"It is not hyperbolic to say that Weiner's book is the greatest ever written about the CIA.," writes Ackerman, hyperbolically, calling it a "subtle and beautifully written history."
Stirring, it is. I told Weiner as much personally when I finished reading the galleys of Legacy last summer, congratulating him for concocting such a terrific read, which struck me as an overdue jeremiad and needed corrective to so much Cold War-era Hollywood blather about the CIA's cool persona, skills and expertise.
But then I began to drill down into it.
As Ackerman dutifully notes, I began to discover serious attacks on Weiner's methods in "specialist journals, on the Web and in a flurry of e-mail among historians and investigative reporters." (See my March 2008 column, "Celebrated History of the CIA Comes Under Belated Fire.")
Ackerman brushes off the scholarly attacks on Weiner's sourcing and interpretation of documents.
The critics--some of whom are affiliated with the agency--allege errors of fact; Weiner concedes nothing and countercharges that it's his detractors who have the facts wrong. "I think there is some fact mangling going on here," Weiner told Stein, "and I don't think I'm the one mangling."
Case closed?
But without examining the very serious allegations themselves, how can Ackerman --- a lively, smart reporter himself -- possibly write that, it is "not hyperbolic to say that Weiner's book is the greatest ever written about the CIA"?
Dunno.
Meantime, I have alternate nominations for "the greatest ever" books about the CIA.
At the top of my list is The Man Who Kept the Secrets, Richard Helms and the CIA, Thomas Powers' masterful biography of the legendary cold war spy agency leader.
Number two on my list also belongs to Tom Powers. Last year I re-read his collection of essays on the CIA, Intelligence Wars: American Secret History from Hitler to Al-Qaeda and found them as fresh as a newly cut fairway.
There are more terrific CIA books. Which are your favorites? I'd like to hear them. (Just click on the Comments link at the top of this blog.)
UPDATE: Ackerman now says his use of "it's not hyperbole to say..." was probably "Freudian." Hmmm.... Ask him (sackerman@washingtonindependent.com).
Also, nominations for "the best book ever written about the CIA" have been pouring in. I'll post them later. -js
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Comments
'Intelligence Wars' was an excellent book. Another good book I enjoyed about the Company is 'The Book of Honor' by Ted Gup.
Posted by: psitoxin
| July 7, 2008 9:29 PM
The CIA and the Cult of Intelligence, by John Marks and Victor Marchetti, is still my favorite as a tour de force on the CIA. It was written when the secrets were still secrets and was the first and best revelation of how the agency actually worked, with some great first-time exposures. I keep the battered paperback on my desk bookshelf and have used it in all my book research. Published with deletions ordered by the CIA.
Posted by: JDinges
| July 8, 2008 9:19 AM
The Master of Disguise by Antony Mendez is the best CIA book I have read. I have quite a few books, this was the first and best by far.
Posted by: slamander
| July 8, 2008 10:02 AM
In my view, the best book on the early years of the CIA--the critical passage from the founding of the agency in 1947 through its first major crisis after the Bay of Pigs fiasco in 1961 is "The Old Boys," by Burton Hersh. Fluently and colorfully written, it captures both the agency's key personalities and the real functioning of American power.
Posted by: Jeff Morley
| July 8, 2008 2:53 PM
Please allow me to nominate Cold Warrior: James Jesus Angleton, the CIA's Master Spy Hunter--by Tom Mangold and Jeff Goldberg. Our late friend, Carl Shoffler, also dug it the most.
Posted by: Dan Moldea
| July 9, 2008 12:34 AM
Not just a book about the CIA, but about the conduct of intelligence generally, Allen Dulles' "The Craft of Intelligence" certainly belongs up there in the rankings.
Posted by: jroberts
| July 10, 2008 3:13 PM
Great, great additions! Keep 'em coming. --Jeff Stein
Posted by: Jeff Stein
| July 29, 2008 10:11 PM
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