2024 the best spy agency in the world review

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NATIONAL BESTSELLER • A “rip-roaring” (Steve Coll), “staggeringly well-researched” (The New York Times) history of three generations at the CIA, “electric with revelations” (Booklist) about the women who fought to become operatives, transformed spycraft, and tracked down Osama bin Laden, from the bestselling author of Code Girls

A NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS’ CHOICE • A FOREIGN POLICY AND SMITHSONIAN BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

In development as a series from Lionsgate Television, executive produced by Scott Delman (Station Eleven)

Created in the aftermath of World War II, the Central Intelligence Agency relied on women even as it attempted to channel their talents and keep them down. Women sent cables, made dead drops, and maintained the agency’s secrets. Despite discrimination—even because of it—women who started as clerks, secretaries, or unpaid spouses rose to become some of the CIA’s shrewdest operatives.

They were unlikely spies—and that’s exactly what made them perfect for the role. Because women were seen as unimportant, pioneering female intelligence officers moved unnoticed around Bonn, Geneva, and Moscow, stealing secrets from under the noses of their KGB adversaries. Back at headquarters, women built the CIA’s critical archives—first by hand, then by computer. And they noticed things that the men at the top didn’t see. As the CIA faced an identity crisis after the Cold War, it was a close-knit network of female analysts who spotted the rising threat of al-Qaeda—though their warnings were repeatedly brushed aside.

After the 9/11 attacks, more women joined the agency as a new job, targeter, came to prominence. They showed that data analysis would be crucial to the post-9/11 national security landscape—an effort that culminated spectacularly in the CIA’s successful effort to track down bin Laden in his Pakistani compound.

Propelled by the same meticulous reporting and vivid storytelling that infused Code Girls, The Sisterhood offers a riveting new perspective on history, revealing how women at the CIA ushered in the modern intelligence age, and how their silencing made the world more dangerous

From the Publisher

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BSL12WJ7
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Crown (October 17, 2023)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 17, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 52794 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 705 pages
Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: This book will make you mad, sad and profoundly proud
Review: This a very readable book. The author is able to tell the stories of these remarkable women in a way that captures your attention and makes you want to scream in frustration at the roadblocks that these women had to endure in their careers. Not a dull history but a well told story that reveals the effectiveness of the women of the CIA and the frustration of having the information on Osama Bin Laden years before 9/11 and being ignored because they were women.Please read this book, it is unputdownable and you will be in awe of the women of the CIA.

Reviewer: CarmelShelley
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: really interesting
Review: Also frustrating to read about the sexism in the CIA was no different than any corporate America office of that time. Of course, it’s still exist today in corporate America, and certainly around the worldThat said reading about the role of women in the CIA in the last half of the 19th century is absolutely fascinating. Not to mention is somewhat frustrating as well.

Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: An Awsome History with Great Personal Stories.
Review: Very interesting book. The author combines facts and history with excellent first-hand accounts from multiple generations of impressive women.

Reviewer: Kitty
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Very well written & researched
Review: This author is one of the absolute best writers I've ever read. She has conducted many interviews & an amazing amount of research to give the reader the full story of women in the CIA. A fascinating read that I highly recommend.

Reviewer: Joan K.
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A Fascinating Page-Turner
Review: Mundy, a former staff writer for The Washington Post, makes the well-documented case that women in the CIA were discriminated against as far as hiring and promotions went. Back in the early 70s, when I was hired, only 25 percent of the workforce was women, and even women with college degrees were hired as GS-3 or -4 typists, or GS-5 if you passed the shorthand test.She also details in the book how CIA “Headquarters was rife with sexual innuendo and advances, not to mention sexual paraphernalia.” And so, “women—secretaries, clerks, cases officers—had to navigate a workplace in which they were assumed to be, on some level, playthings.” It goes on to say, “Women could turn down advances—most of the time—but certain expectations were beyond their control.” I can hear John Le Carre, Ian Fleming, Allen Dulles, William Donovan, Osama bin Laden, and the al Qaeda leadership rolling over in their graves about now. Even a friend said, “Is that the same book that puts down men at the CIA?”I think Mundy interviewed at least 100 people for this book, but I’m not so sure it is representational for the majority, especially since she states in her book, the CIA workforce totaled 20,000 people. I was surprised to hear that number because I thought the number was and still is secret. She did say her book did not have to be vetted since she is not a former employee.The last half of the book goes into great detail about how women analysts tracked down Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda, however, they were not taken seriously because they were women. Mundy relied heavily on CIA Director, George Tenet’s memoir, At the Center of the Storm. Tenet was President Clinton’s third CIA Director.Some of the important women mentioned in the book included: Eloise Page, Mary Bancroft, Cora Du Bois, Heidi August, Lisa Manfull Harper, Jeanne Newell, Sue McCloud, Jonna Mendez, Martha (Marti) Peterson, Molly Chambers, Jennifer Matthews, Mallory (pseudo), Maya (pseudo), Rachel (pseudo), Jami Miscik, Patti Kindsvater, Susan Hasler, Sandy Grimes, Diana Worthen, Mary Margaret Graham, Paula Doyle, Cindy Storer, Barbara Sude, Shirley Sulik, Gina Bennett, Alfreda (Freda) Bikowsky, Rosa Smothers, Fran Moore, Ellie Duckett and Barbara Colby. Of these 30 women, I had never heard of any of them except for Eloise Page and I worked there for five years, including working a full year on the seventh floor.Overall, I found it to be a fascinating page-turner.

Reviewer: Betts
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: it is long but enticing
Review: Although on my kindle it appeared to be 700+ pages, it is actually only about 500. It kept me riveted and I learned so very much. I highly recommend it.

Reviewer: darswords
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Huge Emotional Intelligence
Review: Whoa! This is a lot! A crazy book to read at bedtime. My emotions were all over the place.It's worth the read. So much information! I love that the author did the narration, as you could tell her heart was in the read.It's so late at night that I can't think of what to say that will help others to want to check out this book. It is so worth the read. I'm just warning you. If anger, excitement, sadness, hopelessness, regret, hope, and other huge emotions keep you awake, you might want to read this earlier in the day. I had too many 3 AM bedtimes that didn't turn into actual sleep. Emotions about women, historical events, and all the wins and losses we've all lived through, but receiving only partial information played through my head, wondering what I would have done. What could I have done? How about the personal situations I've been through like some of these women; what needed to be done?So read it for yourself and learn what you can. I was lucky to get to read (listen to) it on Libby.

Reviewer: HGCassiano
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: CIA Women do outstanding work at the Agency
Review: Enjoyed the history. There are others that I was hoping to read about…. Next book..

Reviewer: BRUCE CHISHOLM
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Well written account of the early days of women in the CIA & the issues they overcame

Reviewer: Grandma Bee
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: This excellent and brilliantly edited work salutes women who served their country in times of crisis and produced outcomes in security that not only complemented, but heroically bypassed their, often biased and backstabbing, male colleagues.It remains that these women who worked and died for their patriotism and ability to stay focused on their task, stay remembered for all time.

Reviewer: Muhammad Nizam Bin Mohtar
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: A well written book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️