The first, and only, official history of the Secret Intelligence Service, written by a Queen’s University academic, was published in September.
Prof Keith Jeffery from Queen’s School of History and Anthropology is the historian behind MI6: The History of the Secret Intelligence Service, 1909–1949.
Having spent five years with full and unprecedented access to the agency’s secret archives in London, Professor Jeffery’s book will be launched in London today. He will be at a special event at Queen’s on Thursday 23 September to celebrate its publication.
The 800 page book is the authoritative account of the best-known intelligence organisation in the world. Packed with fascinating stories about the extraordinary people who served in MI6 during two world wars and the beginnings of the Cold War, it is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of espionage and international relations in the first half of the twentieth century.
Prof Jeffery said: “Being granted free access to one of Britain’s most secret archives was a huge honour for me. Writing this history was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the work of a crucial component in the modern British state.
“For years people have been fascinated with the mysterious world of the secret service but, for most of us, our knowledge of spies and espionage is limited to what we have seen in the movies.
“The real story is much better than James Bond. It deals with real people in real situations, whose stories I have been able to tell in greater detail, and with greater accuracy, than ever before.
“This book is the authoritative account of MI6’s people, development, operations and its central place in the British government during the first forty years of its existence. It gives a unique insight into the role and significance of intelligence in the modern world.”
