Amazon.com (ISBN 0789404435, Hardcover)

Historian H. Keith Melton is a specialist in 20th-century espionage; he's also quite a fan of espionage gadgetry. Both interests make strong showings in this heavily illustrated glimpse into the shadowy world of modern spying. Melton examines the role of clandestine intelligence in revolutionary Russia and Nazi Germany, analyzes modern spy rings, and profiles a number of important figures in the demimonde of spooks, among them British code breaker Alan Turing and Yugoslav double agent Dusan Popov. He also showcases some astonishing hardware, ranging from suitcase radios to shirt button microphones and mechanical pencil pistols. Former CIA director William Colby and former KGB general Oleg Kalugin, who recruited the American traitor John Walker, contribute forewords.