The Defence of the Realm

The Defence of the Realm
For other uses, see Defence of the Realm (disambiguation).
The Defence of the Realm  
The Defence of the Realm.jpg
Author(s) Christopher Andrew
Country United Kingdom
Language English
Genre(s) Non-fiction
Publisher Allen Lane
Publication date 5 October 2009
Media type Print (Hardback)
Pages 1032 pp
ISBN 0713998857

The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5, published in the United States as Defend the Realm, is an authorised history of the British Security Service (MI5), written by historian Christopher Andrew. Andrew was commissioned in December 2002 to write the history for MI5's 100th anniversary in 2009, and was given "virtually unrestricted access" to much of MI5's files, as well as "no restriction" on whatever conclusions he decided to draw from them.[1] The book reported, amongst other things, that MI5 kept a file on Prime Minister Harold Wilson under a pseudonym.[2] The book's title was derived from MI5's Latin motto, Regnum Defende.[2] Historian Keith Jeffery was commissioned to write a similar authorised history on the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) for release in 2010.[3]

Contents

Reception

The book received generally positive reviews from major newspapers. The Daily Telegraph called it "magisterial, authoritative, balanced, readable...full of wry humour and with an eye for the absurd",[4] declaring that "MI5 could not have wanted a better historian than him...This book is unlikely to be surpassed for another 100 years".[5] More tempered praise came from The Sunday Times, where Max Hastings found the account "weighty, measured and compelling", regretting only a bit of occasional over enthusiasm on the part of the author and a lack of reflection on "the relationship between the service, ministers and the public".[6]

Ben Macintyre reviewed Defend the Realm for The New York Times Book Review, calling it "not only a work of meticulous scholarship but also a series of riveting and true spy stories", though recognizing that such an account on a secretive organization will necessarily be incomplete in certain areas.[7] The Los Angeles Times, on the other hand, found it "as complete and thorough as such a history may be and as engrossing as any spy novel".[8]

The Defence of the Realm, however, was criticised in Quadrant magazine in an article by Paul Monk[who?] for, Monk alleges, almost non-existent use of meaningful citation, bias in favor of MI5's "official" line, and for glossing over the issue of whether Roger Hollis was a Soviet agent[9]

References

  1. ^ "MI5 - The Authorised Centenary History". 2009-10-05. http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/mi5-the-authorised-centenary-history.html. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
  2. ^ a b Corera, Gordon (2009-10-05). "Book tells of MI5's secret past". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8289897.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-25. 
  3. ^ "Book to detail top secrets of MI6". BBC News. 2005-12-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4506052.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-25. 
  4. ^ Lownie, Andrew (2009-10-18). "The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew: review". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/6325345/The-Defence-of-the-Realm-The-Authorized-History-of-MI5-by-Christopher-Andrew-review.html. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
  5. ^ Heffer, Simon (2009-10-16). "The Defence of the Realm: the Authorised History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/6349017/The-Defence-of-the-Realm-the-Authorised-History-of-MI5-by-Christopher-Andrew.html. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
  6. ^ Hastings, Max (2009-10-11). "The Defence of the Realm: The Authorised History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew". The Sunday Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_reviews/article6866457.ece. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
  7. ^ Macintyre, Ben (2010-01-29). "Smiley’s People". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/books/review/MacIntyre-t.html. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
  8. ^ Rutten, Tim (2009-12-30). "'Defend the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5' by Christopher Andrew". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/30/entertainment/la-et-book30-2009dec30. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
  9. ^ Quadrant Online April 2010 Volume LIV Number 4 "Christopher Andrew and the Strange Case of Roger Hollis"[1]

Editions

United Kingdom

  • The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5. Allen Lane. 2009. ISBN 0713998857.  (hardcover)
  • The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5. Penguin. 2010. ISBN 0141023309.  (paperback)

United States

  • Defend the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5. Knopf. 2009. ISBN 0307263630.  (hardcover)
  • Defend the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5. Vintage. 2010. ISBN 0307275817.  (paperback)

References

  1. ^ "MI5 - The Authorised Centenary History". 2009-10-05. http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/mi5-the-authorised-centenary-history.html. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
  2. ^ a b Corera, Gordon (2009-10-05). "Book tells of MI5's secret past". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8289897.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-25. 
  3. ^ "Book to detail top secrets of MI6". BBC News. 2005-12-07. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4506052.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-25. 
  4. ^ Lownie, Andrew (2009-10-18). "The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew: review". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/6325345/The-Defence-of-the-Realm-The-Authorized-History-of-MI5-by-Christopher-Andrew-review.html. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
  5. ^ Heffer, Simon (2009-10-16). "The Defence of the Realm: the Authorised History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/6349017/The-Defence-of-the-Realm-the-Authorised-History-of-MI5-by-Christopher-Andrew.html. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
  6. ^ Hastings, Max (2009-10-11). "The Defence of the Realm: The Authorised History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew". The Sunday Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_reviews/article6866457.ece. Retrieved 2010-01-26. 
  7. ^ Macintyre, Ben (2010-01-29). "Smiley’s People". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/books/review/MacIntyre-t.html. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
  8. ^ Rutten, Tim (2009-12-30). "'Defend the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5' by Christopher Andrew". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/30/entertainment/la-et-book30-2009dec30. Retrieved 2010-01-29. 
  9. ^ Quadrant Online April 2010 Volume LIV Number 4 "Christopher Andrew and the Strange Case of Roger Hollis"[1]

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Defence of the Realm Act 1914 — Parliament of the United Kingdom Long title An Act to confer on His Majesty in Council power to make Regulations during the present War for the Defence of the Realm. Statute …   Wikipedia

  • Defence of the Realm (disambiguation) — Defence of the Realm might refer to: Defence of the Realm, a 1985 political thriller film The Defence of the Realm, a 2009 history of MI5 by Christopher Andrew Defence of the Realm Act 1803, an act of the United Kingdom parliament Defence of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Defence of the Realm — Données clés Réalisation David Drury Scénario Martin Stellman Acteurs principaux Gabriel Byrne Greta Scacchi Pays d’origine …   Wikipédia en Français

  • (the) Defence of the Realm Act — the Defence of the Realm Act [the Defence of the Realm Act] (abbr DORA) a law introduced by the British government in 1914 to give special powers to the authorities in Ireland. At that time, after the beginning of the war between Britain and… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Defence of the Realm Act 1803 — The Defence of the Realm Act 1803 (43 Geo. III, c. 55) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act required all counties to a full report on all able bodied men aged between fifteen and sixty, classifying those in the volunteer… …   Wikipedia

  • Defence of the Realm — For other uses, see Defence of the Realm (disambiguation). Defence of the Realm Directed by David Drury Produced by Robin Douet (producer) Lynda Myles David Puttnam (executive producer) …   Wikipedia

  • Defence of the Realm Act — (abbr DORA) a law introduced by the British government in 1914 to give special powers to the authorities in Ireland. At that time, after the beginning of the war between Britain and Germany, the British government feared a revolution in Ireland… …   Universalium

  • The Seal of Confession —     The Law of the Seal of Confession     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► The Law of the Seal of Confession     In the Decretum of the Gratian who compiled the edicts of previous councils and the principles of Church law which he published about 1151,… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Defence Regulation 18B — Defence Regulation 18B, often referred to as simply 18B, was the most famous of the Defence Regulations used by the British Government during World War II. The complete technical reference name for this rule was: Regulation 18B of the Defence… …   Wikipedia

  • Realm of New Zealand — The Realm of New Zealand is the territory in which the Queen in right of New Zealand is head of state. The Realm comprises the Cook Islands, New Zealand, Niue, Tokelau and New Zealand s Ross Dependency in Antarctica. The term Realm of New Zealand …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”