Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times

Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times
Average customer rating:

Hopefully, the movie doesn't screw up this story

A great true story

four and 1/2 stars.

Great

Hard to read

Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History of Our Times
George Crile
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802141242

Book Description

Charlie Wilson's War was a publishing sensation and a New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times bestseller. In the early 1980s, a Houston socialite turned the attention of maverick Texas congressman Charlie Wilson to the ragged band of Afghan "freedom fighters" who continued, despite overwhelming odds, to fight the Soviet invaders. Wilson, who sat on the all-powerful House Appropriations Committee, managed to procure hundreds of millions of dollars to support the mujahideen. The arms were secretly procured and distributed with the help of an out-of-favor CIA operative, Gust Avrokotos, whose working-class Greek-American background made him an anomaly among the Ivy League world of American spies. Avrakotos handpicked a staff of CIA outcasts to run his operation and, with their help, continually stretched the Agency's rules to the breaking point. Moving from the back rooms of the Capitol, to secret chambers at Langley, to arms-dealers' conventions, to the Khyber Pass, this book presents an astonishing chapter of our recent past, and the key to understanding what helped trigger the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union and ultimately led to the emergence of a brand-new foe in the form of radical Islam.

Customer Reviews:

Hopefully, the movie doesn't screw up this story.......2007-10-05

There will be three main kinds of people who won't read this book. The first are those who see no reason for military intervention anywhere, ever. The second are those who are hypersensitive to any speaking of ethnicity, race, gender, etc., within a kilometer of earshot. The third are those who don't like long books, and "Charlie Wilson's War" is certainly longer than most. All this would be too bad, because the book is a wealth of little known and critical current history, as well as a real rip-snorting adventure. The most intriguing icing on the cake is that Charlie Wilson, one of the boldest and effective national-interest congressmen of the last century, was a Democrat. He was a Democrat who pushed Republicans forward for a decade, mostly to do the right things. How many right things, of course, remains to be seen in coming decades.

Much of the book is written in colloquial style, as the author reproduces many discussions among a very wide variety of people. This sometimes comes out sounding a little coarse, but the reader should see this quickly as a writer trying to be accurate. Charlie Wilson, the man himself, also might turn many readers off. He abused his body with food and drink, mostly drink; he was a maverick to the point of almost being a loose canon; wild, he certainly was. No one, though, can deny that he was one of those rarest of politicians. Here was a man who did not stop with saying what he wanted to do, he found ways to do what needed to be done. Then he kept at it, and at it. Here was a man of his word.

This interesting story suffers only a small weakness as a narrative, and only if the reader minds. The action chapter by chapter, even section by section, does not always tell us what was happening at the same time with other people, and at other places. Rather, the author likes to keep a thread of a theme or thought and follow it to the end. This can be irritating and a little confusing if you are trying to keep things straight for any particular group of years at a time. If this does not make a problem for reader, then so much the better. A last suggestion: this book goes down especially well by audio CD, and the voice narrator does well with dialogs and accents.

A great true story.......2007-10-04

This is a truly amazing tale. Never told until now and soon a movie. Buy this book and read the true story about how a "wild" congressman and a rogue CIA agent changed history. Better by far than all those fictional adventures!

four and 1/2 stars........2007-10-01

steve coll's excellent book "ghost wars" whet my reading appetite for more on the soviet war in afghanistan. since that military action, with the unanticipated consequences it spawned for the united states, was such a catalyst for the 9/11 attacks, it seems essential for an american to get a grip on what took place there. "charlie wilson's war" is a thrilling account of that international drama. though much of the book deals with funding america's covert involvement through congressional appropriation subcommittees, and with CIA office politics, the narrative is interesting page for page throughout this long work. not once did i find it a chore to continue, or feel an urge to skip past anything. george crile brings the colorful personalities of those involved to vivid life through his clear prose. he actually makes appropriation subcommitees, and their methods of work, interesting. and his portraits of afghanistan and pakistan, and their respective political environments and key political players, is brilliantly executed. the story is told completely from the american perspective, true. you will have to seek elsewhere for a more balanced view (by this i mean one that takes into account the soviet soldiers side of things). but this book being what it is, is a fascinating read, and one you can learn much from.

Great.......2007-09-08

One of the most intriguing stories of American foreign policy making. This book was recommended to me by a staffer for a military oriented Congressional committee. He was quite emphatic in stressing that this book, better than any other, offers a great perspective on the influence Congress can have on foreign and war policy. I don't know how representative it is of the day to day activities of members of Congress, but it certainly shows how a dedicated member of Congress CAN get seriously involved in an issue.

Charlie Wilson is one of the most interesting politicians to have walked on the stage in the past 50 years. Part JFK, Nixon, LBJ, and Clinton - both good and bad parts - Wilson was a smart and dedicated defender of CIA efforts to support the mujaheden in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. More than any supposed hardline conservative, including President Reagan, Wilson, a socially liberal Democrat from Texas, was the most agressive elected official to back the CIA in its anti-Soviet effort in Afghanistan. Wilson was also wildly able to get in the worst kinds of trouble: womanizing, drunk driving, and questionable uses of public money. I guess it goes to show that people are incredibly complex and contain a much more dynamic mix of good and bad within them. Kind of like the Incredible Hulk, but with less green.

Hard to read.......2007-08-29

Content was OK, I'm sure acurate, but about 210 pages into this 500+ page book I had to give in - I just couldn't make myself want to read it. I am only 31, so I do not know of Charlie Wilson, or the political temperature in the 80s, but this book was recommended to me so I tried, but couldn't make myself do it.

Average customer rating:

The end of W.E.B. Griffin?
Double Agents
Worst W.E.B. Griffin book yet...
Horrendous. Simply horrendous.
Popcorn while waiting for the plane

The Double Agents
W.E.B. Griffin , and William E. Butterworth IV
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399154205
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Book Description

W. E. B. Griffin's iconoclastic OSS heroes face a historic challenge in the brand-new volume of the New York Times-bestselling series.

Critics and fans alike welcomed the return of the Men at War series with The Saboteurs. Now Canidy, Fulmar, and colleagues in the Office of Strategic Services face an even greater task-to convince Hitler and the Axis powers that the invasion of the European continent will take place anywhere but on the beaches of Nazi-occupied France. "Wild Bill" Donovan's men have several tactics in mind, but some of the people they must use are not the most reliable-are, in fact, most likely spying for both sides-so the deceptions require layer upon layer of intrigue, and all it will take is one slip to send the whole thing tumbling down like a house of cards. Are the OSS agents up to it? They certainly think so. And then the body is found floating off the coast of Spain. . . .

Filled to the brim with action and character, The Double Agents is irresistible storytelling from a military master.

Customer Reviews:

The end of W.E.B. Griffin?.......2007-10-07

No action = no thriller = no good.

Add me to the legion of Griffin fans who found trying to get through this one to be pure drudgery. Being one of the devotees who have read everything this man has published, how could I not read it, even with the initial negative reviews? If the torch is being passed to junior, I'm afraid that this could be the end.

Double Agents.......2007-10-01

First W.E.B. Griffin book that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. Something missing as compared with his other books. Half the book was a rehash of the "Man Who Never Was" book written 40 years ago, about a great deceiption to help convince the Nazis that the Allies weren't going to land on Sicily after pushing the Germans out of North Africa. The rest of the book lacked the usual flow and seemed very disjointed. First Time Ever I'd have to give a W.E.B. Griffin book a do not bother to read recommendation.

Worst W.E.B. Griffin book yet..........2007-09-29

Never have so many pages told so little story. Perhaps the worst part of the book is the incessant back stories that fill page after page. I realize there are people who will pick up the sixth book in a series without reading the previous five but seriously every time a reoccurring character comes into play we're treated to pages of 'what has gone before' and if that character thinks of another player in the story we get THEIR back story too. Even a CAR got more than a page of back story. I found it to be mildly insulting. I will give Griffin points at least for not pulling complete chapters out of previous novels to flesh out this book; something he's done too often in the past.
The story is slow paced. In some places PAINFULLY slow paced. The entire Whitbey House arc of the story with actor/soldiers David Niven, Peter Ustinov and author Ian Fleming which takes up approx. half of the novel could have been trimmed down to a couple chapters without losing anything important.
I was disappointed, once again, to see the issue of the German submarine pens has yet to be resolved and only received a brief mention in this novel. We've been waiting for several books for this to finally happen and I now wonder if it ever will.
Alcohol, another of Griffin's favorite plot devices, once again plays a major part of the story. I'm honestly amazed we were able to win the war as apparently the majority of our military leadership was as drunk as they could get as often as they could lay hands on a bottle.
All in all this was a very disappointing read and makes me wonder if future novels from Griffin and his son will be worth bothering with which truly saddens me as I've been a long time reader of his work.

Horrendous. Simply horrendous. .......2007-09-17

Wow.

I almost NEVER throw in the towel when reading a book, no matter how bad. Hey if I start, I want to see it through to the end.

But about 2/3 the way through the story was still struggling to find it's feet enough to actually get started. In the last 1/3 of the book there was simply no way the story could kick off, become engaging, and wrap up nicely. So I threw in the towel.

The dialogue is especially bad - long long drawn out conversations that are stiff beyond belief, sharing very little information with ther reader. You know within a few sentences what the next 15-20 pages are going to ramble about.

The book has the vibe of a term paper written by an uninspired high school student who has 2000 words to write, and only 500 on paper. Just because they stretch those 500 words to 2000 doesn't make for quality content.

This is an absolutely worthless book, that has tricked us into thinking it was written by a famous author, rather than a famous author's son. This is not meant to be rude or hateful - this is simply a realistic assessment.

Popcorn while waiting for the plane.......2007-09-13

What with shoe searches and all, we have to get to the airport earlier and earlier and now we can't even smuggle a couple little bottles in our carry-ons or a knife to cut some fruit. Oh well, kill some waiting time reading the Griffins. No pretense to great literature here and the historical spatterings have descended into trivia. This tale of the second man who never was is a fanciful concoction unworthy of the dry martinis stirred up in it. Maybe we need nore old-fashioned Eastwood style in your face Kelley's Heroes if the Griffs are going to do comedy. This was a bit too close to Marx Bros seltzer epics. Then it was topped off with a screen romance amnesiac "Oh, that's who I am! Oh I must have been bombed by the blitz or blitzed by the bomb." Oh well, we all know what to expect, once we expected better stuff, but this really is pop history and patch work at that. It will pass the time.

