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The Bureau: The Secret History of the FBI
by: Ronald Kessler

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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 363.250973
EAN: 9780312989774
ISBN: 0312989776
Label: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 576
Publication Date: July 13, 2003
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Sales Rank: 124534
Studio: St. Martin's Paperbacks

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Product Description:

No institution is as critically important to America's security. No American institution is as controversial. And, after the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court, no institution is as powerful. Yet until now, no book has presented the full story of the FBI from its beginnings in 1908 to the present...

The Bureau
The Secret History of the FBI

Based on exclusive interviews-including the first interview with Robert Mueller since his nomination as director-The Bureau reveals why the FBI was unprepared for the attacks of September 11 and how the FBI is combating terrorism today. The book answers such questions as: Why did the FBI know nothing useful about al-Qaeda before September 11? What is really behind the FBI's more aggressive investigative approaches that have raised civil liberties concerns? What does the FBI think of improvements in airline security? How safe does the FBI think America really is?

An Award-winning investigative reporter and New York Times bestselling author of Inside the White House, Ronald Kessler answers these questions and presents the definitive history of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Bureau reveals startling new information-from J. Edgar Hoover's blackmailing of Congress to the investigation of the September 11th attacks.

Customer Reviews

Average Rating: out of 5 stars

Rating:

- The Bureau: The Secret History of the FBI
I've read other books by Ronald Kessler, and find his style of writing somewhat unusual. In this book, he hops around frequently, as if new ideas are popping into his head, which makes for a hard read at times. However, that being said, the book is excellent. It is well researched, with footnotes galore, and very factual. I know people that work for the FBI and I have been told the info in the book is spot-on. It's very very interesting. But, you have to like this stuff. Otherwise, you might find the content dull or unexciting.

Rating:

- A good introduction
Kessler's book makes for a good introduction and likely acts as a good starting off point for anyone interested in the history of the FBI. The pace at times borders on frenetic with numerous names and circumstances peppering the pages while at others Kessler seems to dwell a tad too long.
The book provides good coverage of the bureau's agency along with the various gangsters, spies, domestic events that have made front page news throughout the last 100 yrs.
Overall though one finishes the book with a sense that it was rushed - whether due to Kessler's writing style or publication deadlines. In the latter stages numerous repetition of characters and events abounds which might have been alleviated by judicious editing. The selection of photographs also appears to be without theme - a smattering of directors, gangsters and other notables are brought together but on many occasions the central character ... Read More

Rating:

- Fact or Propaganda -- Kessler's FBI
In a factual book I have a high standard for factual accuracy and against propagandizing through adjective excessiveness

This book does not live up to its sub-title. There is little if anything covered in this book that has not appeared frequently in other books or magazines covering the FBI.

There is a lot of material missing. For instance the charges of a homosexual relationship with Roy Cohn.

There are far to many cases or instances where Kessler is indicating his approval or disapproval of the bureau and its actions.

There are cases and officers mentioned to the credit of the FBI where that credit belongs to others or the officer in question was not an agent at the time of the event.

Some controversal instances such as Waco are very badly handled. At Waco there are instances of commission in the history. That Koresh was a religious fanatic with ... Read More

Rating:

- Very strong presentation of the Bureau
Kessler's book is an interesting read. For me it has helped changed perceptions of acts and agencies of our federal government. The books gives a chronological portrayal of the Bureau's early days to the present, and finishes with a few chapters of important cases (espionage, 9/11 and others) that were too significant to put in mere historical context. For the most part Kessler's arguments and research are highly credible. His description of the Bureau over the last 15 years matches my personal recollection of certain events and my own perceptions regarding the Bureau, and how certain attitudes, dogmas or rules "handed down" by the Director were responsible for Bureau mistakes or public perceptions of the agency.

At times one might view Kessler's work as an attack on the Bureau, but the book seems admirably weighed between censure for the Bureau's wrongdoing and praise for the Bureau's successes. This balance ... Read More

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