I picked up Great True Spy Stories at a used book sale because I recognized Dulles because he had headed the OSS during World War Two. I thought that a book edited by him on the subject of spies would be an interesting read, but I was wrong.
Many of my problems with the book are minor. Some of the stories seem somewhat sensationalized and injected with a false sense of excitement. In others, the dialogue seems somewhat contrived which can be attributed to the authors' misuse of artistic license. Many of the stories also show tinges of both racism and homophobia.
One of the more significant problems with Great True Spy Stories is that it was written in the middle of the Cold War, and it definitely shows. Without fail those who opposed the Soviet Union are hailed as sacrificial heroes, while those who supported it are branded cowards and traitors, often with significant character flaws. These characterizations are carried on to the point of making the stories almost cartoonish in places, and this makes it particularly frustrating to read.
The major problem with the book, however, is that it is just plain boring. Many of the stories were written by people who were there but who do not have much writing experience, and so the stories seem to drag on and blunder around, often with little to hold the interest of the reader.
There isn't a lot to be gained by reading this book, and I would recommend against it.
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