming up with gadgets that fail because the operatives leave out details or the operating environment isn't suitable.
There are a lot of operational difficulties. The techs would get orders to create something & it would look good on paper but wouldn't work in the field. For instance, a carbon microphone that works great when it is handled quit working when placed in a situation where it sat for too long & the carbon particles compacted. Batteries are always an issue.
More than just the tech side, Wallace described the issues with information. Rumors that the Soviets & others were having good success with psychedelic drugs pushed the CIA to test them longer than they would have. Debunking false information is practically impossible, even when it is laughable. The need to know is a two-edged sword with some people working blindly, but a few moles which got several of our assets killed make paranoia seem reasonable.
Time! It often took months to do seemingly simple things. Not only were the stakes high, but a lot of information was required. Some of the information is crazy, too. They couldn't toss out ruined furniture in the USSR, but had to pack it up & ship it back to the US, so the Soviets couldn't gain any information from it. Something as simple as the number of chairs in a set could tell the other side things.
I wish I'd read this before reading The Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA which is about one of the guys that worked in this department. I gave it a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This book was better. There's a lot more to it & most was really interesting, including how long it took for this book to be published & why. It read like a James Bond novel at times & certainly had moments of humor & horror. It's also an excellent glimpse into the Cold War, although this covers the CIA from its OSS days until 2005 or so. Very well narrated. Highly recommended.
Q of Bond fame is mentioned more than a few times & seems to be highly regarded. He really is the epitome of an OTS. He comes up with gadgets for the operatives, teaches them how to use them, fixes or installs them on site when needed, & pleads for them to be returned in working order. While the CIA's OTS guys & gals are far more specialized, that's pretty much what they do often coming up with gadgets that fail because the operatives leave out details or the operating environment isn't suitable.
There are a lot of operational difficulties. The techs would get orders to create something & it would look good on paper but wouldn't work in the field. For instance, a carbon microphone that works great when it is handled quit working when placed in a situation where it sat for too long & the carbon particles compacted. Batteries are always an issue.
More than just the tech side, Wallace described the issues with information. Rumors that the Soviets & others were having good success with psychedelic drugs pushed the CIA to test them longer than they would have. Debunking false information is practically impossible, even when it is laughable. The need to know is a two-edged sword with some people working blindly, but a few moles which got several of our assets killed make paranoia seem reasonable.
Time! It often took months to do seemingly simple things. Not only were the stakes high, but a lot of information was required. Some of the information is crazy, too. They couldn't toss out ruined furniture in the USSR, but had to pack it up & ship it back to the US, so the Soviets couldn't gain any information from it. Something as simple as the number of chairs in a set could tell the other side things.
I wish I'd read this before reading The Master of Disguise: My Secret Life in the CIA which is about one of the guys that worked in this department. I gave it a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This book was better. There's a lot more to it & most was really interesting, including how long it took for this book to be published & why. It read like a James Bond novel at times & certainly had moments of humor & horror. It's also an excellent glimpse into the Cold War, although this covers the CIA from its OSS days until 2005 or so. Very well narrated. Highly recommended.
March 30, 2013
Toe knives?
Explosive flour you can bake into biscuits and still blow up?
I hope they sell some of these things at the Spy Museum gift shop.
Explosive flour you can bake into biscuits and still blow up?
I hope they sell some of these things at the Spy Museum gift shop.
June 25, 2011
Spycraft by Robert Wallace and Keith Melton
What fun I had reading this book. What made the experience even more rewarding was actually doing so just days before going to the Spy Museum itself. Many of the real-life stories of Spycraft are exhibited at the museum not to mention all the nifty gadgets.
