'Sensationally good ... A riveting story, the real-life spooks and spies far more compelling than anything you will see on the screen ... history doesn't come more fascinating than this' Evening Standard
For over 100 years, the agents of MI5 have defended Britain against enemy subversion. Their work has remained shrouded in secrecy - until now.
This first-ever authorized account reveals the British Security Service as never before: its inner workings, its clandestine operations, its failures and its triumphs.
'Definitive and fascinating ... whether reporting on Hitler in the 1930s, the Double-Cross System of the second world war, Zionist terrorism, the atom spies, the Cambridge spies, the so-called Wilson plot or the 1988 shooting of the IRA bombers in Gibraltar, this book is essential reading' Alan Judd, Spectator
'The British Secret Service has opened its archives - and even 'insiders' may be in for a surprise ... magisterial ... extremely readable' Oleg Gordievsky, The Times
'Compelling ... a feast' Max Hastings, Sunday Times
'A superb account ... He has captured every important detail of the Service ... unlikely to be surpassed for another 100 years' Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
“Penetrating. . . . Inestimably valuable. . . . Fills in a chapter of history that has been unjustly neglected.”
—"The New York Times Book Review"
“Fascinating and instructive. . . . As complete and thorough as such a history may be and as engrossing as any spy novel.”
—"Los Angeles Times"
“Unprecedented. . . . Weighty, measured and compelling. . . . With this book, the author has done a formidably good job for both the service and the public interest.”
—Max Hastings, "The Sunday Times" (London)
“As gripping as any thriller. . . . Throws new light on an important area of the running of the country, analysing the changing threats to national security over the 100 years and discussing the appropriateness or otherwise of the service’s response. . . . It will be enthusiastically scrutinised by historians, intelligence buffs and conspiracy theorists.”
—Stella Rimington, "Financial Times
"Penetrating. . . . Inestimably valuable. . . . Fills in a chapter of history that has been unjustly neglected."
--"The New York Times Book Review"
"Fascinating and instructive. . . . As complete and thorough as such a history may be and as engrossing as any spy novel."
--"Los Angeles Times"
"Unprecedented. . . . Weighty, measured and compelling. . . . With this book, the author has done a formidably good job for both the service and the public interest."
--Max Hastings, "The Sunday Times" (London)
"As gripping as any thriller. . . . Throws new light on an important area of the running of the country, analysing the changing threats to national security over the 100 years and discussing the appropriateness or otherwise of the service's response. . . . It will be enthusiastically scrutinised by historians, intelligence buffs and conspiracy theorists."
--Stella Rimington, "Financial Times"
"Tantalizing. . . . Meticulous and extensive. . . . This book is unlikely to be surpassed for another 100 years, and until then will be the necessary starting point for anyone who wants to know what, exactly, MI5 is."
--"The Daily Telegraph "(London)
"A tour de force: a dazzlingly detailed account. . . . Andrew [is] remarkably candid."
--"Tulsa World"
"Andrew has demonstrated why he is considered by most of his peers to be the world's leading intelligence scholar. His mastery of sources and ability to write so clearly is second to none."
--"The Raleigh News & Observer"
"Magisterial, authoritative, balanced, readable. . . . MI5 has been well-served by this history and so have future historians, Service staff and the public in general."
--"The Sunday Telegraph" (London)
"[This] book covers everything. . . . It is a striking experiment in openness."
--"Economist"
"Absolutely fascinating. . . . A sweeping and highly readable account of a century of British intelligence."
--"The Washington Times"
"Clearly written, brilliantly organised and extremely readable, not least because of something [Andrew] shares with many of MI5's staff over the past hundred years--a sense of humour."
--"The Times" (London)
"There are plenty of fresh details about celebrated events, behind-the-scenes tidbits about successes and foibles, and dish about infamous people. . . . It's crack for history and spy agency addicts."
--Gerald Posner, "The Daily Beast"
"A ripping read and just the kind of work one would hope for from a well-qualified academic who has been given the run of MI5's treasure-trove of files."
--"The""Guardian "(London)
"Definitive and fascinating. Definitive because, after decades of ill-informed or partial accounts this book fully defines and describes its subject; no future writer can ignore it. Fascinating because the fluent clarity of Andrew's narrative, his eye for colourful individual detail and the sheer interest of his subjects. . . . This book is essential reading for anyone with even the slightest interest in intelligence in the modern period."
