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| Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to al-Qaeda | 
 enlarge | Authors: Robert Wallace, H. Keith Melton, Henry R. Schlesinger
Publisher: Dutton Adult
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $5.44
You Save: $24.51 (82%)
New (33) Used (29) from $4.90
Avg. Customer Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 3274
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 576
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 2.1
ISBN: 0525949801
Dewey Decimal Number: 327.1273
EAN: 9780525949800
ASIN: 0525949801
Publication Date: May 29, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: New Book. Fast Shipping. May have small remainder mark.
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| Customer Reviews:
Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to al-Qaeda May 31, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
"Awesome! If I knew there were so many great gadgets in real life espionage, I would have been a spy!"
Eat your heart out, James Bond! May 31, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Spycraft is by far the best book on intelligence technology and spy culture I have ever read. I think anyone who is fascinated by the Cold War and present-day campaigns, gadgets or just a good read will enjoy this book. (I gobbled it up in one sitting - almost.) Intriguing and entertaining history, all meticulously documented, too. It's refreshing to see a book about the American intelligence community without a political agenda. Eat your heart out, James Bond!
Fascinating Trie Life Accounts of Gadgets & Spies June 16, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
A 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.) 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 authors are among the foremost experts in the field of technology supported tradecraft and thus provide a long overdue "insider's knowledge" optic to seldom witnessed actions playing out behind the scenes in some of the most critically important spy cases since the start of the Cold War. The stories which recount the technical support given to CIA penetrations of the Soviet government and intelligence services like Aldof Tolkachev (alias "TRIGON") and Dimitry Polyakov (alias "Top Hat") are terrific additions to open source literature. In addition, this remarkable book has exceptional photographs of the actual gadgetry used in spy operations and comes with a very useful glossary for those who may not be familiar with espionage lexicon
Highly recommended addition for the bookshelf of any serious minded student of espionage history. "Spycraft" is simply the best book which covers technology support to the art of espionage. A genuine page turner.
 A great look inside the world of covert operations, but oddly understated. September 16, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
Having read and enjoyed Spycraft, I expected it to garner solid reviews. However, I am quite surprised to see that until now, it's received 100% five-star reviews. I've almost never seen a book reviewed this favorably and I've certainly read better books with more mixed reviews.
Don't get me wrong, Spycraft is a good book. It allows its reader behind a curtain into a world that is typically strictly off-limits. You get to experience the real-world existence of spies living and working secretly behind enemy lines. The book reveals a lot of the technology used by spies, focusing in on listening devices, cameras and communication devices. What stands out is the ingenuity and craftsmanship that goes into the creation of the devices upon which people stake their lives.
While the book is written about spy technology, what I found to be the most surprising from the book was the the amount of time and effort invested in some of the CIA's covert operations. Often times, years are spent establishing credible cover or doing piecemeal research about a target to avoid drawing attention. 100% of some peoples' living patterns are built around an operational necessity that takes up only the smallest percentage their time. It's truly amazing to read about the sacrifices made to achieve an intelligence payoff.
There is a problem, however, the book reads unexpectedly dull. I'm sure this is an outgrowth of the fact that real CIA operatives have to be consummate professionals and not suave, womanizing James Bond-types, but it takes away from the book. I am not implying in any way that anything should be fabricated or embellished to add to the excitement, but instead that the story is inherently exciting and that the writing should have reflected that more even if the author's demeanor is necessarily even-keeled.
A great book, but exciting stories get told in a seemingly Prozac-tamed manner. I recommend this one highly, but it could have been better still.
Poor editing or just plain trickery May 30, 2008
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
If you try to decipher the code in the preface, it says to use the OTP on page 99. the OTP actually appears on page 97. Was this done on purpose? or was it a simple error? --It is a mystery--
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