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Rating: 
Summary: Depressing information
Review: Kessler is a journalist and his writing reflects this.... "just like one long newspaper article" as someone described it. It is not an official history of the FBI though it is up to you to decide whether Kessler tries to be a historian or not in this book. Kessler had a lot of first hand contact with FBI personalities. Hard to rival his research, and he is most interesting when he weaves these people into the narrative. He has his pantheon of heros and ghouls. Freeh and Sessions are subject to quite a thrashing for impugning the integrity of the organisation. Mueller is his man of the hour -- though how long that will last is anyone's guess. The reading is fast and furious covering the almost 100 yrs of the organisation. There are Nazi spies in the US, the Rosenbergs, Hoover's crossdressing (he dismisses it), Watergate and the Valachi Papers of the Mafia. If you do not know much about these subjects you will be little better informed after reading Kessler -- he blitzes through these subjects with about a page on the Rosenbergs. He is better on later events, but once again, you will find little new on Al-Quaeda here and Sept 11th. His main strength is when he describes the problems of the internal organisation past and present. Hoover for example is assailed for abusing the organisation to perpetuate his rule, but is also praises him for building a strong professional organisation. The text is badly organised and themes need to be worked more. The book tries to be all things to all people about the FBI. It was obviously hurriedly written --- typos are rife and he repeats himself more than he should. That said, I still enjoyed it as my light read for the month. It flows well and does not demand too much attention, you can breeze through it easily. Do not expect too much.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, Good Reading
Review: Kessler is well known for his brutally honest depictions of the CIA, the White House and other areas of government. In this comprehensive history of the Bureau, he covers the administrative capabilities of each director and highlights noteworthy cases. Successes and gaffes are treated honestly and usually characterized by witnesses on both sides. And that's what makes this book really good. Kessler has talked to nearly all of the major players, from the directors down to the field agents. The pros and cons of everyone from Hoover (who, apparently would be serving time right now, if still alive ;-) to Freeh and Mueller are openly discussed with dissenting sides encouraged to speak. If you're interested in discovering Hoover, the FBI and M.L. King, David Koresh, Oklahoma City, 9/11, and many more historical topics, _The Bureau_ will be an intriguing read. Histories of governmental institutions shouldn't be this entertaining! This is an excellent, yet unvarnished, history of the greatest crime-fighting institution the world has ever seen.
Rating: 
Summary: Highly-readable & exhaustive
Review: Kessler's unique talent is to deliver pages of seemingly dry material in an informative, exciting narrative. The subtitle of this book is apt - Kessler reveals much "secret history" that may not be known to the average reader. The facts are often chilling and resonate with Kessler's authoritative, well-researched tone and style. Here he answers tough questions about 9/11, terrorism, J. Edgar Hoover's shameless blackmailing tactics and the counter-espionage techniques used by the FBI. Recommended as a single-volume, readable and timely history of "The Bureau." David R. Bannon, Ph.D.; author, "Race Against Evil."
Rating: 
Summary: Serious History of the FBI
Review: Much admired and widely feared, the FBI has loomed large in the American consciousness for three generations. "The Bureau" has always been held to a much higher standard than any other intelligence or law-enforcement agency. Because of its reputation as an organization of the highest integrity and professionalism, the FBI has always attracted excellent recruits to become its agents; and yet its management has often been unable to live up to its ideals, leaving the agents in the field to carry the burden of its reputation. Whatever the findings of the 9/11 Commission, the FBI will continue to be America's best hope for protection in the new world of 21st Century terrorism. This book takes us up to Robert Mueller's confirmation and the immediate aftermath of the WTC attacks, and is an important addition to our knowledge of our premier law-enforcement agency as it struggles to adapt to post-Cold War realities. The story of the FBI is the story of its Directors: •1908 - 1923Formation
Started by TR's AG who was tired of having to call on the Secret Service for investigative support, agents were originally neither allowed to carry weapons nor to make arrests. •1924 - 1972J. Edgar Hoover
For 48 years Hoover was "The Director". Hoover was responsible for creating the idea of the FBI that we all know and that attracted America's best to its agent force. It was a great institution Hoover created, but he himself was guilty of much unseemly behavior including political blackmail. •1972 - 1973L. Patrick Grey
Named acting Director by Richard Nixon after Hoover's death, Grey represented the lowest ebb of FBI management, giving secret Watergate information to White House Counsel John Dean and destroying evidence. The great beating heart of the agent force was most evident during this sorry period, however: they continued faithfully the investigations that ultimately were the downfall of their boss, Grey, his boss, Attorney General Mitchell, as well as President Nixon himself. •1973 - 1978Clarence Kelley
An ex-agent himself, Kelley began the process of bringing the FBI's behavior at all levels back into line with its reputation. But he was politically insensitive during an exceptionally turbulent period, and stayed fewer than 5 years. •1978 - 1987William Webster
Appointed by President Carter, Webster oversaw a period of great renewal. Largely as a result of his excellent results at the FBI, President Reagan appointed Webster to run the CIA, which was the FBI's great loss. •1987 - 1993William Sessions
Sessions was fired by President Clinton after a DOJ report detailed numerous instances of corruption and poor judgment. Sessions initially refused to leave and afterwards carried on an attempt to blame jealousy inside the FBI for his problems, the last of which was the Branch Davidian disaster in Waco, Texas. •1993 - 2001Louis Freeh
A former agent and a US Attorney under Rudy Giuliani, Louis Freeh was an agent's agent. But it soon became clear he was not competent to manage a large organization. He hated technology: removing the computer from his office, he didn't use email and refused to allow agents access to the Internet. Freeh gave us "Filegate", mishandled the Ruby Ridge, Waco and Wen Ho Lee investigations, and leaked an internal memo supporting an independent counsel, thereby alienating Republicans and Democrats alike. •2001 - Robert Mueller
Confirmed less than a month before 9/11, Mueller took over when the FBI faced its greatest crisis ever. Early press clippings have been favorable but he has already presided over a $1 billion technology-upgrade failure. The FBI desperately needs leadership and Kessler is a fan; America can only hope. The sub title of this book "The Secret History ..." is overly melodramatic. This is a solid history of the FBI and well worth reading by anyone with an interest in the subject.
