Anyone Have Any Good Book Suggestions on the CIA?

[Roisin]

I would be much appreciative if anyone can give me some good book suggestions on anything having to do with the CIA authored by credible individuals whom you know are telling things as they are concerning that agency.

I'm about ready to view the first episode of that Showtime TV series called "Homeland". I don't have cable but I'm going to be watching each episode of that show on the internet. But while I'm at it, are there any good movies about the CIA that are worth watching including any You Tube video's on that agency too? The only movie I've seen wrt the CIA was that Sean Penn movie called "Fair Game", which I saw a few years ago.

Thanks ahead of time for anyone's assistance on this topic. :)

[8Adamas8]

I would take homeland as purely entertainment as it's just supporting the lies about the "war on terror".
There is also the movie "the good shepherd" that's supposedly about the formation and early history of the CIA but again I would only take it at face value as it's mainly an entertainment piece anyway and a major Hollywood production.

[bogeyman]

The Rise and Decline of the CIA is one. Good insight but it is out dated.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Agency-Rise-Decline-Touchstone/dp/0671639943

Look for ones written by historians first, others by former employees, and those by whistle blowers. It should give you a good all round view of the Agency.

http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Ashes-The-History-CIA/dp/0307389006/ref=pd_sim_b_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1M2DH1ZRT97Y7Z2XD46Z

Tim Wiener is a good author he did a book about US black budget, all his sources were listed and upon research proved to be true.

[donk]

Michael Ruppert's crossing the Rubicon.

I'm loving Alias right now, great JJ Abrahams series that is pretty much a commercial for the CIA. In fact, Jennifer Garner even did an actual commercial, and is on the training from then (about decade ago)

[Roisin]

I would take homeland as purely entertainment as it's just supporting the lies about the "war on terror".
There is also the movie "the good shepherd" that's supposedly about the formation and early history of the CIA but again I would only take it at face value as it's mainly an entertainment piece anyway and a major Hollywood production.

I saw The Good Shepard a few years ago too but could not recall the name of it when typing out my first post. Thanks for mentioning that one and will watch it again sometime soon. Am now watching the first episode/pilot of Homeland and yes, it IS only meant to be entertainment but nevertheless, I would imagine that the source of the material the script writers use for that show are loosely based, at least to some extent on real life events.

From movies and shows I've seen wrt to the CIA, I can only imagine how some family members of CIA personnel must become paranoid about a lot of things especially when their loved one is sworn to secrecy on anything having to do with the kinds of things they do in any given assignment for that agency. The same goes for those who work for any other "alphabet agency" too. But anyway, just out of curiosity, I would like to read some good books about the CIA, just to become more educated on that topic. If you hear of any good ones out there, please share that information here in this thread. Thanks!

¤=[Post Update]=¤


The Rise and Decline of the CIA is one. Good insight but it is out dated.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Agency-Rise-Decline-Touchstone/dp/0671639943

Look for ones written by historians first, others by former employees, and those by whistle blowers. It should give you a good all round view of the Agency.

http://www.amazon.com/Legacy-Ashes-The-History-CIA/dp/0307389006/ref=pd_sim_b_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=1M2DH1ZRT97Y7Z2XD46Z

Tim Wiener is a good author he did a book about US black budget, all his sources were listed and upon research proved to be true.

You've always been a great source for the best books out there bogeyman on those topics discussed in this forum. Thanks for the references and will check them out! :)
They look like good ones and your suggestions on what to look for concerning the best information on this topic makes sense. Thanks!:)

[Roisin]

Michael Ruppert's crossing the Rubicon.

I'm loving Alias right now, great JJ Abrahams series that is pretty much a commercial for the CIA. In fact, Jennifer Garner even did an actual commercial, and is on the training from then (about decade ago)

Will check out Rubicon donk and yes... Alias was a good show but only watched a few of them but now that I think about it, it would be worthwhile to look up that show again somewhere on the internet to watch it. Thanks for your suggestions! Ha! So Garner did a commercial for the CIA? Gotta see that one for sure! sheesh!

------
Hmmm, would like to find out the particular's concerning Michael Ruppert's death...

[Roisin]

