Wednesday, June 5, 2013

FBI Books Examine The Bureau's History

By Michelle Howe


FBI books reveal the culture within the agency with regards to law enforcement triumphs and with intelligence operations. Some accounts are celebratory while others condemn the organization's less defensible activities. The literature on the FBI is rich and varied, with a wide range of different titles to read.

One of the latest books out about the Federal Bureau of Investigation is Tim Weiner's "Enemies: a History of the FBI". In this book, Weiner traces the FBI's intelligence gathering and its efforts to disrupt "domestic enemies" such as suspected communists. This book falls into the genre that tracks the FBI's abuses of power and how it acted as a sometimes lawless agency that conducted black bag jobs and engaged in dubious practices.

This title follows in a long tradition of accounts that expose some of the FBI's more egregious violations of Americans' civil liberties. Many accounts that were written in the 1970s and 1980s for example dealt with the agency's controversial COINTELPRO program that was launched during the social unrest of the 1960s. The titles covered such topics as the FBI's efforts to discredit civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King and their involvement in the political assassination of Black Panther, Fred Hampton.

Other tracts take on a more triumphant tone. Among these are accounts that detail the Bureau's involvement in apprehending gangsters and lawbreakers like the notorious Bonnie and Clyde. Others might detail how an agent tracked down and captured a wanted serial killer.

Some titles are more a synthesis of FBI history that provide a more balanced view that falls in between harsh critiques or congratulatory cheerleading. These stories might focus on the FBI's history including the good, the bad and the ugly in a fairly informative but dispassionate fashion. Usually a fairly generic title might suggest this genre. Ronald Kessler's "The FBI" is a popular work on the agency.

There are also many fiction titles that feature the Bureau prominently in the story. Many thrillers are written with an FBI protagonist. Many titles in this genre provide realistic descriptions depicting the Bureau, but some are less accurate. Authors of some books use a bit of artistic license, while other authors remain more true to the real life experience of being an FBI agent.

In addition, the FBI also puts out numerous publications each year. Some are in table rather than text form, but many publications are written out for readers to study. They can include city comparisons on crime data or wanted lists for fugitives at large. Some of these publications even serve to help educate the public, so that they can assist the FBI in apprehending dangerous fugitives at large, by providing timely tips.

FBI books cover a range of topics and a variety of different portrayals of the organization and the men and women who work inside of it. From scathing critiques to heroic narratives defending the bureau, these books run the gamut of opinion. The FBI has long been a source of fascination for American readers, so it is no wonder that so many titles from such a range of differing perspectives is out there for people to read.




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