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Confessions of a Spy: The Real Story of Aldrich Ames Kindle Edition

by Pete Earley (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 417 ratings
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"There are things that have never come out about this case. There are still secrets that only a few know" - Aldrich Ames

For nine years Aldrich Ames fed highly classified information to the KGB. Russia paid him millions of dollars – and promised millions more. He betrayed the identities of the United States' top agents. An act that led to their executions inside the Soviet Union. Never before in American history has one man done so much to sabotage our national security.

New York Times bestselling author Pete Earley (Family of Spies) is the only writer to conduct fifty hours of one-on-one interviews with CIA mole Aldrich Ames, without a government censor present. He is the only writer to have traveled to Moscow to speak directly to Ames's KGB handlers and with the families of the spies he betrayed. And he is the only writer to have had access to the remarkable CIA mole-hunting team that tracked down and stopped Aldrich Ames.

The result is a portrait of a much more complex and diabolical man than has previously been depicted; an account of damage far worse than has ever been chronicled, including startling revelations of unreported double agents and scandal in high Washington circles; and a story of three women who bucked every obstacle the CIA male establishment could throw at them, to expose perhaps the most devastating spy in modern U.S. history.

This is an extraordinary human drama, a modern morality play charged with love, sex, greed, betrayal, and heroism.

"All of the people whose names were on my list knew the risks they were taking when they began spying for the CIA and FBI. If one of them had learned about me, he would have told the CIA, and I would have been arrested and thrown in jail. Now that I was working for the KGB, the people on my list could expect nothing less from me. It wasn't personal. It was simply how the game was played." - Aldrich Ames, Russian Spy
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  1. Print length
    364 pages
  2. Language
    English
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  4. Publication date
    April 7, 2012
  5. File size
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Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Award-winning author Earley (Prophet of Death) takes the listener on a long voyage of discovery into the crucible of the Cold War. The spotlight is on Aldrich Ames, the villain who betrays America's most valuable assets: our top spies in the Soviet Union from 1985 to 1994. The CIA's attempts to detect the source of betrayal also comes under close scrutiny; its tolerance for heavy drinking, old boy networks, inept investigations, and lie detector tests would make this work a high comedy if the subject were not national security. The author's impeccable research includes uncensored interviews with Ames and his KGB handlers in Moscow as well as the victims' families. This definitive work is also a crucial guide to our government's approach to security. Superbly dramatized by narrator Edward Holland, it will have broad appeal; highly recommended.AJames Dudley, Westhampton Beach, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Pete Earley, a former reporter for The Washington Post, is the author of seven works of nonfiction, including the bestsellers The Hot House and Family of Spies, and the multi-award-winning Circumstantial Evidence. According to the Washingtonian magazine, he is one of ten journalist/authors in America "who have the power to introduce new ideas and give them currency." Earley is also the author of two novels.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B007SH5A1M
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pete Earley, Inc.; 1.2.1 edition (April 7, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 7, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 11412 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 364 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 417 ratings

About the author

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Pete Earley

Pete Earley

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Pete Earley is a storyteller who has penned 13 books including the New York Times bestseller The Hot House and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness.

After a 14-year career in journalism, including six years at The Washington Post, Pete became a full-time author with a commitment to expose the stories that entertain and surprise.

His honest reporting and compelling writing helped him garner success as one of few authors with ”the power to introduce new ideas and give them currency,” according to Washingtonian magazine.

When Pete’s life was turned upside down by the events recounted in his book Crazy, he joined the National Alliance of Mental Illness to advocate for strong mental health reform on the public stage.

This new advocacy has taken him to 46 different states and multiple countries around the globe where he delivers speeches to rally against the troubled mental health systems and for the mentally ill.

As an author, Pete has been on the receiving end of many accolades, including:

- 2007 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for General Nonfiction

- New York Times Bestseller for The Hot House

- Robert F. Kennedy Award for Social Justice

- Edgar Award Winner for Best Fact Crime Book

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
417 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Taunji Leonard
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2023
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I found this book very informative and interesting. Its obvious the author had done his homework. I have worked for the government so I understood the beurocity.
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Bo Friday
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting. A good read.
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2020
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I thought the book was interesting. A bit slow at times but a good read. I grew weary of hearing Ames impress himself with his post-arrest comments. He apparently thinks his doublespeak of accepting responsibility then blame his actions on everyone and everything will gain him sympathy from the masses. Of course he would deny such. It is extremely sad that the American agencies cannot work together on things like this. If we could do away with inflated egos in the law enforcement community a lot more would be accomplished. I speak here from experience.
3 people found this helpful
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Patrick McGuire
5.0 out of 5 stars Confessions of a Spy.
Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2016
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This book is very well written and I was able to determine the author went to great lengths to get each side of the story. All the research was done with personal interviews. It is an eye opener to how the spy agencies actually work and I did not come away with a positive impression of the spy business. The people working with the agencies may have been very well trained but that does not mean they act intelligently or with very much wisdom at times. It took the CIA 9 years to uncover Ames and then the FBI steps in and takes all the credit. MY conclusion is spy agencies are not worth the effort or money. They do more harm than good.
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Johnny
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2011
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I have read everything I could in this genre on Ames, Hanssen, Walker, etc. The insider access to Ames provided some interesting insights, but what I enjoyed most was the author's use of counterbalancing quotes from various other characters (CIA colleagues, KGB handlers, friends, surviving family members of those whose deaths he caused). These help the reader stay focused on the actual damage Ames did, since he himself exhibits not one bit of remorse for sending 20+ people spying for the U.S. to their deaths. His rationale was if he hadn't exposed them, they could have exposed him. Although this was potentially true for a few of them, most would not have been in that position, and all Ames was gambling with was a prison sentence, while they were executed and dumped in an unmarked grave.

