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Robert Michael Gates
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From the Shadows: The Ultimate Insider's Story of Five Presidents and How They Won the Cold War Paperback – May 7, 1997

by Robert M. Gates (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 305 ratings
See all formats and editions
A former director of the CIA discusses the inside story of the hidden wars that the U.S. waged against communism, examining the roles of the CIA and the government in the collapse of communism over the course of five presidential administrations. Reprint. 20,000 first printing.
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  1. Print length
    608 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Simon & Schuster
  4. Publication date
    May 7, 1997
  5. Dimensions
    6.5 x 1.5 x 9.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0684834979
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0684834979
  8. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
305 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and informative. They appreciate the well-written, factual account of the Cold War years from a unique and unbiased perspective. Readers praise Gates' storytelling style as captivating and hard to put down.

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ReadabilityInformation qualityHistorical accuracyStorytelling quality
33 customers mention "Readability"33 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and easy to read. They appreciate its well-written content and find it informative, with a chronology and topical organization.

"...Gates writting is an easy read, but full of personal perspectives and information that shares a differn't glimse into the world of politics and the..." Read more

"...It is also a very interesting study of the need for diverse opinions for the president to make hard decisions...." Read more

"...Here Gates presents a skeletal and easily read outline of the drama as it unfolded loaded with personal anecdotes...." Read more

"...This is a book I enjoyed so completely that I hated to reach the end of it. It will be on my personal "re-read" list...." Read more

30 customers mention "Information quality"30 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and interesting. They appreciate the details about the Cold War and its end. The memoir is illuminating and thought-provoking, providing a good education on the CIA's successes and failures. Readers also mention that the parallels with today's events are interesting.

"...writting is an easy read, but full of personal perspectives and information that shares a differn't glimse into the world of politics and the..." Read more

"...Don't get me wrong, the book is a good education on why the CIA gets so much wrong. Use it for that." Read more

"Absolutely fascinating! Mr. Gates is an excellent writer and is able to make complicated information easy to follow...." Read more

"Loved this book. Very interesting and many parts were even compelling...." Read more

11 customers mention "Historical accuracy"11 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's historical accuracy. They find it a well-written, fact-based summary of the CIA's successes and failures during the Cold War from a unique and unbiased perspective.

"Bob Gates is a magnificent public servant and historian...." Read more

"...The book follows threads of history from start to finish, rather than the Tom Clancy approach of interweaving multiple threads through a single..." Read more

"...though, this is an excellent book to go back and review the history of the cold war period and a large collection of characters in the drama." Read more

"A detailed, fact based history of CIA successes and failures, well written, thorough, and organized in a easy to follow time line...." Read more

7 customers mention "Storytelling quality"7 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging. They appreciate Gates' storytelling style and perspective on events. The author provides an objective, personal, and insightful view that readers can appreciate.

"Highly recommend this book for the inside stories as to events that were watershed years for the United States...." Read more

"Gates offers a detailed look at events that were in the headlines during the seventies, eighties, and nineties...." Read more

"Stories everyone should read. Help one really understand how difficult the world political stage is. Emphasis is on foreign affairs...." Read more

"...Robert Gates tells a fascinating story. He is the fly on the wall." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding View Point of the Cold War Years
    Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2010
    Verified Purchase
    As a historian and former Intelligence Analyst for the military, I wish this book was written during those days. Gates writting is an easy read, but full of personal perspectives and information that shares a differn't glimse into the world of politics and the longest battle in our countries history. I especially enjoyed his comments and the new light he shed on the Presidency of Jimmy Carter. The media and general feelings of the time in the late 70's painted this president as worthless and wimpy, but it was the right wing propaganda of the time. Do not get me wrong, I was a believer of it. But if anything is to come out of this book, it showed me that you cannot believe the media, hype, and propaganda of the political parties. Great book and if I ever go back to teaching history, will use this book to discuss the Cold War's later years.
    9 people found this helpful
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  • Allan
    5.0 out of 5 stars An insider's view of a most important time in American history
    Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    While I have been an ardent fan of Robert Gates since reading his book "Duty", I have only recently read his 1996 work "From The Shadows". This 600+ page work presents a rare view into the machinations of international and domestic politics during a time in our history when the very survival of civilization was at stake. It demonstrates how, from an insider's perspective, events of the Cold War played out and how the personalities of those intimately involved affected the outcome of those events and even our present state. If one has any historical curiosity at all this book is a must read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Patrick
    4.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting -- especially for those of us who lived through this time.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Loved this book. Very interesting and many parts were even compelling. The writing (or perhaps the editing) wasn't as good as I as expected from someone who seems to be very eloquent when speaking. The book follows threads of history from start to finish, rather than the Tom Clancy approach of interweaving multiple threads through a single time line. For the most part,I found this to work just fine, but many specific discussions and events are discussed either in whole or in part multiple times. This got to be just a bit of distraction, but not enough for me to not recommend it.

