The Second Oldest Profession: Spies And Spying In The Twentieth Century
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Condition: Very Good. Jacket: Very good, no tears, minimal wear. Page Condition: Good. Markings: No markings. Binding: Tight and secure. No stickers or labels visible.
A landmark work of investigative journalism, The Second Oldest Profession presents a sweeping and unflinching critique of the world's intelligence agencies across the twentieth century. Phillip Knightley argues with meticulous research that espionage, far from being the glamorous and indispensable craft of popular imagination, is largely a world of blunders, self-deception, and institutionalised incompetence. Drawing on declassified documents, first-hand accounts, and decades of investigative reporting, he chronicles the failures and follies of agencies such as the CIA, MI6, and the KGB, illuminating how their activities often undermined rather than advanced the interests of their nations. Written with sharp wit and authoritative clarity, the book strips away the mythology of the spy trade to reveal the uncomfortable truth behind the headlines of the Cold War era. Endorsed by John le Carré himself, it remains one of the most penetrating and essential accounts of modern intelligence ever written.
Author: Phillip Knightley
Format: Hardback
Published: 1987, W. W. Norton & Company
Genre: Cold war & espionage
Condition remarks:
Condition: Very Good. Jacket: Very good, no tears, minimal wear. Page Condition: Good. Markings: No markings. Binding: Tight and secure. No stickers or labels visible.
A landmark work of investigative journalism, The Second Oldest Profession presents a sweeping and unflinching critique of the world's intelligence agencies across the twentieth century. Phillip Knightley argues with meticulous research that espionage, far from being the glamorous and indispensable craft of popular imagination, is largely a world of blunders, self-deception, and institutionalised incompetence. Drawing on declassified documents, first-hand accounts, and decades of investigative reporting, he chronicles the failures and follies of agencies such as the CIA, MI6, and the KGB, illuminating how their activities often undermined rather than advanced the interests of their nations. Written with sharp wit and authoritative clarity, the book strips away the mythology of the spy trade to reveal the uncomfortable truth behind the headlines of the Cold War era. Endorsed by John le Carré himself, it remains one of the most penetrating and essential accounts of modern intelligence ever written.