The Spy Wore Red: My Adventures as as Undercover Agent in World War II

Average customer rating:

Amazing autobiography
Great books
A counterfeit spy
Fascinating Page-Turner
A Spanish teacher recommends "The Spy Wore Red"...to ALL!

The Spy Wore Red: My Adventures as as Undercover Agent in World War II
Aline Countess Romanones
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0394556658
Release Date: 1987-05-12

Customer Reviews:

Amazing autobiography.......2007-06-12

Aline, Countess of Romanos has written a spectacular book. I had to keep reminding myself that I was reading an autobiography and not a work of fiction. Aline is an agent for the OSS during World War II. She blends into Spanish high society and manages to complete her mission and introduce the reader to the thrills and chills of being an undercover agent. She also gives us a glimpse of Spanish Aristocracy, bull fighting and the inner workings of a nineteen year olds dilemma of befriending people who may be targets of her investigation. I have read all of her books but like this one the best. It is full of action, drama, and even a touch of romance. I have recommended it to all of my friends.

Great books.......2007-03-20

I have purchased 4 books by Aline Romanos. I absolutely love them. The fact that there is truth behind the story and that she really was an upper-class lady as well as a spy excites me. I find myself wishing I lived an adventurous life. She has a talent when it comes to recreating her life and exploits. I could not put it down!

A counterfeit spy.......2006-01-28

The most respected historian in the field of espionage, Nigel West, studied all of Aline's spy books marketed as nonfiction and concluded "...all four of Aline's books should be regarded as fiction, and nothing more..." Read "Counterfeit Spies, Chapter 3, by Nigel West, 1998.

Fascinating Page-Turner.......2005-01-13

Written like a fiction novel, this factual, first-person account of a young woman spy during World War II is absolutely enthralling. You'll get a first-hand look into what it's like to be recruited and trained as a spy, then go on your first assignment, mingling with the highest Spanish society while secretly risking your life to uncover essential Axis secrets. The characters in the novel are rich and compelling, and you never know what's going to happen next to the protagonist/ingenue Aline.

I read this book in the '80s and have remembered it ever since. I finally found it again and reread it. It's just as fascinating now as it was then.

The only drawback: If you read at night, you won't get much sleep because this book is nearly impossible to put down.

A Spanish teacher recommends "The Spy Wore Red"...to ALL!.......2004-04-29

Reading and re-reading The Spy Wore Red is a wonderful experience! Most of your other reviewers agree, but there are two aspects they seem to miss: the richness of Spanish cultural information and the possibility of a change in role for women. Aline Griffiths is bright, well educated, and departs from traditional women's work to lead a daring, adventurous, downright-dangerous job.

As a Spanish teacher, I have recommended The Spy Wore Red to my high school students for years. Several students who later spent their college junior year in Spain have come back to tell me how much this book meant to them and how much more they appreciated it following their sojourn there. They could catch glimpses of the old Spain in the new, simply because they had read this thriller.

Book Description

From the bestselling author of A Man Called Intrepid comes the first and only biography of Vera Atkins, of whom James Bond creator Ian Fleming said, "In the real world of spies, Vera Atkins was the boss." Vera Atkins was an attractive young woman with smoky eyes and lustrous black hair. She belonged to a wealthy family and dined with ambassadors and kings. She could have been a socialite, but in the cataclysmic days of World War II, Vera Atkins became Great Britain's spymistress.

Customer Reviews:

Publishing farce.......2007-09-19

The author of Spymistress states that Vera Atkins had "lustrous black hair" whereas in fact she was a blue-eyed blonde, as anyone who ever met her could have told him.
If the author cannot get the colour of his subject's hair right it is hardly surprising that much of the rest of the book turns out to be nonsense too. The fantasies woven here have no interest. The author trivialises a great woman's life story. He does so in the knowledge that the dead cannot answer back.
The true story of Vera Atkins's life is far more compelling than anything in this book. I know this because I spent five years researching her extraordinary story across the world. I interviewed her at length before she died and I had sole access to her archive.
I am writing this review not to promote my own book but to defend Vera's integrity. This false "biography" desecrates the memory of a remarkable woman, misses the real story entirely, and brings the American publishing industry into disrepute. In short, it is a publishing farce.

The Other Side of Deception: A Rogue Agent Exposes the Mossad's Secret Agenda

Average customer rating:

Critical Reading for those who care about the US in 2004
EXCELLENT BOOK
Would Anyone Care to Hunt Dragons?
Background to Dangers
A REALITY CHECK FOR "TRUE BELIEVERS"

The Other Side of Deception: A Rogue Agent Exposes the Mossad's Secret Agenda
Victor Ostrovsky
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060176350

Customer Reviews:

Critical Reading for those who care about the US in 2004.......2004-05-31

For a thinking person, the revelations in this book should spawn probing questions about the Mossad's part in geopolitics from pre-9-11 to 2004. Ostrovsky outlines how the Mossad, unlike any other secret intelligence service in the world, uses the vast Diaspora as "assets" to do their bidding. It is organized so that the Diaspora (over 50,000 strong) become temporary Mossad agents on an as-needed basis.

