NEED A GOOD BEACH READ? Issues are heating up within the literary world this summer time, so in case you’re headed to the seashore or the pool to chill off, we thought you could be fascinated by what nationwide safety consultants contemplate the very best reads of the summer time.
As you recognize, The Cipher Brief all the time faucets consultants and impartial reviewers with expertise within the nationwide safety world, to share their ideas on what’s value packing in along with your flip flops and summer-weight trench coats. 

SOME OF OUR REVIEWER’S FAVORITES

Spies, The Epic Intelligence War Between East and West by Calder Walton is an bold examination of East vs West, spy vs. spy.  Former CIA officer (and Cipher Brief Expert) Dan Hoffman reviewed Spies for us and praised Walton for “masterfully weaving collectively geopolitics with a complete and interesting historical past of cloak and dagger espionage.” For extra on this guide, be sure you try our current Cover Stories podcast interview with Calder Walton as nicely.
 
Former Undersecretary of Protection for Intelligence, (and Cipher Brief Expert) Mike Vickers’ lifetime of secrets and techniques is uncovered this summer time with the publication of his memoir, By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations and Strategy.  The memoir affords unimaginable insights into among the most consequential intelligence and particular operations missions of our time. From the killing of Osama bin Laden, to efforts to attempt to cease Iran from getting a bomb, to forcing Russia out of Afghanistan, the previous Inexperienced Beret turned Intelligence chief shares classes discovered.  Right here’s a review.  
 
The Private Spy: The Letters of John le Carre, edited by Tim Cornwell. One of the vital influential spy novelists of the 20^th century lived one hell of a life himself – a few of which he described in letters that have been collected and edited by his son. Former Senior Member of the British International Workplace (and Cipher Transient skilled) Nick Fishwick learn the guide and reviewed it for us and mentioned the letters gave him a deeper appreciation of le Carre’s honesty and humanity.
 
Fixing American Cybersecurity: Creating a Strategic Public-Private Partnership, Edited by Larry Clinton. We’re “dropping the battle to safe our on-line world and dropping it badly” in keeping with Clinton and we have to “incentivize, modernize and save money” how we reply.  Former NSA Basic Counsel and Cyber Initiatives Group Principal, Glenn Gerstell reviewed it for us saying the guide is a good learn for anybody looking for a deeper understanding of at present’s cyber vulnerabilities…however doesn’t present options for tomorrow.

UNDERCOVER EDITOR SUZANNE KELLY’S FAVORITE

“I personally LOVE to see girls getting into the realm of spy fiction, particularly actually attention-grabbing girls who, as authors, are the literal brains behind each operation.  I listened to the audio model of Red London by former CIA Intelligence writer Alma Katsu that follows on one other guide of hers, Red Widow, that was my favourite summer time learn final yr.  This yr, we tapped a ‘couple’ of CIA veterans to evaluate it.  Former CIA ‘couple’ Anne and Jay Gruner discovered this one to be “an attractive learn, with breathtaking worldwide intrigue, Russian skullduggery, and old-fashion Anglo-American cooperation”.”
 

UNDERCOVER SENIOR BOOK EDITOR BILL HARLOW’S FAVORITES

“Whereas I haven’t had time to learn all of the books on the record (but), I actually favored Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind which lays out the heroism of the households of Vietnam POWs and MIA in guaranteeing that nobody is left behind and conversely, I favored Code Name Blue Wren which particulars how DIA analyst Ana Montes betrayed not solely her nation however her household as nicely, by spying for Cuba.”

• Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind by Taylor Baldwin Kiland and Judy Silverstein Grey tells the inspirational story of the wives of Vietnam POWs and MIAs who fought to make sure that their husbands weren’t forgotten by successive American administrations that have been all too prepared to take action.  For this guide, we reached out to Monica Kuhlmann Ferrera to do the review. Her father, an Air Drive main, was shot down in 1968 and his stays have been discovered, recovered and buried at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery 27 years later.
• Code Name Blue Wren: The True Story of America’s Most Harmful Feminine Spy – and the Sister She Betrayed by writer Jim Popkin. A remarkably story about Ana Montes who was the highest Cuban analyst for the Protection Intelligence Company – whereas spying for Cuba. Montes spent twenty years in jail and was launched simply days after the guide was revealed.  A post-arrest CIA profile described her as “selfish, manipulative…and smug.” Montes was additionally profitable for much too lengthy. I loved this guide and clarify why in this Cipher Brief review.
  

OTHER BOOKS THAT WE (AND REVIEWERS) REALLY LIKED

Sailing Upwind: Leadership and Risk from TopGun to the Situation Room by Admiral Sandy Winnefeld is a mix army memoir and management guide by the previous Vice Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Workers. Reviewer, former CIA officer (and Cipher Transient skilled) Marc Polymeropoulos was notably drawn to the Admiral’s descriptions of his days as an F-14 pilot and plane provider commanding officer and the important thing “anchors” to good management that Winnefeld salts all through the guide.

In the Nation’s Service: The Life and Times of George P. Shultz by Philip Taubman.  Ambassador (and Cipher Brief expert) Gary Grappo’s review calls this “an inspiring, complete, and provocative guide” about George Shultz whose public service ranged from obligation as a Marine in World Conflict II to a number of cupboard degree positions most importantly as Secretary of State throughout the Reagan administration and taking part in a crucial position in bringing the Chilly Conflict to a peaceable finish.

The Negotiators Cross, a novel by Dr. Kenneth Dekleva, a practising psychiatrist and former physician-diplomat for the US authorities. Dekleva’s debut novel tells a narrative of a Texas-bred Catholic priest who finds himself who unexpectedly finds himself helping the CIA in coping with drug cartels and Russian spies. Have to know extra?  Learn Joe Augustyn’s Cipher Transient evaluate here.

Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor is an insightful and extremely readable account of the U.S. ambassador to Tokyo throughout the run as much as World Conflict II.  We tapped Roman Popadiuk, president of the Diplomacy Heart Basis and first U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, to assist improve our appreciation for this guide in a review we published in January.

Striking Back: The Finish of Peace in Our on-line world — and How you can Restore It by Lucas Kello is a well timed guide that deftly intertwines worldwide relations idea, army historical past, and coverage evaluation and according to our reviewer, Evan Rosenfield, the guide is accessible to cybersecurity consultants and novices alike.

Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington by James Kirchick.  Former CIA senior officer Andy Dunn reviews a guide he describes as an “overdue, groundbreaking and complete guide, and the very best—by far—of any that has tackled this historical past of LGBTQ life and work in our nation’s capital.”

The COVID-19 Intelligence Failure:  Why Warning Was Not Enough by Erik Dahl.  Pandemics are greater than well being emergencies, they’re nationwide safety crises. Cipher Transient contributor (and writer himself) Dr. Ken Dekleva reviews this very well timed guide and explains why Dahl dubs COVID-19 a profound intelligence failure.

Judging Iran – A Memoir of the Hague, the White House, and Life on the Front Line of International Justice by Charles N. Brower is a memoir of a special sort of Chilly Warrior.  In her review, Elizabeth C. MacKenzie Biedell praises a “strong authorized memoir with anecdote aplenty that may profit anybody looking for to grasp the important thing worldwide authorized frameworks all of us dwell beneath.”