From the former director of GCHQ, learn the methodology used by the intelligence agencies to reach judgements, establish the right level of confidence, and act decisively.
David Omand was the first UK Security and Intelligence Coordinator, responsible to the Prime Minister for the professional health of the intelligence community, national counter-terrorism strategy and "homeland security". He served for seven years on the Joint Intelligence Committee. He was Permanent Secretary of the Home Office from 1997 to 2000, and before that Director of GCHQ.
'One of the best books ever written about intelligence analysis
and its long-term lessons. Brilliant, lucid and
thought-provoking' -- Christopher Andrew, author of The Defence
of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5
'An invaluable guide to avoiding self-deception and fake news
... unlocking the secrets of spycraft tells us something darkly
important about ourselves. A sane antidote to some of the
bewildering insanities of the age' -- Melanie Phillips * The
Times *
'This is nothing less than the new manual for analytical
thought. What does it take to think clearly and maintain an
open mind in the face of confusion? David Omand's book on How Spies
Think prepares us for the the challenges of the 21st century' --
Richard Aldrich, author of GCHQ
'Omand thinks and writes deeply about the intellectual and moral
problems thrown up by a business that depends on stealing other
people's secrets. He knows what he is talking about. How Spies
Think is engagingly readable, even though the arguments are
complex ... the growing body of serious writing by
professionals such as Omand and others helps to demystify,
illuminate and keep honest a profession around which fantasists
have always buzzed like flies' -- Rodric Braithwaite *
Spectator *
'A thoughtful handbook on the modern business of spookery' *
Financial Times *
'A rare insight into the methods and mindset of modern
intelligence, written by a former top professional. A most
valuable work' -- Lionel Barber, author of The Powerful and the
Damned
'David Omand has a unique combination of experience as both a
producer and consumer of secret intelligence, a deep knowledge of
intelligence history and techniques, and a gift for lucid
exposition. An invaluable book for anyone who wants to think
like a spy but also for those concerned about the role spies can
play in a democracy' -- Lawrence Freedman, author of The
Future of War
'David Omand has more experience of the intelligence agencies and
how they operate than anyone else in Britain. He also has the rare
ability to explain spycraft and how raw intelligence is analysed
without the use of jargon which would be incomprehensible to most
readers. I have been waiting for a book like this for years'
-- Sir Malcolm Rifkind
'A brilliant book, by one of the UK's true polymaths - author,
academic, administrator, mathematician - and former spy. But
this isn't just a book for those interested in the secret world of
MI5, MI6, and GCHQ; it's for anyone wanting to know how to make
better decisions, and avoid the traps into which businesses, and
governments can and do fall, time after time' -- Rt Hon Jack Straw,
former Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, and Lord Chancellor
'Sir David Omand is undoubtedly one of the most able people to
have served in British government since the Second World War' *
TLS *
'Professor Sir David Omand deconstructs then reconstructs an
important mode of thinking, spy thought, for those of us who deal
with strategy, information, misinformation, and disinformation.
He leaves the reader with a powerful framework to help us face
the realpolitik of the world' -- Professor Michael Mainelli,
Alderman & Sheriff of the City of London
'How Spies Think is a master-class in miniature form,
offering the enduring lessons of a consequential life in service as
keys to success in any profession facing the challenges and
opportunities of an uncertain future' -- Chris Inglis, former
Deputy Director of the NSA
'A tour de force. David Omand equips the reader with powerful
intelligence techniques to survive in the new digital age. He
lightens it with a fascinating selection of anecdotes, some
firsthand, to illustrate his themes. And he makes an
overwhelming case for rationality as the best response to a world
of fake news and cyberattacks. Essential reading' -- Richard
Wilson, former Head of the Home Civil Service
'With today's political reality trumping political fiction, we rely
now for mystery on the world of spies, espionage and secret
intelligence. In this fascinating and revealing book David Omand,
after a lifetime in that shadowy world, pulls back the curtain on
spying triumphs, the occasional disasters but also the important
lessons for all of us from these dark but essential arts. It is
a true eye-opener on a world which outsiders only guess
about' -- Lord George Robertson, former UK Defence Secretary
and Secretary General of NATO
'A fascinating book about how to think. Not just about
intelligence but also about disinformation, distortion, subversion
and all the other perils of a digital age. There cannot be
anybody in Britain who can match David Omand's broad experience in
seeking, assessing and using secret intelligence. This personal
experience produces his careful and thorough analytical rules' --
David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn, former Governor of Hong
Kong
'Britain's spooks are world-renowned. This brilliant book lets
us into one of the secrets of their success - how to use
rigorous analysis to separate fact from fake. It's a skill that can
help us all to make better choices in our lives' -- Peter Ricketts,
former British National Security Adviser
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