Like all books of this era, some additional information has emerged in the almost 15 years since it was written, but this one holds up well.
One person found this helpful
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Lillie A
3.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2014
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Good read - I was in Colombia when the Aldrich Ames case was unfolding - have a close friend who knew and had worked with Rosario Ames who was the epitome of a"girl from a good family with no money" - which in Latin America is akin to having leprosy - you are born a social outsider- Her ambition to be someone was an obsession nurtured from childhood - Ames attended a party in Bogota given by CIA staff that I attended - I don't remember seeing Rosario - but do remember him - he was treated like a not particularly important or interesting co worker - they didn't give him a lot of respect. In retrospect, I can see how he traveled down the path he did - he was a weak ineffectual man bullied by self centered narcissistic wife - I can only wonder how he didn't get caught sooner - I guess most thought he wasn't capable.
2 people found this helpful
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Bookaholic
4.0 out of 5 stars Traitor!
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2014
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I ordered this after the tv show "The Assets" started. I wanted more background to enjoy it. This book didn't get great rating from many but was priced well for me.
I found it an easy read, I had to skim over some of Ames' ramblings. Too nauseating! I was very interested about the remarks made by friends and family. His childhood friend seems to have completely forgiven him for his betrayal and thinks the country doesn't 'understand' Ames.
The 4 star rating is because it did drag in places and the ramblings of Ames were given too much space. I understand the author wanted to have Ames' perspective, etc. But Earley felt his book would be read after other books on the subject and seemed to want to 'fill in' existing knowledge. This wasn't my case and was my first venture into the literature surrounding the case.
Why don't we execute traitors anymore?
2 people found this helpful
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Don
5.0 out of 5 stars PAGETURNER
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2015
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WOW. Input from the Author, and the Subject. The details are fascinating. I know that it has been 20 years since Ames had been arrested. The book is DEFININATELY A MORE THAN GOOD READ.

Ames may have been truthful in his statements, which made this book so interesting, yet maybe not. Who can tell. I was not there to personally witness his actions. The team that actually CAUGHT him in the act are the ones who reveal the true nature and work of the clandestine services that protect ALL of us.

I find Ames an arrogant, ignorant individual who sold out his own country...for money, FROM THE ENEMY.

Smart, NO. If he were smart, he never would have been caught, just like Robert Hanssen.

There are STILL individuals like them. Perhaps WORSE out there working against our Country.

A DEFINATE PAGE TURNER.

READ THE BOOK. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
2 people found this helpful
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Patrick D. Tadlock
5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting
Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2014
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I like Earley's technique of writing the developments in a chronological order using his findings, and at the end of the chapter allowing Ames' to give his version of events. Earley's book seems to be objective in its approach, and isn't just a forum for Ames to air his rationalizations for committing treason. Even though I think Ames is total scum and should have suffered the same fate as those Russians he gave up, I do appreciate the opportunity he was given to explain why he took the actions he did. I think we tend to buy off on simplistic cause and effect explanations for problems, I appreciate hearing that there were a number of factors that led to the decision Ames made to do what he did.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Marcos Luz
5.0 out of 5 stars A sad but true fact around espionage environment
Reviewed in Brazil on August 8, 2018
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The espionage environment always intrigues people all around the world. This book sheds some light on it. This is not a Hollywood movie or a fairy-tale, quite the opposite, this book is about the real stuff. The USA vs USSR, cold war, spy, people getting killed and arrested, money, intelligence and counterintelligence measures, tricks, dead-drops, some CIA and KGB insides. 5 stars for sure.
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Gary D.
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in Canada on February 21, 2018
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Was interesting to read, good inside how it was done on both sides, good research by author. However, there was long passages about love life which I think were irrelevant.
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Neil
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2017
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Loved this book from start to finish. Ames, appears a very confused man who betrayed his country and contributed to the death of so many men. Gripping stuff, l couldn't put it down.
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AGDelaney
4.0 out of 5 stars interesting read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 30, 2013
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Reads as well researched and informed. Enjoyable and interesting. Liked the extended quotes at section ends. Pity Russian end was so uncooperative as it diminishes book and frustrates reader.
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JimmyT
5.0 out of 5 stars Aldrich Ames
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2013
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An absorbing and thrilling read concerning this Master Spy.really fascinating and concise. A must read for anyone interested in this subject
One person found this helpful
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