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Victor Ostrovsky

Claire Hoy

By Way of Deception : The Making and Unmaking of a Mossad Officer Hardcover – September 1, 1990

by Victor Ostrovsky (Author), Claire Hoy (Author)

238 ratings

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Print length

371 pages
Language

English
Publisher

St Martins Pr
Publication date

September 1, 1990
Dimensions

7.87 x 5.51 x 1.57 inches
ISBN-10

0312056133
ISBN-13

978-0312056131
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Intelligence agencies should never try to ban books about themselves. Like Peter Wright's Spycatcher (Penguin USA, 1987), which was suppressed in Britain , this book on Israel's legendary spy organization by a former Mossad katsa or case officer has ended up on the New York Times best seller list. Among the controversial revelations that led Israel to seek a ban (which was quickly overturned in the United States and Canada) is Ostrovsky's charge that the Mossad refused to share knowledge of a planned suicide mission in Beirut, resulting in the deaths of 241 U.S. Marines in 1983. Another New York Times best seller, Dan Raviv and Yossi Melman's Every Spy a Prince ( LJ 7/90), provides more reliable details on Israel's spy network.
- Wilda Wil liams, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ St Martins Pr; 1st U.S. ed edition (September 1, 1990)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 371 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0312056133
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312056131
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.53 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.87 x 5.51 x 1.57 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #602,884 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #637 in Espionage True Accounts
- #750 in African Politics
- #800 in Israel & Palestine History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
238 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		71%
4 star		13%
3 star		8%
2 star		3%
1 star		5%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Ranger Book Reviews

Interesting insider view of the Mossad; a somewhat biased perspective, but a fascinating read

Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2017

Verified Purchase

It's incredible that Victor Ostrovsky's memoir of life inside one of the most secretive intelligence agencies on earth is still eminently readable and selling well since it was first published in 1990. Kindle and paperback versions are still available via Ostrovsky's own small press publishing house. Having read several books about the Mossad, I was looking for something different. I heard of Ostrovsky via YouTube -- where a treasure trove of Ostrovsky interviews and speeches can be found on subjects ranging from Israeli national security to intelligence operations to post-911 counter-terrorism (for many years he was the go-to man for news agencies looking for a Mossad insider). I found his books and discovered Ostrovsky's work is certainly different. Because unlike other memoirs by former Mossad agents, "By Way of Deception" is the personal narrative of a disgruntled former katsa (case officer), one who left the service under a cloud, with bones to pick and unafraid to name names. For a variety of reasons, some alarming, others somewhat self-serving, Ostrovsky fell out with his employer and eventually left Israel for the life of a writer and artist in Arizona USA. I won't spoil the reader by trying to explain all the whys because I think people should read his book. Besides being a memoir, Ostrovsky shares organizational and supposed tradecraft secrets that one assumes must have been highly classified at the time of publication (unless his entire publishing career is just a huge disinformation campaign -- a real possibility!). He also shares some conspiratorial concepts about secret intelligence agencies that will be familiar to readers of Victor Suvorov (KGB/GRU), Lev Timofeyev (KGB), Fletcher Prouty (CIA), David Talbot (CIA) and others worth comparing with. Ostrovsky is a decent non-fiction memoirist but having read his fiction before (several self-published novels; not very well written) I assume Claire Hoy did the heavy lifting to make this the fast-moving and fascinating read that it is. But it's Ostrovsky's book nonetheless. In fact, Ostrovsky followed this up with a sequel, The Other Side of Deception, that I hope to read soon. I know a little about intelligence myself and have spent some time in Israel so this book was right up my alley. But it's so well-written that even newcomers to these subjects will find it enjoyable. But be warned. His revelations are messy, disturbing and he is undoubtedly biased. But this book is still recommended. Highly.

14 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Courage

Reviewed in the United States on May 19, 2019

Verified Purchase

Love the book and thanks for signing it for me. Makes you wonder who is watching who from behind the scenes. Anyone could be a participant unknowingly. Victor confirms the adage that” authority corrupts. And absolute authority corrupts absolutely “. Thanks for your moral courage.

5 people found this helpful

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Purple Elephant

Accurate portrayal of the Mossad

Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2013

Verified Purchase

If you don't like all the political mumbo jumbo of a spy book but like the actual art of spying then this one's for you. The first hand accounts of the espionage, sabotage and assassinations ultimately ordered by the prime minister puts you right in the thick of it as if you were actually there watching the case officers and recruited agents yourself. I enjoyed reading the first hand accounts in the book "Blowing my cover my life as a CIA spy" by Moran and I am enjoying this read about the first hand accounts of the mossad. Victor Ostrovsky keeps the book interesting and accounts for his memory as best as possible. I like his writing style it's not boring.

11 people found this helpful

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Joe Fernando

A true thriller. You dont want to put the book down till you finish.

Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2019

Verified Purchase

Very interesting true story. I read this book about 25 years back.. Also have met the author, when he was running a carpet business in Londondary Mall (close to Steel Heights) In Alberta Canada. The recent purchase was made for a friend of mine.

One person found this helpful

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Elliot Malach

Spy vs. Spy

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2010

Verified Purchase

Wow! 5 Stars is not enough. The title comes from the Mossad motto, By Way of Deception, Thou Shalt Do War. And that they do; they are the best.

The book tells of the author's recruitment, training and brief career in the Mossad. The training takes years and is extremely intense. Very few that start actually complete the process. During their training, the recruits review in detail many real cases to gain experience. Since Victor was released from the Mossad due to the typical "office politics" very early in his career, it is the facts of these cases that the author relates in the later chapters.

You can't make up better stories than the true international incidents. I'm not going to speculate on whether or not this perspective is reality, but the accounts are definitely plausible. The Mossad perpetuates conflicts, sells weapons to their sworn enemies, and trains both factions in countries like Sri Lanka. Contrary to what they profess, the Mossad even spies in the U.S. and runs an escort service in New York City, which was still operating when the author published this book

Of course, would the Mossad let a book get published giving away the company secrets? It's hard to say. Was the author let go to add credibility? Like Victor says, "You can't take a spy at his word."

7 people found this helpful

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chamelean75

thrilling

Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2012

Verified Purchase

I read this book with a grain of salt. Readers should be aware the author states that parts of the book are false. As to which parts, you'll have to decide for yourself. What impressed me most about this book was the description of the training that goes into becoming a mossad agent. I had no idea how much training was required. A very small percentage graduate to becoming a mossad agent and sometimes, entire classes fail to graduate.

The insight into the various mossad missions was also very interesting.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in the mossad.

4 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Richard H

The title rings true

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2011

Verified Purchase

I bought this book in the expectation that it would be a first person account of recruitment into one of the world's premier intelligence agencies, Mossad. In that respect it succeeded - mostly. Victor gives a very good account of his recruitment, training and some of the missions he was involved in. However this is undermined to a certain extent when he starts detailing and expanding on activities in which he was not directly involved. Now, considering the 'cell' structure of Mossad (similar to that of most operational intelligence units, i.e. need to know, autonomous operations and plausible deniability) he provides details of operations in which he was not directly involved that challenge our trust in the validity his account. That said, it is still a fascinating insight into the dark and murky world of an intelligence agency serving a country that has to remain one step ahead of it's enemies simply to survive as a nation state. Victor is now an artist in the U.S. - most of his work is based on his past as a spy and is really very good.

10 people found this helpful

Brian Davison

Excellent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 27, 2016

Verified Purchase

Very interesting !

Dylan

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 2, 2016

Verified Purchase

great perfect

B. A. Adesida

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 30, 2017

Verified Purchase

Received as described in better condition than expected.

Rod Weinberg

Intriguing

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 7, 2013

Verified Purchase

Good read and well written. A good insight into one of the world's most secretive security services. I fully enjoyed.

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By Way of Deception : The Making and Unmaking of a Mossad Officer Hardcover – September 1, 1990

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