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Class 11: My Story Inside the CIA's First Post-9/11 Spy Class
A gripping insider's look at the post-9/11 CIA In the weeks following the attacks of 9/11, the Central Intelligence Agency received over 150,000 rsums from people wanting to serve their nation. T. J. Waters became one of more than a hundred students admitted into the CIA's Clandestine Service to become Class 11, the first post- 9/11 training class. Filled with more information about the CIA's Clandestine Service Training Program than has ever been allowed into the public domain, Waters takes readers behind closed doors, where the trainees learned methods of subterfuge, mastering disguises, how to withstand interrogations, and how to cross into hostile territory undetected-and provides a moving portrait of ordinary Americans with the courage and determination to go to any lengths to protect their country.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 15, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 16, 2020
I had to read this for an intelligence class, but I was pleasantly surprised! I really enjoyed getting an inside look of the CIA!
May 2, 2020
If you are looking for a comprehensive examination of the CIA, this is not your book. Rather, this is book explores the training of a single CIA class. The 11th Class of spies was the CIA's first class following 9/11. What made this story interesting to me is that 9/11 marks a pivotal point in the history of espionage in out country. In all appearances, human gathered intelligence had failed us in a major way. This presented a choice for the CIA. Would they continue with business as usual or would they learn from their mistakes. This book explores that struggle by telling the story of the largest class of spies in CIA history.
This book was a bit of a deviation for me. Most of the espionage titles I've read center around the Cold War Era. What surprised me was how much of the training and experiences of Class 11 seemed similar to what the CIA has always done. It seems to me that in many aspects, the CIA was playing catchup in an attempt to keep itself relevant. That was a bit of a disappointed. What wasn't disappointing, however, were the sacrifices and motivation of the would be Case Officers. If you've never read anything about the training of CIA Case Officers, you will find this book informative. You will learn what life is like on The Farm and how such training impacts the trainees and their families.
I found this glimpse into the family life of the author very interesting. I'm not sure if T.J. Waters has written anything else, but I would be interested to see what his CIA life was life post training.
This book was a bit of a deviation for me. Most of the espionage titles I've read center around the Cold War Era. What surprised me was how much of the training and experiences of Class 11 seemed similar to what the CIA has always done. It seems to me that in many aspects, the CIA was playing catchup in an attempt to keep itself relevant. That was a bit of a disappointed. What wasn't disappointing, however, were the sacrifices and motivation of the would be Case Officers. If you've never read anything about the training of CIA Case Officers, you will find this book informative. You will learn what life is like on The Farm and how such training impacts the trainees and their families.
I found this glimpse into the family life of the author very interesting. I'm not sure if T.J. Waters has written anything else, but I would be interested to see what his CIA life was life post training.
October 17, 2023
A little boring by nature, since the author can't describe all the juicy stuff. Instead, he focuses on surveillance exercises and the failures and successes of the instructors. Still, an interesting look at The Farm.
September 10, 2024
Interesting to see the kind of training CIA agents receive. Not a page turner, but provides enough information to allow an outsider to get into a glimpse into the kind of work that is required by a CIA field worker.
May 2, 2015
Let's start with the good: there's plenty of interesting detail here about the CIA's training course for spies. That's the strength. You won't long for a fascinating narrative.
What hurts Water's telling of the CIA's first post-9/11 spy class is that it's abundantly clear he has a specific audience in mind: white, middle-aged men. That's not to say folks of all backgrounds won't enjoy the book, but it seems like every sentence is crafted to appeal to the same demographic who watches "Walker, Texas Ranger" and thinks a good sexist joke is the perfect way to start the morning.
Waters is likeable enough, and you can tell he makes an admirable effort to be inclusive of his classmates (for example, plenty of women feature in the course and several candidates with Arabic names are portrayed positively).
On the other hand, every other description of women in the CIA is laced with a femme fatale narrative. While some women in the course come across as brilliant and hard-working (and certainly equals), they're also constantly reduced to sex objects. It goes old pretty quick.
What also wears thin is the, for lack of a better term, "dad writing"... those eye-rolling one-liners that feel like rejects from a ho-hum episode of NCIS. At one point, I nearly stopped reading. I wasn't offended, but I was definitely annoyed.
Waters served his country with distinction, and for that, our nation should be forever grateful, but there are more than enough times during your reading that you'll wish a ghostwriter had taken a crack at this thing.
What hurts Water's telling of the CIA's first post-9/11 spy class is that it's abundantly clear he has a specific audience in mind: white, middle-aged men. That's not to say folks of all backgrounds won't enjoy the book, but it seems like every sentence is crafted to appeal to the same demographic who watches "Walker, Texas Ranger" and thinks a good sexist joke is the perfect way to start the morning.
Waters is likeable enough, and you can tell he makes an admirable effort to be inclusive of his classmates (for example, plenty of women feature in the course and several candidates with Arabic names are portrayed positively).
On the other hand, every other description of women in the CIA is laced with a femme fatale narrative. While some women in the course come across as brilliant and hard-working (and certainly equals), they're also constantly reduced to sex objects. It goes old pretty quick.
What also wears thin is the, for lack of a better term, "dad writing"... those eye-rolling one-liners that feel like rejects from a ho-hum episode of NCIS. At one point, I nearly stopped reading. I wasn't offended, but I was definitely annoyed.
Waters served his country with distinction, and for that, our nation should be forever grateful, but there are more than enough times during your reading that you'll wish a ghostwriter had taken a crack at this thing.
April 23, 2014
Kind of a cool look at the story of a guy who joined the CIA right after 9/11 and what he went through in training. Apparently, 90% of clandestine training is how to casually spot when you're being tailed on foot or in a car by someone, and lose them without making it look like that's what you're trying to do.
November 23, 2011
Interesting read that explains a little about what goes on during training, but this guy struggled with some things that most dudes should not struggle with to pass. Interesting read if you are considering the field.
February 20, 2010
It was interesting. I am curious why it was written. Why would someone train to be a CIA agent and then go and announce to the world that that is what he is?
Anyone?
Anyone?
March 15, 2012
Really interesting look at what type of training goes on at the CIA.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews