How did four spies shape the founding of the CIA?

Scott Anderson will be here to talk about his new book, The Quiet Americans.

Who is the man who ran Washington for decades?

Peter Baker and Susan Glasser join us to talk about James A. Baker III, the subject of their new biography.

Alexander Alter will have an update from the publishing world.

Plus, we'll talk about what we and the wider world are reading.

This is the Bookerview podcast for The New York Times.

It's September 25th. I'm Pamela Paul.

Scott Anderson joins us now from the Catskills.

He is a contributing writer for The New York Times magazine and the author of many books.

His latest is called The Quiet Americans for CIA spies at the dawn of the Cold War.

The tragedy in three acts. Scott, welcome back to the podcast.

Thanks so much Pamela. Nice to be here.

So you were last on the podcast to talk about your previous book, Lawrence and Arabia, which came out in 2013, which of course feels like now centuries ago.

Which makes it clear, I think, to our listeners, our long-time listeners, that this is not your first book involving spies.

I'm curious, what's the draw for you?

I think spies are just inherently fascinating and not just to meet a bit to an awful lot of people.

And I've thought about what that is. And I think it's the the allure of having a secret life.

I think that for an awful lot of people, this idea that you have a whole separate identity is really fascinating to people.

What I was drawn to in both the Lawrence and in The Quiet Americans, the fourth CIA officers I follow, is that in both cases, this was at a time when individuals out in the field had a tremendous freedom of action.

So it wasn't people sitting behind desk following policy that they're actually out in the field kind of doing crazy stuff.

You also have a personal connection to this story, right? In terms of what your father did for a living, can you talk a little bit about that?

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