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John Sipher

Recommended Books

Former CIA Clandestine Service
42 books on the list
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The Less You Know, the Better You Sleep book cover
The Less You Know, the Better You Sleep
Russia's Road to Terror and Dictatorship under Yeltsin and Putin
David Satter - 2016-05-24
Goodreads Rating
This eye-opening book explores the dark history of Russia, including the apartment bombings in 1999 that brought Putin to power. The author, known in Russia for his controversial reporting, tells a gripping tale of corruption and criminalization of the country under Yeltsin and Putin's subsequent reign. As global tensions rise, this book provides a vital insight into the current state of Russia and its potential threat to the world.
John Sipher
2023-01-24T17:29:50.000Z
It is very much worth re-reading @DavidSatter's book to understand Putin and the Kremlin as they wage war in Ukraine. It was always there for us to see.      source
Recommended by
Garry Kasparov
A Spy Among Friends book cover
A Spy Among Friends
Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal
Ben MacIntyre - 2014-07-29
Goodreads Rating
This book tells the story of Kim Philby, the greatest spy in history, and his betrayal of Britain's counterintelligence during the Cold War. Through personal papers and never-before-seen intelligence files, Ben Macintyre paints a suspenseful and psychologically insightful portrait of the man who fooled his own best friend and fellow officer at MI6. A Spy Among Friends is a high-water mark in Cold War history telling.
John Sipher
2022-12-14T22:00:35.000Z
@parisianballad @TheEconomist The book was pretty good.      source
Recommended by
Marc Andreessen
The Real Special Relationship book cover
The Real Special Relationship
Michael Smith - 2022-08-04
Goodreads Rating
"The Real Special Relationship" explores the close bond between America and Britain, from its beginnings during WWII to its enduring presence today. Michael Smith, a former intelligence officer and bestselling author, delves into the secrets and characters that shaped the collaboration between the two countries, from Winston Churchill to Edward Snowden. With in-depth interviews and meticulous research, this engaging read offers a glimpse into the mysterious workings of MI6 and the CIA, and how they work tirelessly to keep us safe.
John Sipher
2022-07-20T19:40:42.000Z
@MickWSmith Great book!      source
First Casualty book cover
First Casualty
The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11
Toby Harnden - 2021-09-01
Goodreads Rating
Discover the incredible true story of the first Americans to be dropped behind enemy lines in Afghanistan after 9/11. Meet the CIA's Team Alpha, an eclectic band of linguists, tribal experts, and elite warriors, tasked with tracking down Al-Qaeda and preventing future attacks on America. Follow them on their covert mission as they ride into battle on horseback alongside Afghan warlords. First Casualty is a gripping and intimate account of the CIA's early victory and the lessons that were tragically ignored, fueling a decades-long conflict.
John Sipher
2022-03-06T18:51:21.000Z
I read all Michael Dobbs' books but "One Minute to Midnight" is chilling, as is Lawrence Wright's "Thirteen Days in September." Catherine Belton's excellent "Putin's People" is a must to understand Putin. Also, Toby Harnden's recent "First Casualty" is good on early Afghan. 5/      source
Recommended by
Maggie Haberman
The Quiet Americans book cover
The Quiet Americans
Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War
Scott Anderson - 2020-09-01
Goodreads Rating
Explore the early years of the Cold War and the CIA's covert battles against communism in this gripping and revealing historical account. From renowned author Scott Anderson comes the story of four spies who ran covert operations across the globe, trying to outwit the ruthless KGB and protect democracy. However, as the Cold War escalated, American leaders became rigid in their pursuit to defeat the Soviets at any cost, eventually toppling democratically-elected governments and losing the world's respect. With its riveting exploits and important lessons, The Quiet Americans is a must-read for anyone interested in the moral standing of the United States on the international stage.
John Sipher
2022-03-06T18:51:21.000Z
Among the best histories of Russian espionage is Allen Weinstein and Alexander Vassiliev's "The Haunted Wood". Christopher Andrew's classic "The Sword and the Shield" is a history of the KGB. Scott Anderson's recent "The Quiet Americans" is good on early CIA. 4/      source
Putin's People book cover
Putin's People
How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took On the West
Catherine Belton - 2020-06-23
Goodreads Rating
Discover the untold story behind Putin's rise to power and how he and a small group of KGB men surrounding him looted their country, subverted Russia's economy and legal system, and extended the Kremlin's reach into the United States and Europe. Through interviews with key inside players and a cast of colorful characters, investigative journalist Catherine Belton's Putin's People is a chilling and revelatory exposé of the KGB's revanche and the consequences for the world.
John Sipher
2022-03-06T18:51:21.000Z
I read all Michael Dobbs' books but "One Minute to Midnight" is chilling, as is Lawrence Wright's "Thirteen Days in September." Catherine Belton's excellent "Putin's People" is a must to understand Putin. Also, Toby Harnden's recent "First Casualty" is good on early Afghan. 5/      source
Recommended by
Carl Bildt
Thirteen Days in September book cover
Thirteen Days in September
The Dramatic Story of the Struggle for Peace
Lawrence Wright - 2014-09-16
Goodreads Rating
This book details the gripping 13-day Camp David conference where President Jimmy Carter convinced the leaders of Israel and Egypt to sign the first peace treaty in the modern Middle East. Lawrence Wright provides insight into the forces at play in the region and illuminates the issues that have made the problems of the region so intractable. The book also explores the significant role played by Rosalynn Carter and the prominent figures who played a role. This riveting work of history and reportage provides an inside look at how peace is made.
