The Bureau Lib/E: The Secret History of the FBI

Review "A compelling and timely exposition of the real FBI. Kessler's fresh information and command of the facts...rings with authority."-- "Los Angeles Times Book Review""Colorful and fascinating...Kessler's sobering report...will come as a surprise to most readers--and possibly even Washington insiders...Chilling."-- "Washington Post Book World""Raymond Todd's clear voice and upbeat reading wear well over this lengthy look at our nation's top law enforcement agency."-- "AudioFile""Superbly narrated by Raymond Todd."-- "Wisconsin Bookwatch""The reading is excellent, adding a substantial dimension to absorbing material."-- "Kliatt"An insightful history of the agency from its inception...Reveals unexpected details surrounding a number of well known cases.-- "Providence Journal-Bulletin"Kessler's access to reliable sources results in a richly detailed overview.-- "Booklist"Offer[s] context by providing insight into the institution's history, as well as an account of what it's like to be on the inside...[Kessler] recounts the organization's history since its creation in 1908...Kessler investigates the relationship between FBI directors and sitting presidents and also includes exclusive interviews with Robert Mueller, who led the FBI in the period immediately after 9/11.-- "New York Times" Product Description The Bureau takes listeners behind the scenes of the FBI, from its creation in 1908 to the scandals of present day. Based on exclusive interviews, Kessler reveals the inside story surrounding the events of September 11 and the investigation into the anthrax mailings. The Bureau delves deep within the agency, presenting the organization in its historical context and answering questions concerning its somewhat checkered past.This incredible book includes the first definitive evidence that Hoover blackmailed Congress with information from his secret files; the source of Senator Joseph McCarthy's bogus claims that there were 205 Communists in the State Department; the truth about J. Edgar Hoover's sexual orientation; and the disastrous Freeh years, and Robert Mueller's efforts to correct the problems created by Freeh. About the Author Ronald Kessler is the New York Times bestselling author of The FBI, Inside the CIA, Moscow Station, Escape from the CIA, Spy vs. Spy, The Spy in the Russian Club, and The Richest Man in the World. He is an award-winning former correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post, and his articles appear in leading periodicals. Mr. Kessler lives in Potomac, Maryland.Raymond Todd is an actor and director in the theater as well as a poet and documentary filmmaker. He plays jazz trombone for the Leatherstocking quartet, an ensemble that gets its name from one of his favorite Blackstone narrations, The Deerslayer. Todd lives in New York. From AudioFile Raymond Todd's clear voice and upbeat reading wear well over this lengthy look at our nation's top law enforcement agency. A veteran investigative journalist, Kessler takes the FBI from its beginnings in 1908 to the aftermath of September 11. Not a scandalous detail is overlooked, from J. Edgar Hoover's alleged cross-dressing to the spy Robert Hanssen's dalliance with a stripper. The emergence of profiling, the recruitment and training of agents, the investigation (or not) of organized crime, and the effectiveness (or not) of various directors are all explained in a manner that keeps one's attention. The brief attempts at accents (JFK's Bostonian, for example) don't add much. A guide to what's covered on each CD printed somewhere in the graphics would help. J.B.G. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine