The FBI

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: By reading this book, I was hoping to get a better knowledge of how the FBI works. That included how the FBI interacts with local police forces as well as international countries about major cases.
Kessler's case examples were boring. There was nothing suspenseful or interesting in the stories he chose to analyze. Perhaps he would have been better off saving more time to analyze Hoover's FBI as well as post Hoover FBI. It would have given the reader a more in-depth understanding and appreciation for how much it's improved and how we should be proud of the FBI.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting read
Review: I am impressed with "The FBI: Inside the World's Most Powerful Law Enforcement Agency." Kessler explains the workings of the FBI in great detail. He stays on track most of the time, although rambles now and then. His story is very intersting.

Rating:
Summary: Big Scoop on Petty Stuff
Review: I read the whole book even though it appeared early on that Kessler is a stooge for the FBI. If you want to know about Session's wife FBI pass or the fact that his assistant flashed her FBI badge at a state trooper to talk her way out of a ticket or how she failed to properly register her car in Virginia to avoid state income tax, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.
If you want to know about the abuses of Hoover or Waco, forget it. Ruby Ridge is not even mentioned.

I bought this book based on the Amazon recommendations. They are usually good. This is the first book that I have read that has prompted me to post a review. Any review that says this book is good must have been written by a FBI agent. DONT BUY THIS BOOK!

Rating:
Summary: Good intro but does not include the dark side of the agency
Review: I thought this story was very good except for one little thing, and that would be how they kept jumping from different people to different jobs. I would recommend this story to anyone who is interested in New York, New York's FBI, or just the way New York's FBI handles themselves as agents. BALTIMORE I thought this story was very good as well. The reason why i thought this is because Baltimore was the first city to have a female on thier force. I thought it was great to see how men as well as women have the courage to stand-up and fight for others.

Rating:
Summary: FBI
Review: I thought this story was very good except for one little thing, and that would be how they kept jumping from different people to different jobs. I would recommend this story to anyone who is interested in New York, New York's FBI, or just the way New York's FBI handles themselves as agents. BALTIMORE I thought this story was very good as well. The reason why i thought this is because Baltimore was the first city to have a female on thier force. I thought it was great to see how men as well as women have the courage to stand-up and fight for others.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: If you want to know about what the FBI does, this is a must read. Ronald Kessler is an award-winning journalist and he does an excellent job of taking the reader inside the most powerful law enforcement agency on earth.

Kessler was granted extraordinary access to the FBI and he does a masterful job of revealing the way the FBI works. Forget what you see on television and in movies; this book provides a real look at this cryptic agency.

Some of the findings during Kessler's "investigation" even led to the dismissal of FBI Director William S. Sessions.

Though this book was published in 1993, I feel it is a must read for anybody who wants insight into the real FBI. It is also a great book for potential FBI candidates.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: If you want to know about what the FBI does, this is a must read. Ronald Kessler is an award-winning journalist and he does an excellent job of taking the reader inside the most powerful law enforcement agency on earth.

Kessler was granted extraordinary access to the FBI and he does a masterful job of revealing the way the FBI works. Forget what you see on television and in movies; this book provides a real look at this cryptic agency.

Some of the findings during Kessler's "investigation" even led to the dismissal of FBI Director William S. Sessions.

Though this book was published in 1993, I feel it is a must read for anybody who wants insight into the real FBI. It is also a great book for potential FBI candidates.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Rating:
Summary: Truthful Tabloid
Review: Prior to reading this book, you may want to establish your own idea of what it means to be "inside the world's most powerful law enforcement agency." Does this mean having a privileged view into the FBI's remarkable crime fighting facilities and techniques, or does this mean knowing some of the sordid details of its bureaucratic infighting, botched operations, and office gossip? This book provides a bit of both, and perhaps leans more heavily toward the latter. Although Kessler does a good job of documenting some of the operational aspects of the FBI, he has given this book something of a tabloid feel, focusing more on the people and the myths than did his book "Inside the CIA". Given the misconduct Kessler discovered while writing the book, and the comparative openness with which FBI (as opposed to CIA) employees can speak to the press, a greater focus on personas and storytelling does seem natural. Whether that focus is particularly useful in terms of understanding the day-to-day operations of the Bureau is doubtful, which is why you should know what you want by letting an author take you "inside" the FBI. Much of the latter portion of the book is devoted to a detailed account of misconduct under former FBI Director William Sessions. The account is painful to read, both because the details and character of those involved are so outrageous, and because Kessler documents it so convincingly. Insofar as opening up the Bureau as a whole, Kessler does take the reader inside various divisions (e.g. criminal, training, profiling, laboratory, etc.) and to various field offices across the nation. While some discussion is provided on how the FBI solves cases, the book tends to focus on office politics and on how the Bureau functions as an organization. Sometimes fascinating, sometimes tedious, this book is good reading, but not spectacular. It provides numerous anecdotes and a twist of irony: Director William Sessions was removed from the Bureau for the sort of exploitation which was commonplace under the original headship of J. Edgar Hoover.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent insider account of the agency
Review: The FBI is one of the most respected yet least understood agencies in the federal government. Given it is frequently misunderstood, this is an excellent book to inform the public about the FBI's history, the good and the bad.

The book focuses on an important concept, and that is the difference between the occupant of a position in the government, and the position itself. While past directors of the FBI may have had questionable integrity (Hoover, Sessions), this does not cast a negative light on the institution itself. People are corrupt, not institutions. No one is above the law, and yes, the author makes a good point that everyone who works for the FBI should be subject to the same rules and regulations that any common citizen does. That means off-duty speedy FBI agents must be subject to the same traffic rules as anyone else. No one is above the law, not even the president, as Mr. Clinton learned.

I especially enjoyed learning about some of the past techniques the FBI used to shut down major criminal organizations. As Kessler makes note, many criminal enterprises work similar to businesses. One method -- creating shell companies, including cell phone companies and bars -- to meet and get to know these thugs -- is an incredible idea. The FBI's surveillance techniques are second to none, and while the author was able to discuss some obvious ones, the FBI's true secrets are left unmentioned, a good thing for Joe Citizen who just wants criminals taken off the street.

An excellent book.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent insider account of the agency
Review: The FBI is one of the most respected yet least understood agencies in the federal government. Given it is frequently misunderstood, this is an excellent book to inform the public about the FBI's history, the good and the bad.

The book focuses on an important concept, and that is the difference between the occupant of a position in the government, and the position itself. While past directors of the FBI may have had questionable integrity (Hoover, Sessions), this does not cast a negative light on the institution itself. People are corrupt, not institutions. No one is above the law, and yes, the author makes a good point that everyone who works for the FBI should be subject to the same rules and regulations that any common citizen does. That means off-duty speedy FBI agents must be subject to the same traffic rules as anyone else. No one is above the law, not even the president, as Mr. Clinton learned.

I especially enjoyed learning about some of the past techniques the FBI used to shut down major criminal organizations. As Kessler makes note, many criminal enterprises work similar to businesses. One method -- creating shell companies, including cell phone companies and bars -- to meet and get to know these thugs -- is an incredible idea. The FBI's surveillance techniques are second to none, and while the author was able to discuss some obvious ones, the FBI's true secrets are left unmentioned, a good thing for Joe Citizen who just wants criminals taken off the street.

An excellent book.