Spy Stories Paperback – 1 January 2021

I am a huge fan of Levy and Scott-Clark. Their writing is crystalline and their research impeccable. Like all other books, this book too is an eye-opener. It focuses on the role that spy agencies play and narrates the unfolding of various events and the actions of the principal actors without bias.My only grouse against the book was that the occasional back and forth in the timelines got very confusing. I bought the Kindle version. Perhaps the paper version will make easier reading and allow the reader to flip back to the point in the story for greater clarity.Hats off to the authors for writing without prejudice.

Despite some judgemental undertones, the book is balanced and provides a sneak peak into the world of spycraft. It also shows how geopolitics can shape action or inaction to shape a narrative. Good read.

In the highly conservative monolithic organisations, intelligence setups are probably the most entombed variety.One has to read between the lines, and ponder over apparently disjointed and unconnected events across times and climes before one perceives patterns in the mosaic. This is clearly not possible in the realm of the common man.Levy’s access to intelligence operatives and czars over decades has allowed them access to a fund of information which they have assembled and presented in a cogent fashion , in the manner of who dun it.This has ensured a better understanding of the intelligence operations in Pakistan and India.The tilt and soft corner for isi and Pakistan is clear if not glaring.Attributing terrorist incidents of the most heinous kind to renegade soldiers and heads of JeM, TTT, LeT, Taliban etc, as being beyond the machinations of ISI or pak army, is a clear attempt to whitewash Pakistani ‘establishment’ .Indirect attempts to elicit sympathy for a ‘helpless’ iSI and Pakistan is oi IOU’s.It makes for an excellent reading.Levy has clearly highlighted the problems faced by the intelligence organisations in India under naive politicians and manoeuvring beauracrats. The muddled approach to intelligence in India will definitely be reduced if this book is studied carefully in the RAW Hq and more so in the Home and Defence ministries

The book is more into ISI and the various characters there who pull the strings of power in Pakistani. , RAW Is spoken off but honestly the RAW-IB angle is just there so as to be there , it’s mostly about ISI thru it’s machinations and super cunning behind the scenes play keeps the jihadi machine running even while it keeps fighting with the very same jihadi machine , they can kill it - the jihadi machine is a monster that just about to break loose , but at the same time the Pakistanis can’t say no to them and need to maintain and nurture them to “keep Kashmir on the boil” ..The book is tough to follow- actually there’s no thread to follow it’s just an amalgamation and a narration of various events through the times and how they happened ans what the various characters in those operations , events , accidents were l. It’s not easy to follow and keep track of . One may end up by around 50% of the book start thinking why am I reading this book? What is it telling me - it’s a book of accounts and stories of how things happened who did what and who played whom why and for what . That’s it. Keep faith and finish it , it’s eye opening in its detail description of the seriousness of failure in Pakistan wrt faith and politics and using religion for ulterior motives and finally creating a monster of a system of groups and mini armies of hard core radicalism fed mad men!I honestly felt the writers , really esteemed folks , with tons of experience and contacts - serious contacts !!! , kinda poke 90% of the time about ISI and what it did , it’s book about and on the characters on the Pakistani side ISI , the RAW- IB narrative and description felt as if they didn’t have much respect or didn’t even value raw in properly, the portrayal is a very low and often gives the picture of an agency and systems which are ineffective and almost laughable when compared to the formidable and all controlling and seeing ISI Lin Pakistan , the raw is seen to be bungling and quite callous .. I kinda felt the authors don’t really have such a high opinion of the raw folks in comparison to isi folks , but well .. it’s an opinion.Good read eye opener to the dark games played across the border , shows that truth and lies are basically the same what matters is who’s version and from who’s angle are you looking at them! And this versioning of the same is mastered and twisted by both agencies to suite their needs.

I generally don't read books , but on Shekhar Gupta Ji's recommendation on one of his Cut the Clutter video, thought I should try and was very glad I did. The book is very well written , although it is not a novel but it is a very "gripping" and "interesting" documentary of the SPY world of RAW and ISI (especially ISI)It is worth the time, I would recommend this to anyone an avid reader or not. It has been a great learning experience , the book showcases the world that is always(mostly) hidden from the Public eye, at the very least u will add another perspective to how the world works.Thinking of Reading it again.

Like all other books of the authors this is a good study book without being spectacular. Bought this book to learn more about RAW than ISI which is rather well known. There surely is a lot of information on RAW but may be 30% as compared to ISI which dominates at 70%. May be ISI folks are fearless, or too many of them have gone rogue and have no fear of the state arm , given the general lawlessness in Pakistan. Dont think too many of our Raw operatives, existing or retired spoke. May be Indian culture, fear or strict regimen. Even in the book the authors are a bit circumspect when hinting at TTP s training and support material. Wish there was more on RAW and its activities, most what you see in the books published so far , except a few are fairly comical. It is a fast and easy read. Detailed and neutral. Helps you understand the wheel within wheels better, if you want to.