Playing to the edge - The Library of the Uncommons

Hardcover, 448 pages

English language

Published Nov. 6, 2016 by Penguin Press.

ISBN:: 978-1-59420-656-6
OCLC Number:: 910413042

(1 review)

"An unprecedented high-level master narrative of America's intelligence wars, from the only person ever to helm both the CIA and the NSA, at a time of heinous new threats and momentous change For General Michael Hayden, playing to the edge means playing so close to the line that you get chalk dust on your cleats. Otherwise, by playing back, you may protect yourself, but you will be less successful in protecting America. "Play to the edge" was Hayden's guiding principle when he ran the National Security Agency, and it remained so when he ran the CIA. In his view, many shortsighted and uninformed people are quick to criticize, and this book will give them much to chew on but little easy comfort. It is an unapologetic insider's look told from the perspective of the people who faced awesome responsibilities head on, in the moment. How did American intelligence respond to …

"An unprecedented high-level master narrative of America's intelligence wars, from the only person ever to helm both the CIA and the NSA, at a time of heinous new threats and momentous change For General Michael Hayden, playing to the edge means playing so close to the line that you get chalk dust on your cleats. Otherwise, by playing back, you may protect yourself, but you will be less successful in protecting America. "Play to the edge" was Hayden's guiding principle when he ran the National Security Agency, and it remained so when he ran the CIA. In his view, many shortsighted and uninformed people are quick to criticize, and this book will give them much to chew on but little easy comfort. It is an unapologetic insider's look told from the perspective of the people who faced awesome responsibilities head on, in the moment. How did American intelligence respond to terrorism, a major war, and the most sweeping technological revolution in the last five hundred years? What was the NSA before 9/11 and how did it change in its aftermath? Why did the NSA begin the controversial terrorist surveillance program that included the acquisition of domestic phone records? What else was set in motion during this period that formed the backdrop for the infamous Snowden revelations in 2013? "-- Provided by publisher.

1 edition

Orlion reviewed Playing to the edge by Michael V. Hayden

Review of 'Playing to the edge' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This book is a memoir. As such, it is fairly loose in structure and perhaps rambles on a bit. Of course, that's all right with Hayden, he is not writing a study or a textbook. Instead, he intends to humanize the intelligence community.

And boy, does he have a tough task! As director of the NSA and CIA during recent controversial times, he is able to give somewhat of an accounting for publicly maligned acts such as the torture of detainees for information, targeted killings by drones, the collection of meta data of phone calls, and being a Steelers fan.

In the end, I believe he succeeded in this aim. The intelligence community is demonstrated as having its own business culture, humanity, and even massive bureaucracy that prevents it from clandestinely violating human rights as it is often accused of. Add to this some insight into Iran and Pakistan, and …

This book is a memoir. As such, it is fairly loose in structure and perhaps rambles on a bit. Of course, that's all right with Hayden, he is not writing a study or a textbook. Instead, he intends to humanize the intelligence community.

And boy, does he have a tough task! As director of the NSA and CIA during recent controversial times, he is able to give somewhat of an accounting for publicly maligned acts such as the torture of detainees for information, targeted killings by drones, the collection of meta data of phone calls, and being a Steelers fan.

In the end, I believe he succeeded in this aim. The intelligence community is demonstrated as having its own business culture, humanity, and even massive bureaucracy that prevents it from clandestinely violating human rights as it is often accused of. Add to this some insight into Iran and Pakistan, and this is a very informative book.

Those controversial practices will remain controversial, but in the debate of their merits and necessity it helps to have an accurate framework of the circumstances and players. This book helps provide insight into some of the players and gives a better interpretation than "evil secret police" or "Bond-like secret agents."

Subjects

United States
National security
Intelligence
Political
Political Freedom & Security
21st Century
Intelligence service
United States. Central Intelligence Agency
POLITICAL SCIENCE
United States. National Security Agency
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY
HISTORY

Places

United States