OTish: Book about Stewart's father

[njperry]

The New York Times had a review yesterday of a book that focuses on Stewart's father, Mile Copeland, Jr. [Not the be confused with Stewart's brother Miles III}.

The book is "America’s Great Game: The C.I.A.’s Secret Arabists and the Shaping of the Modern Middle East" by Hugh Wilford and the review is at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/books ... eview&_r=0

The book looks at the role that Miles, as well as Archie and Kermit (Kim) Roosevelt, had in shaping the post-WWII Middle East by thier CIA actions.

Miles does not come out well in the book, or at least the book review, with the author of the review writing, "Copeland, a man for whom the term 'congenital liar' might well have been coined."

Miles Jr. was one of the original members of the CIA. He is probably most famous for his role in the 1953 coup against the Prime Minister of Iran.

[sockii]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Howstupidmrbates]

I once looked into possibly picking up the books Miles penned, but I remember they were quite pricey - at least on Amazon.

[njperry]

Miles Jr. (Stewart's father) is the author of three books:
The Game of Nations: The Amorality of Power Politics, 1970
Without Cloak or Dagger: The Truth About the New Espionage, 1974
The Game Player: Confessions of the CIA's Original Political Operative, 1989.

The last is his memoir and the only one I have read. A very interesting book. I don't recall what I paid for it.

I will say that the Copeland family writes great autobiographies between Dad's Game Player, Ian's excellent Wild Thing, and Stewart's Strange Things Happen.

[63falcon]

Well I read both Game of nations and w/out cloak or dagger numerous times. Miles Jr was genius. His observations hold true for today as well as during his time in The Game-he knew a prt of the world that measures timeframes in longer run than we Americans as a rule do. And as for a less positive review in NYTimes, I would say "consider the source" -and the NYTimes is never my source of choice, only rarely seem to have a balanced view, but the I am a "raving Conservative Libretarian", so just saying . I haven't been able to get my hands on a copy of Master of the Game, not had the opportunity to read that one yet. I did know someone when I was back in Cincinnati, who knew Miles Jr 'back in the OSS day', altho' only at a distance. Had much admiration for Mr Copeland, still.
I will keep a look out for this book regardless and really, thank y'all for posting the info! I may need something to read while I continue yo get settled back here in VA!

[conroy]

Here's a video from C-SPAN of the author promoting the book in DC last month:
http://www.c-span.org/video/?317033-1/GreatGame

[63falcon]

Whoo-hoo!! StewartHimself gets mentioned (just after a phrase incorporating the word "..improbaly..."-Copelands: ALWAYS successfully linked with The Improbable !!) at appox. 6mins & 41secs into interview. Thank you for this conroy. I will see if I can download (no internet/wifi at home) for leisurely viewing later-need to get back to priorities for now.
Interesting to hear Wilford delineate the 'anti-Zionist' stance of the Roosevelt cousins. Goes hand in hand with their Progressivist policies. I remember this being written about in Game of Nations when Copeland was laying out how the different middle eastern cultures self identify and how they relate ( on don't relate as it may be ) to one another. Curious.
Thank you again. I have more time on my hands than I'd like to finally take closer look.

[63falcon]

Blast! Have to have account to download....oh well, I have other stuff needs doing-will have to do this later...thanx again really, tho'!