Positives:
1. Fascinating topic that is well illustrated throughout the book.
2. History of important CIA missions: Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, and war on terror.
3. Some chapters read out of a James Bond movie.
4. So many cool gadgets and their real life applications.
5. A thorough book and the authors go as far to tell you about the politics involved in writing the book.
6. Spies, spies and more spies. I love how the authors capture the tension of the missions.
7. In a way this book is about the evolution of the tools of the trade of espionage.
8. Secrets exposed.
9. Very few books of this ilk truly gives you the inside scoop as this has.
Negatives:
1. Some chapters or sections of the book can be dry.
2. A ton of acronyms that can be a bit confusing.
3. It's a bit long.
In summary, fantastic insight into the real world of espionage with a focus on the gadgets used. Highly recommended to all those who love the history of espionage and the tools and creativity needed to execute some of the most daring missions of the Cold War.
What fun I had reading this book. What made the experience even more rewarding was actually doing so just days before going to the Spy Museum itself. Many of the real-life stories of Spycraft are exhibited at the museum not to mention all the nifty gadgets.
Positives:
1. Fascinating topic that is well illustrated throughout the book.
2. History of important CIA missions: Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, and war on terror.
3. Some chapters read out of a James Bond movie.
4. So many cool gadgets and their real life applications.
5. A thorough book and the authors go as far to tell you about the politics involved in writing the book.
6. Spies, spies and more spies. I love how the authors capture the tension of the missions.
7. In a way this book is about the evolution of the tools of the trade of espionage.
8. Secrets exposed.
9. Very few books of this ilk truly gives you the inside scoop as this has.
Negatives:
1. Some chapters or sections of the book can be dry.
2. A ton of acronyms that can be a bit confusing.
3. It's a bit long.
In summary, fantastic insight into the real world of espionage with a focus on the gadgets used. Highly recommended to all those who love the history of espionage and the tools and creativity needed to execute some of the most daring missions of the Cold War.
February 7, 2013
A fascinating look into a world too distorted by public ignorance and glamorized by Hollywood myth-making. "Spycraft" superbly written and exquisitely detailed book, rich in texture illuminating a fascinating recounting of the myriad of ways in which technology has aided case officers to accomplish what practitioners term "impersonal communications" exchanges with their agents (spies.) Fascinating and even humorous at times, the multi-hued stories unveiled in this book pull back the curtain to illustrate amazingly creative ways in which gadgetry, both seemingly mundane as well as state of the art operational technology have facilitated the clandestine passage of secrets from spy to case handler.
The roles of OTS in both intelligence collection and covert paramilitary operations are covered in detail. The authors' objective was to illustrate the significance of the CIA's Office of Technical Services in the agency's growth, and in some of its more notable successes. This objective is accomplished flawlessly. But again, that's the authors' objective - yours might be different. If you are like me, you are probably more interested in cool spy stories, and a (James Bond) Q style showcasing of advanced tech. On these points, the book is hit and miss.
In terms of spy story-telling, there are some fantastic and very well-told stories in the book. However, these stories are strung together very poorly. The organization of the book is likely a reflection of the restrictive CIA editing relationship, and simply put, it doesn't make much sense. A chapter will start in 1950, develop the history and context, and climax in 1970. Then the next chapter will start in 1950, develop the history and context, and climax and 1975. Instead of a chronological separation of topics (which would help greatly with the contextualization), the authors have gone for a technological separation of topics; i.e. surveillance tech, concealment tech, agent/handler communication tech, etc... While theoretically this might have made sense, in practice, the consequence is that there is a lot of redundancy as historical context is explained again and again. Also, I found the the fact that the timeline keeps resetting to the 1950's again and again to be frustrating; I would have much preferred a narrative that moved forwards, rather than in circles. The last section of the book (a more general overview of "spycraft") is particularly frustrating, since it mostly just rehashes topics covered earlier in the book, but this time in less detail.
In terms of showcasing cool technology, there are some nuggets of coolness, but they are few and far between. The emphasis is more on the ingenuity of the heroic inventors, then on the tech itself. For the most part, all you'll learn is that stuff got smaller, and more energy efficient, which isn't that exciting - especially since most of the tech in the book is 40+ years old, and is now commercially available. Imagine a Bond movie in which Q shows Bond how to use a handheld video camera, and you'll have a pretty good idea what to expect.
See also The Wizards Of Langley: Inside The Cia's Directorate Of Science And Technology by Jeffrey Richelson.
