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

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Summary: First Rate Account of a Deeply Disturbing Case
Review: Before the publication of this book, there had been four others to appear on the market, "The Spy Who Stayed out in the Cold," "The Bureau and the Mole," "The Spy Next Door," and "Into the Mirror." To put it bluntly, none of these books can hold a candle to David Wise's masterful telling of the Hanssen spy story, which is probably the most disgraceful and bizarre chapter in the FBI's long history. What sets Wise's account apart from its predecessors? The answer is diligent, long-term research and unparalleled access to people who knew Hanssen. The fact that the traitor gave his psychiatrist permission to be interviewed by Wise gives readers a window into Hanssen's soul that none of his competitors (who rushed their books to publication with almost indecent haste) were able to give. An added plus to Wise's book is that he gives a fairly comprehensive outline of the research he conducted for the book in his notes at the end. This is in stark contrast to his competitors' books which rest their flimsy conclusions on mostly anonymous sources and in the case of "Into the Mirror" the outright --and admitted by its authors-- fictionalization of Hanssen's life whenever it was convenient.

For me, the highlights of "Spy" are the chapters that discuss Hanssen's approach to religion, his twisted obsession with pornography and sex, the way the FBI and CIA procurred the entire file that the KGB maintained on Hanssen, and the psychological demons that drove Hanssen to inflict horrific damage on his country's national security. What is particularly shocking is that Hanssen's own brother-in-law (a fellow FBI agent) reported the spy's possession of large amounts of unexplained cash in 1990 to his superiors and the FBI brass did NOTHING about it. Hanssen could have been caught that year had someone in the FBI bureaucracy cared enough to follow through on the tip-off that they were handed on a silver platter. Even more disturbing is the allegation in the book that Hanssen wanted to have his best friend father a child by his wife so they could be a family of three. To paraphrase Wise, trying to understand someone who thinks and behaves the way Hanssen did is like taking a trip to the dark side of the moon.

To sum up, I would ignore all the other books about Hanssen and buy Wise's book. Reading it will make you want to cry not just because of what Hanssen did to all of us but because the FBI allowed him to inflict immeasurable harm on his country for so many years.

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Summary: Prison isn't good enough for a tratior...
Review: David Wise's book about the FBI's Robert Hanssen who betrayed his country is clear and concisely written.

Is is the best book on Hanssen and his betrayals of secrets dealing with the FBI and CIA. Mr Wise's book almost seems to good to be true more fiction than reality, but that is exactly what it is reality. The game of espionage is messy business indeed and Mr. Wise paints the picture clearly in his book.

In my opinion this is the best of the current books available on the subject.

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Summary: Best of the Hanssen books
Review: I have read four books on the Hanssen case and this is by far the best. It offers a well-researched story about all aspects of the Hanssen case and includes detailed information about the inside workings of the FBI and CIA. It also manages to be extremely thorough without focusing excessively on the more lurid aspects of Hanssen's betrayals. Wise gives a vivid picture of how espionage works, what the effects of Hanssen's spying were, and why Hanssen was able to remain undetected for so long. The only flaw, if one can call it that, is Wise's somewhat dry prose style and matter-of-fact approach to storytelling. Other books have more of the salacious details, such as the text of Hanssen's pornographic e-mails and descriptions of his relationship with a stripper, but if you only have time for one Hanssen book this is definitely the one.

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Summary: One of the Worst Spies in American History
Review: Robert Hanssen poses such a puzzle to any right thinking individual that a million books could be written concerning him. An FBI agent, a dedicated family man and a devout Roman Catholic. At the same time, Robert Hanssen represented the worst KGB infiltration into the American intelligence community in the nations history. Hanssen was by no means a genius, but he was smart enough to fool almost every one around him, splitting personalities and giving up the nations most precious secrets. His information led the KGB to numerous spies, allowing them to be executed. Million dollar project were compromised, and the KGB was given a full schematic of US counterintelligence schemes. In other words, almost absolute devastation. And all because of the frumpy guy with the six kids who went to church everyday. The story is mind boggling in its psychological complexities, but noted espionage author David Wise manages to translate the dark world of spies into the vernacular, giving the average reader a clear picture of a most fractured man.

If it wasn't for his career of espionage, Hanssen would be wholly unremarkable. The son of a Chicago police officer, Hanssen studies accounting and dentistry before joining the Chicago force. He then went to work for the FBI in critical but hardly glamorous intelligence positions. He raised a family, was pious and charitable in his faith, and seemed destined to leave out his life as a good, productive civil servant. This was not to be. At some point, in the late 1970's, Hanssen decided to step away from his life of convention and begin to work for the Soviet Union. He was a wonderful spy, as his espoused views on communism and his somewhat distant demeanor kept his safe from the eyes of the spyhunters. His work was damaging, as he compromised sources such as TOPHAT, devastating Soviet human intelligence for a decade. The most troubling part of the story is the fact that clues began to trickle into the Bureau, but were ignored because the idea of a mole inside the FBI was so disturbing to the top brass. Even so, a study was put together in order to examine the entire history of suspected moles inside the United States. The study was headed by Robert Hanssen.

Hanssen is a man of startling contradictions, almost impossible to understand. He was a fervent Catholic, yet he often indulged in very odd sexual and pornographic fantasies, including letting his close friend watch him and his wife have sex. The psychological aspect of the book is as intriguing as it is confusing, as the FBI tried to understand what made this agent turn on them. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. Hanssen became more desperate as time moved on and the FBI finally began to close the next around him. Yet, he still displayed a strange sense of resignation and continued disregard of procedure. Was it money, was it the role of his father? The answer is still pretty much up in the air.

Wise does an exceptional job of revealing the world of secrets and espionage to the reader. Hanssen himself often pales in terms of intrigue, as we learn of all the ancillary intelligence activities taking place around him. The reader gets a good nuts and bolts sense of the game, as it were, and that is instrumental in helping one understand a man like Hanssen. The book is heavily and studiously researched, relying on all sorts of secret documents and interviews with the key players. Wise provides a stunning narrative concerning the operation that finally revealed the identity of "Ramon Garcia," Hanssen's nom de guerre. All in all, it is an excellent work concerning a traitor who did an unimaginable amount of damage to his country.

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Summary: Spy: The Inside Story of How the FBI's Robert Hanssen....
Review: This is a fascinating book. I couldn't put it down; stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to completely read in one sitting. David Wise definitely has contacts inside the FBI and CIA, otherwise it would be difficult to understand where he obtained his information. He goes into great detail and leaves one wondering exactly how competent are these agencies. I recommend this book to anyone who desires a better understanding as to how the FBI and CIA operate. After reading this book, you will want to read Wise's book on the Aldrich Ames case.