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Enemies

A History of the FBI

by Tim Weiner

Enemies

Paperback, 537 pages, Random House Inc, List Price: $14 | purchase

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Hardcover, 537 pages, Random House Inc, $30, published February 14 2012 | purchase
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  • Tim Weiner
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Book Summary

Presents the history of the FBI's secret intelligence operations, detailing how the bureau has been used to conduct political warfare, and how it became the most powerful intelligence service in the United States.

NPR stories about Enemies

Author Interviews

The History Of The FBI's Secret 'Enemies' List

As J. Edgar Hoover became increasingly worried about communist threats against America, he instructed the bureau to conduct secret intelligence operations against anyone deemed "subversive." A new book, Enemies: A History of the FBI, details those and other secret intelligence operations from the bureau's creation through the current fight against terrorism.

J. Edgar Hoover was the first director of the FBI. He introduced fingerprinting and forensic techniques to the crime-fighting agency, and pushed for stronger federal laws to punish criminals who strayed across state lines. He also kept secret files on more than 20,000 Americans he deemed "subversive."

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