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Rating: 
Summary: Required (and fascinating, enjoyable) reading and re-reading
Review: Everything I have read by Jones so far has been 5-star. He is lucid, literate, articulate, has much to tell and tells it unpretentiously and clinically, but without sacrificing anything in passion or wit. He is in no way a braggart or poseur, but does not let inappropriate modesty inhibit his telling of what is to be told. His warmth and humour leaven the narrative and add to the perspective without ever cheapening the subject matter. At the same time a proper British reserve (no cliche and no sarcasm, this is precisely what I mean) plus his respect for confidences, not to be betrayed even by untoward hints, move me to wonder how much more he could tell if only it were tellable.The books are written with a naturalness which belies their density of information. Only an expert in the subject matter (which in this case means a qualified scientist and a good deal besides) could have written them. They are part of the tradition of the finest 20th century British non-fiction. There has been a great deal of rubbish in that genre of the period, both in content and in style, but it has included the likes of Peter Medawar, John Maynard Smith, George Orwell, John Masters, Churchill, and of course, R.V. Jones. On the one hand Jones' books are refreshing reading in an age of faction and pabulum; on the other they are precious historical material which gives the lie to much questionable stuff which otherwise would go unquestioned.
Rating:
Summary: Required (and fascinating, enjoyable) reading and re-reading
Review: Everything I have read by Jones so far has been 5-star. He is lucid, literate, articulate, has much to tell and tells it unpretentiously and clinically, but without sacrificing anything in passion or wit. He is in no way a braggart or poseur, but does not let inappropriate modesty inhibit his telling of what is to be told. His warmth and humour leaven the narrative and add to the perspective without ever cheapening the subject matter. At the same time a proper British reserve (no cliche and no sarcasm, this is precisely what I mean) plus his respect for confidences, not to be betrayed even by untoward hints, move me to wonder how much more he could tell if only it were tellable. The books are written with a naturalness which belies their density of information. Only an expert in the subject matter (which in this case means a qualified scientist and a good deal besides) could have written them. They are part of the tradition of the finest 20th century British non-fiction. There has been a great deal of rubbish in that genre of the period, both in content and in style, but it has included the likes of Peter Medawar, John Maynard Smith, George Orwell, John Masters, Churchill, and of course, R.V. Jones. On the one hand Jones' books are refreshing reading in an age of faction and pabulum; on the other they are precious historical material which gives the lie to much questionable stuff which otherwise would go unquestioned.
Rating:
Summary: Must Read!
Review: I originally purchased this book in 1979, a year after it was first published. I have had to buy it again because my original paperback simply fell apart. Thoughtful, thorough, witty and absolutely fascinating, R.V. Jones is one of the people I would most have liked to meet during my lifetime (he passed away in 1997). I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Rating:
Summary: Must Read!
Review: I originally purchased this book in 1979, a year after it was first published. I have had to buy it again because my original paperback simply fell apart. Thoughtful, thorough, witty and absolutely fascinating, R.V. Jones is one of the people I would most have liked to meet during my lifetime (he passed away in 1997). I can't recommend this book highly enough.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic of its Genre
Review: This book is also known as the Wizard War.
The author as a relatively young man was the technical intelligence director for the British Royal Air Force in WW II. As such he was involved in the development of active, passive, and counter measures to thwart the German Luftwaffe.
Developments included radars, anti ship missiles,jet engines, defense against buzz bombs, and the jamming of radio navigation systems used by the Germans.
After the war the author returned to Scotland to become a university professor. He returned to service during the Korean War period. His other book Reflections on Intelligence reveals him to be a man of erudition and covers and fills in some of the gaps in the story told herein which could not be revealed at the time this book was written.
Another one for the complete shelf of intelligence classics.
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