For the President's Eyes Only
Secret Intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush
by Christopher Andrew
ISBN: 0060170379
ISBN-13: 9780060170370
Format: Hardcover
|
Summary
Christpher Andrew's history of US intelligence operations focuses on the 20th century. US intelligence gathering became much more extensive and sophisticated during the First World War, although for years it was dominated by the superior British intelligence services. During the 1950s, the US used its exceptional technological knowledge to make advances in espionage. Included in this endeavor were the development of both the U-2 spy plane and Operation Lighting, a major effort to upgrade the computer used to analyze the wealth of newly available data. One of the author's significant points is that the US has always been better at the technical end of spying than it has at the human end. This has been demonstrated by the numerous instances when the CIA has misinterpreted the motivations of both the people it has employed and those it has spied on. This book is filled with amusing anecdotes, such as Harry Truman's presentation of cloaks and daggers to his intelligence chiefs, and the CIA's forgery of labels on bottles of brandy to make better gifts for one of their moles to give to his Soviet boss.
Customer Reviews
Be the first to review this book!
Media Reviews
"This is the most important book ever written about American intelligence." -- David Kahn
"Lively and authoritative...Andrew has an eye for telling detail and a good sense of balance. He appreciates that the C.I.A. is neither a magic wand nor a bunch of thugs, that intelligence is critical to wise foreign policy, and that presidents are all too human."
-- Washington Post Book World
"In the popular imagination, the CIA and its ilk are powerful behind-the-scenes policy shapers. Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, the latter day Lanny Budd, gets into the center of Washington intrigue by being head of the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence. Andrew provides a realistic alternative picture, which is of relatively powerless organizations made up of highly intelligent, capable and dedicated individuals, who acquire, distribute and comment on vast quantities of intelligence, seldom knowing whether their work has any impact or, indeed, is even noticed. Though intelligence literature and medical literature may be vaguely analogous, intelligence professionals and the users of their services seem related less like physicians and patients than like magazine publishers and potential news-stand shoppers. This makes it all the more puzzling that it has taken so long for someone to attempt a book like 'For the President's Eyes Only'. One is grateful to Christopher Andrew for his initiative, and eager to see other scholars follow his lead." -- Ernest R. May
-- Times Literary Supplement
Bibliographic Details
Publisher: Harpercollins
Published date: 1995
Size: 6.75 x 9.75 inches
Weight: 2.45 pounds
Publisher's Notes
Based on in-depth research, an examination of how American presidents used secret intelligence is filled with anecdotes, personalities, and surprising events, and reveals that the two most successful soldiers--Washington and Eisenhower--were most skillful at using intelligence.
Other Editions
Similar books
To the Best of My Ability
by Society of American Historians
Every generation of historians reviews and revises the work of its predecessors. With this book, the best historical writers of today's generation undertake such a task. Displaying wit and narrative flair, their elegant essays offer a fresh perspective on the most fascinating group of Americans: the American presidents.Who better to write a new assessment of the presidents than the most respected (and best-selling) historians of our time? In To the Best of My Ability: The American Presidents, members of the prestigious Society of American Historians deliver engaging, thoughtful analyses of the forty-one men who have led this country- some, of course, more successfully than others.In this copiously illustrated volume, edited by Pulitzer Prize-winner James M. McPherson, you will learn from Gordon S. Wood how George Washington, an extraordinary man, made it possible for ordinary men to govern; from Allen Weinstein how Theodore Roosevelt tested and extended the limits of the presidency; from Tom Wicker how Richard Nixon's hatreds and insecurities gripped him ever more tightly as he achieved his long-sought goal of power; and from Evan Thomas how much Bill Clinton cares about his place in the new presidential pecking order.
The Opposition Presidency
by David A. Crockett
The President's House
by Margaret Truman
In this splendid blend of the personal and the historic...Margaret Truman offers an unforgettable tour of "the president's house" from 1800 to the present.
Executive Secrets
by William J. Daugherty
The American Presidency
by Michael Nelson
|
|
Ready to buy this book?
