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HomeShop at BookSurgeGamesGamblingSkating on the Edge: A Memoir and Journey through a Metamorphosis of the CIA |
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A keen edge! Feb 22, 2007
Mixing humor, shock, and sorrow in a memoir format, Carlos Luria's Skating on the Edge held our attention from beginning to end and had us on the "Edge" of our chairs. The author weaves his personal and family struggles into the account of actual incidents of the successes and failures of the CIA in which he served. His respect for that agency is evident in the writing. But that does not dull the edge of his insightful criticism of the metamorphosis of intelligence collection following the cold war in which human intelligence collection activities were overshadowed by reliance on remote technology-based systems. He blames this policy transition for the intelligence failures leading up to the 9-11 disaster. From the hilarious recounting of his own training and that of others to the shocking revelation of the undetected existence of armed nuclear missiles in a part of Cuba missed by U-2 surveillance, Mr. Luria succeeds in sharing his life experiences in an attention grabbing manner. And there is plenty of between-the-lines inference to stoke the reader's curiosity. For example, what was behind the decision to replace much of the human intelligence gathering program with expensive technology? But alas, it is a memoir and, as such, it's a great read.
Marcia and Ted Wallenius, Summit Book Club
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Excellent Skate! Jan 09, 2007
Thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Luria's journal. Has a great ability to hold your attention and bring you with him on his jouney through his life in
the CIA and also his time spent in Germany, England and the US. Gave many copies of this book to family and friends as Christmas gifts and have received very good reviews. Mr. Carlos Luria has a special ability to tell stories.
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