Survive Like a Spy: Real CIA Operatives Reveal How They Stay Safe in a Dangerous World and How You Can Too

by Jason Hanson

Follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Spy Secrets That Can Save Your Life--revealing high-stakes techniques and survival secrets from real intelligence officers in life-or-death situations around the world
Everyone loves a good spy story, but most of the ones we hear are fictional. That's because the most dangerous and important spycraft is done in secret, often without anyone even noticing.
In Survive Like a Spy, bestselling author and former CIA officer Jason Hanson takes the reader deep inside the world of espionage, revealing true stories and expert tactics from real agents engaged in life-threatening missions around the world.
With breathtaking accounts of spy missions in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Korea, Japan and elsewhere, the book reveals how to:
Achieve mental sharpness to be ready for anything
Escape if taken hostage
Defend yourself if detailed by foreign cops
Set up a perfect safe site
Assume a fake identity
Master the "Weapons of Mass Influence" to recruit others to build rapport and make allies when you need them most
With real-life spy drama that reads like a novel paired with expert practical techniques, Survive Like a Spy is the perfect read for fans of espionage, as well as anyone who wants to stay safe in a fast-changing world.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Espionage, Survival, Self Help, Audiobook, Politics

256 pages, Hardcover

Published March 6, 2018

Reviews

[Noel Tock · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent material but continually upsells... "To find out more, visit www.." after every paragraph.

[Charmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

HIGHLIGHTS:
1. Bug out bag - Remain overnight (ch. 5)

2. Being followed - "Surveillance Detection Route"

3. RASCALS:
- Receptivity - give something to get something. Creates a sense of obligation.
- Authority - the role of importance, influence. Feel obligated.
- Scarcity - dangle a carrot, limited time.
- Consistency - a commitment to small things.
- Liking - bond rapport.
- Social proof - influenced others.

4. Elicitation - sharing information

5. Recruiting Assets: Spotting. Assessing. Developing: start small, go bigger

6. OODA Loop:
- Observe - what is happening now, impact indirectly or later. Accurate predictions
- Orient - more aware of perceptions and reality. New information: Influences, culture, synthesize.
- Decide - new info, re-decide.
Act -

7. Introductions: Repeat name + big smile

8. Emergency Travel Pack: flashlight, p100 mask air vent ($10), safety goggles, rigors belt, paracord, cheap bright rain poncho, multi-tool, antibiotics.
- Hotel: bathtub spout, shower curtain rod.

9. Improvised weapon - gun or knife, tactical pen, sock + heavy items for weighted flail, sharp projectile large nail, monkey fist key chain.
- Paracord with nut, weighted ball cap, lightweight knife, koc knife

10. TIPS:
- VPN - buy service, public WiFi.
- Update software.
- Water Supply: 1 gallon/ per person / day (1 month). Water filter - high quality, noting natural sources (e.g. straw filter).

[Tasha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the spy stories. But the “tips” were laughably obvious and generic. For example, be flexible and notice what’s going on around you. YA THINK. The cyber security chapter was particularly eye roll worthy.

One of the parts that made me giggle was when he was describing where spies get their gear for missions and called it a “place where you can find every gadget imaginable. Like cameras, phones, and rope.” Lol okay, I’m not sure rope is technically a gadget, but even if it is I could find all that stuff in Walmart. I get that a lot of this info is classified, but listing common and lame “gadgets” doesn’t exactly build a vision of a gadget wonderland. Just say every gadget imaginable and leave it at that.

Also, I listened to this on audiobook, and while the author did an okay job narrating I wish someone else with more range, or multiple people, had narrated instead. It was sometimes difficult to tell if the author was speaking or if he was relating one of the spies’ stories.

Add the fact that portions of this book feel like gratuitous promotion of the author’s website ("To find out more, visit www dot..." I did and you can't even get onto the website without giving them your email addy) and I’m not sure this book is recommendable.