    I tried to read this book with a critical eye; to ascertain if the author was trying to make himself look to be the "good actor" in every situation. After reading the whole book, I decided that this probably wasn't the case in general. Although I suspect that in some of events he recounts that we got the best possible view of it from his perspective. Not to bad for a non-politician working in jobs with tons of political pressure for his entire career. I would enjoy reading Gates' biography written by an unbiased biographer.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • George M. Coburn
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five-Star History of the Cold War and the Collapse of the Soviet Union
    Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Bob Gates is a magnificent public servant and historian. One may not again see such an insider's commanding grasp of this vast subject as he unfolds in this book based on his long service in positions of rising responsibility in the CIA and the National Security Council and his close relationships with Presidents Carter, Ford and G.H.W. Bush until the advent of the Clinton Administration ended his public service. In 2006 President G.W. Bush recalled him to succeed Donald Rumsfeld as Secretary of Defense in 2006 and about which he recently wrote another excellent book.

    In particular, his portrayal of the role of Gorbachev's political reforms without corresponding reforms of the centralized command economy as accelerating the implosion of the Soviet Union has the sure touch of persuasion. Further, his account of the mastery of the first President Bush's non-provocative policy response to the Soviet collapse commands respect and approval.

    This book deserves wide reading and study.

    George Coburn
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Wahine in Hawaii
    5.0 out of 5 stars Here is history repeating
    Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I have only read the first half of this book,but it is enlighting. Especially for those of us who lived thru this time period,
    but may not have known, or remembered all the events that took place. Of course many were still classified at that time.
    The author started with the CIA as a young recruit, and went all the way up to director. So he has a plethora of insight.
    I am finding the parallels with todays events quite interesting. This volume is about the former USSR and USA as competitors on the world scene. Hey, they still are. But one item that struck me was the statement about Cuban troops, trained and supported by the USSR and then being used to fight in places like Angola and Ethiopia !
    If you like this kind of insight, along with descriptions of 5 presidents take on world events, you might enjoy this book.
    Can't wait to read the rest.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Robert A Allen
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Analyst's War
    Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Gates has written a racing sketch of the final years of America's epic struggle with the Soviet Union. It is a formidably complex tale that well deserves and will get voluminous treatment by historians and political scientists. Here Gates presents a skeletal and easily read outline of the drama as it unfolded loaded with personal anecdotes. His insights to five presidents and the development of a consistent American policy as it sought to block, contain and contest Soviet expansion make for fascinating reading. It is a story of the extraordinary challenges faced by the CIA as it measured the economic exhaustion and ultimate collapse of the Evil Empire. Some will doubtless see Gates as a loyal apologist for the Agency. Loyal he undoubtedly was, but the verdict of time I think will find this to be an accurate and dispassionate account of the final years of the Cold War and the role CIA played.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Benjamin S. Siegel
    3.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for those who want to take a deep dive into Cold War history
    Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2015
    Very long and dense, recommended if you really want to take a deep dive into U.S. intelligence activities during the Cold War. If you do, it's an interesting read. At the time he wrote the book, Gates had served five presidents in various capacities, and his insights into each are fascinating, and probably surprising to the casual observer. Gates gives a strong defense against the CIA's (and his own) performance and analyses of the Soviet Union. Even when he admits mistakes, it's often "we weren't alone in our analysis." What else would you expect from a memoir? Lots of good anecdotes, just know you're in for a long read.
    2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • 初志貫徹
    5.0 out of 5 stars Must read
    Reviewed in Japan on June 6, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    After reading the book, I came to admire the author even more. Deep insight into intelligence, diplomacy and defense. A must read if you are interested in geopolitical matters.
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  • I'm
    5.0 out of 5 stars good read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 11, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Informative read for all those who guarded Germany throughout the Cold War. Puts some of the major exercises into context
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  • JCG
    4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 25, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Gates has written an informative, comprehensive book that is enjoyable to read. I particularly liked the way he assessed characters, not just events. He has some great stories about Casey and Bush Sr. It was a little long and dry, but nevertheless entertaining. Gates himself comes across as quite the character. Buy it.
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  • Caomhin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 23, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Great book
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  • Northern Light
    2.0 out of 5 stars Like a diary
    Reviewed in Germany on July 25, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Not reader friendly if you where not there when it happened. Far to many persons and events that appear that are known only to the hard core foreign policy professionals. If the material that looks like his own diary notes had been lifted out it would have been a better book. Focusing on the bigger picture, and only the interesting details had made the book a page turner.
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