Rating:
Summary: Serious History of the FBI
Review: Much admired and widely feared, the FBI has loomed large in the American consciousness for three generations. "The Bureau" has always been held to a much higher standard than any other intelligence or law-enforcement agency. Because of its reputation as an organization of the highest integrity and professionalism, the FBI has always attracted excellent recruits to become its agents; and yet its management has often been unable to live up to its ideals, leaving the agents in the field to carry the burden of its reputation. Whatever the findings of the 9/11 Commission, the FBI will continue to be America's best hope for protection in the new world of 21st Century terrorism. This book takes us up to Robert Mueller's confirmation and the immediate aftermath of the WTC attacks, and is an important addition to our knowledge of our premier law-enforcement agency as it struggles to adapt to post-Cold War realities. The story of the FBI is the story of its Directors: * 1908 - 1923 Formation
Started by TR's AG who was tired of having to call on the Secret Service for investigative support, agents were originally neither allowed to carry weapons nor to make arrests. * 1924 - 1972 J. Edgar Hoover
For 48 years Hoover was "The Director". Hoover was responsible for creating the idea of the FBI that we all know and that attracted America's best to its agent force. It was a great institution Hoover created, but he himself was guilty of much unseemly behavior including political blackmail. * 1972 - 1973 L. Patrick Grey
Named acting Director by Richard Nixon after Hoover's death, Grey represented the lowest ebb of FBI management, giving secret Watergate information to White House Counsel John Dean and destroying evidence. The great beating heart of the agent force was most evident during this sorry period, however: they continued faithfully the investigations that ultimately were the downfall of their boss, Grey, his boss, Attorney General Mitchell, as well as President Nixon himself. * 1973 - 1978 Clarence Kelley
An ex-agent himself, Kelley began the process of bringing the FBI's behavior at all levels back into line with its reputation. But he was politically insensitive during an exceptionally turbulent period, and stayed fewer than 5 years. * 1978 - 1987 William Webster
Appointed by President Carter, Webster oversaw a period of great renewal. Largely as a result of his excellent results at the FBI, President Reagan appointed Webster to run the CIA, which was the FBI's great loss. * 1987 - 1993 William Sessions
Sessions was fired by President Clinton after a DOJ report detailed numerous instances of corruption and poor judgment. Sessions initially refused to leave and afterwards carried on an attempt to blame jealousy inside the FBI for his problems, the last of which was the Branch Davidian disaster in Waco, Texas. * 1993 - 2001 Louis Freeh
A former agent and a US Attorney under Rudy Giuliani, Louis Freeh was an agent's agent. But it soon became clear he was not competent to manage a large organization. He hated technology: removing the computer from his office, he didn't use email and refused to allow agents access to the Internet. Freeh gave us "Filegate", mishandled the Ruby Ridge, Waco and Wen Ho Lee investigations, and leaked an internal memo supporting an independent counsel, thereby alienating Republicans and Democrats alike. * 2001 - Robert Mueller
Confirmed less than a month before 9/11, Mueller took over when the FBI faced its greatest crisis ever. Early press clippings have been favorable but he has already presided over a $1 billion technology-upgrade failure. The FBI desperately needs leadership and Kessler is a fan; America can only hope. The sub title of this book "The Secret History ..." is overly melodramatic. This is a solid history of the FBI and well worth reading by anyone with an interest in the subject.
