The Ghost: The Secret Life of CIA Spymaster James Jesus Angleton
P**N
Terrific Book Weaving So Many Scattered Threads
What separates this compelling biography from many others about public figures of the 20th century is that Angleton left no letters, no diaries, no memoirs...a few self-serving videos survive after his disgraced exile from the CIA but invariably he never says anything revealing and falls back on biblical references, eg., "My father's mansion has many rooms..." Morley thus uses all his wits and journalist's skills (and the substantial knowledge from his excellent biography of Mexico City CIA Chief Winston Scott) and gets probably as close as one can get to the make-up of this "neurotic maniac." The reader will want to de-louse the room after finishing, for the evil and venality of this master of deceipt is pervasive and disturbing. Whether he's opening mail of innocent people, harassing anti-war protesters, ruining careers of officers as he searched in vain for a Russian "mole," rescuing Nazis and fascists after WWII thinking they could spy for us (they didn't) or deliberately concealing from the Warren Commission the CIA's active monitoring of Oswald and attempts to assassinate Castro, Angleton leaves a 40-year trail of powerful paranoia.A couple of minor quibbles. Wonder if too much is made of the Yale English Lit influence, and not enough of his family background, ie, he referred to himself as a "Chicano" but the author never fleshes that out or wonders of its effects, if any, on Angleton. That he comes from family wealth--not fully explained. The behavioral effect, if any, of his conversion (with family) to mysticism, becoming swamis, changing names...But those are minor concerns and given the total lack of a record as spoken by Angleton, this is a monumental achievement. It is essential reading for anyone interested in how our intelligence network operated during the Cold War. It also makes for an excellent companion to such seminal works as Tim Weiner's prize-winning "Legacy of Ashes" and P. Shenon's "A Cruel and Shocking Act."
J**O
Good Angleton Overview
I found this book to be a good overview of the life of CIA spook James Angleton. Mr. Morley takes us through Angleton's life in a chronological way beginning with his service in the OSS during World War II through his career in the Agency. Angleton was a sort of ghostly figure even within the CIA itself it seems.Mr. Morley sees three important events and situations in particular regarding Angleton.One was the betrayal of British intelligence agent Kim Philby. Angleton trusted Philby despite warnings from J. Edgar Hoover and William Harvey that Philby was a double agent spying for the Soviets. Angleton was devastated when Philby's treachery was finally revealed. As a result Angleton became obsessed with the fear that the Soviets would attempt to infiltrate the CIA. This mole hunting obsession may have affected Angleton's better judgement in certain ways and resulted in a witch hunt within the CIA.Mr. Morley seems to suggest that Angleton was involved with allowing the State Of Israel to smuggle weapons grade uranium out of the United States for use in Israel's nuclear weapons program. If this is true it shows how someone like Angleton can affect the course of world history. This was highly illegal and a crime that carried the death penalty. But being a ghost Angleton operated outside of the laws of the United States or any country.Then there's the theories about Angleton's and the CIA's possible involvement in the John Kennedy assassination. That a massive cover up about the true nature of this assassination occurred is beyond any doubt today and can be easily proven I think. The cover up doesn't tell us the who and why but it tells us a lot.I believe in a lot of the conspiracy theories about the John Kennedy assassination. Angleton acted in the shadows for this monumental crime. The conspiracy to assassinate President Kennedy came through the CIA I believe.I'm not sure we need a lot of conspiracy theories to find out the truth about Angleton and the CIA anyway. Angleton himself stated that his pals from the OSS who were some of the founding members of the CIA were a bunch of liars and Judases. When he was near the end of his life Angleton had come to despise his old friends. And he realized he was just like them.Those were people who served their country and risked their lives during World War II. But something went horribly wrong after the war. The CIA mutated into something Harry Truman never intended when he set up the Agency. Those are the words of Harry Truman himself, a former president who created the CIA. It's not just a conspiracy theory.At the end of this book Mr. Morley included a page entitled Bibliographic Note. He lists some other books that will fill in more details about Angleton. If someone reads Mr. Morley's book and then some of those other ones they will understand James Angleton very well I think. Trained to Kill: The Inside Story of CIA Plots against Castro, Kennedy, and Che JFK: The CIA, Vietnam, and the Plot to Assassinate John F. Kennedy Mary's Mosaic: The CIA Conspiracy to Murder John F. Kennedy, Mary Pinchot Meyer, and Their Vision for World Peace: Third Edition Last Word: My Indictment of the CIA in the Murder of JFK Me & Lee: How I Came to Know, Love and Lose Lee Harvey Oswald Countdown to Darkness: The Assassination of President Kennedy Volume II (Volume 2) JFK and the Unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters The Dark Side of Lyndon Baines Johnson The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case Against LBJ On the Trail of the Assassins: One Man's Quest to Solve the Murder of President Kennedy
J**G
A Worthy Title—well worth the read.
A ‘Ghost’ is exactly how I’ve come to think of Jim Angleton. He’s long been a fascinating figure, one I (and apparently many more) have never completely figured out.I highly recommend The Ghost to anyone who is interested in history, government & of course, Mr. Angleton himself.Redundant as it may be to refer to Mr. Angleton as a fascinating character, that’s exactly what he is. From his upbringing in Boise, Idaho to becoming an internationally educated young man to his career in intelligence,one certainly can’t say he lived a dull life.The author makes comparisons of Angleton to Machiavelli, Svengali & others. I must say they are extraordinarily on the mark. What made this guy tick? Was it the power? The intellectual game—brilliantly mad as he may have been? Creating a world unto himself through which even his closest ‘friends’ & associates never appear to have fully penetrated?I’m guessing the answer is most likely some combination of the above, yet even with that, I believe you’ve only got the tip of the iceberg.The only thing I’d love to know more about was Angleton’s family. Granted, his family life appears nearly non-existent, yet you can’t help but want to picture his wife Cicely & their children. One can’t help but wonder what they made of this man. Of course, I also understand & respect why they would opt for their privacy to remain such.In any event, you can’t help but want to delve deeper in to Angleton’s head. For the better & the worse, I believe he contributed more to the US government than many realize. Having been born around the time he passed, I have known James Angleton only through books & similar. As a history geek, this is one book I highly recommend.
A**N
I was disappointed with its length
Although i have given this book 5 stars. I was disappointed with its length.
P**L
Must read for anyone interested in modern history and espionage
Fascinating book. Well written given how complex the subject matter is.
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