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Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence Hardcover – May 22, 2018

by James R. Clapper (Author), Trey Brown (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,462 ratings
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New York Times bestseller

The former Director of National Intelligence's candid and compelling account of the intelligence community's successes--and failures--in facing some of the greatest threats to America

When he stepped down in January 2017 as the fourth United States director of national intelligence, James Clapper had been President Obama's senior intelligence adviser for six and a half years, longer than his three predecessors combined. He led the U.S. intelligence community through a period that included the raid on Osama bin Laden, the Benghazi attack, the leaks of Edward Snowden, and Russia's influence operation during the 2016 U.S. election campaign. In Facts and Fears, Clapper traces his career through the growing threat of cyberattacks, his relationships with presidents and Congress, and the truth about Russia's role in the presidential election. He describes, in the wake of Snowden and WikiLeaks, his efforts to make intelligence more transparent and to push back against the suspicion that Americans' private lives are subject to surveillance. Finally, it was living through Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and seeing how the foundations of American democracy were--and continue to be--undermined by a foreign power that led him to break with his instincts honed through more than five decades in the intelligence profession to share his inside experience.

Clapper considers such controversial questions as, Is intelligence ethical? Is it moral to intercept communications or to photograph closed societies from orbit? What are the limits of what we should be allowed to do? What protections should we give to the private citizens of the world, not to mention our fellow Americans? Are there times when intelligence officers can lose credibility as unbiased reporters of hard truths by inserting themselves into policy decisions?

Facts and Fears offers a privileged look inside the U.S. intelligence community and, with the frankness and professionalism for which James Clapper is known, addresses some of the most difficult challenges in our nation's history.
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  1. Print length
    432 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Viking
  4. Publication date
    May 22, 2018
  5. Dimensions
    6.41 x 1.42 x 9.28 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0525558640
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0525558644
  8. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
1,462 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book provides valuable insight and an educational history of the intelligence community. They describe it as a great, well-written read with detailed content. Readers praise the author's character development as honorable, straightforward, and sincere. The book serves as an enlightening guide to patriotism from a true American patriot.

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InsightReadabilityWriting qualityCharacter developmentPatriotismEnlightened lookScariness levelBoredom
174 customers mention "Insight"165 positive9 negative

Customers find the book provides insightful and educational content about the intelligence community over the last 50 years. They say it's an interesting read that opens new research avenues and ideas for contemplation. The book gives a great overview of some major world events from an intel perspective and dispels some myths. Readers appreciate the well-researched and detailed content with a fascinating historical perspective.

"...The story begins way back in 1944, when Clapper’s father was drafted into the Army and worked as a signals intelligence officer during the war...." Read more

"...clearances: whatever their faults, these men and women are dedicated to telling the truth, and serving the US Constitution...." Read more

"...Clapper (and Mr. Brown) have magically created a true-to-form military/service primer, a spirited guide to patriotism, a soul-stirring biography, a..." Read more

"...job is and the inevitable relentless demand for accurate, on-time intelligence information knowing that humans do get exhausted...." Read more

144 customers mention "Readability"141 positive3 negative

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They describe it as a well-written memoir with technical details. Readers appreciate the author's integrity and honesty. The book keeps them interested, even for readers living outside the US.

"...Informative, and surprisingly readable. This is a great book." Read more

"General Clapper' s book is outstanding and a magnificent read!..." Read more

"...As a reader, you experience chatting with Obama, great book. : ) and a great man." Read more

"...And why it matters. The book is even interesting to an international reader like myself who live outside of the US so as to keep myself..." Read more

107 customers mention "Writing quality"89 positive18 negative

Customers find the book well-written and engaging. They appreciate the author's detailed content and straightforward writing style. The book is described as a technical yet understandable read that keeps their interest up through all phases.

"...All of this, and more, is covered in some detail in the book...." Read more

"...Informative, and surprisingly readable. This is a great book." Read more

"...Again, this is an OUTSTANDING, superbly-written book." Read more

"...He carried out his job with dignity, integrity, honesty, humility, PATIENCE; constantly wrestling, balancing the issues of national safety versus..." Read more

23 customers mention "Character development"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the author's character development wonderful, honorable, and straightforward. They describe him as an outstanding public servant with good intentions and a humble personality. The book is described as excellent and informative by readers.

