The Secret History of the American Empire

Economic Hit Men, Jackals, and the Truth about Corporate Corruption

By: John Perkins

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

In his stunning memoir, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, John Perkins detailed his former role as an "hit man" operating within the international corporate skullduggery of a de facto American Empire. That riveting, behind-the-scenes exposé unfolded like a cinematic blockbuster told through the eyes of a man who once helped shape that empire.

Now, in The Secret History of the American Empire, Perkins zeroes in on hot spots around the world and, drawing on interviews with other hit men, jackals, reporters, and activists, examines the current geopolitical crisis. Instability is the norm; it's clear that the world we've created is dangerous and no longer sustainable. How did we get here? Who's responsible? What good have we done and at what cost? And what can we do to change things for the next generations? Addressing these questions and more, Perkins reveals the secret history behind the events that have created the American Empire.

From the U.S. military in Iraq to infrastructure development in Indonesia, from Peace Corps volunteers in Africa to jackals in Venezuela, Perkins exposes a conspiracy of corruption that has fueled instability and anti-Americanism around the globe. Alarming yet hopeful, this book provides a compassionate plan for reimagining our world.

©2007 John Perkins (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc. All rights reserved.

Critic reviews

"A sweeping, bold assault on the tyranny of corporate globalization, full of drama and adventure, with devastating stories of greed run wild. But Perkins is undaunted, and offers imaginative ideas for a different world." (Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States)

“John Perkins' new book is both an eye-opening expose of global corruption and a fascinating story of adventure and intrigue. This devastating indictment of current economic policies also offers hope by showing the power of the growing movement toward a caring economics worldwide.” (Riane Eisler, author of The Chalice and the Blade and The Real Wealth of Nations)

“Having made a splash with Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, Perkins offers similarly entertaining but disturbing accounts of the American government wreaking havoc around the world in support of American business. In Perkins's view, American presidents willingly comply with their CEO masters, distributing foreign aid to corrupt Third World leaders who keep a share and return the rest to U.S. business for major projects, leaving their nations poor and massively in debt, and requiring more loans and slavish obedience to U.S. policy. If any leader objects, the CIA destabilizes his government, by assassination if necessary.” (Publishers Weekly)

Decent, but long-winded, preachy torwards the end

Would you listen to The Secret History of the American Empire again? Why?

Only if i really had to. It's very very long, and it's not easy to get through in my opinion. It's interesting for sure, but there's just something about it that makes it not easy to listen to

If you’ve listened to books by John Perkins before, how does this one compare?

Better than his first book. This book was read by Jonathan Davis. In John Perkins first book, he read it by himself and his voice sounded a bit raspy, as if he was losing his voice a bit.

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes, i'm pretty sure he did a bunch of the Star Wars audio books. They are always good, no problems there.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

nope. Not that kind of book. However if boredom or frustration is an extreme reaction, then maybe that.

Any additional comments?

It's not a particularly boring book, it could have just been my situation at the time, yet it took me several months to finish.
It's just that i always seemed to have so much more interesting books that i would go for them instead of finishing this one.

It is however an interesting look at how governments strategise for pretty much taking over the world, and how they shape the minds of everyone around them to help propagate the fallacy that is modern economics which ensures that their empire can stay intact. Everything that is capitalism basically.

I can't help but feel it could be edited down to make it more concise and interesting though.
It get's quite preachy towards the end, and while what John Perkins says is correct in terms of 'how can everyone help', he's had the grace of hindsight and already living an amazing life whilst climbing the corporate ladder and taking success and good fortune from it, and then he realises that it's screwing over the people of the world, yet he's already taken his benefit.

Better late than never of course, but even though its not, it comes across as a bit hypocritical at the end.

Great book and brave author!

Great eye opening account of the realpolitik of how the corpactocracy works hand in hand with govt to advance it’s own interests principles be dammed. Well written and well documented. Thank you John Perkins!

Last few paragraphs of the book ruined it

"Encourage taxes on externalities? Higher prices for gas, clothes, electricity, etc. as long as the difference pays to right social and evironmental wrongs?"

No thank you, sir. It's not the consumer's duty to right social and environmental wrongs by paying more for goods and utilities.

Off the deep end

While I enjoy books from authors and topics opposite of my own views, within minutes of starting this book I got the "this guy's supposed personal story sounds like fiction . . . and not very good fiction at that." Conspiracy craziness packaged into a fictional biography. The cap for me was when the author described Che Guevara as a "Argentinian doctor" with interest in helping indigenous people and chose Bolivia as a focus, who happened to have the support of Cuba. Geesh. I can't recall the last time I read something so absurd from an author pedaling a political story. Che was Fidel Castro's right hand man in the Cuban revolution, ran the Cuban jails, torture, and death squads!

The negative impacts of globalization and American domination are important issues with some credible arguments for conservatives like I to consider. But this book only convinced me that maybe the core of this movement really is what I see on the streets outside World Bank meetings . . . spoiled college students and trust fund babies dressing like revolutionaries, smashing windows, and generally acting like fools.

Short sited

Over simplification of corporations and ignores the good the US and corporations do. Also this guy has made crap loads of money and now that he has it it is bad... Lol I don't see him living in a shack giving all his money to the poor but insists on corporations and governments too... Disappointed could of been better...

Adorably out of touch

A few dozen "that happened" stories punctuated by endless, endless platitudes. There's nothing of substance here you haven't heard before, elsewhere, or better. At its best, it's nostalgic trip through 90s-era leftism, at its worst, a dull slog through the author's ego that offers nothing timely, relevant, or interesting.

interesting read...but I think the cause failed

interesting view of history...but the last part is just elitist talking points. I see parts of this book at work today, but the NGOs are just as corrupt as the corporatocracy...they've proved it.

So much left leaning jargon!

There is a lot of interesting information in this book. It seems as though there was only corruption on the right and the left were the heroes, but science has already proVen so much of his environmental points have been debunked. It would have been better to stick to given record of governmental corruption on both sides of the isle.

I will not be buying another book from this author.

my opinion

You did a good job writing a book that promotes socialism/communism, and how to follow a dictator into hell.