Spy-Tech

First edition, second printing. xiii, 281, [3]; illustrated; 25 cm. Includes list of acronyms, bibliography (p. 271-281) and index. Black hardcover in Near Fine condition with the exception of very light staining to foredge, rear free endpaper, and the odd page throughout. Dust jacket is price clipped and exhibits edgewear, including chips and tears, but is otherwise Very Good and housed in a protective sleeve to prevent further wear. From dust jacket: A look at the fascinating tools of the espionage trade—what they are, how they work and who uses them—from the simple hand gun to the KH-I I satellite. Scene: The room has been thoroughly searched and electronically swept for bugs. Yet, as the uniformed men discuss top secret national security issues, a tiny red dot of light appears on the window pane. A laser beam, sent from miles away, is picking up the vibrations of their voices on the glass. It sounds, of course, like fiction. Something a James Bond movie screenwriter might dream up. But it's not. The technology for such eavesdropping actually exists today. This laser beam device is only one of many bizarre, highly sophisticated tools of the spy's trade you'll discover in SPY-TECH, the first book to explore the fascinating world of espionage technology. This lucidly written, lavishly illustrated volume discusses: • The evolution of spy satellites • State-of-the-art surveillance techniques • Secret communication, from invisible ink to sophisticated coding and cryptology • The latest developments in sabotage and weaponry • The key organizations involved in global spying—the NSA, the CIA and Russia's KGB. In addition to explaining what tools spies employ, and how they use them in the struggle to gather intelligence, the book contains many intriguing anecdotes garnered by the author in interviews with members of the intelligence community. If you're interested in the fast-paced world of espionage, SPY-TECH is a book you won't be able to put down. The day-to-day existence of a real-life spy isn't at all like James Bond's but many of the bizarre devices and weapons used by authentic agents are just as fantastic as those dreamed up by screen and television writers. SPY-TECH takes an in-depth look, in words, line drawings and photos, at the tools of the spy trade, which range in complexity from the simple garrote to sophisticated satellites capable of gathering detailed information from miles above the earth. The book is divided into two parts, the first of which chronicles the evolution of aerial spying, from the balloons used in the 19th century for battlefield reconnaissance to the latest intelligence-gathering satellites used by the security agencies of the superpowers. The second part, titled The Secret Agent's Tools, takes a fascinating look at • bugging and debugging equipment • surveillance techniques • cryptology and coding • sabotage • handguns and other firearms and much more. In reading this book—the most authoritative book yet published on the subject—you'll learn not only how and when espionage agents use the various tools at their disposal, but also how those tools work. Even when dealing with such complex subjects as lasers, satellite photo interpretation, and the electronics of bugging, Graham Yost's explanations are vivid and easy to understand. If you want to unlock the secrets of espionage technology, SPY-TECH is the book for you. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Graham Yost is a freelance journalist based in New York, with a special interest in science and technology. His articles have appeared in TV Guide and Film Comment. 281 pp. …