American Agent: My Life in the CIA

books:


	• The American Agent: My Life in the CIA Richard L. Holm Little, Brown Book Group, 2004 - 527 pages average customer review:based on 13 reviews view larger image
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So-so

Some of the content of the book is fascinating. I enjoyed when he discussed operational details, but they seemed few and far between. As other reviews have said, the book seems focused on house hunting and the like. I also found his writing style to be a bit up and down. It almost reads like a first draft, with a strange flow.
I would recommend the book for anyone who is interested in the subject because there is not that much available that describes life inside the Agency. That being said, it is by no means a great read.

Good, but VERY Detailed

Holmes is a very detailed man. He tells his lifestory in great detail. Some of it is interesting, some of it is not. He does an excellent job in describing the agency and how it operates. Unfortunately, you have to read or go through a lot of junk to get there.

If you want the "quick and dirty" info about the CIA and how it operates, do not get this book. If you want great details about our operations in the Congo, Laos, and Asia and you have plenty of time, this is the book to read.

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American Agent: My Life in the CIA

Good insite into the internal politics at the CIA. Pulls no punches regarding who (historically) supported the agency's mission and who did not.

Good perspective of what our field agents face abroad, their lifestyle, challenges with landguages, cultures, etc.

Slightly disappointed Holm did not go more into specific or theoretical cases. Also, he rants a bit too much at the end to get 31 yesrs of frustratio off his chest.

Great read!!

A wonderful account of an interesting career. If you are into government, intelligence, foriegn politics, or just plain old spy novels, you should definately read this book.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3

Dick Holm joined the Central Intelligence Agency in the 1960s and rose rapidly through the ranks to become Bureau Chief in Paris, eventually earning the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the CIA's highest award. His first posting was in Laos, where he served in the CIA's "Secret War" against the Communists in the lead-up to the Vietnam War. He was then sent to the Congo and suffered near-fatal injuries after a plane crash in a remote jungle. Healed by local tribesmen, his horrific burns treated with snake oil and tree bark, he then spent two years in a U.S. hospital undergoing extensive surgery. Holm also worked in Hong Kong and Paris and was instrumental in anti-terrorism operations during Carlos the Jackal's international terror campaign. Having served under 13 CIA directors, Holm has firm, highly informed views on the policies?past and present, national and international?that determine how, where, and why the CIA works.

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