Inside the CIA

Rating:
Summary: Great book for the curious
Review: I found this book to be filled with worthwhile information. My husband has been with the CIA most of our marriage and there was much that was useful and relevant in Kessler's text, but I did feel that he might have cut a bit of the excess wordage out and offered more background material.

Rating:
Summary: Worthy information
Review: I found this book to be filled with worthwhile information. My husband has been with the CIA most of our marriage and there was much that was useful and relevant in Kessler's text, but I did feel that he might have cut a bit of the excess wordage out and offered more background material.

Rating:
Summary: Nuts and bolts: Start Here
Review: If you have ever had personal contact with anyone from the Agency, you know that this is the book the CIA tends to recommend for those seeking to understand the real world of espionage. This is not intended to be a spy thriller by any means or a pastiche of anecdotal accounts from folks in the field. However, colorful, humorous, sometimes disappointing, and often intriguing stories are interspersed throughout the narrative which keep the reading interesting. "Inside the CIA" touches on the Agency's history and development but focuses on Cold War and modern challenges, the personalities behind the decisions, past obstacles, successes and failures. Under DCI William Webster, Kessler was granted significant cooperation and access, both from the upper echelons and from the staff at large. His account does not seek to make friends within the Agency nor does it reek of an anti-Agency agenda. This is a fairly level headed account and solid reference for anyone seeking to build a basic understanding of the intelligence community.

Rating:
Summary: COMPREHENSIVE AND EVENHANDED...
Review: If you're going to read just one book about the C.I.A., this is it. The book provideds ample, succinct, and interesting history, analysis, and a treasure trove of direct quotes from the people who work at the agency. This is the first truly independent author to get cooperation from the company (at least at first), and this is the one book I've foundwhich I can honestly say seems unbiased. He's unshirking in looking at the ugly side, but just as thorough in his coverage of the heroism and success stories. This is also A QUICK AND ENTERTAINING READ; you won't be able to put it down.

Rating:
Summary: A large puzzle pieced a bit a time.
Review: It is obvious from reading this book that Kessler did his homework along with the work assigned to other classes. The book is filled with anecdotes and details that help complete the extensive history and organization of the CIA. At times, he gets a little too specific such as when unnecessarily stating the room and floor of the building for a particular meeting. At other times, these minute details gives credibility and invokes a tour-guide-feel to the author. In addition, the author exhibits an overall positive view of the modern CIA though he does not hesistant to mention the CIA's failures.
As for my personal experience, due to the large number of persons discussed, I found myself flipping back and forth to find out trying to recall a name I passed over before. By the last chapter, the final pieces of the puzzle are put together and what I'm left with is a clear picture of the organization of the CIA along with a slightly blurry image of its history. (I just can't remember all those names.)

Rating:
Summary: Long news paper article
Review: It was like reading a very long newspaper article. 50% of the book was insightfll, the rest of it was just filler.

Rating:
Summary: Book Mill
Review: Kessler created a title that would sell thousands of books even if there was nothing between the covers and then did a less than average job telling the story. In the entire book I found less than 50 pages that were worth my time reading. The remainder was just above "filler" quality. It was repetitive, lacking in focus, poorly written and not very informative. Enormous time was spent on personalities and conversations about unimportant topics. Of course the book is also showing its age which only exaserbates the weakness of the "read". As for being some exciting expose, "fagetaboutit", unless learning the details of the organizational structure of the CIA was high on you list or you cared about what all the spooks thought of each other, or you didn't know that the CIA like every other large government organization spends half its time and money on internal politics, protecting its turf from other agencies, and fighting against the American people and their elected representatives. If you didn't already know how blatantly the CIA had abused their power or how they felt they were above the law of their own country, then skim the book for these riveting revelations. Otherwise, find another form of entertainment.

Rating:
Summary: Not terribly revealing
Review: Kessler's Inside the CIA has more to say about the organization of the Agency than actual spycraft. As such it is hardly an interesting read - in fact, I would venture so far to say that it is downright dull. Kessler laboriously explains the table of organization of the CIA - what the 5 directorates are and what they do (in the abstract) with very little by way of specifics. The few interviews Kessler conducted in his preparation for this book were with former Directors - very little from the "men in the field." Most of the information Kessler presents can easily be found elsewhere, in a much abbreviated form, and at less cost than the book. If you are interested in a book about what the function of the CIA is and how it is organized to carry out its mission, this is the book for you. If you are interested in something about spycraft or are searching for stories about individual CIA operations, look elsewhere. In spite of its catchy title, you will be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Kessler lifts the curtain of secrecy
Review: Ronald Kessler does an outstanding job informing and entertaining the reader. Moreover, "Inside the CIA" is both objective and comprehensive. Kessler uses his remarkable access to key actors in the CIA to lift the Agency's curtain of secrecy. He also dares to expose agency blemishes and is critical of organizational failures. I found his review of the Cold War outstanding and appreciated his detailed breakdown of how each Directorate functions within the Agency. However, the best part of this book is the many first hand accounts from former operatives.

Rating:
Summary: The CIA recommended this book to me!
Review: The Central Intelligence Agency recommended that I read this book! What else need I say? Kessler's novel is extremely comprehensive, and encompasses the most important points of CIA history and function. A must-read for all Americans, especially those who think CIA only stands for the Culinary Institute of America!