The Bureau: The Secret History of the FBI [Hardcover]

Because of its reputation as an organization of the highest integrity and professionalism, the FBI has always attracted excellent recruits to become its agents; and yet its management has often been unable to live up to its ideals, leaving the agents in the field to carry the burden of its reputation.

Whatever the findings of the 9/11 Commission, the FBI will continue to be America's best hope for protection in the new world of 21st Century terrorism. This book takes us up to Robert Mueller's confirmation and the immediate aftermath of the WTC attacks, and is an important addition to our knowledge of our premier law-enforcement agency as it struggles to adapt to post-Cold War realities.

The story of the FBI is the story of its Directors:

• 1908 - 1923 Formation
Started by TR's AG who was tired of having to call on the Secret Service for investigative support, agents were originally neither allowed to carry weapons nor to make arrests.

• 1924 - 1972 J. Edgar Hoover
For 48 years Hoover was "The Director". Hoover was responsible for creating the idea of the FBI that we all know and that attracted America's best to its agent force. It was a great institution Hoover created, but he himself was guilty of much unseemly behavior including political blackmail.

• 1972 - 1973 L. Patrick Grey
Named acting Director by Richard Nixon after Hoover's death, Grey represented the lowest ebb of FBI management, giving secret Watergate information to White House Counsel John Dean and destroying evidence. The great beating heart of the agent force was most evident during this sorry period, however: they continued faithfully the investigations that ultimately were the downfall of their boss, Grey, his boss, Attorney General Mitchell, as well as President Nixon himself.

• 1973 - 1978 Clarence Kelley
An ex-agent himself, Kelley began the process of bringing the FBI's behavior at all levels back into line with its reputation. But he was politically insensitive during an exceptionally turbulent period, and stayed fewer than 5 years.

• 1978 - 1987 William Webster
Appointed by President Carter, Webster oversaw a period of great renewal. Largely as a result of his excellent results at the FBI, President Reagan appointed Webster to run the CIA, which was the FBI's great loss.

• 1987 - 1993 William Sessions
Sessions was fired by President Clinton after a DOJ report detailed numerous instances of corruption and poor judgment. Sessions initially refused to leave and afterwards carried on an attempt to blame jealousy inside the FBI for his problems, the last of which was the Branch Davidian disaster in Waco, Texas.

• 1993 - 2001 Louis Freeh
A former agent and a US Attorney under Rudy Giuliani, Louis Freeh was an agent's agent. But it soon became clear he was not competent to manage a large organization. He hated technology: removing the computer from his office, he didn't use email and refused to allow agents access to the Internet. Freeh gave us "Filegate", mishandled the Ruby Ridge, Waco and Wen Ho Lee investigations, and leaked an internal memo supporting an independent counsel, thereby alienating Republicans and Democrats alike.

• 2001 - Robert Mueller
Confirmed less than a month before 9/11, Mueller took over when the FBI faced its greatest crisis ever. Early press clippings have been favorable but he has already presided over a $1 billion technology-upgrade failure. The FBI desperately needs leadership and Kessler is a fan; America can only hope.

The sub title of this book "The Secret History ..." is overly melodramatic. This is a solid history of the FBI and well worth reading by anyone with an interest in the subject.

The second half leaves you wondering how the FBI has made it this far today - with its spies, 10 year old computer systems, misguided direction under Freeh and Sessions. These stories in the second half of the book suggests that the FBI has survived despite itself!

The book is worth reading - not the great book that others describe, but not bad either. It's worth a read if you want to know about the FBI history.

Kessler highlights many of the prominent cases throughout the history of the FBI. This is an even handed look at the FBI, reporting the facts and letting the chips fall as they may. One comes away with admiration and respect for the individual agents who have succeeded in their jobs, despite often having to endure idiotic rules and procedures produced by a dysfunctional culture often imposed by the director.

The only criticism of the book is the limited reporting on the FBI's role in the Kennedy assassination / investigation. However, with the numerous conspiracy theories in debate, it is perhaps best that a more detailed review is left to other authors, as the subject could easily be a book in itself.