The Agency: The Rise and Decline of the CIA


Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Ranelagh, a British writer, provides here a major overview of the Central Intelligence Agency from its founding in 1947 to the present. Based largely on hundreds of interviews, the book examines the personality and policies of each director in the context of the times. The agency's public posture is traced in detail: how, for instance, its agents began the '60s as "closet heroes," emerging as public heroes in the Cuban missile crises only to become public villains as a result of the Vietnam War. Favorable emphasis is placed on the contribution of William Colby, the most beleaguered of the directors, whose voluntary disclosures laid open the agency's inner workings, "giving onlookers the extraordinary spectacle of a secret service having its secrets revealed by the nation on whose behalf it operated." Colby's successor, George Bush, is also given high marks, especially for the way he overcame the public's initial skepticism about his abilities. As to William Casey, the current director, Ranelagh draws no conclusions, though he does call him insensitive and "unhaunted by ideals." Photos.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Much has been written on the Central Intelligence Agency over the past two decades, but until now there has not been an exhaustive and widely accessible history of the CIA. Based on hundreds of interviews and a careful reading of many books and documents, The Agency is a highly readable work of objective scholarship. Ranelagh's writing style is lively, and his character sketches can be devastating. The book is well documented and contains a fine selective bibliography. In addition to documenting the history of the CIA, Ranelagh admirably surveys the politics of the postwar years and is careful to place CIA activities within the context of international events. His final section is an excellent essay on the state of the CIA under the Reagan administration, and on the shift away from human intelligence to a highly technical operation. Highly recommended for public and academic libraries.Thomas A. Karel, Franklin & Marshall Coll. Lib., Lancaster, Pa.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This book sounds like a good one to start out with... just to get the basics down. Thanks Bogeyman for the suggestion. Need to know the background and history of that agency in a more in-depth manner before I travel further up the timeline to its present day incarnation.

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Plausible Denial - Mike Lane
CIA - The Inside Story Andrew Tully

anything written by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulles


Not sure where the rest of my books went - eek.

[Roisin]

Thanks Telsa! Will check those books out including anything by Dulles, good suggestion! :)
There's really so much out there hence the reason why I'm trying to narrow all of this down in a sort accelerated briefing on my end about the CIA. Best to find out which books are considered the cream of the crop right from the get go... thanks for the info!

[Cardillac]

I figure the most important thing to know about the CIA is it has nothing whatsoever to do with the national security of the US but instead the national security of Wall Street; Joseph Farrell delves briefly into the "founding fathers" of the CIA (like start with traitor Allen Dulles recruiting the Reinhard Gehlen organization) in his "Nazi International"- highly recommended-

another source would be Gordon Thomas' "Journey into Madness"; although I personally feel Thomas isn't 100% reliable he does give some good clues-

Larry

Larry

[Roisin]

I figure the most important thing to know about the CIA is it has nothing whatsoever to do with the national security of the US but instead the national security of Wall Street; Joseph Farrell delves briefly into the "founding fathers" of the CIA (like start with traitor Allen Dulles recruiting the Reinhard Gehlen organization) in his "Nazi International"- highly recommended-

another source would be Gordon Thomas' "Journey into Madness"; although I personally feel Thomas isn't 100% reliable he does give some good clues-

Larry

Larry

You've touched on an area having to do with the CIA that I would like to research more on. Will check out your suggestions!

As for now, it looks like I"m starting out with Bogeyman's tip to read "Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA" by Tim Weiner. It's in ebook form and am now downloading it. Just want to read over the history of that agency first before anything else. Will be reading that book tonight... am fast reader if the book clicks with me so may have it done by tomorrow or the day after depending on its length.

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

A good fictional book with criticisms of the CIA is Frank Herbert's HELLSTROM'S HIVE.

Shows how alien thinking can beat the best system. :( when the system is blinded by greed rather than motivated by survival.

[Roisin]

Anything by Herbert is on my "books to read" list. I've always been big fan of his Dune trilogy. Thanks for the tip Telsa and will check that one out for sure!

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

I can mail you a copy of that one if you have trouble locating one.

[Lefty Dave]

I liked Three Days of the Condor....Robert Redford.......

[ghostrider]

The Day after Roswell by Col Phillip Corso ... it has a lot about the CIA ... a little teaser , he claimed the KGB is running the CIA and the CIA is running the KGB ...

[Roisin]

I can mail you a copy of that one if you have trouble locating one.

Frank Herbert is by far one of my favorite authors. HELLSTROM'S HIVE is one that I want to check out now but it's one that I would like for my personal library too so I will most likely purchase a copy of it via Amazon Books but thanks for the offer Telsa and thanks for telling me about it. :) Can't wait to read it!

[Roisin]

I liked Three Days of the Condor....Robert Redford.......

I can't recall if I've ever seen that one... looking over the wiki page on it now and I don't believe I've ever watched that one before but will check it out. I've certainly heard of that movie before though... thanks for the tip. Will see if I can find it anywhere.

[Roisin]

The Day after Roswell by Col Phillip Corso ... it has a lot about the CIA ... a little teaser , he claimed the KGB is running the CIA and the CIA is running the KGB ...

Now that's one I HAVE read but it sounds like I need to read it again to see what he says about that. Interesting. Am reading Weiner's "Legacy of Ashes" now and from what I've read so far, the CIA is such a mess, Corso's comment about that does not seem as far fetched as it sounds. lol

[sigma6]

Vatican Assassins

[Roisin]

Vatican Assassins

Have heard of it but never read it... but thanks for the thumbs up on this one so I'll check it out. :)

[linksplatinum]

How about "Behold A Pale Horse" by William Cooper. Check that one out, good read on a lot of the alphabet goons fun and games...

[bogeyman]

I liked Three Days of the Condor....Robert Redford.......

I have that film another good one, not specially about the CIA is called The Parallax View, and The Domino Principle