Spymaster: My Life in the CIA
Product ID: 13114184
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Lively and informative . . . It is also a good story of how an operative actually works in the field. — Military The death of CIA operative Theodore G. "Ted" Shackley in December 2002 triggered an avalanche of obituaries from all over the world, some of them condemnatory. Pundits used such expressions as "heroin trafficking," "training terrorists," "attempts to assassinate Castro," and "Mob connections." More specifically, they charged him with having played a major role in the Chilean military coup of 1973. But who was the real Ted Shackley? In Spymaster , he has told the story of his entire remarkable career for the first time. With the assistance of fellow former CIA officer Richard A. Finney, he discusses the consequential posts he held in Berlin, Miami, Laos, Vietnam, and Washington, where he was intimately involved in some of the key intelligence operations of the Cold War. During his long career, Shackley ran part of the inter-agency program to overthrow Castro, was chief of station in Vientiane during the CIA's "secret war" against North Vietnam and the Pathet Lao, and was chief of station in Saigon. After his retirement, he remained a controversial figure. In the early eighties, he was falsely charged with complicity in the Iran-Contra scandal. Ted Shackley's comments on CIA operations in Europe, Cuba, Chile, and Southeast Asia and on the life of a high-stakes spymaster will be the subject of intense scrutiny by all concerned with the fields of intelligence, foreign policy, and postwar U.S. history. Review: Good if you still enjoy reading the old fashion way - Unexpensive since I bought used and it is in a good condition. Plenty of good information but not an edge of your seat thriller since this is not fiction, Review: Great read. I often wonder what got redacted - The Blond Ghost reveals some of the operations he was involved in. Great read. I often wonder what got redacted. He was a very special operator. He ran the Phoenix Program in Viet Nam. There is a great deal of speculation about what this program was and its given by people who are just guessing. Great book. I met his son growing up in WPB Florida.
| Best Sellers Rank | #229,083 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #135 in Espionage True Accounts #211 in Intelligence & Espionage History #292 in Political Intelligence |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 76 Reviews |
J**Y
Good if you still enjoy reading the old fashion way
Unexpensive since I bought used and it is in a good condition. Plenty of good information but not an edge of your seat thriller since this is not fiction,
P**X
Great read. I often wonder what got redacted
The Blond Ghost reveals some of the operations he was involved in. Great read. I often wonder what got redacted. He was a very special operator. He ran the Phoenix Program in Viet Nam. There is a great deal of speculation about what this program was and its given by people who are just guessing. Great book. I met his son growing up in WPB Florida.
B**Y
A look back at what happened behind the scenes.
Interesting overall, for history buffs.
B**N
Insightful, but incomplete
I can't add much to the more comprehensive reviews already posted, but I did enjoy this book. It is quite interested to read the intricate dealings of the CIA with various foreign leaders. Of course, like others have said, this book is just a series of highlights. Shackley has a fairly dubious reputation, and this book leaves out a lot of Shackley's career. A lot of criticism can be given for that and some parts have to be taken with a grain of salt, knowing that Shackley isn't going to condemn himself for anything he did. That being said, this book was worth reading, but I wouldn't consider it an "entry-level" read. It can be dry at times and not always a page-turner. But for those familiar with Shackley and aspects of his career, this will be a worthwhile read.
A**R
Truth Trumps in a Tough Business
It did not know him, but admired his work!
B**R
He never lied
Ted Shackley was the blond ghost and those of us who knew him respected him.
J**Z
A book for the educated
Love the mind of this writer. Addictive reading. Hooray.
J**1
Must See TV
Must View for anyone interested in CIA dark ops of the 50s - 80s.
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