Ultimate Spy (expanded) (Hardcover)

by H. Keith Melton (Author), Richard Helms (Foreword), Markus Wolf (Foreword) "THE SPECIFIC ACT of gathering information from an enemy is rarely carried out by an intelligence officer in person..." (more)
Key Phrases: microdot camera, dead drop site, subminiature cameras, World War, United States, Soviet Union (more...)

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.

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.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT; 2 Revised edition (October 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789489724
• ISBN-13: 978-0789489722
• Product Dimensions: 5.6 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #665,249 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 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 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.

18 of 20 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 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.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great photographs, interesting reading, May 23, 2003

By	Mark L. Mckibben "Manzabar" (Cedar Rapids, Iowa USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was given this book as a gift and think the photographs in it are absolutely great! The text that accompanies all the photos is interesting, but I've noticed more than just a few spots in the book where the captions to the photos stops in mid-sentence. I still love the book and if those captions were complete; it would rate 5 stars.