The Secret World

By Christopher Andrew,

Book cover of The Secret World: A History of Intelligence

Book description

'Almost every page includes a sizzling historical titbit ... captivating, insightful and masterly' (Edward Lucas, The Times)

The history of espionage is far older than any of today's intelligence agencies, yet the long history of intelligence operations has been largely forgotten. The first mention of espionage in world literature is…

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Why read it?

3 authors picked The Secret World as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

My line of work has only enhanced my fascination with spies and spying. Espionage was on the periphery of my world and I was privy, on occasion, to snippets of information that shed light on certain events. Reading this book was like being privy to a host of secrets, many during my own era. How fascinating to be taken through the history of espionage from biblical times until today. The author reveals missing pieces to many significant moments in history, where monumental decisions were made based on information bought and sold, died for, killed for, stolen, or extracted by torture…

This book, by one of the most recognizable names in intelligence studies, is a journey through thousands of years of intelligence history that is both an enjoyable read and a valuable reference. Christopher Andrew’s ability to provide a history of intelligence across centuries and continents is an impressive feat that provides the reader a solid appreciation of the purpose of intelligence and how it has evolved throughout history. This is a fantastic book for anyone looking for a foundational history of intelligence!

This book is written by the best intelligence historian of our times, former Official Historian of the British Security Service (MI5), professor of Cambridge University and founder of Cambridge Intelligence Seminar. It is an intelligence history bible which is a must read for everyone interested in this complex subject, for all scholars, intelligence professionals and students of intelligence. It is also wonderfully written and reliable in most cases.

From Boris' list on intelligence history.

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