The Great Game: The Myths and Reality of Espionage [Paperback]

Frederick P. Hitz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 10, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0375726381 | ISBN-13: 978-0375726385

In this riveting insider’s account, a former inspector general of the CIA compares actual espionage cases and practices with classic and popular spy fiction, showing that the real world of espionage is nearly always stranger and more complicated than even the best spy fiction.Exploring everything from tradecraft and recruitment to bureaucracy and betrayal, The Great Game contrasts fictional spies created by such authors as John Le Carr?, Tom Clancy and Joseph Conrad with their real-life counterparts from Kim Philby to Aldrich Ames. Drawing on his thirty year career with the CIA, Frederick P. Hitz shows that even the most imaginative authors fail to capture the profound human dilemmas raised by real-life cases. Engaging and insightful, The Great Game shines a fascinating light on the veiled history of intelligence.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A lucid overview of 20th-century espionage that says more about the great game as it was played by Americans and their allies and adversaries than just about anything else ever published.” –The Washington Post Book World

“Absorbing . . . A hit for the avid spy-fiction reader. . . . A can’t miss for Clancy fans.” --Detroit Free Press

“Hitz . . . shows [that] nothing is certain in the shadow world of spies and betrayals, not even the truth.” --The New York Times

“Hitz is at his best when he reveals juicy details of intelligence lapses. . . . He has genuine insight into the inner workings of intelligence bureaucracy.” --San Francisco Chronicle

“A good read and good fun and quite informative. . . . By weaving together reality and image, the author provides insights into espionage unlikely to be obtained elsewhere.” –James Schlesinger, former secretary of defense and former director of the Central Intelligence Agency

“A delightful little jewel of a book. . . . A steady stream of insdier’s reflections, including details regarding American traitors, makes this not only a smooth and entertaining read, but a handy reference work.” –The Roanoke Times

“Hitz is a strong researcher who can turn a nifty phrase. . . . Enjoyable and useful.” –St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Informative and entertaining.” –Publishers Weekly

“Perfect for spy-story fans who crave an insider’s assessment of the reality behind the enetertainment.” –Booklist

“A slender but rich–and quite entertaining–introduction to the shadowy world of spy vs. spy. . . . A perfect companion for fans of John le Carr?.” –Kirkus Reviews (starred)

About the Author

Frederick P. Hitz was born in Washington, D.C., and graduated from Princeton and Harvard Law School. He entered the Central Intelligence Agency as an operations officer in 1967, and Aldrich Ames was in his training class. After 1973 he served at the Departments of State, Defense, and Energy, leading to a second stint with the CIA from 1978 to 1982 as legislative counsel to the director of Central Intelligence and deputy chief of operations for Europe. In 1990, Hitz was appointed the first stautory inspector general of the CIA by President Bush and served in this post until May 1998, when he retired to begin a teaching career at the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University. Hitz has received medals for distinguished service in the Department of Defense and the Defense Intelligence Agency's Distinguished Medal. He lives in northern Virginia.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (May 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375726381
• ISBN-13: 978-0375726385
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,077 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #77 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > True Accounts > Espionage

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An Insider's Introduction...., August 20, 2008

By 

D. S. Thurlow (Alaska) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Game: The Myths and Reality of Espionage (Paperback)

In 2004's "The Great Game", author Frederick Hitz faces the inevitable challenge of every former intelligence officer in discussing his trade: much of what he knows is likely still classified. In preparing a class on intelligence for university students, Hitz chose an interesting way to approach this challenge. He compars our popular view of espionage as presented in novels and film with real-life declassified cases, mostly from the Cold War. The result is a concise, well-written, and fascinating introduction into the intelligence business.

Hitz systematically examines a variety of topics: recruitment, betrayal, bureaucracy, counterintelligence, and a variety of aspects of tradecraft, both human and technical. He enlivens his narrative with fictional examples from a century's worth of spy fiction, from Rudyard Kipling's "Kim" to the latest John LeCarre and Tom Clancy novels. His real life points of comparison include Russians who spied for the US (Popov and Penkovsky) and Americans who spied for the Soviets (Ames and Hanssen). His examples are drawn primarily from American and British spy fiction and actual espionage.

Many of Hitz's more thoughtful insights are those of a Cold War veteran who watched others squeezed by the pressures of double and even triple lives, or were undermined by doubts in their respective causes. He knowledges that much of espionage can be redundant or futile, but he is quick to note that good intelligence is often essential to national survival. His closing chapters address the new and different challenge of fanatical non-nation state threats like al-Qaeda.

"The Great Game" is highly recommended as an accessible introduction to the intelligence business.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good - and frustrating, September 30, 2010

By 

John Nordin (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Great Game: The Myths and Reality of Espionage (Paperback)

I liked and enjoyed this book, and have no quarrel with any of its factual claims. I did, however find it (mildly) frustrating. This has to do with it's organization. I came to the book, noting its engagement with spy fiction, and hoping for suggestions on what to read! The book is organized by aspect of espionage and for each, the author discusses various real cases and makes comparisons to a select group of spy fiction.

But, the result is that it is the same group of spy novels that are examined over and over. The inevitable Le Carre is referred to quite often, as expected, as are a few other famous authors. And to be sure, a number of lesser known lights are mentioned. But the thematic organization means that you have to read the entire book to find them. Some authors are mentioned only once in passing.

Now, the author would be entirely within his rights to object that I have critiqued the book for not doing something the author never intended to do. Fair enough, as it is not exactly billed as a comprehensive review of spy novels, either. Just pointing out how it is put together.

The book is a fun and interesting read.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From one who was there, May 5, 2010

By 

Merlin43 "=DrD=" (Traveling) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Great Game: The Myths and Reality of Espionage (Paperback)

This book, along with "Why Spy" covers topics that were within my professional purview in the 1960's and, thus, I will attest to the accuracy of the author's discourse. The business can be boring, deadly, even historic, but it has been and remains necessary. I recommend this work to anyone looking for a good introduction to a delicate topic.