Lost Crusader: The Secret Wars of CIA Director William Colby

"By portraying William Colby's life in all its nuances, Lost Crusader makes an important contribution to intelligence literature."--Washington Post Book World"Conspiracy buffs will find that his account of Colby's suspicious death in 1996 offers plenty of intiguing possibilities."--Kirkus Reviews"A deeply researched and well-written account of Colby's career.... This first book-length study of Colby's career should stand the test of time as a high-quality contribution."--Library Journal"Well-researched.... His life of Colby 'is a parable for today, when the CIA and U.S. intelligence in general again stand in need of visionary leadership.'"--Steve Weinberg, Denver Post"A comprehensive dossier on the espionage career of William Colby, this copiously detailed work comes from an author highly regarded as an intelligence historian. Careful and judicious, Prados never grandstands; instead, he seeks to understand the myriad controversies about CIA activity exposed by congressional investigations in 1975."--Booklist"This highly detailed look at one of the major spymasters of the post-WWII era is another intriguing work by the prolific Prados.... Prados's most controversial argument is that Colby's willingness to work with Congress to reform the CIA 'saved the agency' by allowing it additional freedom. This is an essential and provocative addition to works on the CIA."--Publishers Weekly"John Prados's biography of legendary Cold War spymaster William Colby is a formidable achievement by a wonderfully accessible historian. Through the prism of Colby's controversial CIA career, Prados has written a gripping and revealing new history of our intelligence Establishment. In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, as Congress begins to investigate yet another intelligence failure, Lost Crusader is a timely reminder of the importance of knowing our hidden history."--Kai Bird, author of The Color of Truth: McGeorge Bundy & William Bundy, Brothers in Arms and The Chairman: John J. McCloy & The Making of the American Establishment"John Prados, in a meticulously researched biography of William Colby, has also produced an insightful history of the CIA--in Vietnam and in Washington corridors of power. This is a book that delivers far more than the life of a secret man."--Thomas B. Allen, co-author of Spy Book: The Encyclopedia of Espionage"John Prados does a better job of explaining and defending William Colby than the controversial director of the CIA did for himself in his own memoirs. Colby was a classic old boy--schooled in secret intelligence during the Second World War, quick to rejoin the CIA when it was gearing up to fight the Cold War, a true believer during America's disastrous adventure in Vietnam. But Colby also became the CIA's first champion of openness and he helped save the agency from itself during the scandals of the 1970s. Nobody knows this history better than Prados; in Lost Crusader he has written a lively narrative that is a fine one-volume introduction to the history of American intelligence." --Thomas Powers, author of The Man Who Kept the Secrets "By portraying William Colby's life in all its nuances, Lost Crusader makes an important contribution to intelligence literature."--Washington Post Book World "Conspiracy buffs will find that his account of Colby's suspicious death in 1996 offers plenty of intiguing possibilities."--Kirkus Reviews "A deeply researched and well-written account of Colby's career.... This first book-length study of Colby's career should stand the test of time as a high-quality contribution."--Library Journal "Well-researched.... His life of Colby 'is a parable for today, when the CIA and U.S. intelligence in general again stand in need of visionary leadership.'"--Steve Weinberg, Denver Post "A comprehensive dossier on the espionage career of William Colby, this copiously detailed work comes from an author highly regarded as an intelligence historian. Careful and judicious, Prados never grandstands; instead, he seeks to understand the myriad controversies about CIA activity exposed by congressional investigations in 1975."--Booklist "This highly detailed look at one of the major spymasters of the post-WWII era is another intriguing work by the prolific Prados.... Prados's most controversial argument is that Colby's willingness to work with Congress to reform the CIA 'saved the agency' by allowing it additional freedom. This is an essential and provocative addition to works on the CIA."--Publishers Weekly "John Prados's biography of legendary Cold War spymaster William Colby is a formidable achievement by a wonderfully accessible historian. Through the prism of Colby's controversial CIA career, Prados has written a gripping and revealing new history of our intelligenceEstablishment. In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, as Congress begins to investigate yet another intelligence failure, Lost Crusader is a timely reminder of the importance of knowing our hidden history."--Kai Bird, author of The Color of Truth: McGeorge Bundy & William Bundy, Brothers in Arms and The Chairman: John J. McCloy & The Making of the American Establishment "John Prados, in a meticulously researched biography of William Colby, has also produced an insightful history of the CIA--in Vietnam and in Washington corridors of power. This is a book that delivers far more than the life of a secret man."--Thomas B. Allen, co-author of Spy Book: The Encyclopedia of Espionage "John Prados does a better job of explaining and defending William Colby than the controversial director of the CIA did for himself in his own memoirs. Colby was a classic old boy--schooled in secret intelligence during the Second World War, quick to rejoin the CIA when it was gearing up to fight the Cold War, a true believer during America's disastrous adventure in Vietnam. But Colby also became the CIA's first champion of openness and he helped save the agency from itself during the scandals of the 1970s. Nobody knows this history better than Prados; in Lost Crusader he has written a lively narrative that is a fine one-volume introduction to the history of American intelligence." --Thomas Powers, author of The Man Who Kept the Secrets "By portraying William Colby's life in all its nuances, Lost Crusader makes an important contribution to intelligence literature."