SECRET SERVICE: The Making of the British Intelligence Community

This copy is in as new, unmarked condition bound in blue cloth covered boards with bright gilt titling to the spine. This copy is bright, tight, white and square. The price clipped dust wrapper is in new condition. International postal rates are calculated on a book weighing 1 Kilo, in cases where the book weighs more than 1 Kilo increased postal rates will be quoted, where the book weighs less then postage will be reduced accordingly. Drawing on a wide range of sources, the "leading unofficial historian of British Intelligence" London Times has produced an account of that organization that is as entertaining as it is masterful. 6 pages of black-and-white photographs. Using documents available to the public as well as interviews, Andrew put together a well documented and useful history of the SIS. While it tells of the triumphs, it also notes the failures, particularly those where the information was there but because the source was not 'reliable' (not OUR sort of people) or because pre-existing prejudices or beliefs clashed with the information, it was dismissed. Well worth reading for anyone who wants to see how the class system practically hamstrung the Intelligence Service between the Wars and hampered it during the wars. Plus, all the types of mistakes they made are STILL being made by the CIA and others, where they will not open themselves to new thinking. Ref PPP 4.…