The Hidden Hand: A Brief History of the CIA

The Hidden Hand is a succinct accessible and up-to-date survey of the Central Intelligence Agency’s history from its inception in 1947 to the present.

• Covers both aspects of the CIA’s mission – the collection and analysis of intelligence and the execution of foreign policy through covert, paramilitary operations
• De-mythologizes the CIA’s role in America’s global affairs while addressing its place within American political and popular culture
• Written by an esteemed scholar and high-ranking officer in the intelligence community, drawing on the latest research
• Assesses the agency’s successes and failures, with an eye to the complex and controversial nature of the subject