The Secrets of the FBI

'This book seems even-handed; an interesting history of the FBI that covers its directors and significant cases (Waco, Abscam etc) to the present. It also covers FBI training and undercover operations. The narrator is particularly well suited for this title. This is my first book by the author and while it claims 'secrets' of the FBI -there are some- I think it mostly covers issues in depth and gives background not generally well known. I have not 'read' about the FBI before so much of the story is new or at least in depth compared to the news. I enjoyed it!

The writing is okay, and taken by itself this is a fairly interesting book. However, as I was listening I began to get a strong sense of deja-vu...I checked my library and found another book by the same author, "The Bureau". Huge chunks of "The Bureau" are repeated here, in some cases verbatim. In one odd case a story is repeated (the roast beef thing) but the conclusion as to the truth of the story is completely different. No reason for this change of heart is given.
This self-plaigirism REALLY irks me. I feel cheated. The book should be half the length that it is.

Ronald Kessler in The Secrets of the FBI provides a series of investigative chapters concerning the work of the FBI. The raid on Osama bin Laden, Marilyn Monroe’s death, the Vince Foster suicide, and other stories are here. While a very interesting read, this book contained no “secrets” that I didn’t already know or that had not been reported in the press earlier. However, each chapter contained insights into how the FBI works and interesting related details. The book takes a rather eclectic approach loosely connecting the various tales in the several chapters. If you are not familiar with the work of the FBI or have never read in this genre, this book might be one you would like to pick up. The reading of Michael Bybee is very good.

The information that I gained from the book that I didn't know before. I learned a few things about the FBI that I didn't know before.

There was no one memorable part. To me the whole book was memorable.

This was my first time listening to Michael Bybee.

This is a superficial look at the FBI. Not really much in the way of secrets. It was entertaining though and an easy read.

I have bought and listened to several of Kessler's books. This is the least impressive, possiby because I have been saturated by insights in earlier books, or maybe this should have been published as an "updated and expanded" Inside the FBI.

Solid narrator, but tough to follow the arc of where the author was going. Seemed like a lot of the material covered was from long ago newspaper clippings. Not a total waste of time, but certainly below average.

Substance

Not this

No

Disbelief

I got stuck in traffic today and listened to this nonsense for over an hour before coming to my senses and putting on a little rock 'n roll. SECRETS OF THE FBI??!!!! WOW!

SPOILER ALERT - Here's some of the