How Spies Think, David Omand
How Spies Think, David Omand
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How Spies Think
Ten Lessons in Intelligence

Author: David Omand

Narrator: David Omand

Unabridged: 10 hr 34 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 10/29/2020


Synopsis

Brought to you by Penguin.

From the former director of GCHQ, learn the methodology used by the British intelligence agencies to reach judgements, establish the right level of confidence and act decisively.

Intelligence officers discern the truth. They gather information - often contradictory or incomplete - and, with it, they build the most accurate possible image of the world. With the stakes at their absolute highest, they must then decide what to do.

In everyday life, you are faced with contradictory, incomplete information, too. Reading the news on social media, figuring out the next step in your career, or trying to discover if gossip about a friend is legitimate, you are building an image of the world and making decisions about it.

Looking through the eyes of one of Britain's most senior ex-intelligence officers, Professor Sir David Omand, How Spies Think shows how the big decisions in your life will be easier to make when you apply the same frameworks used by British intelligence. Full of revealing examples from his storied career, including key briefings with Prime Ministers from Thatcher to Blair, and conflicts from the Falklands to Afghanistan, Professor Omand arms us with the tools to sort fact from fiction, and shows us how to use real intelligence every day.

'One of the best books ever written about intelligence analysis and its long-term lessons. Brilliant, lucid and thought-provoking' Christopher Andrew, author of The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5

© David Omand 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Reviews

Goodreads review by Igor on January 17, 2023

Captivating. I enjoyed the book very much. Although familiar with the SEES model, the author does a fantastic job explaining it. He touches briefly on: - bayesian thinking - heuer tables for analysis of competing hypotheses - game theory (very little) The last three chapters ruined the read substantially......more

Goodreads review by Katarzyna on March 04, 2022

"Jak nie dać się zmanipulować i okłamać - radzi doświadczony agent wywiadu". Przyznam, że ten tytuł mocno mnie zainteresował, bo jak radzić sobie w świecie zglobalizowanej informacji, gdzie dzień w dzień zasypywani jesteśmy ogromem wiadomości z różnych dziedzin życia. Jak nie dać się zmanipulować i......more

Goodreads review by Truls on January 06, 2023

En tät och lärorik bok i informationshantering. Innehåller både modeller för beslutsutvärdering och underlagsvärdering. Inte speciellt lättillgänglig, men däremot värd ansträngningen. Kan rekommenderas.......more

Goodreads review by Petri on December 08, 2021

It’s really a book on structured thinking under uncertainty and adversity. The interesting context of cold war makes for a nice read. I think that this would have been a great easy read on a transatlantic flight, were we not in the middle of the pandemic.......more

Goodreads review by Imran on July 21, 2023

It's not easy giving Omand's "How Spies Think: Ten Lessons in Intelligence" three stars but the work doesn't quite reach four stars. The book is a gallant effort by an accomplished intelligence professional. There are attempts to organize the author's thinking in a systematic manner for the benefit......more