Books about Intelligence

  1. The Recruit

    by Robert Muchamore
    A young adult is recruited into a secret intelligence agency, tasked with protecting the nation.

    The Recruit begins with eleven-year-old James Choke in his combined science class in his first term of secondary school, where he accidentally slashes classmate Samantha Jennings' face with a nail on ... (Wikipedia)

  2. The Smartest Kids in the World: And How They Got That Way

    by Amanda Ripley
    A comparison of education systems across the world, exploring the secrets to success.

    How do other countries create “smarter” kids? What is it like to be a child in the world’s new education superpowers?, The Smartest Kids in the World, “gets well beneath the glossy surfaces of these ... (Barnes & Noble)

  3. Outliers: The Story of Success

    by Malcolm Gladwell
    Examining the keys to success, exploring the cultural, family, and psychological factors that drive achievement.

    Learn what sets high achievers apart – from Bill Gates to the Beatles -- in this #1 bestseller from "a singular talent" (,New York Times Book Review,). In this stunning book, Malcolm Gladwell takes ... (Goodreads)

  4. Enigma

    by Robert Harris
    A thrilling tale of espionage and code-breaking during World War II.

    In February 1943, Tom Jericho, a gifted cryptanalyst at Bletchley Park , is recuperating in Cambridge from a nervous breakdown brought on by the pressures of work and the breakup of his relationship ... (Wikipedia)

  5. The Hunt for Red October

    by Tom Clancy
    A thrilling adventure of a submarine captain's race against the clock in a thrilling game of cat and mouse.

    During the Cold War ,(the story must be set in 1982, according to the days assigned to the dates in the novel, e.g. Dec. 17 was a Friday only in 1982,1976 and 1971 ) Marko Ramius, a Soviet Navy ... (Wikipedia)

  6. Shibumi

    by Trevanian
    A master strategist must outwit a powerful secret society in a battle for the future of the world.

    Nicholai Hel is an assassin, born in Shanghai in 1925 and raised in a cosmopolitan fashion by his mother, a deposed member of the Russian aristocracy. A general in the Japanese Imperial Army was ... (Wikipedia)

  7. Fermat's Enigma

    by Simon Singh
    Uncovering the centuries-old mathematical mystery of Pierre de Fermat's Last Theorem.

    xn + yn = zn, where n represents 3, 4, 5, ...no solution "I have discovered a truly marvelous demonstration of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain." With these words, the ... (Goodreads)

  8. Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness

    by Peter Godfrey-Smith
    Exploration of the philosophical and scientific questions surrounding the emergence of consciousness in animals other than humans.

    Although mammals and birds are widely regarded as the smartest creatures on earth, it has lately become clear that a very distant branch of the tree of life has also sprouted higher intelligence: the ... (Goodreads)

  9. Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

    by Carl Sagan
    An exploration of the evolution of human intelligence and its implications for civilization.

    Com os DRAGÕES DO ÉDEN, Prémio Pulitzer, para muitos a mais bela obra do autor, os leitores de "Ciência Aberta" irão participar numa grande aventura... Num Éden perdido onde os dragões reinavam ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Looking Glass War

    by John le Carré
    Cold War espionage, involving a small British intelligence unit in a deadly game of cat and mouse.

    During the early 1960s, the formerly renowned British military intelligence organisation known colloquially as "The Department" is floundering. Surviving on long past memories of its aerial ... (Wikipedia)

  11. Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

    by Joshua Foer
    An exploration of the science of memory and its potential to unlock hidden abilities in the human mind.

    The blockbuster phenomenon that charts an amazing journey of the mind while revolutionizing our concept of memory An instant bestseller that is poised to become a classic, Moonwalking with Einstein ... (Goodreads)

  12. The Eternity Code

    by Eoin Colfer
    An exciting adventure story of a young genius trying to outwit a powerful criminal organization.

    Artemis Fowl II , the 13-year-old criminal mastermind, has created a supercomputer which he calls the "C Cube", from the stolen fairy LEPrecon helmets confiscated by Butler in the siege of Fowl ... (Wikipedia)

  13. The Fourth Protocol

    by Frederick Forsyth
    A thrilling espionage story set in the Cold War, and a race against time to prevent a nuclear disaster.

    On New Year's Eve 1986, professional thief James Rawlings breaks into the apartment of a senior civil servant and inadvertently discovers stolen top secret documents. Despite being a notorious and ... (Wikipedia)

  14. A Legacy of Spies

    by John le Carré
    A former spy must confront the consequences of his past actions.

    Peter Guillam, staunch colleague and disciple of George Smiley of the British Secret Service, otherwise known as the Circus, is living out his old age on the family farmstead on the south coast of ... (Goodreads)

  15. The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness

    by Sy Montgomery
    An exploration of the wonders of the octopus, with insights into its intelligence and emotions.

    In pursuit of the wild, solitary, predatory octopus, popular naturalist Sy Montgomery has practiced true immersion journalism. From New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the ... (Goodreads)

  16. The Day of the Jackal

    by Frederick Forsyth
    An assassin attempts to kill the president of France in a thrilling race against time.

    The book begins in 1962 with the (historical) failed attempt on de Gaulle 's life plotted by, among others, Lieutenant-Colonel Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry in the Paris suburb of Petit-Clamart : ... (Wikipedia)

  17. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH

    by Robert C. O'Brien
    A mouse's quest for survival and freedom, aided by the extraordinary intelligence of laboratory rats.

    Mrs. Frisby is the head of a family of field mice. Her son Timothy is ill with pneumonia just as the farmer Mr. Fitzgibbon begins preparation for spring plowing in the garden where the Frisby family ... (Wikipedia)

  18. The Faithful Spy

    by Alex Berenson
    A former CIA agent goes undercover in Al Qaeda to prevent a terrorist attack.

    A New York Times reporter has drawn upon his experience covering the occupation in Iraq to write the most gripping and chillingly plausible thriller of the post-9/11 era. Alex Berenson’s debut novel ... (Goodreads)

  19. The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine who Outwitted America's Enemies

    by Jason Fagone
    A thrilling story of war-time espionage, as told through the remarkable true story of an American heroine.

    National Bestseller NPR Best Book of the Year “Not all superheroes wear capes, and Elizebeth Smith Friedman should be the subject of a future Wonder Woman movie.” —,The New York Times, Joining the ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. The Man With the Golden Gun

    by Ian Fleming
    James Bond is tasked with assassinating the world's most dangerous assassin, Francisco Scaramanga.

    Almost a year after James Bond's final confrontation with Ernst Stavro Blofeld , while on a mission in Japan , a man claiming to be Bond appears in London and demands to meet the head of the Secret ... (Wikipedia)

  21. The Honest Spy

    by Andreas Kollender
    A German spy working for the Soviet Union during WWII struggles with his conscience and loyalty.

    During one of history’s darkest chapters, one man is determined to make a difference., In the tradition of, Schindler’s List, comes a thrilling novel based on the heroic true story of Fritz Kolbe, a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  22. Pursuit of Honor

    by Vince Flynn
    An action-packed thriller following a team of counterterrorism agents on a mission to save the country.

    The action begins six days after a series of explosions devastated Washington, D.C., targeting the National Counterterrorism Center and killing 185 people, including public officials and CIA ... (Goodreads)

  23. Extreme Measures

    by Vince Flynn
    CIA operative is sent on a mission to stop a terrorist threat.

    The latest pulse-pounding thriller by #1 "New York Times" bestselling phenomenon Vince Flynn explodes onto the scene with a deadly and charismatic hero fans will cheer for all the way to the last ... (Goodreads)

  24. The Kill Artist

    by Daniel Silva
    An ex-Mossad agent is called back into service to take down a powerful terrorist leader.

    Israel’s Prime Minister reinstates Ari Shamron as Mossad director. Shortly thereafter, Israel’s ambassador is murdered in Paris. The crime has all of the markings of Tariq al-Hourani, a terrorist ... (Wikipedia)

  25. I Am Pilgrim

    by Terry Hayes
    A former operative is called back into action to track down a terrorist plotting a global attack.

    A breakneck race against time...and an implacable enemy. An anonymous young woman murdered in a run-down hotel, all identifying characteristics dissolved by acid. A father publicly beheaded in the ... (Goodreads)

  26. Blind Man's Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage

    by Sherry Sontag
    A thrilling account of the covert operations of American submarines during the Cold War, revealing the untold stories of espionage and danger.

    For decades American submarines have roamed the depths in a dangerous battle for information and advantage in missions known only to a select few. Now, after six years of research, those missions are ... (Goodreads)

  27. Slow Horses

    by Mick Herron
    A group of disgraced MI5 spies are tasked with solving a murder case, uncovering secrets in the process.

    The first book in CWA Gold Dagger Award-winning British espionage series starring a team of MI5 agents united by one common bond: They've screwed up royally and will do anything to redeem themselves. ... (Goodreads)

  28. Use of Weapons

    by Iain M. Banks
    A space opera of revenge, espionage and loyalty, woven together in a complex web of intrigue.

    The book is made up of two narrative streams, interwoven in alternating chapters. The numbers of the chapters indicate which stream they belong to: one stream is numbered forward in words (One, Two ... (Wikipedia)

  29. Kill Shot

    by Vince Flynn
    An ex-CIA operative is called back to action to stop a political assassination plot.

    #1, New York Times, bestselling author of, American Assassin,—now a major motion picture Vince Flynn’s intensely suspenseful #1, New York Times, bestseller puts the young, hungry, and lethal ... (Goodreads)

  30. Red Sparrow

    by Jason Matthews
    A female Russian spy's mission to uncover a dangerous double agent and prevent a global disaster.

    In the grand spy-tale tradition of John le Carré comes this shocking thriller written with insider detail known only to a veteran CIA officer. In present-day Russia, ruled by blue-eyed, unblinking ... (Goodreads)

  31. Mossad: The Greatest Missions of the Israeli Secret Service

    by Michael Bar-Zohar
    A thrilling account of the daring missions and covert operations carried out by the Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency.

    "This book tells what should have been known and isn't—that Israel's hidden force is as formidable as its recognized physical strength." — Israeli President Shimon Peres For decades, Israel's ... (Barnes & Noble)

  32. Flowers for Algernon

    by Daniel Keyes
    A mentally-challenged man's journey to become a genius, only to fall into despair.

    The story of a mentally disabled man whose experimental quest for intelligence mirrors that of Algernon, an extraordinary lab mouse. In diary entries, Charlie tells how a brain operation increases ... (Goodreads)

  33. Johannes Cabal the Detective

    by Jonathan L. Howard
    Eccentric necromancer Johannes Cabal solves a murder mystery in a steampunk world filled with supernatural creatures and dark humor.

    Johannes Cabal, necromancer of some little infamy, returns in this riotously clever and terrifically twisted tale of murder and international intrigue. In this genre-twisting novel, infamous ... (Goodreads)

  34. The Beekeeper's Apprentice

    by Laurie R. King
    A young girl’s journey to becoming a detective apprentice, uncovering crime and solving mysteries.

    After losing her family in a tragic motor accident in California, fifteen-year-old Mary Russell goes to live with her aunt in Sussex, England. Wandering the Sussex Downs in April 1915, she literally ... (Wikipedia)

  35. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma

    by Trenton Lee Stewart
    Four young children must use their wits and courage to save the world from a dangerous conspiracy.

    In the third installment of the Mysterious Benedict Society series, Reynie, Sticky, Kate, Constance, and various loved ones find themselves holed up in Mr. Benedict's house, which is teeming with ... (Wikipedia)

  36. A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal

    by Ben Macintyre
    The true story of a legendary British spy, who betrayed his country and family.

    Master storyteller Ben Macintyre’s most ambitious work to date brings to life the twentieth century’s greatest spy story. Kim Philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man who ... (Goodreads)

  37. Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies

    by Ben Macintyre
    A detailed account of British spies and their role in the secret operations of WWII.

    In his celebrated bestsellers, Agent Zigzag, and, Operation Mincemeat, Ben Macintyre told the dazzling true stories of a remarkable WWII double agent and of how the Allies employed a corpse to fool ... (Goodreads)

  38. The Cardinal of the Kremlin

    by Tom Clancy
    US and Soviet forces battle for control of a powerful satellite system.

    For thirty years, Colonel Mikhail Semyonovich "Misha" Filitov, a personal aide to the Soviet Minister of Defense and war hero, has been passing military, technical, and political intelligence to the ... (Wikipedia)

  39. The Ipcress File

    by Len Deighton
    A British spy investigates a brainwashing scheme. Full of twists and turns, it's a classic espionage thriller.

    The novel is framed as the unnamed protagonist delivering his personal report on "the IPCRESS affair" directly to the Minister of Defence , thus making the novel itself the 'IPCRESS File' of the ... (Wikipedia)

  40. Chocky

    by John Wyndham
    A young boy begins to communicate with an invisible entity named Chocky, leading to a series of strange events and revelations.

    David Gore becomes concerned that his twelve-year-old son, Matthew, is too old to have an imaginary friend . His concerns deepen as Matthew becomes increasingly distressed and blames it on arguments ... (Wikipedia)

  41. Nazi Literature in the Americas

    by Roberto Bolaño
    A fictional encyclopedia of fascist writers and poets in the Americas, satirizing the literary world's complicity with authoritarianism.

    Nazi Literature in the Americas was the first of Roberto Bolaño’s books to reach a wide public. When it was published by Seix Barral in 1996, critics in Spain were quick to recognize the arrival of ... (Goodreads)

  42. Empire of the Ants

    by Bernard Werber
    A colony of ants struggles for survival and dominance, revealing the complex and fascinating world of these tiny creatures.

    The plot begins as two stories that take place in parallel: one in the world of humans (in Paris ), the other in the world of ants (in a, Formica rufa, colony in a park near Paris). The time is the ... (Wikipedia)

  43. The Opal Deception

    by Eoin Colfer
    Artful master criminal Artemis Fowl must save a passenger spaceship and its passengers from a dangerous criminal.

    The book begins with the pixie Opal Koboi faking a coma inside a hospital to avoid incarceration by the Lower Elements Police (LEP) after her failed rebellion and attempt of world domination (which ... (Wikipedia)

  44. The Survivor

    by Vince Flynn
    CIA agent Mitch Rapp seeks revenge on terrorists who killed his girlfriend. Fast-paced action and political intrigue ensue.

    Top secret data has been stolen from the CIA, and the only man who knows its hiding place is dead. CIA operative Mitch Rapp must race to find the classified information in this blistering novel that ... (Goodreads)

  45. The Unlikely Spy

    by Daniel Silva
    A British operative infiltrates Nazi Germany during WWII to uncover secrets about the Hitler regime.

    Set during World War II, the book follows Alfred Vicary, a historian and friend of Winston Churchill, who was wounded in battle during the World War I while serving as an officer in the Intelligence ... (Wikipedia)

  46. The Too-Clever Fox

    by Leigh Bardugo
    A cunning fox outwits his prey, until he meets his match in a clever farmer's daughter.

    In Ravka, just because you avoid one trap, it doesn't mean you'll escape the next. This story is a companion folk tale to Leigh Bardugo’s upcoming novel, Siege and Storm , the second book in the ... (Goodreads)

  47. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey

    by Trenton Lee Stewart
    Four gifted children embark on a dangerous mission to save the world from a mysterious villain.