John Sipher
2022-03-06T18:51:21.000Z
I read all Michael Dobbs' books but "One Minute to Midnight" is chilling, as is Lawrence Wright's "Thirteen Days in September." Catherine Belton's excellent "Putin's People" is a must to understand Putin. Also, Toby Harnden's recent "First Casualty" is good on early Afghan. 5/      source
One Minute to Midnight book cover
One Minute to Midnight
Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War
Michael Dobbs - 2008-02-01
Goodreads Rating
Cuba's secret Soviet missile installation almost sparked a nuclear war with the US in 1962. Written like a thriller, One Minute to Midnight by Michael Dobbs is an hour-by-hour account of those tense days that accepts we were close to Armageddon. The book features gripping accounts of Khrushchev's failed plan to destroy the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay, how Soviet nuclear warheads were handled on Cuba and an extraordinary story of a U-2 spy plane. One Minute to Midnight is an exhaustively researched account of what Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. called “the most dangerous moment in human history,” and the definitive book on the Cuban missile crisis.
John Sipher
2022-03-06T18:51:21.000Z
I read all Michael Dobbs' books but "One Minute to Midnight" is chilling, as is Lawrence Wright's "Thirteen Days in September." Catherine Belton's excellent "Putin's People" is a must to understand Putin. Also, Toby Harnden's recent "First Casualty" is good on early Afghan. 5/      source
The Haunted Wood book cover
The Haunted Wood
Soviet Espionage in America - The Stalin Era
Alexander Vassiliev, Allen Weinstein - 2000-03-14 (first published in 1998)
Goodreads Rating
Explore the intricate web of Soviet espionage in America with this gripping non-fiction book. Former KGB agent-turned-journalist Alexander Vassiliev and author Allen Weinstein delve into classified documents detailing the successful recruitment of high-ranking Americans to spy for the Soviets. This includes shocking revelations about U.S. Congressman, aides to President Roosevelt, and even the daughter of a key American ambassador. Discover the unheard personal stories of the Soviet underground, including love affairs, business deals, defections, and even plotted murders. This book offers a new perspective on the infamous atomic spies, Klaus Fuchs, David Greenglass, Ted Hall, and Julius Rosenberg, as well as the role played by Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, and "Kim" Philby.
John Sipher
2022-03-06T18:51:21.000Z
Among the best histories of Russian espionage is Allen Weinstein and Alexander Vassiliev's "The Haunted Wood". Christopher Andrew's classic "The Sword and the Shield" is a history of the KGB. Scott Anderson's recent "The Quiet Americans" is good on early CIA. 4/      source
Mitrokhin Archive book cover
Mitrokhin Archive
Christopher Andrew - 1999-09-05 (first published in 1985)
Goodreads Rating
Explore one of the biggest intelligence coups in recent history with this extraordinary book. Co-authored by a renegade Soviet archivist and Christopher Andrew, this global exposé uncovers major KGB penetrations throughout the Western world. With tales of malevolent spymasters, intricate tradecraft, and cold-eyed betrayal, this book reads like a cold war novel. It's the most comprehensive addition to the subject ever published and offers the most complete and extensive intelligence ever received from any source.
John Sipher
2022-03-06T18:51:21.000Z
Among the best histories of Russian espionage is Allen Weinstein and Alexander Vassiliev's "The Haunted Wood". Christopher Andrew's classic "The Sword and the Shield" is a history of the KGB. Scott Anderson's recent "The Quiet Americans" is good on early CIA. 4/      source
Damascus Station by David McCloskey
Bag Man by Rachel Maddow
Agent Sonya by Ben MacIntyre
Dead Doubles by Trevor Barnes
Betrayal in Berlin by Steve Vogel
Active Measures by Thomas Rid
Russians Among Us by Gordon Corera
Say Nothing by Patrick Radden Keefe
The Spy and the Traitor by Ben MacIntyre
The Kremlin's Candidate by Jason Matthews
The Road Not Taken by Max Boot
The Angel by Uri Bar-Joseph
The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman
Palace of Treason by Jason Matthews
Nothing is True and Everything is Possible by Peter Pomerantsev
Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews
Operation Mincemeat by Ben MacIntyre
Owney by Mona Kerby
The Commission by Philip Shenon
American Prometheus by Kai Bird
Agent Zigzag by Ben MacIntyre
A Secret Life by Benjamin Weiser
Eastern Approaches by Fitzroy MacLean
All the Shah's Men by Stephen Kinzer
Wilderness of Mirrors by David C. Martin
Whittaker Chambers by Sam Tanenhaus
Perjury by Allen Weinstein
Dark Sun by Richard Rhodes
The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes
Mole by William Hood
The Spy Who Saved the World by Jerrold L. Schecter
Witness by Whittaker Chambers