Charlie Wilson's War

"A vivid narrative. . . . Charlie Wilson's War is a behind-the-scenes chronicle of a program that is still largely classified. . . . In its time there was little dispute that the covert war was one of the most successful C.I.A. operations ever undertaken. . . . Few people who remember Wilson's years in Washington would discount even the wildest tales." --David Johnston, The New York Times Book Review "Irresistible. . . . [A] thoroughly reported, painstakingly detailed and calmly written account. . . . The story of this odd and world-shaping partnership really can't be believed until Crile and his thorough reporting gradually make it clear that yes, it all really happened. Crile also sketches a variety of other figures in this drama with an eye for what makes them strange and interesting." --Steve Kettman, The San Francisco Chronicle "Charlie Wilson's War is one of the most important books ever written about U.S. government covert operations. . . . [It's] such a sprawling tale that describing it adequately in a brief review is daunting." --Steve Weinberg, The Seattle Times "Vibrant storytelling. . . . Crile reveals in extraordinary detail the over-the-top, under-the-table machinations of Wilson, one of Capitol hill's ablest political bulldozers, as he spearheaded what eventually became known as the Soviets' Vietnam. . . . [Charlie Wilson's War] offer[s] an entirely new take on Reagan-era history with international sweep and modern implications, neatly laid over the intriguing, untold inner workings of [the CIA]." --Jan Jordan, The Houston Chronicle "[A] glowing account. . . . Crile is . . . an exhuberant Tom Clancy-type enthusiast for the Afghan caper. . . . Criles account is important, if appalling, precisely because it details how a ruthless ignoramus congressman and a high-ranking CIA thug managed to hijack American foreign policy." --Chalmers Johnson, The Los Angeles Times Book Review "Charlie Wilson's War reads like a best-selling novel. . . . Crile's globe-trotting research and adroit writing have produced a vastly entertaining book that outmuscles most spy novels in its quota of sheer thrills and chills." --John Marshall, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer "Crile's real accomplishment is in telling the human story of Rep. Charlie Wilson of Texas and a now-retired covert CIA operative named Gust Avrakotos. . . . [Crile] has unearthed some startling details about this chapter of our covert history, found and written about two colorful if flawed characters, and lent a great deal to a better understanding of our recent past and our troubled present." --Edward P. Smith, The Denver Post "A cross between Tom Clancy and Carl Hiassen, with the distinguishing feature that it's all apparently true. . . . Throw in a middle-aged Texan belly dancer, an assortment of Congressional looinies, a few beauty queens, some ruthless Afghan rebels, and a murderous Pakistani dictator who only wants to be understood." --Gerard DeGroot, Christian Science Monitor "Charlie Wilson's War conveys the sense of victory CIA leaders felt over the 'success' in Afghanistan. . . . Wilson himself is a writer's dream of a main character. . . . A rollicking good tale." --Karen Sandstrom, The Cleveland Plain Dealer "In the midst of Crile's important expose of U.S. covert policy in Afghanistan and it's ramifications, there's an engrossing character study as well." --Clay Smith, The Austin Chronicle "A classic story of good intentions gone wrong, a comedy of can-do Americans loose in a world it really doesn't understand." --Charles Taylor, Salon.com "His narrative is fast-moving, supercharged, and overheated, chock-full of high drama and sexual innuendo. In short, it is great fun." --Raymond Puffer, KLIATT "The subtitle here--The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent Changed the History