    After the events of the previous book, Mr. Benedict, and the children's parents, plan to bring the children back together for another adventure using their teamwork, skills, and intelligence. When ... (Wikipedia)

  48. The Report Card

    by Andrew Clements
    Fifth-grader Nora secretly gets straight Ds on her report card to prove a point about the education system.

    9 year old Nora was a disgrace to her entire family, To disguise her intellect, Nora observes and emulates her classmates so she doesn't stand out. She becomes interested in one of her schoolfellow, ... (Wikipedia)

  49. Sixth Column

    by Robert A. Heinlein
    After America is conquered by the PanAsians, a small group of scientists develop a secret weapon to fight back.

    One by one, the Free Nations had fallen, until finally America too was under the heel of the invader. Now the only hope resides in a mountain redoubt where six men work in secret on a plan to rock ... (Goodreads)

  50. Eagle Strike

    by Anthony Horowitz
    A thrilling adventure of spies and espionage to protect the world from a dangerous terrorist organization.

    In a prelude chapter that takes place fifteen years before the main series, two unnamed assassins (referred to as Hunter and Cossack) travel through the Amazon jungle in search of their target, a ... (Wikipedia)

  51. The Sum of All Fears

    by Tom Clancy
    A nuclear bomb detonates in the US, leading to a dangerous escalation between the US and Russia. Jack Ryan must prevent a catastrophic war.

    During the first day of the Yom Kippur War , the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) prepares to conduct a tactical nuclear strike to stave off defeat. The necessity for the strike is averted, but an Israeli ... (Wikipedia)

  52. The Mysterious Benedict Society

    by Trenton Lee Stewart
    A group of children embark on a dangerous mission to save the world from a mysterious mastermind.

    Reynard "Reynie" Muldoon is an orphaned boy who lives in the Stonetown Orphanage. One morning at breakfast, his tutor "Miss Perumal" notices an advertisement in the newspaper targeted towards gifted ... (Wikipedia)

  53. The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict

    by Trenton Lee Stewart
    An orphaned boy unravels a mystery with the help of an unusual group of friends.

    Nicholas Benedict, a nine-year-old orphan and genius, moves to the Rothschild Manor orphanage after being removed from his previous orphanage, Littleview, because of his narcolepsy , a condition that ... (Wikipedia)

  54. Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang

    by Chelsea Handler
    A comical look at life and relationships, as seen through the eyes of Chelsea Handler.

    The hilarious new book from the star of Chelsea Lately and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea. Get ready for big laughs as Chelsea Handler lets loose ... (Goodreads)

  55. The Stars, Like Dust

    by Isaac Asimov
    A young man seeks to uncover a conspiracy on a distant planet, while navigating political intrigue and romance.

    Biron Farrill, about to complete studies at the University of Earth, is told by Sander Jonti that his father, a rich planetary leader who is known as Lord Rancher of Widemos, has been arrested and ... (Wikipedia)

  56. Argo: How the CIA & Hollywood Pulled Off the Most Audacious Rescue in History

    by Antonio J. Méndez
    The true story of how the CIA and Hollywood collaborated to rescue six Americans during the Iran Hostage Crisis.

    The true account of the 1979 rescue of six American hostages from Iran On November 4, 1979, Iranian militants stormed the American embassy in Tehran and held dozens of Americans hostage, sparking a ... (Goodreads)

  57. Barking Up the Wrong Tree: The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is

    by Eric Barker
    A comprehensive look at how and why traditional ideas of success are flawed, and how to find success in new ways.

    Wall Street Journal Bestseller Much of the advice we’ve been told about achievement is logical, earnest…and downright wrong. In, Barking Up the Wrong Tree, Eric Barker reveals the extraordinary ... (Barnes & Noble)

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