Witnesses were mysteriously murdered. The FBI, NSA, CIA, and even the IRS were on the warpath. It was 1975, and a senator named Frank Church stood almost alone in the face of extraordinary abuses of power.
James Risen Book order
James Risen is a national security correspondent for The New York Times. His work has been recognized with a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on September 11 and terrorism. He explores the intricate workings of national security and intelligence.






- 2024
- 2015
Pay Any Price
- 304 pages
- 11 hours of reading
Ever since 9/11 America has fought an endless war on terror, seeking enemies everywhere and never promising peace. In Pay Any Price, James Risen reveals an extraordinary litany of the hidden costs of that war: from squandered and stolen dollars, to outrageous abuses of power, to wars on normalcy, decency, and truth. In the name of fighting terrorism, our government has done things every bit as shameful as its historic wartime abuses--and until this book, it has worked very hard to cover them up. Lincoln suspended habeas corpus. FDR interned thousands of Japanese-Americans. Presidents Bush and Obama now must face their own reckoning. Power corrupts, but it is endless war that corrupts absolutely.
- 2006
Talks about the secret intelligence scandals of the Bush administration and a US national security bureaucracy run amok. This title features a president who created a sphere of deniability, in which his top aides were briefed on matters of the utmost sensitivity - but the president was carefully kept in ignorance.
- 2004
The dramatic inside story of the CIA-KGB spy wars unfolds through the experiences of those who participated in this intense conflict. A collaboration between a seasoned CIA veteran and a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, the narrative offers a unique perspective on the espionage tactics and personal stories that shaped this critical period in history. The book delves into the intricate relationships and rivalries that defined the Cold War's intelligence battles, providing an engaging exploration of espionage and its impact on global affairs.
- 2003
The Main Enemy
- 480 pages
- 17 hours of reading
Written from the unique perspective of a veteran CIA insider, this book details the intelligence struggles between the CIA and KGB in the last days of the Cold War, covering ground from the Vatican to Baghdad to Kabul and culminating in the atrocities of September 11th 2001.