The Recruiter: Spying and the Lost Art of American Intelligence

Summary

A revealing CIA memoir from a 34-year veteran of the agency who worked as a case officer and recruiter of foreign agents before and after 9/11—full of rich details and sharp assessments—providing an invaluable perspective on the state of modern spycraft, how the CIA has developed, and how it must continue to evolve.

If you've ever wondered what it's like to be a modern-day spy, Douglas London is here to explain. London spent the majority of his 34-year CIA career stationed overseas recruiting foreign spies. His work involved spotting and identifying targets, building those relationships over weeks or months, and then pitching them to work for the CIA—all the while maintaining various identities, a day job, and a very real wife and kids at home.

The Recruiter: Spying in the Twilight of American Intelligence captures the best stories that can be told from London's life as a spy, his insights into the challenges and failures of intelligence work, and the complicated relationships he developed with agents and colleagues. In the end, London presents a highly readable insider's tale about the state of espionage, with a message to readers warning them about the decline of American intelligence since 9/11 and Iraq, and what can be done to recover.