The Bureau: The Secret History of the FBI

Kessler is well known for his brutally honest depictions of the CIA, the White House and other areas of government. In this comprehensive history of the Bureau, he covers the administrative capabilities of each director and highlights noteworthy cases. Successes and gaffes are treated honestly and usually characterized by witnesses on both sides.

And that's what makes this book really good. Kessler has talked to nearly all of the major players, from the directors down to the field agents. The pros and cons of everyone from Hoover (who, apparently would be serving time right now, if still alive ;-) to Freeh and Mueller are openly discussed with dissenting sides encouraged to speak.

If you're interested in discovering Hoover, the FBI and M.L. King, David Koresh, Oklahoma City, 9/11, and many more historical topics, _The Bureau_ will be an intriguing read. Histories of governmental institutions shouldn't be this entertaining!

This is an excellent, yet unvarnished, history of the greatest crime-fighting institution the world has ever seen.

Kessler's book is an interesting read. For me it has helped changed perceptions of acts and agencies of our federal government. The books gives a chronological portrayal of the Bureau's early days to the present, and finishes with a few chapters of important cases (espionage, 9/11 and others) that were too significant to put in mere historical context. For the most part Kessler's arguments and research are highly credible. His description of the Bureau over the last 15 years matches my personal recollection of certain events and my own perceptions regarding the Bureau, and how certain attitudes, dogmas or rules "handed down" by the Director were responsible for Bureau mistakes or public perceptions of the agency.

At times one might view Kessler's work as an attack on the Bureau, but the book seems admirably weighed between censure for the Bureau's wrongdoing and praise for the Bureau's successes. This balance makes the book more credible, and the reader's own understanding of human nature make most of the descriptions herein very plausible. In all, a very strong presentation of the Bureau, both good and bad.

Kessler's unique talent is to deliver pages of seemingly dry material in an informative, exciting narrative. The subtitle of this book is apt - Kessler reveals much "secret history" that may not be known to the average reader. The facts are often chilling and resonate with Kessler's authoritative, well-researched tone and style. Here he answers tough questions about 9/11, terrorism, J. Edgar Hoover's shameless blackmailing tactics and the counter-espionage techniques used by the FBI. Recommended as a single-volume, readable and timely history of "The Bureau." David R. Bannon, Ph.D.; author, "Race Against Evil."

Ronald Kessler is a wonderful author for what he does but he has a habit of selecting fairly misleading titles and The Bureau: The Secret History of the FBI follows this trend in both body and mind. The title conjures images of newly declassified documents and insightful antidotes from tenured Special Agents and analysts alike; in reality what you are given is quite different. A very detailed and organized history of the FBI from its conception as an off shot of the Justice Department (which it technically still is) to the law enforcement and intelligence agency it is today. Now having read Kessler's other books I was prepared for this however if you haven't it will be what throws you most dramatically and as such is something that any new reader should be aware of. That having been said the book does play a central role for anyone interested in the FBI, providing not only a detailed understanding of its past but also varied insights into the minds and actions of the Directors that have helped to shape the agency over its 101 years in existence. Incidentally the most recent directors comprise the majority of the people interviewed by Kessler for his book and as a result skewer the information slightly, it is only further skewered by the authors own experiences with various Directors (for better or worse) and this shows up in numerous forms throughout the text. Still the book delves into the organization, values, history, and structure of the FBI in a way that few texts have been able to and because of this I would recommend it to anyone interested in studying the FBI.

On a side not if you have already read Kessler's previous book on the FBI entitled The FBI: Inside the World's Most Powerful Law Enforcement Agency then you have essentially read this book up until the last one hundred pages or so which cover the time between the two texts and introduce some of the changes which occurred in the Bureau following 9/11. If you fall into this category(as I did) then learn from my mistakes and check the book out from the library skim the first 80% and then read the last bit to see what you missed the first time around. If you're a fan of his you'll recognize this updating and repackaging format from his books on the CIA, it makes me seriously question whether or not his new book is worth reading but it's already on my coffee table so I will post a review and let you know shortly. Anyway enjoy this book for what it is and you are in for a treat.

While you would think the FBI has a clear purpose and mandate, this book reveals how various directors subverted that intent and have dangerously steered the institution off course. From the illegal acts of Hoover to the incompetence of William Sessions, this book is a fascinating and frightening examination of what happens when the wrong people are put in charge. It is baffling to realize that Louis Freeh's resistance to improving technology left the FBI with a computer infrastructure completely outdated as we entered the post 9/11 era. For example, the FBI was using personal computers with Intel 386 and 486 processors as any organization that relied upon data had moved onto high powered Intel Pentium processors and more powerful software. The larger concept of mainframes, databases, networks and the ability to effectively disseminate information between offices was woefully inadequate as well. The FBI's lack of adequate computer resources slowed the post 9/11 investigation. Freeh's negligence in this area is inexplicable considering the threats we now face as a nation. Thank god for directors William Webster and current director Robert Mueller who put ego aside and manage(d) the institution as the public would expect. The insight into the various directors and their impact on the bureau is fascinating.

Kessler highlights many of the prominent cases throughout the history of the FBI. This is an even handed look at the FBI, reporting the facts and letting the chips fall as they may. One comes away with admiration and respect for the individual agents who have succeeded in their jobs, despite often having to endure idiotic rules and procedures produced by a dysfunctional culture often imposed by the director.

The only criticism of the book is the limited reporting on the FBI's role in the Kennedy assassination / investigation. However, with the numerous conspiracy theories in debate, it is perhaps best that a more detailed review is left to other authors, as the subject could easily be a book in itself.