Gentleman Spies
Regular price
€25.99
Based on original research in the Public Records Office, this book examines the world of the secret service in the last days of the British Empire before and immediately after World War I. Beset by anti-Western and anti-imperialist movements, the Empire fought back against threats to its survival, using the SIS (Special Intelligence Service) and its cast of amateur spies. This book shows what the secret service was really up to in these years and reveals the personalities of those recruited to work as undercover agents. It explores threats to Imperial security from Islamic extremists, communists and rival Western powers. This book features psychological, as well as historical, insights and offers a novel use of archival material in the history of intelligence.
John Fisher is an historian at the Public Record Office who specialises in the secret service. He has an unrivalled knowledge of the material and has produced a stream of articles based on his research. His book on Curzon and British Imperialism in the Middle East, 1916-19, was published in 1999 by CUP.