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zare_i's review against another edition
5.0
Story crosses decades of tumultuous events in one of the most ethnically mixed and eventually most hard hit and almost utterly destroyed state in Middle East - Lebanon.
It is story of people from Lebanon, refugees from the Palestine, various parties from the neighboring countries (Syria, Israel, Italy) and US intelligence officers caught in the crossfire of unstable region in 60's and 70's up to the bloody days of 1980's. It is truly soul crashing to see how entire region starts the slow spiral to destruction and multiethnical hatred that will bring so much evil to this area that even now it is still in healing process.
Even more crushing is fate of people, principled people, working in the unprincipled world led by politicians that are by definition survivors and chameleons, ready to sacrifice anyone for the current political influence. So how can principled people work under these circumstances in a dangerous world of intelligence gathering? They can try and more often than not they will turn cynical. If this does not happen they will end up dead because world does not tolerate principled people unless they are saints (and therefore long long gone).
Excellent spy novel, written by someone that knows very well the Middle East and its problems.
Highly recommended to thriller and spy story aficionados.
It is story of people from Lebanon, refugees from the Palestine, various parties from the neighboring countries (Syria, Israel, Italy) and US intelligence officers caught in the crossfire of unstable region in 60's and 70's up to the bloody days of 1980's. It is truly soul crashing to see how entire region starts the slow spiral to destruction and multiethnical hatred that will bring so much evil to this area that even now it is still in healing process.
Even more crushing is fate of people, principled people, working in the unprincipled world led by politicians that are by definition survivors and chameleons, ready to sacrifice anyone for the current political influence. So how can principled people work under these circumstances in a dangerous world of intelligence gathering? They can try and more often than not they will turn cynical. If this does not happen they will end up dead because world does not tolerate principled people unless they are saints (and therefore long long gone).
Excellent spy novel, written by someone that knows very well the Middle East and its problems.
Highly recommended to thriller and spy story aficionados.
gbdill's review against another edition
2.0
I tried to remain patient and stay with this book as I really like this author. But, after getting close to the halfway point, my patience waned. It just seemed like it was a slow moving story. How many chapters and pages does it take to describe Moore's efforts in recruiting Jamal to become an agent of the CIA? And, how many trips does it take to meet with Fuad and Jamal? It just seemed like it rambled on without any real action. I suppose the story was about secrecy, which I get. But, I was expecting more mystery and action since the first chapter was full of both. Maybe I'll come back to it again someday. Or, maybe not.
ben_miller's review against another edition
3.0
This is a 5-star book if you pretend it's a work of narrative non-fiction. It's a 1-star book if you evaluate it as a novel, which is what it claims to be. So I'll split the difference.
howattp's review against another edition
4.0
This was an engaging period piece about the Beirut troubles during the 60s and 70s. It's also a great spy novel which doesn't deal with the Bond-style of gadgets and evil masterminds. It's a great book!
tbr_the_unconquered's review against another edition
4.0
A piece of paper with a few dots on it. There is no pattern to the dots, they are random on the pristine whiteness of the sheet. Start drawing lines connecting them without a thought as to where they will go. There, that should about do it. All crisscrossed with no idea as to what goes where.
This roughly could be a very juvenile representation of how the intelligence agencies of the world work. Somebody comes across a piece of information that they do not know how to use, they send it over to someone else so that the favor can be returned some other day. Here, the bedrock is the American CIA and field of play : Lebanon in the 1960-1980's.
A CIA case officer who runs an agent in Beirut and how the relationship changes over two decades is what lies at the heart of the story. If you know the history of the world at that point, you will slowly see the signs : the escalating conflict between the Palestinians & the Israelis, the rise of Fatah in Beirut & Jordan, the advent of the Black September Organization, the bloody aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics and how the Mossad lashed out at Black September later. Ultimately it is a story of frustration and the all powerful America helplessly watching as a Country destroys itself with time.
What clearly sets this book aside is the fact that the author knows what he is talking about. Being a journalist who worked in Beirut in this time frame, the pictures he paints are vivid and fresh. Every one of the intelligence agencies of the World comes into the picture for a piece of their pie. What is most brilliant though is the portrayal of the CIA, a once mighty behemoth that is slowly losing its teeth. Many a character is a tad predictable and like I said, if you know your World history, you know where it will all end up. But this did not stop me from savoring the plot line. The environ created by the book is first class and it is going to my favorites list !
There is an interesting line I picked up : An American tells a Palestinian : No one in will harm an American in the middle east.
Oh how the world has changed my fellow American !
This roughly could be a very juvenile representation of how the intelligence agencies of the world work. Somebody comes across a piece of information that they do not know how to use, they send it over to someone else so that the favor can be returned some other day. Here, the bedrock is the American CIA and field of play : Lebanon in the 1960-1980's.
A CIA case officer who runs an agent in Beirut and how the relationship changes over two decades is what lies at the heart of the story. If you know the history of the world at that point, you will slowly see the signs : the escalating conflict between the Palestinians & the Israelis, the rise of Fatah in Beirut & Jordan, the advent of the Black September Organization, the bloody aftermath of the 1972 Munich Olympics and how the Mossad lashed out at Black September later. Ultimately it is a story of frustration and the all powerful America helplessly watching as a Country destroys itself with time.
What clearly sets this book aside is the fact that the author knows what he is talking about. Being a journalist who worked in Beirut in this time frame, the pictures he paints are vivid and fresh. Every one of the intelligence agencies of the World comes into the picture for a piece of their pie. What is most brilliant though is the portrayal of the CIA, a once mighty behemoth that is slowly losing its teeth. Many a character is a tad predictable and like I said, if you know your World history, you know where it will all end up. But this did not stop me from savoring the plot line. The environ created by the book is first class and it is going to my favorites list !
There is an interesting line I picked up : An American tells a Palestinian : No one in will harm an American in the middle east.
Oh how the world has changed my fellow American !
robsonjv's review against another edition
4.0
An extremely real-feeling book that provides a good sense of what happens when Americans (willful naifs in the complicated politics of betrayal common in the Middle East) make the ethical trade-offs necessary to run intelligence operations. Great characterization of Embassy life, especially the ambassador's wife. Though set in the past, some things never change. The only disappointment was that the ending seemed rushed - as if the author realized he had reached his contracted page limit, and choked it off.
richardwells's review against another edition
4.0
Except for the really poorly written female characters, and a touch of naivete evidenced by the title, this is a spy novel that puts most others to shame. Pre-9/11 middle east - Lebanon to be exact, and filled with all the turmoil, double-dealing, trade-craft, and (my latest favorite word) mayhem, that you'd expect from the region. David Ignatius knows his subject well, plots very well, and writes more intelligently than you'd expect from anyone save le Carre.
Looking forward to a few more by Mr. Ignatius.
Looking forward to a few more by Mr. Ignatius.
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