by David Talbot
First published 2015
David Talbot exposes how Allen Welsh Dulles transformed the CIA during his decade as director. The author draws from newly discovered government documents, intelligence sources from America and Europe, and personal papers from Dulles's wife and mistress. Talbot argues that Dulles operated above elected officials, manipulating presidents while serving wealthy elites. The CIA director collaborated with Nazi cartels, German war criminals, and organized crime figures. He targeted foreign leaders for assassination and toppled governments that opposed his agenda. Talbot presents evidence that Dulles used these same methods domestically, including shocking claims about President Kennedy's assassination. The book reveals how Dulles saw himself as the unofficial diplomat for hostile nations, pursuing personal interests alongside those of his powerful clients. This investigation into American power shows the emergence of the national security state and its impact on democratic governance.
Genres: biography, history, 20th-century, political-science, non-fiction, 21st-century, political-thriller, american-history
Vibes: dark, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: conspiracy-theory, government-corruption, unreliable-narrator
Setting: America, Europe
Period: 20th Century, 21st Century
704 pages · Hardcover · Harper