The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace

Its funny how people here giving it low rating just because an ISI head(Pakistani)co-written this book.And because non of them gave away any state secrets.Its interesting as interesting as Mr. Dulat’s last book was if not more.Conversation format makes things even more interesting.If you link both books with history, news and another book military inc. you can get a pretty good image of whats going in kashmir and why its all happening, who are stakeholders and why, and how to deal with them.Judging by the country’s environment i must say if you are a ‘blind Bakat’ spend money on something else, one must read this book as a neutral and try to understand things.If you dont have any base on Kashmir or how Pakistan is a stakeholder in whole Kashmir issue, or you dont know how proxy wars work, this book would make no sense to you, buy something else.-if you are a well informed person and good at current affairs, this book wouldnt tell you anything new.-But seriously the cover couldve been better, cover looks terribly cheap with that glossy finish, and that red colour hard binding underneath.. looks horrible.. HarperCollins books usually have really nice cover quality

The book condition was not very good. There were some dirt stains as it was kept for a long time. Aand it feels like a used one too. But nothing was teared up or anything. Font and page quality was reasonably good at that price point(rs420 hardcover). Looking forward to read.

This book tells us many new things about the internal attitude of RAW and ISI and both governments.This book does not discuss about spys or any cinematic spy operations.But it discusses the internal attitude of the RAW and ISI officers .Track 2 diplomacyThe government's fake response to Pakistan cool people down after a terrorist attack.It also dicusses the short comings of CIA and also RAW and ISI.It also comparedThe interaction of RAW with Indian GovernmentAndThe interaction of ISI with Pakistani Government.This book is a very good read

There is nothing new you get to know by reading this book, maybe the fact that there is something called 'track 2' diplomacy and that it is always on, irrespective of any prevailing situation. Mr. Dulat is idealistic, Mr. Durrani gave nothing away, I wonder why there was such a brouhaha in Pakistan immediately after this book was published. I read the book from first to last page and back but there is nothing at all that should have resulted in Mr. Durrani being called to the GHQ for questioning. Good thing about the book the language is easy but the book it self lacks any substance.

A great effort, the dialogue mode of narration gives a feeling of a friendly exvhange going on between the so called top guns from the 2 sides, quite believeable. Its really an wonderful attempt, touching so many topics and as if while giving insight into the state of current madness and the perspectives, it also tries to give hope for future. At least a ray of hope that everything is not lost, and there can be better days between the so called arch rivals.

A compelling and a necessary read to understand the nuances of India- Pakistan relations better, and more importantly to understand the Kashmir problem in a more dispassionate way. The book ends with a question that Mohammad Hamid Ansari asked,"yeh deewangi kab khatam hogi" and it is this powerful question that the book leaves its readers with.My only grouse with the book has been contextualisation of the discussions. References made by both Dulat and Durrani to various people or events are assumed to be known to all the readers however that may not be the case. I would have hoped for a richer text in between discussions to truly enable the reader's understanding of the situation.

A great work by all the 3 dignitaries.The two "authors", A. S. Dulat & Assad Durrani, have been at the helm of their respective country's intelligence agencies; therefore the vantage point they provide is rare, and an absolute delight for the reader.Lastly, "Yeh Deewanagi Kab Khatam Hogi?"A must read book!!

I picked up this book to understand India-Kashmir-Pakistan with a view that Indian, Pakistani mindset is the problem. But I hot more than what I expected. The on-point cold-blooded statement of the Modus Operandi of both the spooking agencies is the real marvel of this book. I had only heard people talk about how these agencies function, but this book cleared all of them.Must read for all UPSC-IFS aspirants.

Its spy stuff.

A great read, a great dialogue between two thought leaders of our times, and with great optimism on how to render solutions on the most significant conflict amongst the generations.

It was ok.

Provides really good insight into the working of the two agencies while people are fooled.

Good read in terms of having some insight in reading minds of people working in establishment, through the words from this book