20 Best Books About Cia (2023 Update)

In the whirlwind of accusations and recriminations that emerged in the wake of 9/11 and the iraq war, one man's vital testimony has been conspicuously absent. candid and gripping, at the center of the storm recounts george tenet's time at the central intelligence agency, a revealing look at the inner workings of the most important intelligence organization in the world during the most challenging times in recent history. with unparalleled access to both the highest echelons of government and raw intelligence from the field, tenet illuminates the cia's painstaking attempts to prepare the country against new and deadly threats, disentangles the interlocking events that led to 9/11, and offers explosive new information on the deliberations and strategies that culminated in the u.s. invasion of iraq.beginning with his appointment as director of central intelligence in 1997, tenet unfolds the momentous events that led to 9/11 as he saw and experienced them: his declaration of war on al-qa'ida; the cia's covert operations inside afghanistan; the worldwide operational plan to fight terrorists; his warnings of imminent attacks against american interests to white house officials in the summer of 2001; and the plan for a coordinated and devastating counterattack against al-qa'ida laid down just six days after the attacks. in doing so, he sets the record straight about cia operations and shows readers that the truth is more complex than suggested in other versions of recent history offered thus far. through it all, tenet paints an unflinching self-portrait of a man caught between the warring forces of the administration's decision-making process, the reams of frightening intelligence pouring in from around the world, and his own conscience. in at the center of the storm, george tenet draws on his unmatched experience within the opaque mirrors of intelligence and provides crucial information previously undisclosed to offer a moving, revelatory profile of both a man and a nation in times of crisis.

Here is the hidden history of the cia: why eleven presidents and three generations of cia officers have been unable to understand the world; why nearly every cia director has left the agency in worse shape than he found it; and how these failures have profoundly jeopardized our national security. for sixty years, the cia has managed to maintain a formidable reputation in spite of its terrible record, burying its blunders in top-secret archives. its mission was to know the world–when it did not succeed, it set out to change the world instead. now pulitzer prize-winning journalist weiner offers the first definitive history of the cia, based on more than 50,000 documents, primarily from the archives of the cia itself, and hundreds of interviews with cia veterans, including ten directors of central intelligence.–from publisher description.

Left of boom is the explosive new york times bestselling memoir by a young cia operative on the front lines in afghanistan.on september 11, 2001, douglas laux was a freshman in college, on the path to becoming a doctor. but with the fall of the twin towers came a turning point in his life. after graduating he joined the central intelligence agency, determined to get himself to afghanistan and into the center of the action. through persistence and hard work he was fast-tracked to a clandestine operations position overseas. dropped into a remote region of afghanistan, he received his baptism by fire. frustrated by bureaucratic red tape, a widespread lack of knowledge of the local customs and culture and an attitude of complacency that hindered his ability to combat the local taliban, doug confounded his peers by dressing like a native and mastering the local dialect, making contact and building sources within several deadly terrorist networks. his new approach resulted in unprecedented successes for the cia, including the uncovering the largest ied network in the world, responsible for killing hundreds of us soldiers. meanwhile, doug had to keep up false pretenses with his family, girlfriend and friends–nobody could know what he did for a living–and deal with the emotional turbulence of constantly living a lie. his double life was building to an explosive resolution, with repercussions that would have far reaching consequences. left of boom tells his story.

The new york times bestselling memoir about the creation and implementation of the controversial enhanced interrogation techniques by the former chief operations officer for the cia’s counterterrorism center.as seen on 60 minutes the explosive new york times bestseller by the pioneer of the cia’s highly controversial “enhanced interrogation techniques” former chief of the cia’s counterterrorism center, jose a. rodriguez, jr., reveals how, in the wake of 9/11, government-approved hard measures used on captured high-level al qa’ida operatives derailed terrorist threats to the u.s., contributed to the capture of usama bin ladin, and saved countless american lives. that is, until initial support gave way to shortsighted political correctness, leaving those responsible for protecting our nation second-guessed, hamstrung, and investigated. in effect, the united states has chosen to willfully and unilaterally disarm itself in the war on terror. in hard measures, rodriguez melds his fascinating life story with a reasoned, previously untold, and convincing case for hard measures. fully disclosing explosive details of when and how they were used, and why these methods were necessary, he offers a rare, insiders’ look at an issue that seizes public attention and inspires vigorous debate.

