The Puzzle Palace: Inside the National Security Agency, America's Most Secret Intelligence Organization: Bamford, James: 9780140067484: Amazon.com: Books

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The Puzzle Palace: Inside the National Security Agency, America's Most Secret Intelligence Organization Paperback – September 29, 1983

by James Bamford (Author)

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In this remarkable tour de force of investigative reporting, James Bamford exposes the inner workings of America's largest, most secretive, and arguably most intrusive intelligence agency. The NSA has long eluded public scrutiny, but The Puzzle Palace penetrates its vast network of power and unmasks the people who control it, often with shocking disregard for the law. With detailed information on the NSA's secret role in the Korean Airlines disaster, Iran-Contra, the first Gulf War, and other major world events of the 80s and 90s, this is a brilliant account of the use and abuse of technological espionage.

Print length

656 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Penguin Books
Publication date

September 29, 1983
Dimensions

5.13 x 1.42 x 7.75 inches
ISBN-10

0140067485
ISBN-13

978-0140067484
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Customer reviews

5 star		66%
4 star		18%
3 star		11%
2 star		3%
1 star		2%

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Top reviews from the United States

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The World's biggest puzzle

Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2022

Verified Purchase

An incredible insight into the dirty dealings of the world's most secretive organisation.

One person found this helpful

Glenn F. Spencer

Amazing Detail And Historical Mystery Of NSA

Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2022

Verified Purchase

Being a former military member and SIGINT operator, the history this book supplies is fascinating. It answered a lot of questions for me.

I understanding wanting to be thorough, but it is to a fault and can get overwhelming with minute details. It could have been shorter and been just as good. If you can wade through the names and dates, it is an interesting read.

The only other drawback is the date of the publication, which is 1982. An updated version would be great if it was possible.

One person found this helpful

Important Background to the Snowden Leaks

Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2013

Verified Purchase

Some reviewers have expressed dissatisfaction with the sometimes ponderous way the book moves, and some have complained that the book is out of date. This is not a John le Carre thriller; it does move slowly. But that doesn't mean it doesn't have its usefulness. And it is right up there with today's headlines. Reading this book can help people understand the evolution of the organization. Unlike when it was written and until the advent of the Internet, it really was shrouded in secrecy. Bamford helped to lift that shroud. To get a sharp contrast with this book, one only has to go to the NSA website, where just about everything is spelled out in black and white.

When we consider that people as far removed as the leaders of Germany and Indonesia appear shocked by the 2013 revelations that NSA is spying on them, we can conclude either that they have never read this book or that they have and don't want to tell their citizens about it. In short, as Bamford points out, one or more members of the "5 Eyes Only" group has been spying on mass communications ever since the transatlantic cables were first laid, more than a century ago.

Another valuable part of this history is the laying to rest of some myths of WWII communications. Bamford's book is a good counterweight to books and articles emphasizing the Enigma device. I recall one author claiming that Roosevelt "knew" the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbor and "let" it happen. Bamford supplies the more complex, nuanced story of how the communications failed due to human error, not to any "conspiracy."

The afterword contains the story of Geoffrey Arthur Prime, which is the closest we get to a Le Carre style spy story. Prime was carrying on his work while the 1974 Le Carre novel, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy was being written. See pages 502-532 in the paperback edition I have. Perhaps NSA should assign someone to read spy novels.

There is one major problem with this edition, but it doesn't seem to be the author's fault.The blurb on the back of the book claims that the book includes "information on the NSA's secret role" in "major world events of the 1980s and 1990s." The afterward ends with 1982. There's nothing after that: No "Korean Airlines disaster [Sept 1, 1983], Iran-Contra [1986], [nor] the Gulf War [1990-91]."

Readers counting on the book to cover these topics should complain to Penguin Books.

20 people found this helpful

A Must read for U.S. intelligence buffs

Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2022

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It’s about the “Big Ear” NSA. After reading it you’ll feel like you’ve just received a presidential briefing. I found it easy to read with details and a page turner. As good as “The Billion Dollar Spy”.

A peek inside the kimono

Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2010

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"The Puzzle Palace" should be required reading for devotees of investigative reporting. James Bamford's 1982 classic is an eye-opening exploration of the National Security Agency -- the NSA. The book is impressive not just for its breadth, but also its depth. Bamford describes the origins of the super-secret agency during the first World War, and takes the reader through all key events and personnel into the early years of the Reagan administration.

In parts the book is completely engrossing. The author's descriptions of double agents and defectors are fascinating -- true-life spy stories with all of the sordid details laid bare. The thoroughness of Bamford's reporting, though, can also be a challenge to the reader, at least to me. Some chapters are so dense with names, dates and acronyms that I had a hard time retaining the key points. At times it felt like I was reading a dictionary or an encyclopedia. Bamford also engages in a bit of sanctimonious finger-wagging towards the end of the book, using his literary pulpit to warn us all against the dangers of letting such a large and powerful agency run amok with so much eavesdropping technology at its disposal.

That said, if you're looking for an iconic book on 20th-century history, "The Puzzle Palace" should be on your shelf. It's not the lightest reading out there. But it's a worthwhile read for anyone who has an interest in the shadowy world of the NSA.

13 people found this helpful

Barry L. Williams

Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2021

Verified Purchase

Well written and hard to put down. I knew about this book for years and finally sat down to read it. Great information of the inner workings of the CIA and other agencies. I couldn't put this book down.

2 people found this helpful

Great tech read !

Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2021

Verified Purchase

Read this book 20 years ago. lost it ! glad I found a new one . A Bible of sorts.

A good primer for anyone interested in this subject

Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2018

Verified Purchase

At the time of publication this topic was newer than now. Bamford wrote this in a more journalistic and popular style. He traces the beginning of the many parts that made up the National Security Agency. It is very detailed and you can tell he did a lot of research. It also begins the foundation of today's surveillance state and the reasoning behind it. Many of these founding personnel are described and the problems they had to deal with. There is an insiders perspective to many of the things he describes. I found the book informative and interesting, even with some dated technological information. A good primer for anyone interested in this subject.

11 people found this helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Bob Main

Great book to describe the role of the NSA.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 26, 2020

Verified Purchase

I bought the book as a gift for someone interested in knowing what part each of the U.S. agencies played in the gathering and processing Intelligence information relative to potential enemy threats. The book did have a sizable tear on the cover.

Graham

James Bamford has written two newer and - especially post-Snowden ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 20, 2015

Verified Purchase

James Bamford has written two newer and - especially post-Snowden - important books but this remains a fascinating and gripping read even in the historical context it now exists in. Essential reading still for anyone wanting the definitive public history of the NSA, the only caveat to that statement is that you should also buy and read Bamford's other books on the subject too.

One person found this helpful

Edmund Kemper

Leave this book alone

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 1, 2017

Verified Purchase

This was a let-down. Too much focus on the history of NSA and lists of directors and names. Painful and boring to read through. It offered some interesting bits of information but I still regret buying this book.

grahamtagg

Four Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 18, 2016

Verified Purchase

good read

Maureen swallow

Condition

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 4, 2020

Verified Purchase

The book was in a satisfactory condition, thanks, Bill.

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