
The Devil's Chessboard
Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government
David Talbot(Author)
Harper (Publisher)
Published on 13. October 2015
Book
Hardback
704 pages
978-0-06-227616-2 (ISBN)
Description
An explosive, headline-making portrait of Allen Dulles, the man who transformed the CIA into the most powerful-and secretive-colossus in Washington, from the founder of Salon.com and author of the New York Times bestseller Brothers. America's greatest untold story: the United States' rise to world dominance under the guile of Allen Welsh Dulles, the longest-serving director of the CIA. Drawing on revelatory new materials-including newly discovered U.S. government documents, U.S. and European intelligence sources, the personal correspondence and journals of Allen Dulles's wife and mistress, and exclusive interviews with the children of prominent CIA officials-Talbot reveals the underside of one of America's most powerful and influential figures. Dulles's decade as the director of the CIA-which he used to further his public and private agendas-were dark times in American politics.
Calling himself "the secretary of state of unfriendly countries," Dulles saw himself as above the elected law, manipulating and subverting American presidents in the pursuit of his personal interests and those of the wealthy elite he counted as his friends and clients-colluding with Nazi-controlled cartels, German war criminals, and Mafiosi in the process. Targeting foreign leaders for assassination and overthrowing nationalist governments not in line with his political aims, Dulles employed those same tactics to further his goals at home, Talbot charges, offering shocking new evidence in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. An expose of American power that is as disturbing as it is timely, The Devil's Chessboard is a provocative and gripping story of the rise of the national security state-and the battle for America's soul.
Calling himself "the secretary of state of unfriendly countries," Dulles saw himself as above the elected law, manipulating and subverting American presidents in the pursuit of his personal interests and those of the wealthy elite he counted as his friends and clients-colluding with Nazi-controlled cartels, German war criminals, and Mafiosi in the process. Targeting foreign leaders for assassination and overthrowing nationalist governments not in line with his political aims, Dulles employed those same tactics to further his goals at home, Talbot charges, offering shocking new evidence in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. An expose of American power that is as disturbing as it is timely, The Devil's Chessboard is a provocative and gripping story of the rise of the national security state-and the battle for America's soul.
Reviews / Votes
"A fearless, passionate, angry book... The story of how the Kennedy brothers tried to change the world." -- New York Times Book Review on Brothers "David Talbot's riveting account of the Kennedy Administration is heavy drama... Brilliant journalism." -- People, 4-starred Critics Choice Review, on Brothers "Bracing... Full of shocking moments and juicy tidbits." -- Los Angeles Times on BrothersMore details
Edition
Unabridged edition
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Publishing group
HarperCollins Publishers Inc
Edition type
Unabridged edition
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 42 mm
Weight
646 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-06-227616-2 (9780062276162)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

David Talbot
The Devil's Chessboard
Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America's Secret Government
E-Book
10/2015
HarperCollins
€12.99
Available for download