Below are all of the copies of 0060170379 we currently have available for purchase, sorted by lowest price first. If you would like to refine your search, use the advanced options in the search box above.
|
|
3)
|
For the President's Eyes Only: Secret Intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush
Andres, Christopher
New York: HarperCollins, 1995. Dust jacket has light edgewear. Cover has light bumping to spine ends and corners. Binding sound. Text bright and unmarked. Illustrated with glossy black/white photographs. Notes, bibliography, index. 660 pages. Book Club edition comprable to original publisher's edition.. Book Club Edition. Hard Cover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. ( more information) Offered by My Sister's Books (United States)
Favorite bookseller : you've previously added this bookseller to your favorites list.
|
|
|
6)
|
For the President's Eyes Only
Andrew, Christopher
Harpercollins. Near Fine in Very Good+ dust jacket. 1995. First Edition First Printing. Hardcover. Light edgewear to DJ. DJ in mylar cover. Book is As New, clean and crisp with solid binding. 2 x 9.75 x 6.75 Inches 672 pages Author of <cite>Her Majesty's Secret Service</cite> and coauthor of <cite>KGB: The Inside Story</cite>, Andrew is one of the world's leading authorities on intelligence history. His newest book is the first to show how the presidency both transformed and was transformed by the workings of U.S. intelligence. In Andrew's judgement only four presidents proved equal to the challenge: Washington, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Bush, while many others ignored, mistrusted, misused or were unbelievably naive about it.<P> "... a thoughtful, judicious book." --<cite>The New York Times Book Review</cite> . ( more information) Offered by North American Rarities (United States)
Favorite bookseller : you've previously added this bookseller to your favorites list.
|
|
|
7)
|
For the President's Eyes Only: Secret Intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush
Andrew, Christopher
HarperCollins, 1995. Hard Cover W/DJ Good/VG. Book Club (BCE/BOMC). Other than large name written on all 3 edges, book and dust jacket are bright with only lightest wear. 660 pages with index and photograph section.. ISBN: 0060170379. Book Club (BCE/BOMC). Hard Cover. Good/Very Good. PRESIDENTS UNITED STATES BIOGRAPHY AUTOBIOGRAPHY. ( more information) Offered by gigabooks (United States)
Favorite bookseller : you've previously added this bookseller to your favorites list.
|
|
|
8)
|
For the President's Eyes Only
Andrew, Christopher
HarperCollins, 1995. (1st edition, 1st printing). Hardbound. VERY GOOD+/Very Good. As new except for crease on spine. Wear to DJ edges, unclipped. 660 pages."Authoritative account of the important and largely unknown relationship between American Presidents and their inteligence services." ISBN: 0060170379. ( more information) Offered by Rainy Day Paperback Exchange (United States)
Favorite bookseller : you've previously added this bookseller to your favorites list.
|
|
|
9)
|
For the President's Eyes Only
Andrew, C
New York, NY, U.S.A.: HarperTrade, 1995. Pages are tight, bright, clean. Binding very firm and straight. Jacket in crystal-clear polyester protector. No apparent wear, except for previous owners name on front flyleaf. Board edges and corners unworn.. Edition or Printing Not Stated. Hard Cover. Very Good Plus/Very Good Not Clipped No Price. 9 1/2 X 6 1/4. Book Club ??. ( more information) Offered by Charles E. Peck (United States)
Favorite bookseller : you've previously added this bookseller to your favorites list.
|
|
|
11)
|
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
Andrew, Christopher
New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995. This 6.5"x9.5" hard cover book has a gold dj with maroon and white lettering on the front and spine of the dj. A book about the secret intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush. 660 indexed pages. A clean and tight copy of the book. DAILY SHIPPING, QUICK RESPONDING DEALER.. First Edition. Hard Cover. Fine/Near Fine. Illus. by Photo Illustrated. ( more information) Offered by Connie Popek, Bookseller (United States)
Favorite bookseller : you've previously added this bookseller to your favorites list.
|
|
|
15)
|
FOR THE PRESIDENT'S EYES ONLY
Andrew, Christopher
New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1995. Illustrated dust jacket in excellent condition; mauve rose with black hardback book binding. 660 pages including Index. SECRET INTELLIGENCE AND THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY FROM WASHINGTON TO BUSH. . Book Club (BCE/BOMC). Hard Cover. Very Good +/Very Good +. ( more information) Offered by Magic Lantern Books (United States)
Favorite bookseller : you've previously added this bookseller to your favorites list.
|
|
|
16)
|
For the President's Eyes Only: Secret Intelligence and the American Presidency from Washington to Bush
Andrew, Christopher
Harpercollins. Hardcover. 0060170379 New and unused. May contain the very slightest of wear from time on the shelf. A solid copy. Looks like an interesting title! We ship daily, provide personalized customer service and want you to have a great experience purchasing from us. Thank you for your consideration. . New. ( more information) Offered by BennettBooksLtd (United States)
Favorite bookseller : you've previously added this bookseller to your favorites list.
|
|
|
0 items in cart
Muze Inc. For personal non-commercial use only. All rights reserved. Some content for books is owned by Baker & Taylor, Inc. or its licensors and is subject to copyright and all other protections provided by applicable law.
