Ranked #13 in Intelligence, Ranked #30 in The Cold War — see more rankings.
Now Pulitzer Prize–winning author Tim Weiner offers the first definitive history of the CIA—and everything is on the record. LEGACY OF ASHES is based on more than 50,000 documents, primarily from the archives of the CIA itself, and hundreds of... more
Reviews and Recommendations
We've comprehensively compiled reviews of Legacy of Ashes from the world's leading experts.
Stephen Glain Yes. This book reads like the Keystone Kops. It’s amazing how often the CIA just blundered, going from one screw-up to the next, despite having some very intelligent people. But I once listened to Tim Weiner giving an interview and he said something very profound. He said every president since it was created under Truman has abused the CIA. Too often it’s used to prove a presumed fact, a fact that has been created for domestic political purposes, and completely queers the pitch from the outset. If you’re not encouraging conclusions that may differ from your own presumptions then you’re fated... (Source)
Rankings by Category
Legacy of Ashes is ranked in the following categories:
- #87 in Diplomacy
- #64 in Espionage
- #62 in Korean War
- #55 in Propaganda
- #38 in Service
- #86 in US History