This structure accomplishes two things:
(1) By playing on the 'help the homeland' aspect of requesting help for Israel from the Diaspora through whatever the 'asset's' position or job skill can produce, it naturally compartmentalizes the significance of a job, and reduces costs. The Mossad has only 1200 agents worldwide, but calls on the considerable PR skills of the B'nai B'rith, JDL, and ADL to advance its aims on an as-needed basis. Ostrovsky shows in event after event how this is by design.

(2) The Mossad can get away with meddling in the politics of foreign countries by labeling as "anti-semitic" any objection to its methods; or similarly, by labeling as "anti-semitic" any objections if its gets caught. Again, Ostrovsky shows in example after example how this is by design.

The recent 2004 scandal in New Zealand is a case in point. This involved Mossad agents caught stealing New Zealand passports from paraplegics. Or the more disturbing US-based AP reports from Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida in the last five weeks in which Israeli agents were caught near nuclear sub and fuel stations, or trying to enter federal installations. The only reporter willing to follow up these stories is Daniel Hopsicker, a respected journalist, of online MadCowProd News. When you realize that these agents caused an entire Navy Sub station with nuclear missles to close down (May 20, 2004) because sniffing dogs discovered bomb material in their moving trucks, it makes Ostrovsky's detailed warning about what the Mossad is doing in the US all the more alarming.

I think the information I found the most distressing was how the Mossad uses US national print and broadcast media and reporters as assets. This a propaganda machine that at this time can only lead to more US sons and daughters coming home from Iraq in body bags. I say this because Ostrovsky is adamant in this book, published in 1993 or 1994, that it has been the Mossad's express policy for years to get the US into war with Iraq.

EXCELLENT BOOK.......2004-05-28

This is an excellent book, probably one of the best ones I have ever read. In my opinion it says the real story about israeli intelligence, how they think, how they act, and how dirty they play with everybody, even with people who have helped them. You MUST read this book.

Would Anyone Care to Hunt Dragons?.......2004-04-24

Without becoming one, that is.

Alongside the author's previous "By Way of Deception." This book, also a best seller, contains a depressing and chilling expose of The Mossad, Israel's intelligence service.

Unlike any other 'true espionage account' you might have hitherto read it is, as the saying goes, impossible to put down. Absolutely riveting. Though by the end the question is not 'Who are the good guys?' It's more like ' Who in The Middle East is NOT completely insane ? '

Ostrovsky was a former colonel in the Israeli armed forces before he joined Mossad. No one contends that he was a field officer, well connected and in the know. He was fired after a fracas in Cyprus, in which he contends he was forced to take the fall for his incompetent superiors. This would never have happenned in the Israeli Defense Forces, not without a proper hearing. However The Mossad, as he never tires of telling us, is a law unto itself.

According to the author it has become a 'rival state' comprised of good ole boys answerable only to the Prime Minister--at least in theory. In fact, it answers to no one.

Dissatisfied intelligence officers who have been, rightly or wrongly, given the boot writing scathing memoirs is not news.

However if, say, a CIA operative turned 'liberal' upon termination of employment alleged ONE TENTH of what Ostrovsky alleges, the scandal that would follow dwarf Watergate and Iran/Contra combined.

Among a few:

* The Mossad regards anyone in Israel who believes in peace with the Palestinians, or withdrawal from the occupied territories as little better than a traitor. It has sold arms and provided information to fundamentalist extremist Muslim groups via third parties in order to undermine the stability of Arab States and the credibility of their leaders with The West. Anything to keep the conflict burning.

* The Mossad planned to assasinate president George Bush Sr at the Madrid peace talks in 1991, due to his policy of pressuring Israel to the negotiaing table by freezing their loan guarantees.

A special Kidon (bayonet, i.e; hit men) unit took three Palestinian extremists from Beirut and set them up. The Mossad was to kill the 'perpretators' in the ensuing confusion after they had shot the president. Due to inside info Ostrovsky obtained, he was able to blow the whistle and the plan was cancelled--as were the three Palestinians, at the Nes Ziyyona facitlity, an ABC (atomic, bacteriological, chemical) warfare lab where the author contends top epidemiogical scientists routinely use enemies as human guinea pigs.

* The Mossad, did indeed murder their billionare operative Robert Maxwell, let Jonathan Pollard hang out to dry, and (ready?) assasinated Israeli general Yekutiel Adam a.k.a. "Kuti" because he had been appointed its head and they didn't want an 'outsider' taking over.

Now if all this---and much more---sound like the ravings of a lunatic, he's an extremely meticulous and detailed one.

Still, one wonders if the Mossad is a loose cannon, why Ostrovsky chose to trust anyone in it, after fleeing Israel.

