National Book Award Non Fiction Winner
Legacy of Ashes
by Tim Weiner
Summary
A critical institutional history of the Central Intelligence Agency from its postwar founding through the early twenty-first century, arguing that the agency has repeatedly failed at its core mission of gathering reliable intelligence. Weiner draws on tens of thousands of declassified documents and interviews with former officers and directors to chronicle a pattern of botched operations, faulty analysis, and political dysfunction. The book sparked intense debate within the intelligence community over its harsh verdict.
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Historical Context & Significance
The author was a New York Times reporter; the book caused a stir in Washington for its "unflinching" look at intelligence blunders.