--"The Spectator"
"Andrew is an entertaining and authoritative guide through the labyrinth of secret files, with an infectious fascination for the game of counter-espionage. . . . An important part of Andrew's achievement is to narrate with clarity an incredibly complex story in which bizarre and improbable reality often outruns the most rococo fabrications of the spy novelist."
--"The Observer "(London)
"Brimming with some wonderful details. . . . A valuable and important contribution to our understanding of the 20th century."
--"The Independent" (London)
Penetrating. . . . Inestimably valuable. . . . Fills in a chapter of history that has been unjustly neglected.
"The New York Times Book Review"
Fascinating and instructive. . . . As complete and thorough as such a history may be and as engrossing as any spy novel.
"Los Angeles Times"
Unprecedented. . . . Weighty, measured and compelling. . . . With this book, the author has done a formidably good job for both the service and the public interest.
Max Hastings, "The Sunday Times" (London)
As gripping as any thriller. . . . Throws new light on an important area of the running of the country, analysing the changing threats to national security over the 100 years and discussing the appropriateness or otherwise of the service s response. . . . It will be enthusiastically scrutinised by historians, intelligence buffs and conspiracy theorists.
Stella Rimington, "Financial Times"
Tantalizing. . . . Meticulous and extensive. . . . This book is unlikely to be surpassed for another 100 years, and until then will be the necessary starting point for anyone who wants to know what, exactly, MI5 is.
"The Daily Telegraph "(London)
A tour de force: a dazzlingly detailed account. . . . Andrew [is] remarkably candid.
"Tulsa World"
Andrew has demonstrated why he is considered by most of his peers to be the world s leading intelligence scholar. His mastery of sources and ability to write so clearly is second to none.
"The Raleigh News & Observer"
Magisterial, authoritative, balanced, readable. . . . MI5 has been well-served by this history and so have future historians, Service staff and the public in general.
"The Sunday Telegraph" (London)
[This] book covers everything. . . . It is a striking experiment in openness.
"Economist"
Absolutely fascinating. . . . A sweeping and highly readable account of a century of British intelligence.
"The Washington Times"
Clearly written, brilliantly organised and extremely readable, not least because of something [Andrew] shares with many of MI5 s staff over the past hundred years a sense of humour.
"The Times" (London)
There are plenty of fresh details about celebrated events, behind-the-scenes tidbits about successes and foibles, and dish about infamous people. . . . It s crack for history and spy agency addicts.
Gerald Posner, "The Daily Beast"
A ripping read and just the kind of work one would hope for from a well-qualified academic who has been given the run of MI5 s treasure-trove of files.
"The" "Guardian "(London)
Definitive and fascinating. Definitive because, after decades of ill-informed or partial accounts this book fully defines and describes its subject; no future writer can ignore it. Fascinating because the fluent clarity of Andrew s narrative, his eye for colourful individual detail and the sheer interest of his subjects. . . . This book is essential reading for anyone with even the slightest interest in intelligence in the modern period.
"The Spectator"
Andrew is an entertaining and authoritative guide through the labyrinth of secret files, with an infectious fascination for the game of counter-espionage. . . . An important part of Andrew s achievement is to narrate with clarity an incredibly complex story in which bizarre and improbable reality often outruns the most rococo fabrications of the spy novelist.
"The Observer "(London)
Brimming with some wonderful details. . . . A valuable and important contribution to our understanding of the 20th century.
"The Independent" (London)"
Penetrating. . . . Inestimably valuable. . . . Fills in a chapter of history that has been unjustly neglected.
The New York Times Book Review
Fascinating and instructive. . . . As complete and thorough as such a history may be and as engrossing as any spy novel.
Los Angeles Times
Unprecedented. . . . Weighty, measured and compelling. . . . With this book, the author has done a formidably good job for both the service and the public interest.
Max Hastings, The Sunday Times (London)
As gripping as any thriller. . . . Throws new light on an important area of the running of the country, analysing the changing threats to national security over the 100 years and discussing the appropriateness or otherwise of the service s response. . . . It will be enthusiastically scrutinised by historians, intelligence buffs and conspiracy theorists.
Stella Rimington, Financial Times
Tantalizing. . . . Meticulous and extensive. . . . This book is unlikely to be surpassed for another 100 years, and until then will be the necessary starting point for anyone who wants to know what, exactly, MI5 is.
The Daily Telegraph (London)
A tour de force: a dazzlingly detailed account. . . . Andrew [is] remarkably candid.
Tulsa World
Andrew has demonstrated why he is considered by most of his peers to be the world s leading intelligence scholar. His mastery of sources and ability to write so clearly is second to none.
The Raleigh News & Observer
Magisterial, authoritative, balanced, readable. . . . MI5 has been well-served by this history and so have future historians, Service staff and the public in general.
The Sunday Telegraph (London)
[This] book covers everything. . . . It is a striking experiment in openness.
Economist
Absolutely fascinating. . . . A sweeping and highly readable account of a century of British intelligence.
The Washington Times
Clearly written, brilliantly organised and extremely readable, not least because of something [Andrew] shares with many of MI5 s staff over the past hundred years a sense of humour.
The Times (London)
There are plenty of fresh details about celebrated events, behind-the-scenes tidbits about successes and foibles, and dish about infamous people. . . . It s crack for history and spy agency addicts.
Gerald Posner, The Daily Beast
A ripping read and just the kind of work one would hope for from a well-qualified academic who has been given the run of MI5 s treasure-trove of files.
The Guardian (London)
Definitive and fascinating. Definitive because, after decades of ill-informed or partial accounts this book fully defines and describes its subject; no future writer can ignore it. Fascinating because the fluent clarity of Andrew s narrative, his eye for colourful individual detail and the sheer interest of his subjects. . . . This book is essential reading for anyone with even the slightest interest in intelligence in the modern period.
The Spectator
Andrew is an entertaining and authoritative guide through the labyrinth of secret files, with an infectious fascination for the game of counter-espionage. . . . An important part of Andrew s achievement is to narrate with clarity an incredibly complex story in which bizarre and improbable reality often outruns the most rococo fabrications of the spy novelist.
The Observer (London)
Brimming with some wonderful details. . . . A valuable and important contribution to our understanding of the 20th century.
The Independent (London)
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
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Book Description Condition: New. 2010. Reprint. Paperback. To mark the centenary of its foundation, the British Security Service, MI5, has opened its archives to an independent historian. This book reveals the precise role of the Service in twentieth-century British history, since its foundation by Captain Kell of the British Army in October 1909 to root out 'the spies of the Kaiser'. Num Pages: 1072 pages, Illustrations, col. map, ports. BIC Classification: 1DBK; HBT; JPSH. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 199 x 130 x 52. Weight in Grams: 784. . . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780141023304
Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. To mark the centenary of its foundation, the British Security Service, MI5, has opened its archives to an independent historian. This book reveals the precise role of the Service in twentieth-century British history, since its foundation by Captain Kell of the British Army in October 1909 to root out 'the spies of the Kaiser'. Seller Inventory # B9780141023304
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. o mark the centenary of its foundation, the British Security Service, MI5, has opened its archives to an independent historian. "The Defence of the Realm", the book which results, is an unprecedented publication. It reveals the precise role of the Service in twentieth-century British history, from its foundation by Captain Kell of the British Army in October 1909 to root out 'the spies of the Kaiser' up to its present role in countering Islamic terrorism. It describes the distinctive ethos of MI5, how the organization has been managed, its relationship with the government, where it has triumphed and where it has failed. In all of this, no restriction has been placed on the judgements made by the author. The book also casts new light on many events and periods in British history, showing for example that though well-placed sources MI5 was probably the pre-war department with the best understanding of Hitler's objectives, and had a remarkable willingness to speak truth to power; how it was so astonishingly successful in turning German agents during the Second World War; and, that it had much greater roles than has hitherto been realized during the end of the Empire and in responding to the recurrent fears of successive governments (both Conservative and Labour) and or Cold War Communist subversion. It has new information about the Profumo affair and its aftermath, about the 'Magnificent Five' and about a range of formerly unconfirmed Soviet contacts. It reveals that though MI5 had a file on Harold Wilson it did not plot against him, and it describes what really happened during the failed IRA attack in Gibraltar in March 1988. To mark the centenary of its foundation, the British Security Service, MI5, has opened its archives to an independent historian. This book reveals the precise role of the Service in twentieth-century British history, since its foundation by Captain Kell of the British Army in October 1909 to root out 'the spies of the Kaiser'. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780141023304