At Her Majesty's Secret Service: The Chiefs of Britain's Intelligence Agency, Mi6

West, Nigel

ISBN 10: 1591140099 / ISBN 13: 9781591140092

Published by US Naval Institute Press, 2006

Pages are clean and are not marred by notes or folds of any kind. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G1591140099I2N00

Synopsis:

This is the only history that exists of the famed British secret intelligence agency, MI6, the service responsible for gathering intelligence overseas. Chapters focus on each of the reigning MI6 chiefs, beginning with Sir Mansfield Cumming, and describe clandestine operations that took place during each chief's tenure through 2004. Made famous by the wildly popular James Bond 007 movies, the London-based organization--known internally as The Firm and to other agencies as The Friends--has attracted a great deal of attention over the years as it collected secret foreign intelligence around the world. Until the publication of this book in 1983, however, the truth about the service's past had remained largely unwritten. Nigel West, the author, is the pseudonym of Rupert Allison, a Conservative ex-MP who has written numerous spy books under the West name. Until 2010, when an "official" history of MI6 through the early Cold War is scheduled to be published, this book remains the only source to turn to.

Review: Nigel West s latest book on the world of spies , At Her Majesty s Secret Service: The Chiefs of Britain s Intelligence Agency, MI6, is a revelation not least because I discovered, to my total astonishment, that I actually knew one of the chiefs quite well. --William Boyd, The Guardian

The Quality of the research, largely based on original documentation is exceptional, and shines through in each of the chapters. The great British spy scandals are also covered in depth as well as lesser-known successes. This is an interesting read, especially so if you have any interest in security matters and British 20th Century History. No James Bond s in it though --Military Modelcraft International, 08/2008

When the noted authority Nigel West writes a book on espionage, it is sure to be heeded and praised. This book is no exception. One wonders how the author was able to assemble such in-depth biographical details on the secret lives of the fourteen chiefs of the British Secret Intelligence Service or M16.A glossary of intelligence community abbreviations, a map of historical SIS sites in Central London and a listing of SIS stations add to the already high level interest of the text and make this a highly recommended reference. --Syd Wigzell, Arms and Militaria

Bibliographic Details

Title: At Her Majesty's Secret Service: The Chiefs ...
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press
Publication Date: 2006
Binding: Hardcover
Condition: As New
Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket