depends what you're after

What did you like best about Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History? What did you like least?

the second half of the book, dealing with the twentieth century is a clear and interesting overview

Would you be willing to try another book from The Great Courses? Why or why not?

Yes, this one book is likely not much of an indicator of what the others are like given they feature other speakers on other topics

What three words best describe Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius’s performance?

listenable and engaging but not nuanced

Was Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History worth the listening time?

the first half of the book was too superficial and remote. Insufficient context was established to give the brief key stories much meaningfulness and there was little to no reflection; no sooner have you started to care about the story he's telling than he's moved on from it. granted this is an overview but it's just too skirting in its approach. if time is such a restriction the lecturer really needs to let certain stories go in order to more fully flesh out others.

the second half doesn't employ a substantially different approach but there's a continuity and proximity of context that makes it substantially more satisfying.

52 people found this helpful

Entertaining and informative

This book is much better that Michael Warner's recent "The rise and fall of intelligence." He starts each lecture with a clear premise--"now we are going to discuss signals intelligence in WWI" and gives clear, complete examples.

The text is not technical, but he still manages to convey how technology and politics interact with the espionage community.

It is a concise and entertaining survey of espionage.

22 people found this helpful

Perhaps too broad a topic for this format?

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

I would. It covers so much that you are bound to find something that interests you.

Would you be willing to try another book from The Great Courses? Why or why not?

No. This is the only topic i saw that interested me personally and the way it was covered left a lot to be desired. But there's so much touched on here so its probably impossible to feel satisfied with whats given without it being a million hours long.

What about Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius’s performance did you like?

Excellent. Enthusiastic without being forced or ridiculous. Engaged without sounding bias.

Did Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History inspire you to do anything?

Research. Lots and lots of research.

Any additional comments?

The amount of detail and information is astounding yet disappointing. The scope is so wide that it is impossible to cover any instance with any intimacy. It got better the more modern it got (obviously because we have better record) but i still felt like i was was being hurried through a museum with just enough time to read the placards once before being pushed along. I do appreciate how much is mentioned.

NOTE: Toward the end he does some what spoil Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy , The Spy Who Came In From the Cold, Casino Royale, Hunt For Red October (i think) and a few others which escape me now. You get plenty of warning for most of them. But they are there.

26 people found this helpful

Learn About the History of Spying.

If you could sum up Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History in three words, what would they be?

You Won't Believe

What did you like best about this story?

Very good overview of the history of spying and covert operations from ancient times to the modern era. Not nearly long or detailed enough to do the subject justice, however. The course teacher is superb--really, really talented at presenting the topic--not a minute of boredom here.

Which scene was your favorite?

History of covert operations in the 19th Century was fascinating.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the spies caught caught and killed--it happens more often than we imagine.

Any additional comments?

There is a need for more objective reviews of this topic in the literature and fewer "gee-whiz" types books (a la Clancy). This is towards the Le Carre style and the lecturer has great understanding of his topic.

19 people found this helpful

From uninterested to big fan

Would you listen to Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History again? Why?

Yes, and I will do it quite soon I think, and will look for the suggested readings in the reference PDF.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History?

Everything was great, but I was really anticipating world war 2 and the cold war since both were famous for their spies, and when that part of the course came, it was as good as I expected.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Oh, whenever he talked about slave spies (during the civil war) I got really moved.

Any additional comments?

I was never a fan of spying, but bought this course only to have a few anecdotes talk about with friends, and to have fun references when doing something creative, but this course really got my attention and now I want to read so much more about spies, be they real or fictional.
My only problem with the course is that is so short that he never details much of the histories, for that you have to look for specific books on the subjects (he recommends a bunch during the lectures and the accompanying PDF).
Still, if you are new to spy history, the is no better start.

7 people found this helpful

Little theory, broad overview

Don't expect a discussion of theory of espionage and results of experimental studies. It's just anecdotes from all times and places. But it's the field problem, not one of the lecturer, so 5 stars from me.

6 people found this helpful

Interesting & well researched history.

Where does Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Among the most interesting audiobook I've listened to so far.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History?

The true story & details about the Trojan Horse.

What does Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

His narration gives life to the story.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

True dirt!

Any additional comments?

I found the narration to be well performed and gave emphasis where needed.