He tells us that after getting sacked he got news that he was about to be made a liason to South Lebanon (as good as a death sentence) and a certain Ephraim---a higher ranking officer saved him by helping him escape to the U.S.

Whereupon Ephraim called in the favor qnd talked him into 'reforming' the organization by doing everything possible to undermmine it, thus bringing 'liberals' like Ephraim to power.

If we're not through the looking glass yet, here we go: The undermining consisted in Victor volunteering his services as an ex-Mossad agent to The British, The KGB, The Jordanians (!) and The Egyptians, among others.

The KGB didn't bite because they had a mole inside--however their refusal confirmed Ephraim's suspicions--he uncovered the mole and became a hero. The Brits were more accomodating, but cheap. The Jordanians--well, you've got to read that chapter, suffice it to say that according to Victor he had to fly to Jordan, whereupon things got very James Bondian and even more surreal. The Egyptians threw him in a cell.

In the end, Ephraim does take over but then he tries to assasinate Victor, to tie up loose ends.

Compelling, well documented, and absolutely nuts.

Background to Dangers.......2003-09-22

This book is a factual account of events as they occurred before the publication of his first book (Chapter 28). The Prologue gives his family history, and why he joined the Mossad. Chapter 1 tells how a NATO sleeper cell was used to create atrocities that could be blamed on Communists, and destabilize the left leaning Belgian government (pp,4-5). Chapter 2 tells how they worked with an American company that had desired technology (p.10). Chapter 4 explains how the Jordanian peace initiative was stopped. In Chapter 6 Victor was kicked out of the Mossad, and immediately recruited into a secret organization. Chapter 8 tells how a new head of the Mossad was stopped from taking office. Chapter 9 tells of his secret mission to the KGB to offer himself as a spy (Chapter 13). This would expose a suspected mole.

Chapter 15 explains how Libya was blamed for a discotheque bombing in 1986. The US retaliation kept Libya "out of the picture". Victor then learns how turmoil was created between Kuwait and Iraq. Chapter 17 describes the safe house system in London. Victor traveled to Jordan to advise them on detecting moles. Chapter 21 tells of "humanitarian assistance" to blacks in Soweto, using a Baltimore hospital for cover. Were they testing medications and diseases? Victor explains the Pollard affair, why Pollard knew too much. Pollard's information was traded to the Soviets to release Jews; Pollard was used and then flushed! Chapter 22 tells of his visit to Egypt, and their interest in Robert Maxwell. Maxwell bought media to influence public opinion, and to provide a cover for assets in other countries; page 204 tells how this worked.

Chapter 23 tells how background information was obtained from strangers (p.208). The Vanunu affair is explained (p.209). In Chapter 25 Victor decides to write his book on the Mossad. Operation Hannibal sold military supplies to Iran. Page 228 tells how Kurt Waldheim was branded as a Nazi! Page 231 explains how a politician was smeared and defeated. When this politician tried to clear himself, he was lured to Geneva and given a heart attack (pp.234-5). In Chapter 26 Victor travels to Paris to tell the French secret service about the Mossad's links with fascist elements (p.242). They later asked Victor to investigate the leading advocate of privatization in the US (p.244). This member of the Libertarian Party sought to destabilize a French South Pacific island.

Chapter 27 tells about the propaganda campaign against Saddam Hussein (p.247). Iraq targeted Iranian cities using information from American satellites. Pages 250-1 tell how a reporter (who knew too much) was lured into a fatal mission. Then there is the planted story of Iraq's "weapons of mass destruction". Page 259 tells of the safest sanctuary around - an airport! Chapter 30 tells of President George Bush's visit to the Madrid peace talks, and the failed assassination attempt. Chapter 31 explains Robert Maxwell's partnership with the Mossad, and why he had to be silenced. It was not that he knew too much, but that he began to talk too much under pressure of bankruptcy. Chapter 31 ends the book with his tour of Europe to promote his first novel. A problem occurred in Belgium; Victor knew of the corruption of the Belgian police force. Victor then realized that his connection in the Mossad was no longer reliable (p.290).

A REALITY CHECK FOR "TRUE BELIEVERS".......2003-08-28

Ostrovsky is not just another short term intel employee who was bounced, bitter, and then became a book author. For anybody who has served in intelligence, it rings true. It's a dirty business, whether HQ is in Virginia or Tel Aviv. It has to be. The few detractors in the amazon reviews of Ostrovsky's book just plain don't know. Having written an espionage expose myself, and having been eviscerated by some readers who barely can read, I'm not surprised by the negative reviews, but by how few there are. Read The Other Side of Deception, not just for an inside view of the Mossad, but for a parallel to what's going on now in America and it's intelligence services.

Make Millions Selling Real Estate: Earning Secrets Of Top Agents

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Everyone wants to sell a product, very few sell real process!
Make Millions Selling Real Estate
Best Real Estate Sales Books Made
Realistic and Useful Guide for Newbies or Old-Timers
A great book

Make Millions Selling Real Estate: Earning Secrets Of Top Agents
Jim Remley
Manufacturer: AMACOM/American Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0814472923

Book Description

Every real estate agent knows that making serious money doesn't happen over night. But Make Millions Selling Real Estate details how agents can completely and forever change how they work, leap-frogging over more experienced agents to become true superstars -- shaving years off of the "pay-your-dues" period and reaping the fruits of their labors while still young enough to enjoy them.

