I really enjoyed this book. It was written from the viewpoint of a recruit who had been looking forward to joining the CIA and going to the farm. The farm is many things but the part addressed in the book is the "CIA boot camp". The book is written with the freshness of a recruit seeing and doing it all for the first time. You can feel the excitement of a young recruit with his hands on that first "rung of the ladder" that may (if he works hard and well) take him on to working in the clandestine service. The book takes the reader from the notification, to Langley, to the farm, doing external recruit training, back to the farm, and then completion of this phase of training.
The book is not written looking back upon the "CIA boot camp" through years of working in the field; nor does it go beyond completion of boot camp (very far). There is a real "freshness", the excitement of youth and the "first timer" in this book. If you are thinking or dreaming of joining the agency to work in the clandestine service, read the book - it is enjoyable.
If you are seriously considering joining the agency, then you may want to read this book several times and look at the mistakes the author makes there and the problems he and his classmates make for themselves by their over eager (less-than professional) attitudes towards serious training, the problems these attitudes cause during training and the problems they will generate when working in this field.
If you have "been there, done that" it will give you a detailed perspective of how some of the new recruits are experiencing the "CIA boot camp" today. The people that have been in this field, that have "been there, done that" will probably not like the author nor his "frat boy" attitude towards joining the CIA. This author (and several of his classmates) will probably rank high on your "least favored person to work with list".
This review is based upon the Class 11 audio book (unabridged). The audio book is well read. I plan on reading the hard back next month, as one always gets something more from the written word.
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An inside look at CIA training
I like books about the CIA written by actual spooks themselves! Waters gives a nice insider's account of the training of the first CIA spy class after the September 11th attacks. It details the rigorous selection process and training program that CIA operatives undergo: the physical and mental challenges they face. It delves into the high-stakes world of intelligence gathering (spying), and the sacrifices that must be made in order to protect national security. It also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the complex and often dangerous missions that CIA agents are tasked with and the personal toll that such work can take. Overall, the book provides an insightful and compelling look into the world of intelligence and the people who dedicate their lives to serving their country.