6 people found this helpful

The World's Most Versatile Profession

The joke is that prostitution is the world's oldest profession, and there's a debate about the second. Is it politics? Ronald Reagan joked at a business conference in Los Angeles on March 2, 1977, that "Politics is supposed to be the second-oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first." Is it motherhood, as Erma Bombeck claimed in "Motherhood: The Second Oldest Profession" (1983)? Or is it spying - as both Phillip Knightley says in his 1986 book, "The Second Oldest Profession: Spies and Spying in the 20th Century" - and Professor Vejas
Gabriel Liulevicius in this Great Courses lecture series "Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History" (2011)?

Whenever spying started, it is the world's most versatile profession. Liulevicius points out that a spy can be anyone. A 13th Century merchant on the Silk Road might be gathering intelligence for Genghis Khan's Mongol Hoards. A highly respected but deeply in debt American Revolutionary War general, feeling slighted by being passed over for promotion, might sell secrets to the British - as Benedict Arnold and his wife did. An arrogant Southern Confederate Army Command might believe the propaganda that Blacks were subhuman and could not pass on military plans to the forces fighting to free them, and speak improvidently in front of a 15 year old black girl serving dinner. A politically idealistic and unrealistic group of young men might agree to spy for the communists, and rise high in a democratic government before being discovered, but after betraying hundreds (Kim Philby and the Cambridge 5). Spies can be soldiers, mothers (Valerie Plame), prostitutes (Mata Hari, arguably), friends and enemies.

Liulevicius does discuss the reasons people become spies - including idealism (Jonathan Pollard, a Naval Intelligence Analyst who spied for Israel); money (Aldrich Ames, CIA, for the USSR/Russia), the desire to "get one over" on people who underestimated him (Robert Hanssen, FBI, also for USSR/Russia).

Liulevicius lectures are fascinating, and emphasize the development of the tools of the profession - the tradecraft - over the last two millennia. He also discusses how tradecraft failures lead to the discovery of spies. Liulevicius doesn't throughly discuss the reasons for the failures, but the situations he mentions appear arise from a combination of hubris, laziness and arrogance of spies themselves and handlers, rather than a lack of technical resources or expertise. That psychology alone warrants another lecture.

Liulevicius does not discuss the morals and ethics of spying, other than to mention the oft repeated maxim that "Gentlemen don't read each other's mail" which is credited to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, who disbanded the OSS (Office of Special Services) at the end of World War II. The OSS was reconstituted in fairly short order as the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency).

Liulevicius mentions Pvt Chelsea Manning (formerly PFC Bradley Manning), an intelligence analyst who stole hundreds of classified communications and gave them to Julian Assange and Wikileaks. Former NSA (National Security Agency) contractor Edwin Snowden's intelligence leaks didn't become public until 2013, two years after this Great Course was published. Liulevicius didn't argue that Manning was a spy, and I'm sure he'd agree Snowden wasn't one either. Both men used brute force spy techniques (they were present with the intelligence and copied it), but neither were employed by any outside entity when they acquired the intelligence. Both sold the information to the "highest bidder", although the goal wasn't money for either man. It was an expression of moral belief, a desire fame, or both.

In light of these recent revelations, it would be great to hear Liulevicius talk about whether the US government's intrusion into the privacy of its citizens - its spying - is a reflection of paranoid politicians, an insular society, or just business as usual - made unusually transparent. Perhaps an updated course, Audible/Great Courses?

This is a good course, but like all Audible versions of Great Courses, there's no accompanying course material. I'm fine with that - I wouldn't have read a book along with it anyway. A true Table of Contents would have been nice, and that's available at the Great Courses website.

[If this review helped, please press YES. Thanks.]

79 people found this helpful

An Edge Of Your Seat Thriller!

Espionage and Covert Operations is unquestionably one of the best courses I've ever taken! If you want to see what espionage is beyond the Bond films and popular TV shows like Alias and The Americans, this course is for you! The professor has a really passion for his subject that shows, leading to conclusions that the listener will draw about the content that might otherwise not have resulted from a boring lecturer.

These are 12 hours of your life you will be glad spending!

8 people found this helpful

Recommended

What made the experience of listening to Espionage and Covert Operations: A Global History the most enjoyable?

The length, detail and subject matter.

What about Professor Vejas Gabriel Liulevicius’s performance did you like?

Very enthusiastic and great pronunciation.

Any additional comments?

An excellent course and highly recommended.

3 people found this helpful