Rating:
Summary: the quality, and the limits, of New York Times journalism
Review: The best parts of the book are on recent decades of the FBI, particularly its directors. But Kessler is so childishly thrilled with his access to FBI headquarters - - "I spent most of a day at the training facility - shooting the Glock semiautomatic" - - that you must be sceptical about his glowing portrait of the incumbent, Robert Mueller. Nevertheless, there is plenty of good material, including a comprehensive demolition of Anthony Summers' evidence for J Edgar Hoover's supposed cross-dressing. And he is eloquent in denouncing the jailing of innocent men for a Mafia murder which FBI agents knew had been committed by others.
But such abuses are written off as the work of a few bad apples in an institution which has its heart in the right place. This reassuring vision has no room to even mention allegations that, as part of its COINTELPRO programme, the FBI organized the assassinations of Fred Hampton and other Black Panthers. In the same spirit, the main text explains how investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks concluded that the spores were probably from the USA's own biological warfare labs; but the epilogue, written a year later, has nothing to say about how the investigation developed from there; or why it didn't.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, Good Reading
Review: This book seems to be divided into two sections: the first half deals with the FBI under the stewardship of J. Edgar Hoover; the second half deals with the FBI under each of the different heads after Hoover died. I enjoyed the part about Hoover better than the second half. It shows the rise of the FBI and talks about the iron-fisted leadership under Hoover (and what a grand schemer and blackmailer he was). The second half leaves you wondering how the FBI has made it this far today - with its spies, 10 year old computer systems, misguided direction under Freeh and Sessions. These stories in the second half of the book suggests that the FBI has survived despite itself! The book is worth reading - not the great book that others describe, but not bad either. It's worth a read if you want to know about the FBI history.
Rating:
Summary: hard-hitting yet sympathetic history of the FBI's dirty side
Review: This is a sympathetic yet hard-hitting account of the dirty underbelly of the FBI, which from its very founding has had corrupt leaders, dishonest dealings, worked as a secret police force similar to those of Russia and East Germany, engaged in dirty tricks campaigns, broken the law, and looked the other way while crimes--including murder--have been committed. Kessler has had remarkable access into the FBI and support in his research from many principals involved, and the book makes it clear that there have been some attempts--partially if not completely successful--to clean up the organization and make it respectable. FBI Directors Clarence Kelley, William Webster, and Robert Mueller come in for praise, but the other directors all come across as venal, corrupt, idiotic, or incompetent (the worst offenders being J. Edgar Hoover, William Sessions, Louis Freeh, and L. Patrick Gray). I highly recommend this book.
One omission: There were a number of dirty tricks by the FBI against the Yippies, including fabricating a "wanted" poster with a swastika and photographs of Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Paul Krassner, and Mark Rudd, under the headline "Lampshades! Lampshades!", stating that "the only solution to Negro problems in America would be the elimination of the Jews." This poster was intended to create dissent between black radicals and the Yippies (and perhaps to result in assassinations of those pictured). Also omitted was the approval by senior FBI officials under Hoover (Katha DeLoach and William Sullivan) to send a fake letter to Life magazine (under the name "Howard Rasmussen, Brooklyn College, School of General Studies") railing against Krassner, at that time editor of The Realist, calling him "a raving, unconfined nut" (which Krassner then used for the title of his autobiography).
I also thought that Kessler was a bit TOO sympathetic to the FBI at the end, when he unreservedly endorses the U.S. PATRIOT Act and gives short shrift to concerns by civil libertarians.
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Management Study Of The FBI
Review: While you would think the FBI has a clear purpose and mandate, this book reveals how various directors subverted that intent and have dangerously steered the institution off course. From the illegal acts of Hoover to the incompetence of William Sessions, this book is a fascinating and frightening examination of what happens when the wrong people are put in charge. It is baffling to realize that Louis Freeh's resistance to improving technology left the FBI with a computer infrastructure completely outdated as we entered the post 9/11 era. For example, the FBI was using personal computers with Intel 386 and 486 processors as any organization that relied upon data had moved onto high powered Intel Pentium processors and more powerful software. The larger concept of mainframes, databases, networks and the ability to effectively disseminate information between offices was woefully inadequate as well. The FBI's lack of adequate computer resources slowed the post 9/11 investigation. Freeh's negligence in this area is inexplicable considering the threats we now face as a nation. Thank god for directors William Webster and current director Robert Mueller who put ego aside and manage(d) the institution as the public would expect. The insight into the various directors and their impact on the bureau is fascinating. Kessler highlights many of the prominent cases throughout the history of the FBI. This is an even handed look at the FBI, reporting the facts and letting the chips fall as they may. One comes away with admiration and respect for the individual agents who have succeeded in their jobs, despite often having to endure idiotic rules and procedures produced by a dysfunctional culture often imposed by the director. The only criticism of the book is the limited reporting on the FBI's role in the Kennedy assassination / investigation. However, with the numerous conspiracy theories in debate, it is perhaps best that a more detailed review is left to other authors, as the subject could easily be a book in itself.
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