Honorable Treachery: A History of U.S. Intelligence, Espionage, and Covert Action from the American Revolution to the CIA

This book is as useful today as when published ten years ago (1991). I searched for years for an easy-to-read explanation of the birth and application of United States political and military intelligence to supplement history instruction. Most history books totally ignore the influence of intelligence on national events and policy creating instead an illusion of brilliant insight by political leaders when too often political leaders ignore solutions clearly laid out. This book is exceptional for those interested in history and foreign affairs and to stimulate high school or university students studying history. It is not a text book, not exciting, but not a tome either. Reading level is about grade 11. The period covered is 1775 to 1964. This book does not include discussion of sophisticated technical intelligence post 1965. It's chief value is a lucid compendium of historical events in which intelligence played a decisive role in the course of United States history - failure and success. The summation of cryptologic intelligence is among the most accurate and clearly explained that I have read. The book is researched and cited to the highest academic standards, sources used throughout are mostly secondary, but the most prestigious.

If you buy this book expecting spy stories, you're going to be disappointed. But it will be very interesting to those who follow the spy genre. It begins with stories about American Revolution spying and ends in the early 60's with CIA tales. There are many names dropped, and this may be the main value to some. It's interesting to read who has done intelligence work -- a Who's Who of the Who's Who. The book metemorphoses from a rather dry historical treatise at the beginning through other phases to a CIA-centered story at the end, no doubt because Mr. O'Toole was himself in the CIA. Lots of things here that you won't find collected elsewhere; well researched and well documented.