Mossad
Ratings9
Average rating3.9
15
Ratings9
Average rating3.9
Mossad is universally recognised as the greatest intelligence service in the world. It is also the most enigmatic, shrouded in a thick veil of secrecy. Many of its enthralling feats are still unknown; most of its heroes remain unnamed. From the kidnapping of Eichmann in Argentina and the systematic tracking down of those responsible for the Munich massacre to lesser-known episodes of astonishing espionage, this extraordinary book describes the dramatic, largely secret history of Mossad and the Israeli intelligence community. Examining the covert operations, the targeted assassinations and the paramilitary activities within and outside Israel, Michael Bar-Zohar and Nissim Mishal detail the great stories of Mossad and reveal the personal tales of some of the best Mossad agents and leaders to serve their country.
Reviews with the most likes.
Twenty-odd chapters, each one the recounting of a Mossad exploit and related stories. The writing is just fair, with the authors having a penchant for describing people's foreheads. Good if you like Mossad stories.
Mossad is presented as nonfiction but delivered like a spy novel. Others have mentioned that this dynamic leaves room for concern about its authenticity. I'm not so concerned with authenticity, as I'm sure each of these operations were legitimately carried out by Mossad. My concerns lie with integrity of the seemingly unknowable details; vis-à-vis the “unreliable narrator.”
Despite my doubts, what may well be propaganda, the stories were genuinely entertaining. I hope for this in nonfiction but I do not expect it.
I took especially great interest in the availability of information that is not yet 50 years old. Top secret information is rarely downgraded without significant time. Even though the first part of the book dealt with the development of the organisation, I was genuinely surprised to read of operations in the 2000's.