The roles of OTS in both intelligence collection and covert paramilitary operations are covered in detail. The authors' objective was to illustrate the significance of the CIA's Office of Technical Services in the agency's growth, and in some of its more notable successes. This objective is accomplished flawlessly. But again, that's the authors' objective - yours might be different. If you are like me, you are probably more interested in cool spy stories, and a (James Bond) Q style showcasing of advanced tech. On these points, the book is hit and miss.
In terms of spy story-telling, there are some fantastic and very well-told stories in the book. However, these stories are strung together very poorly. The organization of the book is likely a reflection of the restrictive CIA editing relationship, and simply put, it doesn't make much sense. A chapter will start in 1950, develop the history and context, and climax in 1970. Then the next chapter will start in 1950, develop the history and context, and climax and 1975. Instead of a chronological separation of topics (which would help greatly with the contextualization), the authors have gone for a technological separation of topics; i.e. surveillance tech, concealment tech, agent/handler communication tech, etc... While theoretically this might have made sense, in practice, the consequence is that there is a lot of redundancy as historical context is explained again and again. Also, I found the the fact that the timeline keeps resetting to the 1950's again and again to be frustrating; I would have much preferred a narrative that moved forwards, rather than in circles. The last section of the book (a more general overview of "spycraft") is particularly frustrating, since it mostly just rehashes topics covered earlier in the book, but this time in less detail.
In terms of showcasing cool technology, there are some nuggets of coolness, but they are few and far between. The emphasis is more on the ingenuity of the heroic inventors, then on the tech itself. For the most part, all you'll learn is that stuff got smaller, and more energy efficient, which isn't that exciting - especially since most of the tech in the book is 40+ years old, and is now commercially available. Imagine a Bond movie in which Q shows Bond how to use a handheld video camera, and you'll have a pretty good idea what to expect.
See also The Wizards Of Langley: Inside The Cia's Directorate Of Science And Technology by Jeffrey Richelson.
January 26, 2019
Not well written, but the content is interesting and easier to retain if you take copious, timeline-focused notes. It reads like someone got drunk and decided to tell you the chronology of unclassified/altered/vague CIA historical details ... out of chronology...repeated the same exact details multiple times, including re-using quotations and re-explaining technical jargon, and threw in a bunch of anecdotes from 'this one time' when some person did some thing and there's a 'punchline' at the end.
If I made that sound enjoyable, you're thinking too much along the lines of Drunk History and not enough along the lines of That One Uncle (or whatever) who talks everyone's ear off with the same stories every holiday. Uncle has something to contribute, sure, but jeez, would it kill him to learn how to organize his thoughts?
If I made that sound enjoyable, you're thinking too much along the lines of Drunk History and not enough along the lines of That One Uncle (or whatever) who talks everyone's ear off with the same stories every holiday. Uncle has something to contribute, sure, but jeez, would it kill him to learn how to organize his thoughts?
April 17, 2025
Spycraft
---
## The Book in 1 Sentence
The American "Q" from the James Bond movies run you through the engineering of different spy gadgets that helped the CIA become one of the best spy agencies of all time.
## Brief Review
Wallace and Melton do a great job of talking about the technical and operational requirements for the devices found and created. This book was really well described, but falls short of the promise of talking about modern day spy equipment.
## Why I Read this book
I love spy gadgets and would love to have been "Q" from bond.
## In-Depth Review (Favorite Quotes)
So this book tells a lot of the same stories as [[A Spy Named Orphan]], [[The Spy and the Traitor]], and others, but at a much higher level and obviously about how those events happened. This book was also really well written and makes you think a lot about the engineering challenges that arose from the missions.
There are some really cool ideas they had and the amount success they had throughout the book is impressive. I mean, it was one of the people in the books above that compromised some of the programs.
There was a point in the book where it spent some time talking about POWs in Cuba that were CIA agents, but the Cuban government didn't realize was CIA. The way that The Agency talked to them and the way they communicated back. They were able to thwart a bombing, collect intelligence, and help free POWs all from prison cells.
