Preview
  • Spies, Lies, and Algorithms

  • The History and Future of American Intelligence
  • By: Amy B. Zegart
  • Narrated by: Amy B. Zegart
  • Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (275 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Spies, Lies, and Algorithms

By: Amy B. Zegart
Narrated by: Amy B. Zegart
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.49

Buy for $21.49

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Spying has never been more ubiquitous - or less understood. The world is drowning in spy movies, TV shows, and novels, but universities offer more courses on rock and roll than on the CIA, and there are more congressional experts on powdered milk than espionage. This crisis in intelligence education is distorting public opinion, fueling conspiracy theories, and hurting intelligence policy. In Spies, Lies, and Algorithms, Amy Zegart separates fact from fiction as she offers an engaging and enlightening account of the past, present, and future of American espionage as it faces a revolution driven by digital technology.

Drawing on decades of research and hundreds of interviews with intelligence officials, Zegart provides a history of US espionage, from George Washington's Revolutionary War spies to today's spy satellites; examines how fictional spies are influencing real officials; gives an overview of intelligence basics and life inside America's intelligence agencies; explains the deadly cognitive biases that can mislead analysts; and explores the vexed issues of traitors, covert action, and congressional oversight. Most of all, Zegart describes how technology is empowering new enemies and opportunities, and creating powerful new players, such as private citizens who are successfully tracking nuclear threats using little more than Google Earth.

©2022 Amy B. Zegart (P)2022 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What listeners say about Spies, Lies, and Algorithms

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    173
  • 4 Stars
    53
  • 3 Stars
    19
  • 2 Stars
    14
  • 1 Stars
    16
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    166
  • 4 Stars
    45
  • 3 Stars
    12
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    12
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    148
  • 4 Stars
    42
  • 3 Stars
    21
  • 2 Stars
    10
  • 1 Stars
    17

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good overview

Above all is good book, but the naivete theme that cover US government and companies is clear

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Research

The is a well research book. I love the depth, the intellectual weight behind the analysis and conclusions. Great book.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Future Shock on Steroids

Not a moment to kick back and doze off during this trip around, in, through and then to the future of espionage. I know that’s a broad term. Just listen to this superb narration of a complex reality and how technology, AI is the new ARMS RACE. Fascinating.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

11hr felt like 1. great read by the author.

would love to see her continue this as technology continues to advance. excellent job of explaining.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wide ranging overview of the history and importance of the intelligence branches and how vital they are to modern statecraft

Fascinating look at the history of failures and successes of the intelligence branches, and how important they are, as well as undervalued, as tools of statecraft. Meticulously, laboriously researched and highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Great for beginners, a little dry for 2022

The author does an excellent job introducing many of the threats and challenges to modern intelligence, informed by her years of work adjacent to the intelligence community.

The issue I had was this book could have been written 5 years ago with the same information, or even earlier. Most of the examples used are repeated multiple times (I.e. Stuxnet, China’s OPM hack, Russia’s election interference) and often make the same point several times throughout the book, making the reader think “wait, didn’t you already say that?”

Despite the dead horse being beaten with some pretty widely used and commonly known examples, I’d say the author did an excellent job organizing the flow and performing the reading. Would recommend overall.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

An interesting look into a normally closed world.

Mrs. Zegart does an excellent job in explaining the world of intelligence and its often complicated operations. Written in an easy to understand, no nonsense manner that was an enjoyable read. Worth the time investment to read and a must read for anyone remotely involved in the intelligence community.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The successes and failures of the intelligence community.

A great comprehensive look at the nations intelligence community. A must read for anyone in the IC, especially those just beginning their careers.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Great Primer on US Intelligence

I would love it if this became required reading for every US Government class taught in high school. The problem of how will we protect our democracy in an age of deepfakes and pervasive disinformation operations is a truly vexing one. The only thing I can think is to teach media literacy and critical thinking more broadly.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A fair overview of the intelligence community

This book is a great entry point to understanding the intelligence community as a whole, and at a very rapid clip and hopefully it will lead individuals to seek out more information that is based on facts, evidence, and data. It’s apparent just from reading the reviews of this book just how little educated the US population is on how the intelligence community works; to the point that there’s zero interest in assessing the facts with an open mind.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!