| View Larger Image | The Craft of Intelligence: America's Legendary Spy Master on the Fundamentals of Intelligence Gathering for a Free World | Paperbackby Allen W. Dulles (Author)
| List Price: | $16.95 | | Price: | $11.53 | | You Save: | $5.42 (32%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | Paperback | | Publisher: | The Lyons Press | | Edition: | 1stst Edition | | Page Count: | 304 Pages | | Publication Date: | April 01, 2006 | | Sales Rank: | 6,783th |
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FEATURES | - ISBN13: 9781592282975
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
If the experts could point to any single book as a starting point for understanding the subject of intelligence from the late twentieth century to today, that single book would be Allen W. Dulles's The Craft of Intelligence. This classic of spycraft is based on Allen Dulles's incomparable experience as a diplomat, international lawyer, and America's premier intelligence officer. Dulles was a high-ranking officer of the CIA's predecessor-the Office of Strategic Services-and was present at the inception of the CIA, where he served eight of his ten years there as director. Here he sums up what he learned about intelligence from nearly a half-century of experience in foreign affairs.In World War II his OSS agents penetrated the German Foreign Office, worked with the anti-Nazi underground resistance, and established contacts that brought about the Nazi military surrender in North Italy. Under his direction the CIA developed both a dedicated corps of specialists and a whole range of new intelligence devices, from the U-2 high-altitude photographic plane to minute electronic listening and transmitting equipment. Dulles reveals much about how intelligence is collected and processed, and how the resulting estimates contribute to the formation of national policy. He discusses methods of surveillance, and the usefulness of defectors from hostile nations. His knowledge of Soviet espionage techniques is unrivaled, and he explains how the Soviet State Security Service recruited operatives and planted "illegals" in foreign countries. He spells out not only the techniques of modern espionage but also the philosophy and role of intelligence in a free society threatened by global conspiracies. Dulles also addresses the Bay of Pigs incident, denying that the 1961 invasion was based on a CIA estimate that a popular Cuban uprising would ensue. This account is enlivened with a wealth of personal anecdotes. It is a book for readers who seek wider understanding of the contribution of intelligence to our national security. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 9 reviews)
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Great information... but incredibly dry. by Evan R. Shearin (Ali Al Salem, Kuwait)  3 Stars
May 04, 2009
It's really all in the title. The information available in this book is excellent, reliable, and backed up with anecdotes and references. However, it's very dense and reads like a bureaucratic report, making it difficult to get through. Definitely not a casual read.
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Best Fundamental Introduction to CIA or the Intelligence Process in General by William J. Romanos (Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA)  5 Stars
June 13, 2008
This book by the first head of the CIA is a great introduction or overview of the basics of intelligence (with some tradecraft) and the collection and analytical cycles.
It is broad in scope. It covers most all of the bases. The detail and explanation in the foundations and fundamentals are there for the beginning student. If you read one book on intelligence - this is probably it. The focus of this book is on HUMINT.
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It's Dulles in his own words by Some Guy (USA) 5 Stars
May 11, 2008
It's an interesting historical document, just because of the place in history that Mr. Dulles had.
The style of the book is more that of interesting dinner conversation, almost as if Dulles were a guest in your home for an evening with mixed company; nothing important or real is to be found in the pages of The Craft of Intelligence, it's all pleasant conversation; it kind of makes you cringe when reading Dulles' smooth and pleasant account, if you have read in other books, the kind of bloodshed and horror that really happened.
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Very Superficial, Dated and Basically worthless by Meijer Goldstein (New York, NY)  2 Stars
April 27, 2008
Did you really think Allen Dulles would give us the beef ? This book is akin to a joke as far as content goes and I really think it is meant to hold coffee tables down rather than be read. Revelations such as "Most countries have 2 intelligence services rather than 1" and foreign hotel rooms reserved for dignitaries are usually bugged in the Soviet Union are shocking deep revelations typical of this poor excuse of a book. Buy it used if you must or better yet, peruse it at a library first and you will see it is worthless.
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Better than spy fiction by E. M. Van Court (Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA) 5 Stars
November 17, 2007
Allen Dulles said that "(i)n our time, the United States is being challenged by a hostile group of nations that profess a philosophy of life and government inimical to our own" and "(t)oday's intelligence service also finds itself in the situation of having to maintain constant watch in every part of the world, no matter what may at the moment be occupying the main attention of diplomats and military men." Given that this was written over forty years ago, in a radically different geopolitical climate, it is impressive that his observations are still valid and relevant, though not in the fashion that concerned him at the time of his writting. If someone reads this book broadly, without getting caught up in the constant references to the grand failure of the twentieth century, communism, there is great current relevance here.
Any citizen in a democracy has a duty to understand issues before voting. The actions and managment of the intelligence apparatus of the nation should be an essential issue in any voters' understanding of international affairs. "The Craft of Intelligence" will give the reader and voter a necessary understanding of the responsibilities and duties of the intellegence system. It discusses intelligence requirements, collection, and analysis, as well as defense against foreign spies, and deception.
But all that 'social conscious' and 'civic duty' stuff is the not the reason to read this book.
This is a bunch of awesome, historical spy stories! From a guy who has been there, done that from World War I through the height of the Cold War, you'll here the real life stories that inspired Tom Clancy, and Ian Fleming. And it's better than the made up stuff, as these events shaped the world we live in today.
I would be interested in hearing more from contemporary conspiracy theorists about this book. It seems ripe with items that could be interpreted as confirmation or denial (thereby 'truly' confirming the denied point...) of a wide range of incidents and topics. I wear my aluminum foil hat in eager anticipation of the ever amusing ramblings of the folks who know the 'truth' that has been withheld from those of us from the ignorant masses with our heads in the sand.
Great book, both as entertainment and for the responsible citizen (and as fodder for those uneffected by the mind control lasers from area 51).
E. M. Van Court
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