Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to al-Qaeda

Spycraft: The Secret History of the CIA's Spytechs, from Communism to al-Qaeda by Melton, H. Keith. hardcover edition. ISBN: 9780525949800.

From two men who know better than anyone how espionage really works, an unprecedented history?heavily illustrated with neverbefore- seen images?of the CIA?s most secretive operations and the gadgets that made them possible. It is a world where the intrigue of reality exceeds that of fiction. What is an invisible photo used for? What does it take to build a quiet helicopter? How does one embed a listening device in a cat? If these sound like challenges for Q, James Bond?s fictional gadget-master, think again. They?re all real-life devices created by the CIA?s Office of Technical Service?an ultrasecretive department that combines the marvels of state-of-the-art technology with the time-proven traditions of classic espionage. And now, in the first book ever written about this office, the former director of OTS teams up with an internationally renowned intelligence historian to take readers into the laboratory of espionage. Spycraft tells amazing life and death stories about this littleknown group, much of it never before revealed. Against the backdrop of some of America?s most critical periods in recent history?including the Cold War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the war on terror?the authors show the real technical and human story of how the CIA carries out its missions.