A Deeper Understanding of Cyberspace in Peace and War
Former Senior CIA Officer Daniel Hoffman takes a look at the book, Cyberspace in Peace and War in a review you’ll only find in The […] More
Archive for ‘Books’
9 Good Questions for First Casualty Author Toby Harnden
Cipher Brief UnderCover senior editor, Bill Harlow talks with journalist and author Toby Harnden about his new book, First Casualty: The Untold Story of the […] More
A Not-So-Great Recruiter
Former Senior CIA Officer Robert Dannenberg puts the new book, The Recruiter to the test in a candid review you’ll only find in The Cipher […] More
Reviewing The Anatomy of a Spy
BOOK REVIEW: The Anatomy of a Spy: A History of Espionage and Betrayal By Michael Smith / Arcade Publishing Reviewed by Jean-Thomas Nicole (The Cipher Brief […] More
What Afghanistan Cost the CIA
BOOK REVIEW: First Casualty: The Untold Story of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 By Toby Harnden Little Brown & Co. Reviewed by Philip Mudd […] More
Does the World Really End This Way?
BOOK REVIEW: This is How They Tell Me the World Ends: The Cyberweapons Arms Race By Nicole Perlroth / Bloomsbury Publishing Reviewed by Christopher Gallup […] More
My Bad Experience with The Cover Wife
BOOK REVIEW: The Cover Wife By Dan Fesperman / Knopf Reviewed by William D. Murray, retired senior CIA Operations Officer (The Cipher Brief taps independent […] More
The Cellist and her Plot Against Putin
BOOK REVIEW: The Cellist By Daniel Silva / Harper Reviewed by Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret) The Reviewer – Cipher Brief Expert Admiral James Stavridis, […] More
A Read for Spy Nerds
BOOK REVIEW: SPY SWAP: The Humiliation of Russia’s Intelligence Services By Nigel West / Frontline Books Reviewed by Joseph Augustyn, Former Sr. CIA Officer (The […] More
Reviewing National Security Law for the Coming AI Revolution
BOOK REVIEW: The Centaur’s Dilemma: National Security Law for the Coming AI Revolution By James E. Baker / Brookings Institution Press Reviewed by W. Renn […] More
Congress is Overwhelmed. Now What?
BOOK REVIEW: Congress Overwhelmed – The Decline in Congressional Capacity and Prospects for Reform By Editors Timothy M. LaPira, Lee Drutman and Kevin Kosar / […] More
Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA
BOOK REVIEW: Clarity in Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the CIA By Marc Polymeropoulos / HarperCollins Reviewed by Ken Dilanian The Reviewer: Ken Dilanian is the […] More
A Female Spy Thriller that gets it Right
BOOK REVIEW: Red Widow: A Novel / Putnam By: Alma Katsu Reviewed by Alison Bouwmeester THE REVIEWER —Alison P. Bouwmeester served for 28 years as a […] More
Three Wise Men and Their Duty to Serve
BOOK REVIEW: Three Wise Men: A Navy SEAL, a Green Beret and How their Marine Brother Became a War’s Sole Survivor By Beau Wise and Tom […] More
Reviewing 2034: The Next World War
BOOK REVIEW: 2034: A Novel of the Next World War By Elliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis Reviewed by Martin Petersen THE REVIEWER — Cipher Brief […] More
Eagle Down’s Gains and Losses
BOOK REVIEW: Eagle Down: The Last Special Forces Fighting the Forever War by Jessica Donati / PublicAffairs Reviewed by Damon Walsh, Chairman, Mission Solutions Group THE […] More
The Spymaster of Baghdad
BOOK REVIEW: The Spymaster of Baghdad: A True Story of Bravery, Family, and Patriotism in the Battle Against ISIS by Margaret Coker / Dey Street Books […] More
Why a DIY Drone Program was a Bad Idea
The Cipher Brief is committed to a free exchange of ideas. Our book reviewers are drawn from the ranks of our readers — and they […] More
Reading the Roots of Russia’s Political Warfare
BOOK REVIEW: The Folly and the Glory: America, Russia and the Political Warfare 1945-2020 by Tim Weiner / Henry Holt & Co. Reviewed by Lt. Gen. […] More
Spies, Journalists and the Literature of Witness
BOOK REVIEW: On All Fronts: The Education of a Journalist by Clarissa Ward / Penguin Press Reviewed by Marc Polymeropoulos Cipher Brief Expert Marc Polymeropoulos served […] More
Holiday Shopping Tips for the Best National Security Books
(The Cipher Brief is an amazon affiliate and may make a small commission on books purchased via The Cipher Brief. ) UnderCover Senior Book Editor […] More
The Real Power of Administrative Law
BOOK REVIEW: Law and Leviathan: Redeeming the Administrative State by Cass R. Sunstein and Adrian Vermeule / Belknap Press Reviewed by Terence Check Terence Check is […] More
Agent Sonya’s Faustian Bargain
“The Cipher Brief has become the most popular outlet for former intelligence officers; no media outlet is even a close second to The Cipher Brief […] More
Reviewing America in the World
“The Cipher Brief has become the most popular outlet for former intelligence officers; no media outlet is even a close second to The Cipher Brief […] More