The new york times bestseller that reveals the safety, security, and survival techniques that 99% of americans don't know–but should when jason hanson joined the cia in 2003, he never imagined that the same tactics he used as a cia officer for counter intelligence, surveillance, and protecting agency personnel would prove to be essential in every day civilian life. in addition to escaping handcuffs, picking locks, and spotting when someone is telling a lie, he can improvise a self-defense weapon, pack a perfect emergency kit, and disappear off the grid if necessary. he has also honed his "positive awareness"–a heightened sense of his surroundings that allows him to spot suspicious and potentially dangerous behavior–on the street, in a taxi, at the airport, when dining out, or in any other situation. in his engaging and empowering book spy secrets that can save your life, jason shares this know-how with readers, revealing how to: * prevent home invasions, carjackings, muggings, and other violent crimes * run counter-surveillance and avoid becoming a soft target * recognize common scams at home and abroad * become a human lie detector in any setting, including business negotiations * gain peace of mind by being prepared for anything instead of uninformed or afraid with the skill of a trained operative and the relatability of a suburban dad, jason hanson brings his top-level training to everyday americans in this must-have guide to staying safe in an increasingly dangerous world.

The four men who ran covert operations for the cia during the early years were known as the "clique". they came from an elite class that believed it was their duty in life to run the world; it was the lesson they learned from winning world war ii, and it was their job in washington. this was the high age of the cia, when it was the president's personal action arm, overthrowing governments, bribing heads of state, and plotting assassinations in a global secret war against communism. author evan thomas goes behind the scenes to recreate the personal drama of the four glamorous and ultimately tragic figures:. because they operated in secret, these men are not well known to history, but within the inner circles of washington, they were regarded as the best and the brightest. their fall was a great personal tragedy with momentous consequences: the reckless acts of these men nearly plunged the united states into world war iii during the cuban missile crisis, and their plots have fueled conspiracy theorists ever since. drawing on extensive interviews with old spooks and the social friends and family of his subjects, thomas has written a highly readable narrative that brings to life a crucial piece of american history.

A real-life, can't-put-down spy memoir.the cia is looking for walking contradictions. recruiters seek out potential agents who can keep a secret yet pull classified information out of others; who love their country but are willing to leave it behind for dangerous places; who live double lives, but can be trusted with some of the nation's most highly sensitive tasks.michele rigby assad was one of those people.as a cia agent and a counterterrorism expert, michele soon found that working undercover was an all-encompassing job. the threats were real; the assignments perilous. michele spent over a decade in the agency–a woman leading some of the most highly skilled operatives on the planet, secretly serving in some of the most treacherous areas of the middle east, and at risk as a target for isis. but deep inside, michele wondered: could she really do this job? had she misunderstood what she thought was god's calling on her life? did she have what it would take to survive? the answer came when michele faced her ultimate mission, one with others' lives on the line–and it turned out to have been the plan for her all along. in breaking cover, michele has at last been cleared to drop cover and tell her story: one of life-or-death stakes; of defeating incredible odds; and most of all, of discovering a faith greater than all her fears.

An instant new york times bestseller! getting someone to tell the truth is an essential skill that very few people possess. but if a person is made to forget the long-term outcomes of lying, he or she can be influenced to disclose sensitive information that's being withheld. the aim is to encourage the person to remain in short-term thinking mode, shifting focus away from the long-term ramifications of telling the truth.as former cia agents and bestselling authors of spy the lie, philip houston, mike floyd, and susan carnicero are among the world's best at detecting deceptive behavior and eliciting the truth from even the most accomplished liars. get the truth is a step-by-step guide that empowers readers to elicit the truth from others. it also chronicles the fascinating story of how the authors used a methodology houston developed to elicit the truth in the counterterrorism and criminal investigation realms, and how these techniques can be applied to our daily lives. using thrilling anecdotes from their careers in counterintelligence, and with easy-to-follow instructions, the authors provide a foolproof means of getting absolutely anybody to give an honest answer.get the truth is the easy and effective way to learn how to get the truth every time.

