The Literary Spy
The Ultimate Source for Quotations on Espionage & Intelligence
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- $46.99
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- $46.99
Publisher Description
The Literary Spy provides a unique view of the intelligence world through the words of its own major figures (and those fascinated with them) from ancient times to the present. CIA speechwriter and analyst Charles E. Lathrop has compiled and annotated more than 3,000 quotations from such disparate sources as the Bible, spy novels and movies, Shakespeare’s plays, declassified CIA documents, memoirs, TV talk shows, and speeches from U.S. and foreign leaders and officials.
Arranged in thematic categories with opening commentary for each section, the quotations speak for themselves. Together they serve both to illuminate a world famous for its secrets and deceptions and to show the extent to which intelligence has manifested itself in literature and in life. Engaging, informative, and often irreverent, The Literary Spy is an exceedingly satisfying book—one that meets the needs of the serious researcher just as ably as those of the armchair spy in pursuit of an evening’s entertainment.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Books of quotations often showcase the most polished gems of thought by statesmen, writers and other luminaries. But Lathrop, a C.I.A. speechwriter, has a double mission in culling 'quotables' that shed light on the murky world of espionage: he wants to reflect both the wisdom and the ignorance of the guardians and pundits of "intelligence" throughout history. From J. Edgar's sputtering about too much "damned coordination" in government to Nietzsche's aphorism that "convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies," the quotations seek to capture the spirit of both the hapless and the hopeful, the visionaries and the obfuscators, the insiders and the observers. No source is too sacred or too lightweight; passages from the Bible and Shakespeare are printed alongside snippets from talk shows and James Bond movies. Lathrop carves the quotes into alphabetical categories, including "Assassination," "Ignoring Bad News" and "Weapons of Mass Destruction"--topics that will register with readers who are attuned to the current state of political affairs.