[Jes Drew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book for fifty cents at a library sale, and it was interesting enough to read the spy stories and learn the common sense tips. The kidnapping chapter was probably the most useful. It was also fascinating to learn what it is most CIA agents do: make 'friends.'

Review first posted on my blog: https://agencyofbooksandspies.blogspo...

[Nick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jason Hanson's next book should be called 'Scam Like a Spy: A Real CIA Operative Tells You How to Sell a Book Based on a Handful of Weak Anecdotes and Stupid Personal Safety Tips Plus a Shameless Degree of Self-Promotion.'

It's a little wordy, but he can put the subtitle on his website, since he's going to include about 70 plugs for it in the text anyway.

[Quincy Felix · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad and it had some great stories and tips but I’ve read better survival books.

[Ogden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love reading the various stories and learning some of the lessons they taught. Jason has a lot to offer, and everyone could use more insight into personal safety.

[Chris Weatherburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite entertaining, here is my summary:

Starts off about how to recruit spies - if trying to recruiting someone who indicates he feels insecure about his career, they will likely tell him how impressed they are by what he does. Then ask him lots of questions about his job, showing interest. Hanging on every word, showing keenest to hear more. This only works if you actually care about the person that you are trying to recruit.

The case officer/agent relationship, while unusual, is something that slowly grows over time, and a genuine connection is made. Any agent you recruit is going to know if a case officer doesn’t care about him or his safety. They’ll also know if you are just looking to get information and then throw them aside - this seduction for seduction’s sake and it doesn’t work.

Interestingly the main carrot for recruiting a spy is funded education for their children in a US University. Risk can also be a big motivator.

Spies need to be manipulative, and that’s different from persuasion. The ability to manipulate a
person, to get him to do what you want while thinking it’s actually what he wants, makes the difference between succeeding and not succeeding.

Let’s take the example of a low-level functionary in an embassy, money would help them. Start asking a few questions and build these up slowly as the money slowly increases changes from a hundred
dollars to a thousand. This will mean the informant starts to get comfortable telling borderline things. Then you need the informant to justify his own behaviour in his mind. If you are in control of your informant you can give him that justification. He becomes comfortable, enjoying the benefits, and liking the risk too.

Interestingly a list is mentioned about how to operate as a spy in Moscow, which was considered the most difficult environment to operate in. The original list contained forty rules,
but it’s the ten following rules that matter most:
1. Assume nothing.
2. Never go against your gut.
3. Everyone is potentially under opposition control.
4. Don’t look back; you are never completely alone.
5. Go with the flow, blend in.
6. Vary your pattern and stay within your cover.
7. Lull them into a sense of complacency.
8. Don’t harass the opposition.
9. Pick the time and place for action.
10. Keep your options open.

SDR (surveillance detection route) if you ever feel your life is truly in danger, call the police immediately. However, if you’re in a situation where you aren’t sure you’re being followed, and you want to play it safe, simply run a SDR, and then use a series of cover stops and hunker-down sites.

It’s important, though, that cover stops make sense. You have to give the impression that you’re going about your regular life. An ideal series of cover stops might be buying balloons at one store, a cake at another, and maybe one more stop for a present. You’ll appear like you’re shopping for a birthday party, but in reality you’re carefully scanning the area, noting if you’re being followed into each location. While grabbing a coffee at Starbucks is a good cover stop, don’t arouse suspicion by going into a Dunkin’ Donuts or Costas next as this is not likely to appear natural or authentic.

A hunker-down site could be a café, a bar, or maybe a restaurant where you can appear to be engaged in normal behaviour, while ultimately waiting for whoever might be following you to leave. Choose any public place where you can reasonably sit for several hours without arousing suspicion.

Consider creating a cache with items for an emergency, with money, weapons, matches, water purification tablets. It is important to note that you can wipe down surfaces with WD-40, to eliminate fingerprints.

Make a point of reassessing your surroundings on a regular basis.

