close
 
  Cart (0)
  Cart (0)
 
Audiobooks > History >  United States > Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA Audiobook, by Tim Weiner Play Audiobook Sample

Download Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA Audiobook

3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5 (3.00) - 3,578 customer ratings
Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA Audiobook, by Tim Weiner Play Audiobook Sample
FlexPass™ Price: $13.95
$7.95 for new members!(Includes UNLIMITED podcast listening) Add to Cart learn more
OR
Regular Price: $27.95 Add to Cart
Author: Tim Weiner Narrator: Stefan Rudnicki Publisher: Blackstone Publishing Audio Length: Release Date: January 2006 Format: Unabridged Audiobook Delivery: Instant Download ISBN: 9781483070940
+ Add to Wish List

Publisher Description

This is the book the CIA does not want you to read. For over sixty years, the CIA has maintained a formidable reputation in spite of its terrible record, never disclosing its blunders to the American public. It spun its own truth to the nation while reality lay buried in classified archives. Now, Pulitzer Prize–winning New York Times reporter Tim Weiner offers a stunning indictment of the CIA, a deeply flawed organization that has never deserved America’s confidence.

Legacy of Ashes is based on more than fifty thousand documents, primarily from the archives of the CIA. Everything is on the record. There are no anonymous sources, no blind quotations. With shocking revelations that will make headlines, Tim Weiner gets at the truth and tells how the CIA’s failures have profoundly jeopardized our national security.

Download and start listening now!

Quotes

  • “For an important book like this one, it’s important for an audiobook narrator to have a certain gravitas, and Rudnicki has plenty…Rudnicki is one of the best narrators in the business and he’s in top form here—Legacy of Ashes is one of the best audiobooks of the year.”

    - Publishers Weekly (starred audio review)

  • “Deeply researched…Impressively studied…Provides new insights and details.”

    - New York Times

  • “The best…ever written on a case of espionage.”

    - Wall Street Journal

  • “The epigrammatic style, hard edge and caustic bite of a first-rate detective novel.”

    - Chicago Tribune

  • “Tough, fair-minded…Exceptional in the annals of spy literature for not citing a single anonymous source.”

    - Playboy

  • “[An] absorbing study…Weiner musters extensive archival research and interviews with top-ranking insiders…to present the agency’s saga as an exercise in trying to change the world without bothering to understand it…The result is a credible and damning indictment of American intelligence policy.”

    - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

  • “Narrator Stefan Rudnicki’s attention to the many quotes enhances the text…His comfort with many languages strengthens the continuity of the production.”

    - AudioFile

  • “Similar to first-rate fiction, which is generally driven by narrative thrust and strong characters, good nonfiction usually has a unique and identifiable tone. It’s the audiobook narrator’s job to suss out that tone, and to locate its counterpart in his own vocal repertoire. I found Tim Weiner’s tone to be one of profound authority tempered with a delicious sardonic edge. It made the book great fun to read.”

    - Stefan Rudnicki, narrator

Awards

  • Winner of the 2007 National Book Award for Nonfiction
  • A 2007 Publishers Weekly Best Book for Nonfiction
  • Winner of the 2007 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for History
  • A New York Times bestseller
  • A 2007 Time Magazine Top 10 Book for Nonfiction
  • A 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
  • A 2007 New York Times Book Review Notable Book

Listeners Also Enjoyed:

Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invas ion to September 10, 2001 Audiobook, by
The Brilliant Disaster: JFK, Castro, and America's Doomed Invasion of Cuba's Bay of Pigs Audiobook, by
Top 50
Where the Crawdads Sing Audiobook, by
Top 50
The Last Thing He Told Me: A Novel Audiobook, by
Top 50
The Investigator Audiobook, by
Man’s Search for Meaning: An Introduction to Logotherapy Audiobook, by
The Paris Apartment: A Novel Audiobook, by
Bloodlands: Europe between Hitler and Stalin Audiobook, by
The Dyslexic Advantage: Unlocking the Hidden Potential of the Dyslexic Brain Audiobook, by
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action Audiobook, by
Killing Patton: The Strange Death of World War II's Most Audacious General Audiobook, by
End Game Audiobook, by
Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder Audiobook, by
Memory Man Audiobook, by
The Last Wish: Introducing the Witcher Audiobook, by
To Kill a Mockingbird Audiobook, by
Red Famine: Stalin's War on Ukraine Audiobook, by
Surrounded by Idiots: The Four Types of Human Behavior and How to Effectively Communicate with Each in Business (and in Life) Audiobook, by
A Time for Mercy: A Jack Brigance Novel Audiobook, by
Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger Audiobook, by

Customer Reviews

Write a Review
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Wow, things I'd never imagine about the CIA, how it came to be and things we "might" have done. Great book to read. Kept my attention well. "

    - Tina, 2/19/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " If you ever wanted to know here it is, sort of. "

