Ultimate Spy [Paperback]

H. Keith Melton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2006

From the Civil War to the present day, learn about famous spies throughout history, how they were recruited, and what really happened in some of their most daring missions in history.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

At once newly relevant in the age of Homeland Security, and eternally fascinating by dint of its sneakiness, the espionage game find concise historical and taxonomical representation in this revised edition of the 1996 original, a picture book of spy tools through the ages. Proceeding from the Civil War to the Hanssen era, each page follows the same formula of coupling flat photographs of the implements of spying with bite-size descriptions running alongside. Among the gadgets profiled are the "induction telephone tap" (a device clamped to an external phone cable for difficult-to-detect tapping) and the "rectal tool kit" (a lozenge-shaped plastic case containing, among other things, a saw blade, grinding tool and drill bit, all packaged for discrete transport). An introduction by former Director of the CIA Helms lends a certain adult credibility to this photo-encyclopedia, but really it seems aimed at the inner child lurking in every war buff and Robert Ludlum-ite in business class.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Significant events impacting the world of espionage have happened since the previous edition of this book (DK, 1996). Just within the past two years, the Hanssen case made headlines, and intense focus has been put on counterterrorist measures. These items and more are included here. Added to the material on spy history is a section on post-Cold War happenings, and gadget-philes will drool over the greatly expanded "Equipment and Techniques" section. Also, the identity of the inspiration for Ian Fleming's "Q" character in the James Bond novels is revealed in a neat little biography. Fans of the previous Ultimate Spy will be happy to see that the superb pictorial layout of the Enigma machine is still here along with step-by-step photos of how to operate it. The format remains the same: easy-to-digest text supplemented with an abundance of crisp, eye-catching photos. Detracting slightly from the book are a couple of captions that were complete in the earlier edition, but are missing the last sentence in this one. Still, this volume is a sure winner for reluctant readers, and even those libraries with the earlier version should consider adding this updated edition to their collections.
Sheila Shoup, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0756618975
• ISBN-13: 978-0756618971
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 0.6 x 11 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #761,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Reference Book -- Excellent Read, February 19, 2003

By 

James Halon (Schererville, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimate Spy (expanded) (Hardcover)

This book was given to me as a Christmas gift this past year. As a writer of Spy Fiction ("The Malagasy Tortoise"), this book has given me a wonderful and exacting insight to the many gizmos and gadgets being used in the field of spying. From weapons to decoding devices "The Ultimate Spy" has it all. I recommend this book to anyone interested in anything clandestine or who is looking to expand their knowledge of the CIA, the FBI or the private sector of spying. This book is loaded with excellent photos of spy personalities, guns, secret hiding spots, good guys and bad guys -- everything is in here to make yourself a fantastic investigation. An exceptional book, one that I now keep right next to my computer.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating reading (and viewing of the many illustrations), November 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Ultimate Spy (expanded) (Hardcover)

This book--by a real expert in the field--has a unique combination of pictures, words, and topics. It is magnificently illustrated, making it easier to understand a complex subject. The text is accurate and informative, but not too wordy, and the reader can skip around to whichever topics interest him or her the most. The topics covered in this book range from the basics of espionage to the history of spying to examples of spy gear used over the last several decades to the latest in spy technology. This book will interest both those with little background in the world of spying and those who have already studied it a great deal. The collection of illustrations in this book is definitely the best available anywhere.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Images and descriptions but does need to be re-proofed, April 25, 2006

By 

Hazeman (Mid America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ultimate Spy (expanded) (Hardcover)

This book is filled with excellent photos with great descriptions. The best historical book on spy hardware that I have ever seen. It does need to be re-proof read though... I noticed at least 3 spots where the text just ends in mid sentence which seemed really odd for a book of this caliber. It's just a minor irritation but otherwise it's a 5 star book.