SPYMASTERS: Ten CIA Officers in Their Own Words, ed. by Ralph E. Weber, Scholarly Resources, Inc., Wilmington, DE., 1999, ISBN 0-8420-2715-7 (paper). A superb book containing interviews with ten senior CIA officers, such as Allen Dulles, William Colby, Richard Helms and AFIO Board member Sam Halpern. The accounts cover a wide range of intelligence activity, describing not only a number of critical events but also the relationships between the agency's directors and presidents during the cold War. CIA's successes and shortcomings are recounted and evaluated by men who were there. It is interesting, and often fascinating reading, and important for all who seek to provide context for their understanding of the inner workings of the agency and intelligence operations. The editor, Ralph Weber, a professor at Marquette University, is a former CIA and NSA Scholar in Residence, and a member of the AFIO Board of Directors. Highly recommended. (RoyJ).

Reviewed in AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes #02-99, 12 January 1999

SPYMASTERS: TEN CIA CASE OFFICERS IN THEIR OWN WORDS -by Ralph Weber, SR Books, Wilmington DE, 1999, ISBN 0-8420-2715-7 (paper) $19.95. This is a collection of interviews of ten eminent CIA officials, including Sidney Souers, Allen Dulles, Richard Bissell, Samuel Halpern, Lyman Kirkpatric, Robert Amory, Ray Cline, John McCone, Richard Helms, and William Colby. It covers topics ranging from the creation of CIA and the National Security Council to briefing presidents, Khruschev's ousting, Operation Mongoose and the Kennedy assassination, among many others. In my view the interview with AFIO's Sam Halpern alone is worth the price of the book and then some. (RoyJ)

Reviewed in AFIO Weekly Intelligence Notes #18-99, May 7, 1999

AFIO Central Office
6723 Whittier Avenue
Suite 303A
McLean, Virginia 22101-4582
Telephone: 703 790 0320
Facsimile: 703 991 1278
Email: afio@afio.com
© 2006 AFIO
Copyright and Privacy Notice