--Washington Post Book World "Conspiracy buffs will find that his account of Colby's suspicious death in 1996 offers plenty of intiguing possibilities."--Kirkus Reviews "A deeply researched and well-written account of Colby's career.... This first book-length study of Colby's career should stand the test of time as a high-quality contribution."--Library Journal "Well-researched.... His life of Colby 'is a parable for today, when the CIA and U.S. intelligence in general again stand in need of visionary leadership.'"--Steve Weinberg, Denver Post "A comprehensive dossier on the espionage career of William Colby, this copiously detailed work comes from an author highly regarded as an intelligence historian. Careful and judicious, Prados never grandstands; instead, he seeks to understand the myriad controversies about CIA activity exposed by congressional investigations in 1975."--Booklist "This highly detailed look at one of the major spymasters of the post-WWII era is another intriguing work by the prolific Prados.... Prados's most controversial argument is that Colby's willingness to work with Congress to reform the CIA 'saved the agency' by allowing it additional freedom. This is an essential and provocative addition to works on the CIA."--Publishers Weekly "John Prados's biography of legendary Cold War spymaster William Colby is a formidable achievement by a wonderfully accessible historian. Through the prism of Colby's controversial CIA career, Prados has written a gripping andrevealing new history of our intelligence Establishment. In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy, as Congress begins to investigate yet another intelligence failure, Lost Crusader is a timely reminder of the importance of knowing our hidden history."--Kai Bird, author of The Color of Truth: McGeorge Bundy & William Bundy, Brothers in Arms and The Chairman: John J. McCloy & The Making of the American Establishment "John Prados, in a meticulously researched biography of William Colby, has also produced an insightful history of the CIA--in Vietnam and in Washington corridors of power. This is a book that delivers far more than the life of a secret man."--Thomas B. Allen, co-author of Spy Book: The Encyclopedia of Espionage "John Prados does a better job of explaining and defending William Colby than the controversial director of the CIA did for himself in his own memoirs. Colby was a classic old boy--schooled in secret intelligence during the Second World War, quick to rejoin the CIA when it was gearing up to fight the Cold War, a true believer during America's disastrous adventure in Vietnam. But Colby also became the CIA's first champion of openness and he helped save the agency from itself during the scandals of the 1970s. Nobody knows this history better than Prados; in Lost Crusader he has written a lively narrative that is a fine one-volume introduction to the history of American intelligence." --Thomas Powers, author of The Man Who Kept the Secrets "By portraying William Colby's life in all its nuances, Lost Crusader makes an important contribution to intelligence literature."--Washington Post Book World"Conspiracy buffs will find that his account of Colby's suspicious death in 1996 offers plenty of intiguing possibilities."--Kirkus Reviews"A deeply researched and well-written account of Colby's career.... This first book-length study of Colby's career should stand the test of time as a high-quality contribution."--Library Journal"Well-researched.... His life of Colby 'is a parable for today, when the CIA and U.S. intelligence in general again stand in need of visionary leadership.'"--Steve Weinberg, Denver Post"A comprehensive dossier on the espionage career of William Colby, this copiously detailed work comes from an author highly regarded as an intelligence historian. Careful and judicious, Prados never grandstands; instead, he seeks to understand the myriad controversies about CIA activity exposed bycongressional investigations in 1975."--Booklist"This highly detailed look at one of the major spymasters of the post-WWII era is another intriguing work by the prolific Prados.... Prados's most controversial argument is that Colby's willingness to work with Congress to reform the CIA 'saved the agency' by allowing it additional freedom. This isan essential and provocative addition to works on the CIA."--Publishers Weekly"John Prados's biography of legendary Cold War spymaster William Colby is a formidable achievement by a wonderfully accessible historian. Through the prism of Colby's controversial CIA career, Prados has written a gripping and revealing new history of our intelligenceEstablishment. In the wake ofthe 9/11 tragedy, as Congress begins to investigate yet another intelligence failure, Lost Crusader is a timely reminder of the importance of knowing our hidden history."--Kai Bird, author of The Color of Truth: McGeorge Bundy & William Bundy, Brothers in Arms and The Chairman: John J. McCloy & TheMaking of the American Establishment"John Prados, in a meticulously researched biography of William Colby, has also produced an insightful history of the CIA--in Vietnam and in Washington corridors of power. This is a book that delivers far more than the life of a secret man."--Thomas B. Allen, co-author of Spy Book: The Encyclopediaof Espionage"John Prados does a better job of explaining and defending William Colby than the controversial director of the CIA did for himself in his own memoirs. Colby was a classic old boy--schooled in secret intelligence during the Second World War, quick to rejoin the CIA when it was gearing up to fightthe Cold War, a true believer during America's disastrous adventure in Vietnam. But Colby also became the CIA's first champion of openness and he helped save the agency from itself during the scandals of the 1970s. Nobody knows this history better than Prados; in Lost Crusader he has written alively narrative that is a fine one-volume introduction to the history of American intelligence." --Thomas Powers, author of The Man Who Kept the Secrets