## [Rating](https://epicscreentime.com/rating-rules)
I liked this book. I know there has been a slew of spy books in the last year or so, but who doesn't love James Bond or Ethan Hunt story. Honestly the engineering and the technology that was created to solve these niche issues is incredible. I think the stories where all of the tech is introduced is just a wonderful expansion of your brain. This is an 8. Go read it.
Want to get a hold of me?
Email |
---
## The Book in 1 Sentence
The American "Q" from the James Bond movies run you through the engineering of different spy gadgets that helped the CIA become one of the best spy agencies of all time.
## Brief Review
Wallace and Melton do a great job of talking about the technical and operational requirements for the devices found and created. This book was really well described, but falls short of the promise of talking about modern day spy equipment.
## Why I Read this book
I love spy gadgets and would love to have been "Q" from bond.
## In-Depth Review (Favorite Quotes)
So this book tells a lot of the same stories as [[A Spy Named Orphan]], [[The Spy and the Traitor]], and others, but at a much higher level and obviously about how those events happened. This book was also really well written and makes you think a lot about the engineering challenges that arose from the missions.
There are some really cool ideas they had and the amount success they had throughout the book is impressive. I mean, it was one of the people in the books above that compromised some of the programs.
There was a point in the book where it spent some time talking about POWs in Cuba that were CIA agents, but the Cuban government didn't realize was CIA. The way that The Agency talked to them and the way they communicated back. They were able to thwart a bombing, collect intelligence, and help free POWs all from prison cells.
## [Rating](https://epicscreentime.com/rating-rules)
I liked this book. I know there has been a slew of spy books in the last year or so, but who doesn't love James Bond or Ethan Hunt story. Honestly the engineering and the technology that was created to solve these niche issues is incredible. I think the stories where all of the tech is introduced is just a wonderful expansion of your brain. This is an 8. Go read it.
Want to get a hold of me?
Email |
July 23, 2019
Fascinating book from a historical point of view and also how spycraft has progressed from its early history until now. I'd love to see an updated version but they may require a few more years for declassification.
December 27, 2017
This wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't exactly what I was expecting from the description. There was discussion about spy technology, but it was mostly "war stories" from clandestine operations. The book is full of long, complicated acronyms that, after introducing them, are not easily remembered from page to page or chapter to chapter. The book also is quite repetitive, covering much of the information two or three times. The authors write in passive voice so much for it to be annoying. If you are interested in spyware, then pick up this book and thumb through the photo sections. The captions cover most of the interesting information about the technology. If you want a history of the OTS, then this book might be for you.
October 21, 2016
Very informative! If you like reading about the history of the U.S. military this book is for you. This book gives you insight on a large variety of CIA operational background like dead drops and the production of these dead drops. Although this was a phenomenal I would recommend reading it in short bursts of 30 minutes to give yourself time to think about and comprehend the book. It's also a very hard read so if you are having a hard time understanding young adult books this book isn't for you.
March 19, 2009
Good review of the CIA's technical services division, chock full of interesting tidbits. There is nothing all that recent, which is understandable. The story is also not terribly well edited -- it seems like a pretty dry essay on various forms of tradecraft were appended onto the end of a memoir. But there's quite a bit of content that will interest any sort of reader likely to pick up a book with this title.
December 12, 2013
Although this book read a bit like a text book. The insights were helpful, if you like espionage or political nonfiction, you should read this. It give you background on how and why we employ spies, political motivation & of course tales of intrigue from bond like devices (that are real) to the black ops that result in government sanctioned deaths. Also this book doesn't talk about just American espionage but foreign countries as well.
Pauliekuz
Pauliekuz
June 19, 2024
‘Spycraft’ is a rather unique history of the Central Intelligence Agency’s heretofore little-studied Office of Technical Service (OTS), the organization responsible for the design and fabrication of the technical gadgetry so central to the craft of intelligence (e.g. miniaturized cameras and microphones, concealment devices, secret writing techniques, forged documents, disguises, covert communications, etc). The majority of the book is focused on OTS activities during the Cold War but there are also interesting chapters covering OTS contributions to the fight against terrorism, observations on tradecraft, and the unique challenges (and opportunities) presented by the coming of the digital revolution.
