Explores a series of international, domestic, or technological crises and how governments and intelligence professionals scrambled to meet these challenges, only to see these innovations shape future events in sometimes unanticipated and unwanted ways. -- James J. Wirtz Political Science Quarterly A spectacular contribution to the literature. In it he covers an enormous amount of complex and nuanced material in an extremely easy style, yet his substantial chapter notes and bibliography fully support the academically inclined reader. Were I ever again to teach the history of intelligence, Rise and Fall would unquestionably be my primary text. -- Captain Steven E. Maffeo, U.S. Naval Reserve (Retired) Proceedings Were I ever again to teach the history of intelligence, [this] would unquestionably be my primary text. Proceedings A good guide to the nature of both sides of intelligence systems -- Father James V. Schall, S.J. Catholic Pulse A fine assessment of intelligence processes through the years. Midwest Book Review
This book presents a tour de force through the history and evolution of intelligence structures. Michael Warner is uniquely qualified to conduct such a journey. This is an important book and Warner ably demonstrates the influences of technology and ideology on the structure, means, and objectives of intelligence. These factors have shaped the nature of intelligence establishments over the last century and are as important today as ever before. It behooves us to understand the present evolutionary course of intelligence, and Michael Warner’s book is surely the best means to start doing so.