"...He carried out his job with dignity, integrity, honesty, humility, PATIENCE; constantly wrestling, balancing the issues of national safety versus..." Read more

"...I feel he's generally an able and upright man with good intentions and not a big ego. Probably not particularly self confident even...." Read more

"...It was a delight to “meet” this interesting public servant, and to wonder how—or indeed why—anyone could make the sacrifices such a life requires...." Read more

"...Overall, an excellent book by an admirable public servant, which sometimes leaves the reader waiting for more." Read more

17 customers mention "Patriotism"17 positive0 negative

Customers find the book a spirited guide to patriotism. They describe it as an eye-opening biography from a true American patriot who has served this nation. The book is relatable and well-written, with a perspective from one who lived it.

"...magically created a true-to-form military/service primer, a spirited guide to patriotism, a soul-stirring biography, a "self-help" guide for..." Read more

"...He recounts meeting lots of interesting people whom he will see again through his life...." Read more

"An excellent example of a real patriot. Read this for a lesson in morals and ethics. Read what being decent looks like...." Read more

"...especially in terms of global security and the challenges facing humanity." Read more

13 customers mention "Enlightened look"13 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and providing a great overview of how the USIC formed and works. It sheds light on Edward Snowden, the Middle East, and Russia's interference with our affairs.

"...It’s great for an inside look at the last 40 years of Intelligence since it is essentially Director Clapper’s memoir...." Read more

"...It is an honest look at the progression of our intelligence service that is easy for the reader to follow to see how the United States got to this..." Read more

"...He sheds light on Edward Snowden, the Middle East, Russia's interference with our elections in 2016 (with proof), and our nation's internal..." Read more

"...and I must say that in my reads, this one is informative and illuminating as his writ so aptly describes the times, the context and the superb..." Read more

15 customers mention "Scariness level"8 positive7 negative

Customers have different views on the book's scariness level. Some find it provides a thorough explanation of geopolitical threats and US intelligence, with an interesting take on today's nasty politics. Others describe the times as confusing and frightening, with scary data and descriptions of the undermining of national security by the Trump presidency.

"...The recounting of the Benghazi events and later political strife was clear and interesting for me...." Read more

"...Very scary. He tries to end on a hopeful note, but you can tell he feels there's a long way to go before we get to that point. Definitely recommend." Read more

"...community over the last 50 years, describing the technical, political, and social changes that have occurred in that field...." Read more

"...I also found it to be very scary in terms of our future. While I would like to remain optimistic, there is certainly cause for concern...." Read more

13 customers mention "Boredom"0 positive13 negative

Customers find the book boring and lackluster. They say it's not worth their time, but the second half brings some value. The account of life in Washington is described as dull and underhanded.

"This started as a disappointing read but brought some value in the second half...." Read more

"...Bottom line for me on this book- 60% boring, nothing new and his lack of understanding on how to communicate his story to the civilian population...." Read more

"...It is easy to work out who is the most credible. Not an exciting read but very insightful and well researched and documented...." Read more

"Alphabet soup listing of his many jobs . . . boring beyond belief. I was really disappointed...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Randolph Eck
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Story of an Intelligence Hero
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    According to Mr. Clapper, he wrote this book because of a concern for what he saw taking place in America today, especially the loss of focus on the Russian involvement in our politics. It is an important topic. The author’s fear is that “many Americans are questioning if facts are even knowable, as foreign adversaries and our national leaders continue to deny objective reality while advancing their own ‘alternative facts.’”

    The story begins way back in 1944, when Clapper’s father was drafted into the Army and worked as a signals intelligence officer during the war. Clapper was three years old. So the author was essentially born into the intelligence business. The ensuing chapters recount the author’s life experience in the intelligence business. It covers his stint as a lieutenant general in the Air Force doing signals intelligence in Southeast Asia. He served as directorship of Defense Intelligence Agency from 1992 to 1995, retiring from active duty in 1995. He then spent some time in the private sector before heading the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency from 2001 to 2006. He also served as Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence. Eventually Obama nominated Clapper for Director of National Intelligence. All of this, and more, is covered in some detail in the book. Unless you are really interested in this stuff, it can become a bit tedious following all the details, but it does give you a feel for life in intelligence. In the process we learn a bit about the various agencies; CIA, NSA, NGA, DIA, NRO, and others.

    As Clapper recounts all the years of his service in the book, he notes that “the public history of US intelligence traditionally reads as a narrative of failures and shortcomings.” But when intelligence gets it right, it almost never gets discussed publicly so as not to inhibit the ability to repeat the success. A chapter is spent discussing Benghazi; I found it interesting to hear the intelligence account of the incident minus the political bias. Unfortunately the aftermath left no one in charge – a dangerous place to have an embassy. Another chapter is spent discussing the Snowden incident and WikiLeaks, which is described as a “non-state hostile intelligence service.” The author elaborates on the effects this had on the IC. The author also covers terrorist violence in the world citing a global trend of things getting worse because of something he called “unpredictable instability.” We learn about efforts with North Korea, activities in Syria, and the Iran nuclear problem as well. Of course, then there is the 2016 election and the Russian interference in US affairs. The US is not entirely innocent here, as the US had intervened in eighty-one elections between 1946 and 2000 making us one of the most prolific interferers in the world.

    The author leaves us with some important cautions concerning facts and truth. Remember the objective of a disinformation campaign is to make it appear that facts and truth are unknowable. People don’t have to believe the rhetoric in order to sow doubt. So for fifty-three years Clapper tried hard to speak truth, sometimes uncomfortable truth, to people in charge of making national security decisions. He twice quoted George Patton saying that “when you have collected all the facts and fears and made your decision, turn off all your fears and go ahead.” Applying this to the profession of intelligence, he notes, “we provide facts to decision makers […] to reduce uncertainty, risk, and yes, fear. That’s why intelligence is vital.” To this day Clapper continues to speak “truth to power.”
    28 people found this helpful
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  • Dave T.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Deep State or Permanent Government - 70 Years of US Intelligence
    Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    If you read this book, you will understand why the Trump Administration is trying (since yesterday) to take away James Clapper (and others) security clearances: whatever their faults, these men and women are dedicated to telling the truth, and serving the US Constitution. Full disclosure: I worked in NGA when Clapper headed that organization, and for a few years got to see him at work (via video conference). I came away with the impression of a modest, dedicated public servant. It has been said that Clapper lied under oath to Congress about the PRISM program (the book explains Clapper's point of view - that he misunderstood the question, and it was a classified program in an unclassified setting, as well): less well known is that Clapper was fired for refusing to lie to Congress by Donald Rumsfeld, and also over NGA's Hurricane Katrina relief efforts (the part about Katrina I didn't know about, which is interesting to me because I was a part of that effort). The book spans the period from the 1940's (when Clapper's father, a US military officer, took his family to a posting in Africa) to 2018, giving a unique look at 70 years of world history from an intelligence perspective. Informative, and surprisingly readable. This is a great book.
    76 people found this helpful
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  • Michael P. Williams, Esq.
    4.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Patriotic Book!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    General Clapper' s book is outstanding and a magnificent read! Clapper (and Mr. Brown) have magically created a true-to-form military/service primer, a spirited guide to patriotism, a soul-stirring biography, a "self-help" guide for Military Spouses and a "Clear and Present Danger" warning/history/guidebook regarding Putin, Russia, Russian aggression already harming the U.S. and presently harming the U.S.

    Clapper and Brown, in a non-hyperbolic, adult tone, utilize FACTS and THE TRUTH to demonstrate how Clapper spent over 50 years magnificently serving our nation's military, our country and, most importantly, his family (Hi, Sue!!! xoxo).

    I've protested every war this country's been in since Vietnam; it it's not militaristic neo-cons, it's Big Business (like OIL) who have goaded us into these masturbatory military messes; yet, e.g., if The Sane cannot convince The Insane that invading a country without sufficient military provocation and/or justifiable reasons (e.g., Iraq) would be weak, stupid, wrong and would lead us back into crushing national debt, then, besides continued protesting, my hopes would be that there would be as little KILLING and MAIMING (servicepersons and civilians) as possible and that some sort of internationally agreed upon process (e.g., that all combatants would meet in Paris one week after military action commences; each combatant would send a delegation to Paris with the authority to draft and sign a Peace Treaty. All delegations would work under a U.N. mandated facilitator to reach a resolution as quickly as possible).

    I hope that folks who are like Jim Clapper, Trey Brown, Sue Clapper, Stephanie Sherline, Jeh Johnson and the folks who make up "IC PRIDE" stay in and/or attached to the military as long as possible, passing on valuable lessons (e.g., speaking truth to power; having no fear of reporting "bad news" to a superior officer - we cannot run a sufficient, healthy military without the truth leading us, guiding us...the alternatives would be deleterious to our military and to our country (e.g., Vietnam/Gulf of Tonkin; Iraq/WMDs).

    To this, I would add that if one cannot develop a mutual, truthful relationship with certain press members, then DO NOT SPEAK TO THE PRESS -- EVER (unless you must, due to your rank, or a situation requires that YOU speak directly to the press...in these situations, you should meet with the 'speech designator' to briefly ascertain EXACTLY what kind of/how many facts the military wants and is obligated to reveal. CYA protocol insists that you have your superior officer and/or 'speech designator' to sign off on your speech.

