The Mission The CIA in the 21st Century

PRAISE FOR THE MISSION

'No one has opened up the CIA to us like Weiner has, and The Mission deserves to win him a second Pulitzer'

John Simpson, Guardian

'An in-depth exposé ... A cautionary tale, exposing both the power of intelligence and its limitations'

Financial Times

'A fascinating account'

Irish Times

'A riveting, must-read, deeply reported continuation of Weiner's prize winner, Legacy of Ashes'

Esquire, The Best Books of Summer 2025

'The Mission is a fantastic read... . reminds us of the importance of the human element when it comes to high-stakes diplomacy, and the life-and-death decisions on which our national security depends'

Observer

'In 2007, Weiner, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, rankled U.S. spy organizations with Legacy of Ashes, a chronicle of the C.I.A.'s 20th-century failings that won a National Book Award. He's back with the story of the agency's evolution since Sept. 11 - a period when American covert services took an increasingly militaristic role in the Middle East and, Weiner contends, pushed the business of war deeper into the dark'

New York Times

'Mr Weiner meticulously documents a level of chaos, deception and politicisation in the upper echelons of the CIA that put in perspective current debates over Donald Trump's own efforts to reshape and purge the agencies'

Economist

'This masterful new history should be required reading... . Astonishing... . A singular triumph'

Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

'THE MISSION is a masterwork of storytelling, giving a human face to a secretive institution

Booklist

'In this triumphant follow-up to Legacy of Ashes, National Book Award winner Weiner continues his history of the CIA... . Chilling... A crucial document of the present times'

Publishers Weekly (starred review)