The Complete Idiot's Guide to Spies and Espionage [Paperback]

Rodney Carlisle Ph.D. (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Complete Idiot's Guide | Publication Date: April 1, 2003

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Spies & Espionage is a a fascinating look at spies and espionage of the 20th century.

Covers the Zimmerman note in World War I, Pearl Harbor's impact on U.S. intelligence planning, the role of the OSS in World War II, atomic spies and American moles in Washington, McCarthy and the professional anti-Communists, intelligence in the Gulf War, Robert Hanssen and Wen Ho Lee, and intelligence in the War on Terror.

Offers a comprehensive look as well as fascinating details, from surveillance techniques and espionage equipment to the myths and realities.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rodney Carlisle, Ph.D., is the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide[registered] to Communism and is chair of the Department of History at Rutgers University. His areas of specialization are 20th-century American political history and the history of military technology and intelligence. He is vice president and co-founder of History Associates Incorporated of Rockville, MD. Among the other books he has authored are Encyclopedia of the Atomic Age and Brandy, Our Man in Acapulco.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028644182
• ISBN-13: 978-0028644189
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,133,091 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introductory book to the world of espionage, February 27, 2006

By 

Sean May (Muncie, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Spies and Espionage (Paperback)

The "Idiot's Guide" books have the worst name ever. If anyone spots you reading one of these bright orange tomes, they more than likely think you are an idiot.
That's really not the case with this book. The guide to Spies and Espionage is an amazing intro to the field of espionage and international spying. Everything is presented clearly and with proper writing style (not too playful, not too stiff). For those looking for tons of gadgets and movie-like action, you may be disappointed, as the book focuses more on the history of spying rather than the procedures and rules of the game. Thrilling missions and incidents are retold with detail, yet also they are very brief. The book seems to strike a perfect balance without getting bogged down at all. You can breeze through a few chapters in an hour and still learn a great deal.
Again, as I said, a great jumping off point for anyone interested in the field

2 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Bad, April 17, 2005

By 

Peter M. Binaxas "PMB" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Spies and Espionage (Paperback)

A pretty good brief history with a good lesson in terms and trade craft.
Has some good event history.