- The author recommends spy books to gain broader understanding of intelligence agencies, especially from inside and outside perspectives.
- Fictional works by John le Carré are praised for exposing deeper truths about espionage better than factual accounts.
- Some factual books may be incomplete due to agency vetting; defector accounts may be biased to paint themselves favorably.
- Tower of Secrets by Victor Sheymov details KGB security practices and defection; useful for understanding Russian surveillance methods.
- The Billion Dollar Spy by David E. Hoffman covers CIA handling of a Russian radar engineer informant, including suspicion of dangles.
- Agent Sonya by Ben Macintyre offers a unique perspective of a Russian female spy working in the West during WWII.
- The Widow Spy by Martha Peterson provides insight into the first trained female CIA case officer in Moscow and her operations.
- Spycatcher by Peter Wright reveals technical espionage operations and dilemmas; highlights the communication triangle in surveillance.
- The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre details Oleg Gordievsky’s top-tier MI6 espionage; corroborated by extensive interviews.
- The Spy in Moscow Station describes NSA efforts to counter KGB eavesdropping on the US embassy, focusing on technical leaks and agency infighting.
- Le Carré’s novels explore themes of loyalty, betrayal, and the conflict between spying and democratic values.
- Outlier books like The Company and Cryptonomicon provide historical context for espionage and codebreaking.
- Satirical works like Victor in the Rubble highlight absurdities in modern intelligence work.