Refreshingly simple and straightforward, this book does not rely on deep philosophy or theory, but instead gets right down to the nuts and bolts. Featuring eye-opening insights from top agents and brokers, Make Millions Selling Real Estate shows how the top earners do it, and reveals secrets and hard-won lessons it might otherwise take an entire career to learn -- and that many agents never learn at all!

Real estate is a tough business. Agents lacking the proper information and tools will quickly fall by the wayside. Make Millions Selling Real Estate can help keep veteran and rookie sellers on top of their game -- and ahead of the curve.

Customer Reviews:

Everyone wants to sell a product, very few sell real process!.......2007-07-04

This book is an excellent handbook in organizing your business and understanding how to measure its effectiveness. Some of the anecdotal moments are poorly written, yet the delineated processes and scripts are absolutely excellent (the guys a salesman...not a writer...). Out of all of the books that I have purchased or read regarding real estate, this would be my first choice to buy.

Make Millions Selling Real Estate.......2007-06-20

Make Millions Selling Real Estate" is truly an eye-opener and full of practical secrets that are so simple and yet so powerful. I enjoyed the
book greatly and it really inspired me to spring forth in my real estate career.

Jim understands the challenge of being a real estate agent and has included lots of secrets of how successful agent have made it in this career. It is even amazing seeing how the painless prospecting can work for you.

Highly recommended for new agent and those who need a fresh approach to real estate sales.

Best Real Estate Sales Books Made.......2007-06-04

Jim Remley's two books, "Make Millions Selling Real Estate" and "Real Estate Presentations that Make Millions" are two of the best books that I have read on Real Estate Sales in my 3 1/2 years in the business. I have read a ton of books. They are hands on, down to earth, and all meat, no fluff. These two books will soon become your profssional bibles. By the way his seminars are pretty cool too. - D. Farmer

Realistic and Useful Guide for Newbies or Old-Timers.......2007-03-09

I buy LOTS of books on real estate sales, but this is the BEST!

This book was written in a down-to-earth and interesting style an tells the in's-and-out's of surviving in a buyer's market.

It gives real-life examples of realor's experiences and really useful plans on how to farm an area and become actively involved and successful in making real estate sales.

A great book .......2007-01-12

I've read a lot of books on real estate sales, but this books is my favorite. Jim Remley offers comon sense ideas that are easy to implement and are being used by real agents. Everyone should read this book.

Wilderness of Mirrors: Intrigue, Deception, and the Secrets that Destroyed Two of the Cold War's Most Important Agents

Average customer rating:

The contagious paranoia of counterintelligence...
Help! The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum!!!
Anti-Angleton

Wilderness of Mirrors: Intrigue, Deception, and the Secrets that Destroyed Two of the Cold War's Most Important Agents
David C. Martin
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Spytime: The Undoing of James Jesus Angleton
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The Secret History of the CIA

ASIN: 1585748242

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

The contagious paranoia of counterintelligence..........2006-01-01

The term, "wilderness of mirrors," is still used today in counterintelligence circles to denote the feelings of paranoia that sometimes develop in the byzantine business of spyhunting, when one is no longer able to distinguish between what is real and what is illusion. When conjuring up images of this precise phenomenon, no name rings louder than that of James Jesus Angleton, who himself was enveloped and ultimately destroyed by his obsession with uncovering a "mole" within the CIA.

Martin's brief account of the CIA's largely unsuccessful efforts to spy on the Soviet Union during the Cold War alternates between the stories of "Jim" Angleton and "Bill" Harvey, two CIA trailblazers who undoubtedly left their marks in their profession. What's unfortunate is that while they may have scored some early successes, they spent the latter parts of their careers in shambles, with both resigning under hostile circumstances. Especially in Angleton's case, it is tough to objectively determine whether he did more good than bad.

For a more detailed account of the CI fiasco involving Angleton, Golitsin, and Nosenko, check out David Wise's "Molehunt."

Help! The Lunatics Have Taken Over the Asylum!!!.......2005-08-16

This book, which relates the ongoing war between the CIA and the KGB, focuses on the activities of William K. Harvey, a gun-totin' ex-FBI agent (who does not seem to have entirely evolved in a social sense), and James Jesus Angleton, a Yale graduate who lived first in Italy and then in England, where he learned the fine arts of counter-espionage at the knees, as it were, of Kim Philby, and was in charge of counter-espionage at the CIA. The revelation that the latter was a KGB penetration agent in British Intelligence seems to have engendered extreme paranoia in the former, who was ever after on the lookout for moles in the Agency (and was even suspected by some of his colleagues of being one himself).