The explosive national bestsellera memoir by the highest-ranking covert warrior to lift the veil of secrecy and offer a glimpse into the shadow wars that america has fought since the vietnam era.enrique prado found himself in his first firefight at age seven. the son of a middle-class cuban family caught in the midst of the castro revolution, his family fled their war-torn home for the hope of a better life in america. fifty years later, the cuban refugee retired from the central intelligence agency as the cia equivalent of a two-star general. black ops is the story of ric’s legendary career that spanned two eras, the cold war and the age of terrorism. operating in the shadows, ric and his fellow cia officers fought a little-seen and virtually unknown war to keep usa safe from those who would do it harm. after duty stations in central, south america, and the philippines, black ops follows ric into the highest echelons of the cia’s headquarters at langley, virginia. in late 1995, he became deputy chief of station and co-founding member of the bin laden task force. three years later, after serving as head of korean operations, ric took on one of the most dangerous missions of his career: to re-establish a once-abandoned cia station inside a hostile nation long since considered a front line of the fight against islamic terrorism. he and his team carried out covert operations and developed assets that proved pivotal in the coming war on terror. a harrowing memoir of life in the shadowy world of assassins, terrorists, spies and revolutionaries, black ops is a testament to the courage, creativity and dedication of the agency’s special activities group and its elite shadow warriors.

In the whirlwind of accusations and recriminations that emerged in the wake of 9/11 and the iraq war, one man's vital testimony has been conspicuously absent. candid and gripping, at the center of the storm recounts george tenet's time at the central intelligence agency, a revealing look at the inner workings of the most important intelligence organization in the world during the most challenging times in recent history. with unparalleled access to both the highest echelons of government and raw intelligence from the field, tenet illuminates the cia's painstaking attempts to prepare the country against new and deadly threats, disentangles the interlocking events that led to 9/11, and offers explosive new information on the deliberations and strategies that culminated in the u.s. invasion of iraq.beginning with his appointment as director of central intelligence in 1997, tenet unfolds the momentous events that led to 9/11 as he saw and experienced them: his declaration of war on al-qa'ida; the cia's covert operations inside afghanistan; the worldwide operational plan to fight terrorists; his warnings of imminent attacks against american interests to white house officials in the summer of 2001; and the plan for a coordinated and devastating counterattack against al-qa'ida laid down just six days after the attacks. in doing so, he sets the record straight about cia operations and shows readers that the truth is more complex than suggested in other versions of recent history offered thus far. through it all, tenet paints an unflinching self-portrait of a man caught between the warring forces of the administration's decision-making process, the reams of frightening intelligence pouring in from around the world, and his own conscience. in at the center of the storm, george tenet draws on his unmatched experience within the opaque mirrors of intelligence and provides crucial information previously undisclosed to offer a moving, revelatory profile of both a man and a nation in times of crisis.

A revealing and utterly engrossing account" (joby warrick) of the world of high-stakes foreign intelligence and her role within the campaign to stop top-tier targets inside al-qaida from former cia analyst nada bakos in 1999, 30-year-old nada bakos moved from her lifelong home in montana to washington, dc, to join the cia. quickly realizing her affinity for intelligence work, nada was determined to rise through the ranks of the agency first as an analyst and then as a targeting officer, eventually finding herself on the frontline of america's war against islamic extremists. in this role, nada was charged with determining if iraq had a relationship with 9/11 and al-qaida, and finding the mastermind behind this terrorist activity: abu musab al-zarqawi. her team's analysis stood the test of time, but it was not satisfactory for some members of the administration.in a tight, tension-packed narrative that takes the reader from langley deep into iraq, bakos reveals the inner workings of the agency and the largely hidden world of intelligence gathering post 9/11. entrenched in the world of the cia, bakos, along with her colleagues, focused on leading u.s. special operations forces to the doorstep of one of the world's most wanted terrorists. filled with on-the-ground insights and poignant personal anecdotes, the targeter shows us the great personal sacrifice that comes with intelligence work. this is nada's story, but it is also an intimate chronicle of how a group of determined, ambitious men and women worked tirelessly in the heart of the cia to ensure our nation's safety at home and abroad.