If faced with a bomb going off:
1. Stay low - completely flat on the ground if possible. You should grab on to anything you can so that you aren’t tossed around. If you are in a building, try to crawl under a table or any heavy object that can protect you from falling debris. Stay away from windows, big mirrors, electrical equipment, or unstable, tall furniture such as bookcases that can fall on you. Staying low could help save you from dying or being seriously injured from shrapnel.
2. Take Slow, Shallow Breaths – Tries to prevent blast lung, the pressure from the blast can be so strong that it actually can cause the lungs to blow up like a balloon, resulting in serious internal injuries.

You’ll want to exit the building after waiting about a minute to ensure you won’t be hit by any falling debris.

The rule of thumb with an explosion is this: if there was one bomb, there’s probably more.

If trapped in rubble increase your chances of staying alive if you remain calm, stay still, and carefully try to draw attention to yourself. If you can, cover your mouth with a part of your clothing. If a pipe or wall is nearby, make consistent tapping noises to alert the attention of rescue workers.

You must remember that people who feel like they have nothing to lose can be dangerous and may take their behaviour to extremes.

If threatened think about where this is from - if the threat is local, you’ll have to be on alert, If the threat is not local, do not go crazy worrying about something that probably won’t happen.

If you are still in contact with the person who is threatening you, stop all contact with them immediately. You should also ask family members to stop being in touch with this person. You want to document all of this information and provide it to law enforcement. If a radical group are threatening you, know that it is simply not possible to reason or argue with them. You will not win.

It’s also important to note that you don’t have to forgive irrational behaviour because someone is dealing with difficult circumstances and you absolutely shouldn’t ignore it.

Always pay attention to people who’ve been in an area longer than you have. They know things about
the area that can save your life. Never show up acting like you know everything. Stay alert, listen, and learn.

You need to obtain rapport to potentially recruit someone, therefore it is important to mention behaviours that could damage rapport:
Coming across as judgemental. Avoid statements like, “I don’t get why you would do or think that.”
Avoid giving advice – people actually want approval. You want to say something along the lines of, “That was a smart move,” rather than, “You should do it this way.”
Don’t be the person who has to win the argument - let the target win.
Don’t be a one-upper. If the target tells you about his biggest sales coup, don’t top it with a story about how you actually sold more.
Avoid interrupting the target when they’re speaking or finish their sentences for them.
Never downgrade their status or profession.

Use weapons of mass influence: Reciprocation, authority, scarcity, consistency (commitment), liking ang social proof, as per the book persuation – note my book summary and also the updated version that includes the force of unity (pre-suation).

The art of elicitation involves manipulating a conversation so that the target starts to give away information that’s of great interest, without necessarily realizing he’s done.

Playing dumb, flattery, developing common interests to further develop future meetings, using false statements that people may correct, being a good listener, repeating words back in hope they will give more information are all tactics that may be employed.

Be aware of sharing knowledge, when someone may claim to be an expert or share some information in a hope you will fill them in with more information - what harm can it do? If someone is trying to elicit information from you just say I don't know, ask them to look at the company website or simply just change the subject.

Kidnap
The actual abduction is one of the two most dangerous phases in the kidnapping process the other part of the process where you are also at high risk of being killed is the rescue.

If you don’t believe the opportunity to run exists, and fighting them off isn’t an option, your best chance for survival is to stay calm and try to turn your focus from fear to observing as many details as you can about who has abducted you and where they are taking you. Know that focusing on picking up details will also keep your mind engaged, and you’ll be less likely to panic.

If at all possible, leave DNA in each place the attackers take you - including at the scene of the
abduction and in any transport vehicles. For safe houses the criminals will try to clean the area, so tell your family in the past that you have been trained for these situations so authorities know to search unusual places. Then leave DNA trail in unusual places such as under spit or nails under tables, behind furniture, or under rugs.

One of the reasons you need to behave in a submissive manner is so that they don’t see you as a security risk. If you’re yelling and screaming, they might tape your mouth shut. If you’re fighting, they might tie you up or chain you to something. If you do exactly what is asked of you, it’s possible they’ll become complacent, and they may trust you to stay put and will leave you alone. This may present an opportunity to escape.

Find the kidnapper who is nicest to you try to make them see you as a human.

It’s also surprisingly easy to escape if you’re duct-taped to a chair. All you need to do is lean back as far as you possibly can, and in one swift and fluid motion move your head toward your knees (as if you were assuming the crash position in an airplane).

The rescue team will set off a series of environmentally appropriate sounds - a car horn, machinery clanking, a dog barking, or even a rooster crowing (animal sounds would be pre-recorded) if you are held in a rural area. That series of sounds alerts the rescue team that it’s time to break into the facility from all entry points. Obviously, there’s no way for you to know what kind of sounds your rescue team will use as a signal before they break entry. However, as a hostage you can make it a point to listen to
what kinds of sounds you hear in the environment you’re being held in. You may be able to determine what kinds of sounds would be used and be on the alert for them.

When the entry is breached and the rescuers come in, throw your body onto the floor, on your back. This is the safest position for you to be in. On your back with your hands and legs open and visible.
This way the rescue team can see you’re not holding a gun or another weapon. If you are a hostage you may want to fake an injury, such as abdominal pain, so that when they rescued you can have an excuse to fall on the floor.

The secret to accessing restricted areas is simple just act like you’re supposed to be there. Don’t glance around the area looking to see who’s paying attention. Just behave normally, and chances
are no one will question you.

Make a connection with everyone from the concierge and the maid to the waiters and shopkeepers can make a huge difference if you are overseas during an emergency. You never know when they might tip you off or provide essential information about what to do if there is an emergency.

Support the local economy, terrorists are less likely to blow up their own people.

“Custom- Made Smile” During an introduction, when the other person says their name, say it back to them while giving them a big but sincere smile. Subconsciously this makes a positive impact on the person you are meeting, and fosters an immediate sense of trust.


Ends with a bit about keeping your family safe by locking windows, knowing where fresh water can be found in case of terrorism, being suspicious of delivery drivers and how to make weapons.

VLOG summary: https://youtu.be/24xyNbgCk38
If you found this helpful feel free to check out my website: www.chrisweatherburn.com

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is a collection of tips that one can use to keep oneself safe in a variety of situations. Whilst I have reservations as to whether or not it's even legal to give the best tips, I do think some of them are useful. For example, if kidnapped leave a DNA trail. Spit places etc. Pull out some hair and drop it... Have a quick wank (my advice). It's something that doesn't require you to be a genius to figure out, but it's also not something you think about that often so you may not get the opportunity to internalise such a thought (although I imagine women are more likely to think about this stuff). Another one was mapping out an area using the internet. Find out where the alleyways and dead ends are, for example. Again, maybe I would have figured this out myself if I were forced into the situation, but I don't know that for sure so perhaps it's good to be told.

He does upsell too often. Telling me to go to a particular website, or check out his other books, or buy some product he may be sponsored to sell is pretty irritating.

He states the obvious sometimes. "Don't look back during a dead drop". Really? I was thinking of just standing around, staring at the spot until someone picked the item up. Actually, I was thinking of doing it in the night but then shining a fucking spotlight just to make sure they got it.

It's an okay book but I imagine there are better ones of this kind out there. Only get this if, like me, you're convinced you're James Bond but you catch the bus.

[Kane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blown away by the sheer volume of shameless self promotion.

“If you’d like to get this elite super spy knife, go to www....”

Felt like I was flipping through a sleazy marketing pamphlet, with something cool once every few pages. Just interesting enough to keep going, but not nearly interesting enough in aggregate in the end to have made it worth it.

Shame. But then, I guess I can’t expect much from a former employee of one of the dirtiest, darkest, most vile organizations to have ever existed — the CIA.

All crooks, liars, thieves, and apparently shameless self promoters too.

