Customer Reviews

The Ultimate Spy Book

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I would like to consider myself an avid reader of both fiction and non-fiction pertaining to the world of espionage. In light of this, I, having read many, many books on the topic, would have to rate this as quite possibly the best. Though many other books have been written in an "encyclopedia" form concerning the Intelligence community and spying, THE ULTIMATE SPY BOOK is very concise, informative, and generally provided me with what I was looking for. Kudos to H. Keith Melton on a superb book.

Very well researched and organized. Technically accurate. Just the right mix of history, technology, and crisp photography to give you that "you are there" feeling.

Many of the items Mr. Melton shares are so rare that one would never have the chance to see them (or even know of them) were it not for this book. The "fine wire kit" is one example of this.

The Ultimate Spy Book is not just for espionage groupies either. Ages 8 to 80+ everyone will find it fascinating.

H. Keith Melton's account is amazing! Explains how they recruit spy, the types of undercover agents,famous spying operations,the gear, and a section on training. The gear is amazing, and half of it requires a permit. Silenced weapons, gas guns and all kinds of bugs ( listening devices). Recommended for anyone with the slightest intrest in special operations. Has 2 high-profile forwards, by a former CIA head and a former KGB head.

What a treasure trove this book is. I can't imagine how the author amassed this collection - it must have taken many years and a lot of money. It is overwhelming in its comprehensive survey of the various technical disciplines associated with espionage. A great service was done here, especially for the layman who only suspects that a lot of these devices exist. What a wonderful afternoon I spent going through it. Thanks Mr. Melton!

My use of the book was for research, and for this it was an excellent tool. Of course the pictures were an important part of the book, and helped me understand what things such as "night vision" and "microdots" really were. My only regrets were that the book didn't go any furthure into some of the topics it discussed, but all in all it was very helpful. The information was still concise, however, and I read the whole thing as it was very interesting.

H. Keith Melton has literally produced "The Ultimate Spy Book!" This book is very informative on not only a large collection of tools of the trade, but chock-full of short write-ups on famous spies and missions performed during the days of spy and counterspy. Everything from silenced weapons to entry devices to sabotage devices. Almost every item listed is accompanied by color photos and a description of the item's application in wartime operations. No matter what your interest in the clandestine world of the Cold War is, this book is a must-have resource!

This is really more a correction than a review. "Bagman" states in his review that the Nagant revolver shown in the book could not be silenced because of the cylinder gap typical of most revolvers, which would let noisy expanding gases escape. With any other revolver, this would hold true, but the Nagant revolver's unique feature is its gas-seal design. All revolvers, upon firing, leak gas from between the chamber mouth and the forcing cone. The Nagant, however, was gas-tight, because of a unique mechanical arrangement where the cylinder is cammed forward upon cocking -- tucking the coned breach end of the barrel into the mouth of the aligned chamber and enclosing the mouth of the cartridge casing. The expanding super-hot gases generated by the discharge of the round would cause the case mouth to expand against the inside of the forcing cone, forming a gas-tight seal, conserving the expanding gases propelling the bullet, improving muzzle velocity, and allowing use of a muzzle-mounted noise suppressor or "silencer."

The Ultimate Spy Book manages to cram a lot of information into a slender volume. It covers a wide range of subjects, from the history of espionage to "gadgets" to how espionage actually works. The entries are brief but surprisingly informative, and the illustrations enhance one's enjoyment of the whole thing.

Anyone who reads this book will be amazed by the unlimited imagination of man. The ways spies find to conceal and miniaturize their equipment are unbelievable. After reading this book, you'll never laugh at James Bond's gadgets. Those films don't show a fraction of it. I must say that this book's highest point is the graphic and design: the book is big, good for a coffe table, has a sleeve cover, the paper is of the finest possible, the pictures are clear, everything following the Dorling-Kindersley tradition. The introductory texts and the history of espionage I thought that were a little confuse and vague, so be warned: the book is remarkable by the equipment part (the longest section, more than half of it, I think), but if you want an insight look at history and info of espionage look out for another book. All in all, a good job by this Melton guy, he really got into the work of finding the stuff.

I am deeply interested in James Bond ,but I wanted more of the real information . For Christmas I recieved this book as a present from my Grandmother . As soon as I opened the book , I couldn't stop reading. You must understand that I am only twelve , so naturally I would go look at the pictures , but this time I was interested in the writing . I recommend this book for people of all ages . Damon Jame