A two-time pulitzer prize–winning journalist’s investigation of the "deep state." three-quarters of americans believe that a group of unelected government and military officials secretly manipulate or direct national policy in the united states. president trump blames the "deep state" for his impeachment. but what is the american "deep state" and does it really exist? to conservatives, the “deep state” is an ever-growing government bureaucracy, an "administrative state" that relentlessly encroaches on the individual rights of americans. liberals fear the "military-industrial complex"—a cabal of generals and defense contractors who they believe routinely push the country into endless wars. every modern american president—from carter to trump—has engaged in power struggles with congress, the cia, and the fbi. every cia and fbi director has suspected white house aides of members of congress of leaking secrets for political gain. frustrated americans increasingly distrust the politicians, unelected officials, and journalists who they believe unilaterally set the country’s political agenda. american democracy faces its biggest crisis of legitimacy in a half century. this sweeping exploration examines the cia and fbi scandals of the past fifty years—from the church committee’s exposure of cold war abuses, to abscam, to false intelligence about iraq’s weapons of mass destruction, to nsa mass surveillance revealed by edward snowden. it then investigates the claims and counterclaims of the trump era, and the relentless spread of conspiracy theories online and on-air. while trump says he is the victim of the "deep state," democrats accuse the president and his allies of running a de facto "deep state" of their own that operates outside official government channels and smears rivals, both real and perceived. the feverish debate over the "deep state" raises core questions about the future of american democracy. is it possible for career government officials to be politically neutral? was congress’s impeachment of donald trump conducted properly? how vast should the power of a president be? based on dozens of interviews with career cia operatives and fbi agents, in deep answers whether the fbi, cia, or politicians are protecting or abusing the public’s trust.

This book provides a cross-section of douglas valentine's investigations into cia engagement in terrorism, drugs, and propaganda. author of three books on cia operations, valentine's research into cia activities began when cia director william colby gave him free access to interview cia officials who had been involved in various aspects of the phoenix program in south vietnam. it was a permission colby was to regret. the cia would rescind it, making every effort to impede publication of the phoenix program, which documented the cia's elaborate system of population surveillance, control, entrapment, imprisonment, torture and assassination in vietnam. while researching phoenix, valentine learned that the cia allowed opium and heroin to flow from its secret bases in laos, to generals and politicians on its payroll in south vietnam. his investigations into this illegal activity focused on the cia's relationship with the federal drugs agencies mandated by congress to stop illegal drugs from entering the united states. based on interviews with senior officials, valentine wrote two subsequent books, the strength of the wolf and the strength of the pack, showing how the cia infiltrated federal drug law enforcement agencies and commandeered their executive management, intelligence and foreign operations staffs in order to ensure that the flow of drugs continues unimpeded to traffickers and foreign officials in its employ. ultimately, portions of his research materials would be archived at the national security archive, texas tech university's vietnam center, and john jay college. this book includes excerpts from the above titles along with subsequent articles and transcripts of interviews on a range of current topics, with a view to shedding light on the systemic dimensions of the cia's ongoing illegal and extra-legal activities. these terrorism and drug law enforcement articles and interviews illustrate how the cia's activities impact social and political movements abroad and in the united states. a common theme is the cia's ability to deceive and propagandize the american public through its impenetrable government-sanctioned shield of official secrecy and plausible deniability. though investigated by the church committee in 1975, cia praxis then continues to inform cia praxis now. valentine tracks its steady infiltration into practices targeting the last population to be subjected to the exigencies of the american empire: the american people.

In killing hope, william blum, author of the bestselling rogue state: a guide to the world's only superpower, provides a devastating and comprehensive account of america's covert and overt military actions in the world, all the way from china in the 1940s to the invasion of iraq in 2003 and – in this updated edition – beyond. is the united states, as it likes to claim, a global force for democracy? killing hope shows the answer to this question to be a resounding 'no'.

Many books, fiction and nonfiction alike, purport to probe the inner workings of the u.s. central intelligence agency. many attempt to create spine-tingling suspense or allege that america's civilian spy operation has run amok and been infested with rogues and criminals. in fact it's uniquea straightforward, honest, surprisingly captivating memoir by one of the cia's most well-known and honored career officers. for more than three decades, richard l. holm worked in the agency's directorate of operationsnow the national clandestine servicethe component directly responsible for collecting human intelligence. his assignments took him to seven countries on three continents, and his travels added many more destinations. at almost every turn holm encountered his share of dangerous characters and situations, including one that nearly ended his life before he turned 30. it also reveals holm's private life, his roots and family, his courtship and marriage, and his four daughters, whom he affectionately calls his "platoon." webster's dictionary defines the word "holm" as an island in a stream. that is an appropriate analogy. he served his country with distinction, in good times and bad, displaying extreme courage under the direst of circumstances and a sense of honor that can only be considered unshakeable. and he describes it all with a keen eye and a distinctive wit. his is a classic american story that conveys, vividly and unforgettably, a life in the cia.

In the big white lie, michael levine, former dea agent and bestselling author of deep cover, leads the reader through a decade of undercover work. levine's prose is fast-moving, highly readable, and hard-hitting. he tells how the beautiful south american "queen of cocaine" seduced the cia into protecting her from prosecution as she sold drugs to americans; how cia-sponsored paramilitary ousted, tortured, and killed members of a pro-dea bolivian ruling party; and how the cia created la corporacion, the "general motors of cocaine," which led directly to the current cocaine/crack epidemic.

A father's last confession to his son about the cia, watergate, and the plot to assassinate president john f. kennedy, this is the remarkable true story of st. in howard hunt's near-death confession to his son st. john, he revealed that key figures in the cia were responsible for the plot to assassinate jfk in dallas, and that hunt himself was approached by the plotters, among whom included the cia's david atlee phillips, cord meyer, jr., and william harvey, as well as future watergate burglar frank sturgis. an incredible true story told from an inside, authoritative source, this is also a personal account of a uniquely dysfunctional american family caught up in two of the biggest political scandals of the 20th century.

For thirty-five years, floyd paseman served in the operations directorate of the central intelligence agency. from spy in the field to the top ranks of the company's career agents, he experienced it all as well as seven different presidential administrations. while paseman's account of his long service has enough real-life derring-do to keep the reader engaged, of even greater interest, however, are paseman's observation on politics and the cia, especially how change of presidential administrations could bring sweeping, and often negative changes to the agency.- johnson – declined to run for a second full term, broken by vietnam- nixon – resigned in disgrace after ending vietnam and opening relations with china- ford – never elected caretaker – carter – hoist on the petard of fundamentalist islam in iran- reagan – first full, two-term president since eisenhower and declared war on the evil empire and brought the ussr to its knees with the threat of a still fanciful star wars- bush the father – "won" the cold war as the soviet union collapsed and "coalitioned" saddam out of iraq- clinton – leader of the new world order, peace in our time, and dead rangers in the streets of mogadishu- bush the son – 9/11, afghanistan, and iraqin march 1967 author paseman joined the cia following successful service as an army armor officer in germany. highly trained in the chinese language, most of his service was in the far east. paseman served as chief of the east asia division at langley and was also station chief germany, considered the agency's toughest cold war field posting.about the authorfloyd l. paseman retired from the central intelligence agency in january 2001 after a thirty-five year career in operations. he now lives in southern virginia outside williamsburg where he works as an international security consultant.

Startling revelations from the oss, the cia, and the nixon white house – think you know everything there is to know about the oss, the cold war, the cia, and watergate? think again. in american spy, one of the key figures in postwar international and political espionage tells all. former oss and cia operative and white house staffer e. howard hunt takes you into the covert designs of presidents eisenhower, kennedy, johnson, and nixon:his involvement in the cia coup in guatemala in 1954, the bay of pigs invasion, and more – his work with cia officials such as allen dulles and richard helms – his friendship with william f. buckley jr., whom hunt brought into the ciathe amazing steps the cia took to manipulate the media in america and abroad – the motives behind the break-in at daniel ellsberg's psychiatrist's office – why the white house "plumbers" were formed and what they accomplished – the truth behind operation gemstone, a series of planned black ops activities against nixon's political enemies – a minute-by-minute account of the watergate break-in – previously unreleased details of the post-watergate cover-up – complete with documentation from audiotape transcripts, handwritten notes, and official documents, american spy is must reading for anyone who is fascinated by real-life spy tales, high-stakes politics, and, of course, watergate.

Startling revelations from the oss, the cia, and the nixon white house – think you know everything there is to know about the oss, the cold war, the cia, and watergate? think again. in american spy, one of the key figures in postwar international and political espionage tells all. former oss and cia operative and white house staffer e. howard hunt takes you into the covert designs of presidents eisenhower, kennedy, johnson, and nixon:his involvement in the cia coup in guatemala in 1954, the bay of pigs invasion, and more – his work with cia officials such as allen dulles and richard helms – his friendship with william f. buckley jr., whom hunt brought into the ciathe amazing steps the cia took to manipulate the media in america and abroad – the motives behind the break-in at daniel ellsberg's psychiatrist's office – why the white house "plumbers" were formed and what they accomplished – the truth behind operation gemstone, a series of planned black ops activities against nixon's political enemies – a minute-by-minute account of the watergate break-in – previously unreleased details of the post-watergate cover-up – complete with documentation from audiotape transcripts, handwritten notes, and official documents, american spy is must reading for anyone who is fascinated by real-life spy tales, high-stakes politics, and, of course, watergate.