To comprehend the CIA one must understand those who made it work in its formative years. Professor Weber's singular collection of engaging, entertaining, often humorous interviews of some of its most honorable men in service during that time takes a major step toward this goal. Historians, their students, and even those with reflexive animus toward the CIA will find it of enormous value. Spymasters is a powerful oral history of the realities of Agency collection operations and their analysis.

Hayden B. Peake, Intelligence History, Joint Military Intelligence College

Spymasters is a collection of fascinating and insightful interviews... Provides intriguing perspectives and information about American intelligence activities during the Cold War.

The Bloomsbury Review

An exciting collection of fresh, stimulating, informed, and very readable conversations with top U.S. intelligence officials.

Thomas F. Troy, author of Wild Bill and Intrepid: Donovan, Stephenson, and the Origin of CIA

No historian understands more about the organization of American intelligence, from its beginnings during the Revolution to the present day, than Ralph E. Weber. When leading figures in the Central Intelligence Agency appraise their own work they almost necessarily throw light on dark corners. It is hardly necessary to add that during the Cold War the policy of the United States was made not merely by the Department of State but by covert CIA actions, and that any student of the years after World War II needs to know about this essential second dimension.

Robert H. Ferrell, Indiana University

Ralph Weber has had the brilliant idea of finding and collecting hidden interviews with leaders of the intelligence community. He thereby renders a signal contribution to intelligence historians by making available a book not only valuable, but fascinating.

David Kahn, author of The Codebreakers

An outstanding collection of oral histories.

The Nation