The authorized history of the world's oldest and most storied foreign intelligence service, drawing extensively on hitherto secret documents

Britain's Special Intelligence Service, commonly called MI6, is not only the oldest and most storied foreign intelligence unit in the world - it is also the only one to open its archives to an outside researcher. The result, in this authorized history, is an unprecedented and revelatory look at an organization that essentially created, over the course of two world wars, the modern craft of spying. Here are the true stories that inspired Ian Fleming's James Bond's novels and John le Carré George Smiley novels. Examining innovations from invisible ink and industrial-scale cryptography to dramatic setbacks like the Nazi sting operations to bag British operatives, this groundbreaking history is as engrossing as any thriller - and much more revealing.

"Perhaps the most authentic account one will ever read about how intelligence really works." -The Washington Times

From the Trade Paperback edition.

Length: 832 pages	Word Wise: Enabled	Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
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Product Details

File Size: 5729 KB
Print Length: 832 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books; Reprint edition (September 21, 2010)
Publication Date: September 21, 2010
Language: English
ASIN: B0043RSKIA
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

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Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

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Customer Reviews

2.7 out of 5 stars

5 star		11%
4 star		26%
3 star		12%
2 star		24%
1 star		27%

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Top Customer Reviews

License to spy

BywoganTOP 500 REVIEWERon October 12, 2010

Format: Hardcover

Keith Jeffery accepted the task of writing the history of MI-6, the SIS (Secret Intelligence Service) from the SIS itself, who wished to "commission an independent and authoritative volume" on the anniversary of their centenary. The history covers the beginnings from 1909, with the worries over an aggressive Germany to 1949. The reason for stopping at 1949 are given in a well written forward and preface - mainly that after that date there are still too many facts that are security sensitive. There are also explanations of how and why the agents and people who have worked for the SIS are protected. Many times only initials are used, and it is admitted that some stories had to be omitted because of the fear of identifying agents.
There is a much needed list of abbreviations and what they stand for and a detailed index. There are some illustrations and diagrams throughout the reading and two sections of photographs.

Jeffery says he was given unrestricted access to the archives, however, it has been the practice to destroy huge numbers of documents once their usefulness was up... how that is determined is never explained. This is not a book containing stories of daring and master spy techniques, instead it reads more like a government report; and in many ways that is its' failing. There is only accuracy rather than, also the appeal of and recollection of operations completed. The writing does rise above the drudgery in explaining how agents should work, some accounts of wartime activities and in some incidents, such as the search for invisible ink; but these 752 pages are extremely dry and mainly contain a recitation of who headed the agency, what they and their subordinates did and why; explanations of different reports and the organization of the agency and attempts to combine the agency with other government bureaus. None of the exhilaration of the job or work well done comes through.

The details are fully and firmly about Great Britain, little is mentioned of interactions and cooperation with other countries, other than in the conclusion, where there are 5 or 6 pages about the relationship with the CIA. If there is a comment it usually consists of, "which also involved United States (or whatever country) participation".
Those who wish to learn the bureaucratic details of the SIS- MI6 would indeed enjoy reading through this book.

22 comments 55 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Spy agency, history

ByJorge A. Fragolaon October 18, 2010

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Very good book. I've read other books on the subject and I find this one very interesting. However there is one caveat, that it only goes to 1949, therefor leaving what perhaps is one of the most intriguing part of the of the history of MI6. That is of the Cold War and the moles in the service. Also another caveat is that this is "an official story", with a pre-selected author. The author reports that he was given complete access to existing files from that era, but the names an identities were changed when necessary. While this presumably gives accuracy to the book, and it probably does, the reader will never know for sure what kind of 'pressure" was put on an approved author on certain topics. Nevertheless is excellent reading. Compares favorably to S. Power works.

22 comments 18 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Sadly, I book I could barely finish

ByTheresa Nelsonon April 29, 2014

Format: Paperback

Having read positive reviews for this, and being interested in the reality of how intelligence really works, I began this book. Sadly, it was unbelievably dull, detailed in all the worst ways, and managed to wrench whatever excitement or intrigue existed in the field to leave only the dullest and most bureaucratic of stories. It was like a slog through the driest textbook ever, and had an exam been required I would have failed, despite having read a lot of history in my time. When you have text that drones on about who took minutes at the meeting with the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Home Office about possible consolidation of SIS with MI5, it simply fails to engage. Nothing about the drama that must have been part of breaking the Enigma code, little about the personal danger faced by agents (except related in the most clinical fashion) and forget anything like the technical advances that assisted in the world of spying (no "Q" here). Perhaps this is useful as a purely historical document of who met with whom when to discuss what about the 1927 budget for the SIS, but if you are looking for insights into how the British built an effective and renowned spy organization, this is not it.

11 comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Most Recent Customer Reviews

Thorough

Thorough review of SIS history, though a bit repetitive at times. Would recommend to anyone who is interested in WWII.

Published 1 month ago by Niki Shields

page after page after boring page.

holy bureaucratic infighting.....page after page after boring page...1300 + pages worth of sheer and utter garbage.

Published 6 months ago by Amazon Customer

Two Stars

This book/study would be good as a class or group project

Published 6 months ago by Amazon Customer

Great to read the history and politics behind a great asset.

The final pages being the names of all from A to Z, otherwise a great book, would recommend for research.

Published 1 year ago by Family

The remaining 35 hours are taken by a very long and boring list of who was in charge of which department ...

Should have been titled "The Secret History of MI6 Bureaucracy and Administrative Infighting". All the operative information would occupy 1 very short chapter.Read more

Published 1 year ago by Little Buffalo

Two Stars

Far too scholarly for my purposes

Published 1 year ago by Wanda Long

Watch the BookTV interview and decide.

I merely wish to give the link to the BookTv broadcast: http://www.booktv.org/Watch/11885/The+Secret+History+of+MI6+19091949.aspx.Read more

Published 1 year ago by George B. Purdy

Stale, bureaucratic story of the British SIS

I'm sure that in time these details will grow in value as the wider and more complicated, operational story of the SIS is known.

Published on May 24, 2014 by Samuel R. Lammie

A Textbook

If you have a great fascination with the secret service in Britain, then this book is for you. It is advertised as almost like a fast-paced, James Bond-type of non fiction...

Published on May 12, 2013 by Mike100274

No James Bond, rather reality included

This is a fascinating book that outlines in considerable detail the history of MI6 for its first 40 years.Read more

Published on November 28, 2012 by David W. Nicholas

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