New Max Hastings' book

Is his new book about codes and similar things to that good?

 

Bump

 

Love the topic but I'm one of the 'divided' ones. Don't like his tabloid style of writing with a lot of sensational attention grabbing statements without citing sources. I might pick it up at the library but I'll never buy another one of his books,

 

Wrong author. That was Rick Atkinson, who cut his teeth as a journalist and is a fair historian, but that story was better told many years ago in Seizing the Initiative. Hastings also cut his teeth as a journalist. As a historian he is toothless.

 

I went to a lecture given by Max Hastings in London when Secret War was published. The book is OK for what it is - ie it doesn't contain original research ( WWII espionage is now a well-trodden path ) but gives a fair and readable overview of global espionage during the conflict.

His thesis is that, for all the brains and courage devoted to espionage activities, the game means more than the result to many of those in charge of such activities.

As usual with the author, there is a comprehensive bibliography pointing the way to more specialist stuff.

 

Deep on Mr. Hastings' part. However, I might observe to him in turn the "game" of putting out fires means more to firemen than having the fire our too, while the "game" of being periodically asinine in the interests of a "good story" often means more to journalists than reporting facts.

 

Doesn't take much to flame this Forum up these days.

 

Really Martin? What flaming? You made a perfectly accurate assessment of Hastings' style. I merely observed that contextually his observation is from an outsider looking in, something which Hastings often ignores. If he spent a few years in intelligence analysis, then I strongly suspect he wouldn't be so dismissive of those doing such work.

 

For some it probably was a game, did a battlefields tour which included Berlin a few years ago. The guide had worked for the Brits in Berlin and he was very, very annoyed that the Communist who dared to enter the West would do such an ungentlemanly thing as disappear under the Wall when chased, just not cricket.

 

Interesting observations about this book. It's currently sitting on my nightstand, but I haven't started reading it yet.