It is also worth noting that ‘Spycraft’ is not just a dry tale of technological innovation. From the first pages, the reader is quickly introduced to a diverse cast of characters, to include scientists, artists, engineers, bureaucrats, craftsmen, ‘techies’ and the occasional eccentric. Sprinkled throughout the book are also many exciting (and sometimes harrowing) accounts of operations where the success or failure of a particular piece of technology, method of concealment, or means of communication, could have life or death consequences for those involved. A fascinating and enjoyable read.
It is also worth noting that ‘Spycraft’ is not just a dry tale of technological innovation. From the first pages, the reader is quickly introduced to a diverse cast of characters, to include scientists, artists, engineers, bureaucrats, craftsmen, ‘techies’ and the occasional eccentric. Sprinkled throughout the book are also many exciting (and sometimes harrowing) accounts of operations where the success or failure of a particular piece of technology, method of concealment, or means of communication, could have life or death consequences for those involved. A fascinating and enjoyable read.
October 18, 2019
I have been using books like this to shake my general sense of nervousness and anxiety. It has not been very effective, but slowly, but surely, I think that it will work magic.
After all, what these authors wrote correlates closely with what else I have seen in this genre, and adds more detail to it, with a few tantalizing pictures.
The book reminded me of what I have done with my international friends. Nothing of illicit manner - all exchange of goods was honest and good.
But I think that the proposed secrecy of this document, and the fact that x, y, and z wrote a, b, and c parts of it would please more than one colleague.
So have at it, if you will, пожалуйста!
After all, what these authors wrote correlates closely with what else I have seen in this genre, and adds more detail to it, with a few tantalizing pictures.
The book reminded me of what I have done with my international friends. Nothing of illicit manner - all exchange of goods was honest and good.
But I think that the proposed secrecy of this document, and the fact that x, y, and z wrote a, b, and c parts of it would please more than one colleague.
So have at it, if you will, пожалуйста!
April 27, 2020
It must be tough to write a book about classified information. Thus my hat’s off to former CIA gadgetmaster Robert Wallace and espionage expert H. Keith Melton for even trying, particularly as they produce reasonably good results. To be sure, the writing is weak in spots. I particularly question the decision to put some of the general summary material in the back of the book. Overall, however, this is a solid mix of history, anecdotes, and just enough technical detail to keep things interesting and informative. I also enjoyed the chance to actually try decoding a one-time-pad message. Fun stuff.
October 24, 2017
Spycraft is a rather unique book. Typical spy novels follow a fantastic story where "James Bond" does all kinds of amazing things. Robert Wallace gets into the bowels of the spy wold. The technical details of the equipment, trade craft, audio devices, cameras, secret writing, disguises, codes and dead drops. It is a deeply fascinating read and it brought me a new prospective. The real spy world is a lot of hard work with the goal of not getting caught.
This is a really good read about the history and technical details of a vastly secret world. I really enjoyed this work.
This is a really good read about the history and technical details of a vastly secret world. I really enjoyed this work.
January 5, 2018
Not just a history or a list of interesting gadgets, but insight into the design requirements & methodology over time as technology evolved. It’s less about the technology and more about how th technology and techniques evolved together to get the job done. Technology in this case covers a broad swath of tools from audio recording to bomb disposal to tradecraft.
Fantastic read that provides great insight into how American intelligence services rise to face steep challenges from WWII to the contemporary environment with rapidly evolving technology proliferating into public hands.
Fantastic read that provides great insight into how American intelligence services rise to face steep challenges from WWII to the contemporary environment with rapidly evolving technology proliferating into public hands.
July 27, 2018
This history focuses on the development and use of spy equipment from the early days of the OSS to the transition into the digital age. In a time when we wear the internet on our hip and are able to take audio, video, and pictures ad nauseam, it is easy to forget the difficulties of the Cold War era. Spycraft details the ways in which American innovation coupled with the bravery and resourcefulness of case officers and agents won that war.