The tales of covert operations range from the amusing (an agent loitering in a park to make a dead-letter drop being arrested as a potential child molester) to the appalling (the dastardly enticement of the Soviet defector Yuri Nosenko with promises of a salaried job and then keeping him in what was tantamount to a cage for 1277 days (292 of which were devoted to interrogation) [p, 171], all because of the dubious word of Anatoli Golitsin, a previous defector--living high off the hog at taxpayer expense--who warned that the next defector would be a KGB plant.). Angleton placed his faith unstintingly in Golitsin, whose wild scenarios had Averell Harriman, a former United States ambassador to the Soviet Union, cast as a KGB agent. It never seems to have occurred to Angleton that Golitsin may have been the KGB plant, intent on making mischief.

The title, "Wilderness of Mirrors," was apparently coined by Angleton, who was a poet in his spare time. It refers to the labyrinthine world of espionage into which one is "lured deeper and deeper ... pursuing the traces of Soviet plots, both real and imagined, each step taking [one] farther into a bewildering world of intrigue ... [p. 10].

The author notes the justification of the battle between the CIA and the KGB, but he also cites the absurdity of its reality. "The careers of Angleton and Harvey were mired in absurdities, not the least of which was that they habitually violated the democratic freedoms they were sworn to defend . . . Immersed in duplicity and insulated by secrecy, they developed survival mechanisms and behavior patterns that by any rational standard were bizarre. The forced inbreeding of secrecy spawned mutant deeds and thoughts. Loyalty demanded dishonesty, and duty was a thieves' game. The game attracted strange men and slowly twisted them until something snapped. There were no winners or losers in this game, only victims" [p. 226].

Anti-Angleton.......2004-01-06

This is one of the anti-Angleton books. You you want to understand Angelton's approach to counter-intelligence, I would recommend Edward Jay Epstein's "Deception" instead.

The Spy Next Door: The Extraordinary Secret Life of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Damaging FBI Agent in U.S. History

Average customer rating:

Terrible Traitor!
Hey
A Great Story
Interesting, but thorough?
Very Interesting

The Spy Next Door: The Extraordinary Secret Life of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Damaging FBI Agent in U.S. History
Elaine Shannon , and Ann Blackman
Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Spy: The Inside Story of How the FBI's Robert Hanssen Betrayed America
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Master Spy: Robert Hanssen Story
Confessions of a Spy

ASIN: 0316718211
Release Date: 2002-01-02

Book Description

A shocking, fascinating account of one of the greatest espionage scandals of our time. Ann Blackman and Elaine Shannon reveal the truth about Robert Hanssen and his 15 years of exceptionally destructive espionage. They brilliantly explore why Hanssen decided to betray his family, his church and his country, and how he got away with it.

Customer Reviews:

Terrible Traitor!.......2007-03-19

"The Spy Next Door" is an astonishing easy reading story about a common man with an uncommon ability to elude. Robert Hanssen's 25 year job at the FBI gave him access to carefully guarded national security secrets. Ann Blackman and Elaine Shannon are investigative reporters that give a biography of a man whose life is unbelievable, yet true and amazing.

The "Spy Next Door" page turner includes his life from ostracized child to super spy for the Soviets. The only son of a Chicago Cop, he never received his father's approval, was a high school misfit, who developed deep resentments. On the surface, Bob never made a big deal about anything, but he didn't like surprises and he didn't like being forgotten. He was smart and knew by developing a facade of normalcy - he played the boring man next door. Beneath his shell of normalcy he built his dual lives - "lawful" FBI agent and Soviet Spy; "faithful" husband and playboy; and "loyal Catholic" and aesthetic. He kept an arms length from reality so he could chase an exciting game of cat and mouse. He dropped clues - almost daring people to catch him or pay better attention.

What amazed me is that he could have gotten away with it. Why did he take the risk of reactivating? There was little chance of the FBI catching him as long as he stayed dormant. Hanssen's espionage has little to do with spying and much to do with emotional wants. He is an arrogant man harboring resentments and needed "respect" and friendships from an enemy that laughed at his naive requests for little money and yet giving them key intelligence - causing deaths of our agents - so they would pay attention and he could get retribution - telling everyone "I will show you!"

By blending in, being "common" - no one paid attention to him. The betrayal to this country is enormous.

Hey.......2006-07-24

I found this book very informative i was able to read it super fast a must read

A Great Story.......2003-02-04

This book was a good read. It seemed to be more thoroughly researched(although there are still open questions) and was not simply rushed out by two greedy authors capitalizing on recent events.

I understand that Bob and Bonnie Hansen's position was not represented in this book. I would've liked more concrete evidence rather than author speculation, but that is implausible in this case.

With the amount of research and time that was invested in this book, I am reasonably satisfied with the result and give this book 4 stars

Interesting, but thorough?.......2003-01-09

I have to rate this book at 3 stars. Why? At only 230+ pages, I have to wonder if the book wasn't a rush to judgement and was not as thoroughly researched as it could have been. Basically, the book is a good, quick read and gives the reader an overall view of Bob Hanssen and his exploits as a spy. However, there are a few things that make me believe the book could have been better.

First of all, there was a lengthy dissertation about Opus Dei. Shannon never really adequately explained how the Opus Dei may have contributed to Hanssen's behavior as a spy. Secondly, she mentioned his interest in internet pornography. Well...so how did that affect Hanssen's behavior? She doesn't explain that, so one wonders what was the point of mentioning his interest in pornography in the first place. Third, as another reader mentioned, there are no bibliographies nor an index, nor are there any photos. I have to question Shannon's notes if she doesn't reference them.

Nevertheless, the book is worth a read. I think the book would have benefitted from a better psychoanalysis of Hanssen. ...

Very Interesting.......2003-01-03

I was intrigued by the information in this book.I wanted more detail and a clearer understanding. I remember searching for this book and waiting for it to arrive. I was a little disappointed that it was not better, having seen several interviews with the authors.
I have found that "Spy" by David Wise is a more detailed and better written book. I believe Robert Hanssen and his family cooperated with Mr Wise.

Average customer rating:

Great read!!
So-so
American Agent: My Life in the CIA
Good, but VERY Detailed
Glimpse into life in the CIA

American Agent: My Life in the CIA
Richard L. Holm
Manufacturer: Saint Ermin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1903608147

Book Description

The compelling memoir of one of the CIA’s most respected officers and diplomats.

Customer Reviews:

Great read!!.......2007-08-31

A wonderful account of an interesting career. If you are into government, intelligence, foriegn politics, or just plain old spy novels, you should definately read this book.

So-so.......2007-05-08

Some of the content of the book is fascinating. I enjoyed when he discussed operational details, but they seemed few and far between. As other reviews have said, the book seems focused on house hunting and the like. I also found his writing style to be a bit up and down. It almost reads like a first draft, with a strange flow.
I would recommend the book for anyone who is interested in the subject because there is not that much available that describes life inside the Agency. That being said, it is by no means a great read.

American Agent: My Life in the CIA.......2007-03-10

Good insite into the internal politics at the CIA. Pulls no punches regarding who (historically) supported the agency's mission and who did not.

Good perspective of what our field agents face abroad, their lifestyle, challenges with landguages, cultures, etc.

Slightly disappointed Holm did not go more into specific or theoretical cases. Also, he rants a bit too much at the end to get 31 yesrs of frustratio off his chest.

Good, but VERY Detailed.......2007-01-11

Holmes is a very detailed man. He tells his lifestory in great detail. Some of it is interesting, some of it is not. He does an excellent job in describing the agency and how it operates. Unfortunately, you have to read or go through a lot of junk to get there.

If you want the "quick and dirty" info about the CIA and how it operates, do not get this book. If you want great details about our operations in the Congo, Laos, and Asia and you have plenty of time, this is the book to read.

Glimpse into life in the CIA.......2007-01-05

I enjoyed this book because it covers a wide range of CIA history but also gives a glimpse into the life of a career operations oficer. Although the descriptions of Mr. Holms work are vague, descriptions of places he lived and the daily grind at different stages in his life are excellent. The book contains well written descriptions of his exotic experiences in far off lands, and is largely an enjoyable read.

To Be a U.S. Secret Service Agent (To Be A)

Average customer rating:

A blend of history and insights on the secretive law enforcement agency
I would highly recommend this book
Great for-kids book on the Secret Service

To Be a U.S. Secret Service Agent (To Be A)
Henry Holden
Manufacturer: Zenith Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0760322937

Book Description

The Secret Service was established after the Civil War by the Treasury Department, originally to protect American currency against counterfeiters. After the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901, Congress directed the Secret Service to protect the President of the United States. Protection remains the primary mission of the United States Secret Service.It takes a special type of individual to be a U.S. Secret Service agent, one willing to take a bullet to preserve the ideals on which the United States was founded. To Be a U.S. Secret Service Agent lifts the curtain for a look inside this secretive law enforcement agency, including the highly selective recruiting, the intense training, and the specialized weapons and equipment used to protect current and past Presidents, Vice Presidents, their families, and visiting heads of state.

Customer Reviews:

A blend of history and insights on the secretive law enforcement agency.......2006-07-08

If you want to be a member of the U.S. Secret Service you must have Henry Holden's To Be A U.S. Secret Service Agent: it provides a blend of history and insights on the secretive law enforcement agency, from how it recruits and trains to the specialized equipment it uses to protect heads of state. To Be A U.S. Secret Service Agent is the only book to combine a history with coverage of career options and paths and as such as a top recommendation.

I would highly recommend this book.......2006-06-20

As a U.S. Secret Service UD applicant, I would highly recommend this book. As a former teacher and peace officer, I would recommend this book be in every middle school, high school and university. Mr. Holden has explained,through words and photographs,the application process, the training, and duties of the Secret Service agent, uniform division officer, and other members that comprise the most professional and honorable division of American law enforcement. As an applicant, it helped me learn about the position that I was applying for and helped me articulate my understanding to the agents I interviewed with. The information that I obtained in this book helped me score 97% on the tests and make it to panel. Thank you Mr. Holden for writing this book.

Great for-kids book on the Secret Service.......2006-05-16

As the leading civilian authority on the Secret Service, I highly recommend this great book on the agency by Mr. Holden. nice pictures and easy-to-read text, as well. Two thumbs up!

Vince Palamara
author of "Survivor's Guilt: The Secret Service & The Failure To Protect The President"

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