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 (under a pseudonym) on Prime Minister Harold Wilson (as revealed by Peter Wright decades before in Spycatcher), as well as noting how many of Wilson's MP's were spying for the Soviet bloc.[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]
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 overenthusiasm 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 recognising that such an account on a secretive organisation will necessarily be incomplete in certain areas.[7] The Los Angeles Times found it "as complete and thorough as such a history may be and as engrossing as any spy novel".[8]
The book was criticised in Quadrant magazine in an article by Paul Monk for almost non-existent use of meaningful citation, bias in favour of MI5's "official" line, and for glossing over the issue of whether Roger Hollis was a Soviet agent.[9]
Editionsedit
United Kingdomedit
The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5. Allen Lane. 2009. ISBN978-0-7139-9885-6. (hardcover)
The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5. Penguin. 2010. ISBN978-0-14-102330-4. (paperback)
United Statesedit
Defend the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5. Knopf. 2009. ISBN978-0-307-26363-6. (hardcover)
Defend the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5. Vintage. 2010. ISBN978-0-307-27581-3. (paperback)
Referencesedit
^"MI5 - The Authorised Centenary History". 5 October 2009. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
^ abCorera, Gordon (5 October 2009). "Book tells of MI5's secret past". BBC News. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
^"Book to detail top secrets of MI6". BBC News. 7 December 2005. Retrieved 25 January 2010.
^Lownie, Andrew (18 October 2009). "The Defence of the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew: review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
^Heffer, Simon (16 October 2009). "The Defence of the Realm: the Authorised History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
^Hastings, Max (11 October 2009). "The Defence of the Realm: The Authorised History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
^Macintyre, Ben (29 January 2010). "Smiley's People". The New York Times. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
^Rutten, Tim (30 December 2009). "'Defend the Realm: The Authorized History of MI5' by Christopher Andrew". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 29 January 2010.
^"Christopher Andrew and the Strange Case of Roger Hollis – Quadrant Online". quadrant.org.au.
defence, realm, other, uses, defence, realm, disambiguation, authorized, history, published, united, states, defend, realm, authorised, history, british, security, service, written, historian, christopher, andrew, andrew, commissioned, december, 2002, write, h. For other uses see Defence of the Realm disambiguation 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 under a pseudonym on Prime Minister Harold Wilson as revealed by Peter Wright decades before in Spycatcher as well as noting how many of Wilson s MP s were spying for the Soviet bloc 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 The Defence of the RealmAuthorChristopher AndrewCountryUnited KingdomLanguageEnglishGenreNon fictionPublisherAllen LanePublication date5 October 2009Media typePrint hardback Pages1032 ppISBN0 7139 9885 7 Contents 1 Reception 2 Editions 2 1 United Kingdom 2 2 United States 3 References 4 External linksReception editThe 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 overenthusiasm 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 recognising that such an account on a secretive organisation will necessarily be incomplete in certain areas 7 The Los Angeles Times found it as complete and thorough as such a history may be and as engrossing as any spy novel 8 The book was criticised in Quadrant magazine in an article by Paul Monk for almost non existent use of meaningful citation bias in favour of MI5 s official line and for glossing over the issue of whether Roger Hollis was a Soviet agent 9 Editions editUnited Kingdom edit The Defence of the Realm The Authorized History of MI5 Allen Lane 2009 ISBN 978 0 7139 9885 6 hardcover The Defence of the Realm The Authorized History of MI5 Penguin 2010 ISBN 978 0 14 102330 4 paperback United States edit Defend the Realm The Authorized History of MI5 Knopf 2009 ISBN 978 0 307 26363 6 hardcover Defend the Realm The Authorized History of MI5 Vintage 2010 ISBN 978 0 307 27581 3 paperback References edit MI5 The Authorised Centenary History 5 October 2009 Retrieved 26 January 2010 a b Corera Gordon 5 October 2009 Book tells of MI5 s secret past BBC News Retrieved 25 January 2010 Book to detail top secrets of MI6 BBC News 7 December 2005 Retrieved 25 January 2010 Lownie Andrew 18 October 2009 The Defence of the Realm The Authorized History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew review The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 26 January 2010 Heffer Simon 16 October 2009 The Defence of the Realm the Authorised History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 26 January 2010 Hastings Max 11 October 2009 The Defence of the Realm The Authorised History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew The Sunday Times Retrieved 26 January 2010 Macintyre Ben 29 January 2010 Smiley s People The New York Times Retrieved 29 January 2010 Rutten Tim 30 December 2009 Defend the Realm The Authorized History of MI5 by Christopher Andrew Los Angeles Times Retrieved 29 January 2010 Christopher Andrew and the Strange Case of Roger Hollis Quadrant Online quadrant org au External links editAudio summary by John Crace Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Defence of the Realm amp oldid 1171836264, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