[Amy Newman · Rating 1 out of 5]

There are much better books in this genre. This one is generic and includes too-frequent references to his business. Look elsewhere.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not quite what it says on the tin. A more accurate title would be: CIA Propaganda, Plus How The World Is So Scary You Need To Buy The Stuff I Sell. Hanson assumes that, while reading skin-deep summaries of spy ops, you will not notice the ways in which he himself is manipulating you. It's a nice trick.

The Spy Survival Tips on offer fall largely into three categories: stuff you've read about in any article about home and travel safety (seriously, ANY article); stuff you learned from watching 5 minutes of Doomsday Preppers; and stuff that is better-covered by Gavin de Becker's The Gift of Fear. (In that last category: social and psychological ways that we manipulate people and people manipulate us. De Becker's take is more "here's how to avoid this." Hanson's is more "haha, in the CIA we're so GOOD at mindf-cking people!!!!", which I guess he thinks is charming?) My point here is: you don't need this book. At all. You already know how to secure your house while you're in it, and if you want to prep for the fall of civilization, I'm sure you've already done so--but if you haven't, there are a ton of resources out there that are more complete than this and are free. Hanson is not trying to help you. He is trying to scare you into thinking that everyone really IS out to get you, and you totally DO need a safe room (if you are reading my goodreads reviews, the odds are that you do not need a safe room), and most importantly, that you need to buy his products and his books and take his classes because otherwise YOU WILL NEVER KNOW HOW TO BE SAFE!!11 And this, friends, is a lie.

Let's talk about the CIA-propaganda aspect for a second, because make no mistake, this is CIA propaganda. The stories in here are, shall we say, "of limited utility to the layperson," but do function well as fig leaves--e.g., a CIA officer claims they were in El Salvador to keep the US safe and *handwaving*, and not propping up a brutal regime that massacred civilians and saints--you know what, you can google it. It was bad. Again, Hanson (and the CIA, which apparently had to approve the manuscript) assumes you won't notice that he's pulling a fast one. He also assumes that, when an "asset" is recruited through subterfuge and manipulation, we'll be on the CIA's side. He assumes the same when that asset is unceremoniously abandoned. And when an asset is killed while working for the CIA, because their case officer screwed up, and the agent blames the ASSET? Both Hanson and the agent assume we'll be on the CIA's side, blaming the dead man. COOL STORIES, BROS.

Hanson also thinks we either don't know what "extraordinary rendition" actually means, or that we're cool with it as long as the agent involved in doing it pinkie-swears that the guy they're kidnapping is, like, really bad, you guys. I'm still not sure how insulted to be by that entire chapter.

And before I move on: I strongly suspect that there was no editor here beyond spellcheck. There are two reasons for this. One, Hanson talks about "diffusing" a bomb repeatedly--it's even in a section heading!--and no editor in the world could miss that so many times. Two, Hanson spends an entire paragraph talking about the Trojan horse, and he gets all of it wrong. All of it. (He has the Trojans inside the horse, ambushing Greeks--my guy, you even opened with "beware of GREEKS bearing gifts," do you not believe in Wikipedia?) There were other moments, but these two were the most horrendous. Beware of ex-spies who don't believe in editors.

And yet. I still gave this two stars. Why? Because those spy stories are, for the most part, fun to read (not you, El Salvador guy, or you, Extraordinary Rendition-eer--screw y'all), and Hanson did remind me to buy a water filter for the apocalypse. So there's that. This concludes the faint-praise portion of the review.

tl;dr Don't bother with this book. It's not the WORST book in the world, but you're better-served by reading The Gift of Fear, and watching The Americans.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so useful, it’s hard to think of someone who would not benefit from reading it. Perhaps real spies already know the information, or maybe isolated hermits don’t need it, but other than them, everyone should read it.

Based on the title alone, you’d think it might be written for would-be spies, or authors writing spy novels (as I am), but it contains useful advice for daily living in a sometimes-dangerous world.

The book’s pattern is to narrate an actual spy operation (with names and other details changed) and then provide take-aways of value in your everyday life, or in emergency situations you may encounter.

The author provides good advice for general preparedness in terms of equipment to consider, places to store things, basics for protecting yourself and your family, ways to stay out of danger in the first place, computer and home security, travel safety, etc.

My only quibble is a minor one. On a couple of occasions, it’s a bit of a stretch to go from the real-life spy mission he describes to the preparedness lesson you’re supposed to draw from that. Still, I get it—it’s hard to fit an actual example to every important point you try to make. Some are bound to be weaker connections than others.

Still, it’s a marvelous book, full of actionable advice that just might save your life. So long as you’re not an actual spy or a hermit, I highly recommend you read it.

[Petra Sando · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay book with pretty common sense tips and tricks I'm sure the CIA wouldn't mind us knowing for the very reason that a somewhat intelligent person could come up with a lot of them; especially a creative problem solver. What was new to me were tidbits of how to possibly realize that you're being recruited. Actual recounts of spy's experiences were entertaining enough to keep me reading. The repetitive referral to the author's website was a bit annoying. If I was the author I'd have added something in the back of the book (after the main content), instead, perhaps like this: "The following gadgets as mentioned in this book can be obtained on xyz dot com: (list of products)", rather than mentioning it for each item separately, thus interrupting the flow. I did enjoy the writing style, however, and that the author made a good effort to put things in layman's terms and also added a glossary, in case someone needed it.

[Rachel M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book as a pool read and it was great for this purpose. Interesting stories and written for complete amateur survivors like myself. I think of so many of these scenarios often- break-in into your home, someone following you, water shortage, kidnapping. For better or for worse, true crime shows and documentaries have tapped into this unknown dark world of threats and really makes you question to what you would do in those situations. I ended up highlighting pretty much the entire last chapter in my kindle with basic safety tips - soda can in a sock as a weapon while traveling (or at home!); safe room with heavy furniture, solid wood door either on the interior of your home or the room of the weakest family member and don’t forget the cell phone, charger and weapons and flashlight stored in that room; keep one months worth of water in your house at all times and proactively purchase an extreme water filtration system to use on river water if needed (I think a Berkey would work!); if someone is following you break away where you can; don’t throw boxes out that advertise a new computer or tv purchase in the home. This obviously feels easy / too amateur for most of these readers based on the other reviews- but was great for me!

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not sure why I bothered to read this advertisement-in-book-form for the author's company.
For instance, when he suggests a water filter (which I think would be a good idea to have on hand) and the name of the site he gives sounds like its own brand, it turns out he owns the website. It felt like an unnecessary sleazy sales tactic. Dude, just be upfront about your relationship to the things you sell.
The book honestly feels like an infomercial that basically shells out some common sense* along with a spate of "go to this website to learn more or buy this."

*I wasn't expecting any really good spy-type info nor was I looking for any of that, just thought it might be a fun read, but instead it really just gave me a bad feeling for how manipulative people are. Sigh.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The retelling of how spies handle assets and use various spy craft tools coupled with how one might use the same techniques in everyday life or dangerous situations could have made for an interesting read-- and it almost did. I wanted to like this book.

However, the insertions of author-owned websites for "more information" became annoying. These could all have been addressed in the introduction and made the reader feel a whole lot less like they'd been duped into reading a glorified advertisement.

In sincerity, I can say that the clever choice of font throughout makes for a good breakup of segments. Kudos to the graphic design editor.

[Madlen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book contains some decent stories. Why only three stars?

1. The author continually advertises his own products, which are way too expensive. For example, his 35$ tactical pen costs 3$ on eBay.

2. The author is entirely uncritical of his previous work or that of his colleagues to a point where it gets annoying. He seems to think that all American spies are heroes and whatever they do is right and legitimate. Some descriptions of the CIA and its tasks are quite ludicrous.

Besides that, a nice read but you should really skip some paragraphs. Some tips might be helpful, others are quite obvious, but his stories were breathtaking.

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book because it seemed so intriguing. I was afraid it might make me feel scared and paranoid all the time, imagining danger on every corner, but it mostly didn’t. There’s a little bit of that in the last two chapters, but the rest is just cool, interesting stories about different spy missions and the clever ways that he and his team got what they needed. I really enjoyed reading about what it’s really like to be a spy and what it takes to be good at it.

Note: the water filter he sells is at survfilter.com (The end of the book had a lot of thinly-disguised ads, but this one seems worthwhile.)

[Erik Dewey · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorite parts of the book were the real-life spy stories that are sprinkled throughout the book. The skills that the book tries to teach you are fine, I really didn't learn anything I hadn't already read in other books, but they were well placed and fairly reasonable.

The one area of the book that annoyed me was the near constant referencing of either his previous book or his company that trains people. It seems like every chapter had a mention and my eyes started skipping over anytime I saw .com or italicized text.

Still, the spy stories were interesting and the book is a quick read.

[Sekina · Rating 4 out of 5]

The tips that are presented in this book aren't that much different than the one in his previous book, The Spy Secrets That Can Save Your Life. But what makes me enjoy this book is because I get a glimpse on the missions carried by other CIA operatives. If you're like me who enjoys reading about other CIA operatives' experience, then this book can be enjoyable to read. Otherwise, it's better for you to get Jason Hanson's other book if you want to learn how to protect yourself like a CIA operative does.

[c · Rating 2 out of 5]

5 out of 5 bananas 🍌🍌🍌🍌🍌

I am glad that after reading the other spy survival book by this author, I left room for one extra banana, because this was nuts. I find tradecraft fascinating, but the politics of spying and the fact that people are using spy secrets because they feel they need to protect themselves at all times is super depressing. The realization that there are people building safe rooms and burying 4" PVC pipes full of survival gear and ammo earns this follow-up book the extra 🍌.

[Kara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really was keen to survive like a spy and release my inner Jason Bourne, but I kept finding passages like these which ultimately lead to a DNR.

“it will save your own life in the regular world. This is why I put together a free special report at www.SurviveLikeaSpy.com that shows you how to do deep research like a CIA operative to help you get ahead in all areas of your life.” and “saved numerous lives and shared spy secrets with tens of thousands of people (www.SpyEscape.com).”

[Daniel Cunningham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting concept for a book, but very poorly executed. Any credibility the author may have is quickly dissolved after shilling to the nth degree. I really wanted this to have been good, and it could easily have been. The world of clandestine operations is great fodder for self-help, life skills, and just general infotainment.

[Meg Berg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I tend to love quirky spy books with tidbits about actual past experiences in espionage, and I enjoyed those parts of this book. It was a little heavy on common sense survival tips and product marketing for me. I wouldn't spend money on the hard cover again, but it makes a fun, quick airplane read.

[Raymond Goss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike the previous book, "Spy Secrets That Can Save Your Life", this book contains discussions on actual espionage and cases describing where spying was accomplished. It was entertaining and I liked it better. A few more safety tips were given about personal survival, but not as many as the first book.

[Johnny Bilotta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. It was interesting in spots but did not really tell me much more than any other book of this type. I did not find the "advertisements" too annoying. They are very easy to ignore.

It may be that I went in with expectations and it just did not deliver anything unique. In my opinion, you would not be missing anything if you decided not to pick this one up.

[Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can never have enough knowledge when it comes to personal safety and protecting your privacy.

This book is well-written, interesting, and framed from the perspective of how previous issues were addressed in the field and then how to think about it in your life.

Great ideas and has much information about thinking critically to assess and solve problems.

[RJB · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some fun case studies, but every "recommended" website - every one - returns an error page. Not a 404 Redirect, not an expired page, but one that flat out confuses your PC. One, maybe two? In a book only a few years old may be OK. Feels suspicious that a book on secret CIA tactics would be so rife with sites that do nothing. Or are they doing nothing????

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a neat book.
I found the CIA stories that he used as examples fun and informational. Then he would tie each CIA story into an everyday life situation.
This is a good read no matter if you are planning on becoming a CIA agent or just staying a regular person.