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The Black Door: Spies, Secret Intelligence and British Prime Ministers
- Narrated by: Tom Clegg
- Length: 25 hrs and 29 mins
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The Black Door: Spies, Secret Intelligence and British Prime Ministers
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Summary
The Black Door explores the evolving relationship between successive British Prime Ministers and the intelligence agencies, from Asquith's Secret Service Bureau to Cameron's National Security Council.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the British intelligence system was underfunded and lacked influence in government. But as the new millennium dawned, intelligence had become so integral to policy that it was used to make the case for war.
Now, covert action is incorporated seamlessly into government policy, and the Prime Minister is kept constantly updated by intelligence agencies. But how did intelligence come to influence our government so completely?
The Black Door explores the murkier corridors of 10 Downing Street, chronicling the relationships between intelligence agencies and the Prime Ministers of the last century. From Churchill's code breakers feeding information to the Soviets to Eden's attempts to assassinate foreign leaders, from Wilson's paranoia of an MI5-led coup d'état to Thatcher's covert wars in Central America, Aldrich and Cormac entertain and enlighten as they explain how our government came to rely on intelligence to the extent that it does today.
Critic reviews
"Skilfully weaves together the personal, political, military and technological dimensions of electronic espionage." ( Economist)
"Aldrich packs in vast amounts of information, while managing to remain very readable. He paints the broad picture, but also introduces fascinating detail." ( Literary Review)
"Richard J. Aldrich is an outstanding analyst and historian of intelligence and he tells this story well...an important book, which will make readers think uncomfortably not only about the state's power to monitor our lives, but also the appalling vulnerability of every society in thrall to communications technology as we are." (Max Hastings, Sunday Times)
"This is a sober and valuable work of scholarship, which is as reliable as anything ever is in the twilight world of intelligence-gathering. Yet there is nothing dry about it. Aldrich knows how to write for a wider audience, while avoiding the speculations, inventions, sensationalism and sheer silliness of so much modern work on the subject." ( Spectator)
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What listeners say about The Black Door: Spies, Secret Intelligence and British Prime Ministers
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- rob
- 21-03-17
a real eye opener.
Thatcher to present day was fascinating. give it a go. its ideal for long journeys.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Hawkil
- 15-08-23
Absolutely excellent
Brilliantly voiced and written, despite its length you won’t get bored and will be keen to continue listening. Great British history.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Andy
- 13-09-21
Excellent
Well written, informative and fascinating. One of the best books on this topic. recommend
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Goronwy-Wyn
- 08-06-17
The book is great
The book is fascinating full of illuminating details sadly having lived through several of the chapters it wasn’t pleasant to be on the “pleb” side, I’m waiting for the second volume detailing Brexit and the clown bojo.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- NickNoodles
- 20-09-16
Utterly fabulous
So well researched and written in an accessible and even gripping way, topped off by being read brilliantly. Couldn't recommend this book more if you're interested in politics and the intelligence world.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 16-02-21
interesting & well researched
Great book. Long but gripping. I wanted to know each Prime Minister's story and move onto the next one.
As good as GCHQ, by the same author
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- TonyG
- 19-01-17
Thorough analysis
A detailed and well read analysis of the UK's secret world which grows ever larger.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Camilo
- 21-06-20
Amazing
For someone interested in all things to do with foreign policy, espionage and diplomacy this has been very informative and detailed. Really makes you think what are they up to today.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Robert Hood
- 24-05-17
Fascinating
The breadth and insight makes this a compulsive audio book I found very difficult to stop listening to..
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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- Nadia
- 24-07-20
Brilliant apart from pronunciation error
The narrator pronounced the name of Iran's Prime Minister in the 1950s 'Mossadeeegh' as 'Mossadeooou'.
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