    - Mikey, 2/15/2014
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This is quite an eye opener. A definite read for anyone studying modern history. "

    - Levi, 1/26/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " This book will scare the bejeezus about of you. Essentially, this book chronicles all the blunders, coverups, miscalculations, lies, deception, organizational mismanagement, and incompetence during the CIA's early history and how many of the flaws of its operations have survived through to today. "

    - Djnoll, 1/20/2014
  • Overall Performance: 1 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 51 out of 5

    " Crap. Total Crap. Utter propaganda. "

    - Barrett, 1/18/2014
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " pretty interesting. weiner makes the cia sound like a cross between a fraternity, FEMA, and loony toons. interestingly, the presidents that came off best on handling intelligence were eisenhower and carter. "

    - dead, 1/17/2014
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " A very clear and precise story of CIA and its questionable activities around the globe. "

    - Pujan, 12/29/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Engrossing, comprehensive, and scary. After the first chapter or so, you won't be shocked or surprised by anything the CIA has done or hasn't done. The book shows that there isn't one single reason why the agency isn't as effective as it should be. It also shows that there's no easy fix. "

    - Emilyrs, 12/18/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " a well researched book but one sided in presentation. "

    - Zazu, 12/17/2013
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " Overall a good book - lays out clearly the strengths and weaknesses of the CIA - a recommended read for those interested in history "

    - Kaarthik, 12/6/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " CIA memang sejak awal dibangun dengan carut marut, maka kehadirannya hingga kini carut marut... "

    - Robby, 12/2/2013
  • Overall Performance: 2 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 52 out of 5

    " This is a poorly written polemic that is full of portentous one-line paragraphs that betray the author's jouranlistic background. It gets better as it goes along but I would not recommend it. "

    - Andrewh, 11/10/2013
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This is an insider's history of the CIA. It will make you crazy to read it and you'll have more respect for Robert Ludlum's fiction. If you think Hoover ran his own private FBI, read this! "

    - Carole, 4/22/2013
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " This is very long, but it has a lot of interesting information in it. "

    - Krisette, 9/4/2012
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Excellent history of the CIA/OSS though judging from the title you will not be surprised at some bias. The CIA must have done something right over the years.....after all....they are the government ? :) "

    - Brian, 4/17/2012
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Definitely talked me out of considering a job in the CIA. "

    - Elena, 9/20/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Comprehensive and unsettling. I have renewed faith in important nonfiction books, and now heavy skepticism towards our intelligence community. "

    - Ryan, 8/14/2011
  • Overall Performance: 3 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 53 out of 5

    " Menacing, forbidding book - probably 100% true, how would I know since it's classified info that's involved? "

    - John, 6/26/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This book makes me sad to be American and ashamed at how we have interacted with the world. Championing ourselves as 'freedom lovers' and 'free election promoters' is humiliating when compared with our covert history. "

    - Julie, 5/10/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " OMG! This is our governement at spying - OMG! "

    - Bonnie, 4/12/2011
  • Overall Performance: 5 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 55 out of 5

    " I feel like a better citizen for having read this. I really was naive on how much our foreign policy was dictated by covert actions. It's no surprise to me that we have the reputation that we do internationally; a conclusion that I came to after reading this book. MUST READ for my friends. "

    - Katia, 3/22/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " If the CIA is really as inefficient and ineffective as is portrayed in this book, we should shut the whole thing down right now. "

    - Travis, 3/2/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A report I wrote is cited in the footnotes! The book is also quite good independent of that. "

    - Mike, 2/12/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Deeply unsettling and frightening. Yet also compulsively readable. "

    - Mark, 1/11/2011
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " Damning history of the CIA and its failures in both foreign and domestic involvement. Some areas still obscure and lack context, but overall cohesiveness of the book does not suffer too greatly for it. "

    - Kaworu, 12/23/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " This book was an eye-opener for me. He does hammer his message a little hard and I would have liked a little more context in what he was talking about, but I think a worthy read for anyone interested in foreign policy and current events. "

    - Bryan, 12/22/2010
  • Overall Performance: 4 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 54 out of 5

    " A truly scary yet fascinating book about the many failures and mis-steps made by the CIA since its inception. "

    - Amy, 12/21/2010

About the Author

Tim Weiner has covered American intelligence for the Philadelphia Inquirer and the New York Times and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting in 1988. He has traveled extensively to report first-hand on CIA covert operations and has lectured at the CIA and the Defense Intelligence Agency to audiences of senior officials.

About the Narrator

Stefan Rudnicki first became involved with audiobooks in 1994. Now a Grammy-winning audiobook producer, he has worked on more than three thousand audiobooks as a narrator, writer, producer, or director. He has narrated more than three hundred audiobooks. A recipient of multiple AudioFile Earphones Awards, he was presented the coveted Audie Award for solo narration in 2005, 2007, and 2014, and was named one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices in 2012.