    Again, this is an OUTSTANDING, superbly-written book.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • fast_n_freckly
    5.0 out of 5 stars Speaking truth to power
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 28, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I write as an ordinary British citizen with no knowledge of politics, journalism or intelligence, but the concern that we should all have for national and international security.
    I'm impressed by the personal qualities of sincerity, humility, honesty and integrity demonstrated within the pages of this book and struck by the compulsion to speak truth with courage and clarity, where the media fails to do so.
    The insight into the scope, depth and degree of threat posed by subversive cyber-mediated influences is alarming and the potential for undermining global security apparent.
    I am well aware that individuals are gas-lighted by those with personality disorders, but the concept that sub-sections of societies can be so effectively and comprehensively confused and mislead, in plain sight, without public awareness of the source of the propaganda, is a revelation to me. Insidious cognitive dissonance with a purpose of destabilising another nation.
    Not a quick read, but worth the investment.
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  • William C. Mahaney
    5.0 out of 5 stars Is Democracy failing in the United States
    Reviewed in Canada on January 5, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Facts and Fears, James R. Clapper with Trey Brown

    In ‘Facts and Fears: Hard Truths from a Life in Intelligence’ James Clapper (former Director National Intelligence—DNI under the Obama Administration) with Trey Brown, one is let through a partly open door into the world of truths and mistruths by someone with over a half century in U.S. intelligence, starting with his first days in the USMC to his retirement in early 2017. The door is half open because many issues and contentions of the day are not open to discussion and Clapper makes it very clear that his former job was to present intelligence as an amalgam of the interface of HUMINT (human sourced intelligence), SIGINT (Signal Intelligence), GEOINT (Geospatial Intel) massaged across intel from NSA and FBI and other units of central intelligence. An informed reader will find the acronyms of government agencies listed at the rear of the book most informative to try to understand the responsibilities of each department. As outlined in his book, Jim Clapper worked to break down barriers between departments to insure information was shared to maximize its value in real time issues of importance from troops in the field to the President of the U.S. Despite pressures from the media, Congress, Judicial and Executive branches of government to engage the DNI in questions related to policy, Clapper makes it clear that this was beyond his ‘truth to power’ dictum that intelligence in his mind is meant to present the truth from all factual information available so that policy makers could make proper assessments about threats facing the country, hopefully information that would help to outline paths to deal with it. Reading this book will kick start memories of key incidents since WWII that highlight failures as well as positive outcomes of intelligence operations that helped to bring about policy decisions that on a scale of 1 to 10 ranged all over the map, with many on the low end of the scale, sometimes with ‘DNI thrown under the bus’ as it were (words of the author). Readers will be amused at the DNI’s self-deprecating comments but more importantly, from this reviewer’s perspective, is his near quasi neutrality regarding contentious issues and discussions between himself and other departments of government, a perspective to report facts without personal introspection. This posture lasts until the end in Chapter 12 where Clapper assesses ‘fears’ over the breakdown in relationships between the executive and intelligence branches of government. The fear is that facts have become distorted, many in line with disinformation stemming from Russian trolls and the Kremlin itself, information that often matches what comes from the White House. In a reversal of fortunes, with fortune favoring the Russians, one might gather from the analysis provided that truth is thrown ‘under the bus’ to achieve misaligned talking points to hope the electorate will believe the irrationality of what comes forth, one tweak after another. The end result of the misinformation rally favored and abetted by the Kremlin, aided perhaps unwittingly by the government, is the prospect of the total destabilization of democracy in the United States, the Kremlin end game. I fully recommend this book to anyone interested in the myriad intelligence threats to the U.S.

    Bill Mahaney, author of The Warmaker, The Golden Till and Operation Black Eagle.
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  • Guillaume75
    3.0 out of 5 stars a lot of general stuff
    Reviewed in France on March 28, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    It's interesting to read it in order to know the new intelligence organisation of the US administration, other than that, the reader does'nt learn more than he can read in any worthy newspaper.
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  • Cliente Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars An insiders view on what's going on in US at the moment
    Reviewed in Spain on September 16, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    An excellent book that I highly recommend!
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  • Gerhard Beddies
    4.0 out of 5 stars Eine schier unendliche Palette von geheimdienstlichen Aktivitäten in den USA
    Reviewed in Germany on August 23, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Sehr aufschlussreich, verwirrende Vielfalt mit ständigen funktionalen und personellen Veränderungen in den Diensten, unbedingt lesen, sich aber Zeit dazu lassen !
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