Tuesday, 4 June 2013

FBI Books Detail The History And Practices Of The Bureau

By Michelle Howe


FBI books reveal the complexity of the nation's most powerful federal police agency. Titles on the organization range from sympathetic accounts to critical appraisals about the law enforcement agency's history and its enduring legacy. The organization has a rich history which includes significant accomplishments but also dubious practices that have subjected the bureau to criticism. Reading a number of accounts about the agency can give Americans a rich and full picture of it and its colorful past.

A recent book that has been released is Tim Weiner's book titled "Enemies: a History of the FBI". This title would fit in the genre of titles that are critical of some FBI activity. Weiner highlights FBI abuses of power and tactics used to target domestic radicals during the twentieth century.

Critical portrayals of the Federal Bureau of Investigation have generated a number of titles, especially directed at the agencies repression during the COINTELPRO and red scare eras when the FBI conducted counter-intelligence against suspected communists, civil rights activists and the anti-war movement. Many of these accounts point to questionable activities used by the bureau to spy on or neutralize political dissidents.

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.

The organization also puts out a number of publications. These pieces may deal with crime statistics from various locations or they might highlight persons on the bureau's most wanted list. These publications can be interesting reading, and in some instances they might even be instrumental in helping the agency track down and capture a wanted criminal.

FBI books run the gamut from critical to lavish in praise and everything in between. A sampling of titles will help the reader get a full understanding of the complex history of the agency. The Bureau has long been a source of fascination for Americans, so it is not too surprising that books about the FBI are popular. There are titles from a variety of perspectives that a reader can choose from to learn more about the Bureau.




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