For those writing espionage fiction, the six chapters in the book provide a great overview of the fundamentals of the game.
For those writing espionage fiction, the six chapters in the book provide a great overview of the fundamentals of the game.
October 2, 2019
Second reading (1st in 2009). A detailed overview of the CIA's technology development and use, with numerous specific stories woven into the historical record. I reread this particularly to review the discussion of MK-ULTRA, after reading the new book about Sidney Gottlieb ("Poisoner in Chief"). As I remembered, althoug Spycraft has far less detail about MK-ULTRA itself, overall the book is the opposite of Poisoner in Chief: an unemotional review of the history, and the geopolitical rationale for the various agency technology developments, with some serious criticisms but always in the context of the decision-making times.
July 7, 2025
This work is more interesting if you keep in mind that it is more of a historical perspective than a modern day account of the genre. It clarifies certain misconceptions that have risen from the typical fictional account of espionage. For instance, a spy is often depicted in fiction as equivalent to a secret agent, when according to the book an agent is a govt. employee who hires and manages a spy, who in turn is a contracted individual already in a position of infiltration. It is a steady and quiet yet engaging read for someone in no hurry, and not seeking excitement.
September 7, 2017
You feel like you are looking over Q´s shoulder when you read this book. All the great spy gadgets are here.. the best thing is they are all real....Mr. Melton is the worlds foremost authority on spy gear. It was his home collection which helped to furnish the International Spy Museum located in Washington Dc. A wonderful read, you will look at James Bond with different eyes after reading this book.
October 27, 2023
Entertaining and deep dive into how tech was (and is now) used to gather intelligence and communicate clandestinely. The Office of Technical Services gets it's just due here - the book is rich with optional narratives, anecdotes that span the spectrum from humouros to the bizarre, and reveals some of the on-the-spot innovation these tech folks resorted to in carrying out their missions. This is a fun read!
August 9, 2017
Ever wanted to know how the CIA used to operate? Give this book a gander. However, one should realize most of the practices contained within are outdated and shouldn't be thought to be practiced currently. Still a great read.
January 4, 2019
This was one of the most upbeat CIA histories I've read. It seemed to gloss over a good majority of the CIA's failures, both mission and personnel. Granted, it's about tech, not spycraft (contrary to the title), where the CIA excelled, so those omissions aren't a huge deal.
March 17, 2019
A fascinating read. A lot of the devices and techniques they talk about are ingenius. For example, firing a microphone out of a gun. And using two motorcycles, starting at the same time, to disguise the sound of the shot.
April 3, 2019
Excellent and engaging read, with lots of trivia and anecdotal info. Also amazing to see how much of our modern tech was developed and used for clandestine activities years -sometimes decades - before it came on the commercial market for public consumption.
October 1, 2019
Fun book, talked about many of the gadgets and methods of spying and passing along information that the CIA has used throughout their history. Many of these tools and methods are long obsolete due to the digital age. Reminiscent of the James Bond movies and the tools that 'Q' would create.
January 21, 2020
I really liked this book. It was pretty long and there were a few times that one author was just recapping what another had written a few chapters before, but overall I thought this was a fascinating look into spycraft.
April 20, 2020
4 stars for the research, content and structure. I don't mean the writing isn't good though.
I mean seriously, it does't take much writing skill to make it interesting. Highly recommended.
Paranoia guaranteed and destroy after reading ;)
#eyesonly
I mean seriously, it does't take much writing skill to make it interesting. Highly recommended.
Paranoia guaranteed and destroy after reading ;)
#eyesonly
December 6, 2017
Outstanding book.
August 31, 2020
3.0 / 5.0
Pretty Straight Forward Non Sophisticated Over view of State of Art. Not much on the electronic age. Some interesting stories.
Nice Book, but somewhat bland.
Pretty Straight Forward Non Sophisticated Over view of State of Art. Not much on the electronic age. Some interesting stories.
Nice Book, but somewhat bland.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews