The Defence of the Realm
Encyclopedia
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. The book reported, amongst other things, that MI5 kept a file on Prime Minister Harold Wilson
under a pseudonym. The book's title was derived from MI5's Latin motto, Regnum Defende. Historian Keith Jeffery
was commissioned to write a similar authorised history on the Secret Intelligence Service
(MI6) for release in 2010.
called it "magisterial, authoritative, balanced, readable...full of wry humour and with an eye for the absurd", declaring that "MI5 could not have wanted a better historian than him...This book is unlikely to be surpassed for another 100 years". 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".
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. 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".
The Defence of the Realm, however, was criticised in Quadrant magazine
in an article by Paul Monk 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
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Security Service
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
(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. The book reported, amongst other things, that MI5 kept a file on Prime Minister Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
under a pseudonym. The book's title was derived from MI5's Latin motto, Regnum Defende. Historian Keith Jeffery
Keith Jeffery
Keith Jeffery, MRIA is a Northern Irish historian specializing in modern British, British Imperial, and Irish history. Having obtained his BA, MA, and PhD degrees from St. John's College, Cambridge, the latter under the supervision of John Andrew Gallagher, he is currently the Professor of...
was commissioned to write a similar authorised history on the Secret Intelligence Service
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
(MI6) for release in 2010.
Reception
The book received generally positive reviews from major newspapers. The Daily TelegraphThe Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
called it "magisterial, authoritative, balanced, readable...full of wry humour and with an eye for the absurd", declaring that "MI5 could not have wanted a better historian than him...This book is unlikely to be surpassed for another 100 years". More tempered praise came from The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, where Max Hastings
Max Hastings
Sir Max Hugh Macdonald Hastings, FRSL is a British journalist, editor, historian and author. He is the son of Macdonald Hastings, the noted British journalist and war correspondent and Anne Scott-James, sometime editor of Harper's Bazaar.-Life and career:Hastings was educated at Charterhouse...
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".
Ben Macintyre
Ben Macintyre
Ben Macintyre is a British author, historian, and columnist writing for The Times newspaper. His columns range from current affairs to historical controversies.- Author :...
reviewed Defend the Realm for The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
, 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. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, on the other hand, found it "as complete and thorough as such a history may be and as engrossing as any spy novel".
The Defence of the Realm, however, was criticised in Quadrant magazine
Quadrant (magazine)
Quadrant is an Australian literary and cultural journal. The magazine takes a conservative position on political and social issues, describing itself as sceptical of 'unthinking Leftism, or political correctness, and its "smelly little orthodoxies"'. Quadrant reviews literature, as well as...
in an article by Paul Monk 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
External links
- Audio summary by John CraceJohn Crace (writer)John Crace is a British journalist writing for The Guardian.Crace is probably best known for his "The Digested Read" column, in which he reviews new fiction by condensing it into short narratives of about 700 words in the style of the book itself...