Annie Jacobsen Books

"First Platoon" is a gripping investigation into the age of biometrics and the U.S. Department of Defense's quest for the world's most powerful biometrics database. This American saga tells a story about identity, humanity, and the power of surveillance in a post-9/11 world. Based on hundreds of formerly classified documents and exclusive interviews, this investigative exposé uncovers a Pentagon more powerful than humans, making mistakes behind the pursuit of endless wars. Get ready to discover the transformation of society made possible by this new technology.

Explore the hidden world of CIA covert operations and US government-sponsored assassinations in this gripping, character-driven history. Award-winning author Annie Jacobsen gives readers unprecedented access to former operatives, ambassadors, and directors of the Secret Service and CIA operations for a deep dive into the foreign policy machine of the US government. From hostage rescues to sabotage and assassination missions, discover just how far a US president is willing to go to safeguard the nation's interests.

Explore the mysterious world of extrasensory perception and its use by the U.S. government in this gripping historical account. Author Annie Jacobsen delves into the radical and controversial programs that involved scientists, analysts, and even government psychics with top secret clearances. With unprecedented access to declassified documents, as well as exclusive interviews with over fifty individuals involved in the programs, Jacobsen sheds light on the government's research into locating hostages, predicting threats to national security, and more. Learn about the scientists' approach to enigmatic subject matter and the government's continued interest in these supposed powers. Phenomena is a fascinating look at the lengths governments will go to in the name of national security.

Explore the hidden history of the Defense Department's most powerful and secretive military science R&D agency, DARPA, in this eye-opening national bestseller. Discover the origins, evolution and often controversial results of what's been called "the Pentagon's brain" since its creation during the Cold War. From exclusive interviews and declassified memos, author Annie Jacobsen delivers a compelling narrative about this clandestine intersection of science and the American military.

Operation Paperclip tells the explosive story of America's secret post-WWII science programs. The book delves into the difficult decisions the US government faced after the war, including what to do with the Third Reich's scientific minds who were behind the once-indomitable Nazi war machine. The book explores the moral ambiguity of Operation Paperclip, a covert project to bring Hitler's scientists and their families to the United States to work on major advances in rocketry, medical treatments, and the US space program. Jacobsen draws on exclusive interviews and documents to follow over a dozen German scientists through their postwar lives and into a startling, complex, nefarious government secret of the twentieth century. This definitive, controversial look at one of America's most disturbing government programs shows just how dark government can get in the name of national security.

Can you imagine catching more fish than your boat can hold? That's what happens to Sigurd and Tor, two old Scandinavian fishermen. "Ole Mackerel," what a fix they are in! Join them on their hilarious adventure to see if they sink or swim....

Explore the secrets of the world's most famous military installation that doesn't officially exist in "Area 51". Author Annie Jacobsen shares previously classified information and firsthand accounts from military and intelligence personnel, pilots, and engineers linked to the top-secret base. Discover the truth behind myths and hypotheses about aliens, underground tunnels, and more, as Jacobsen weaves a gripping narrative that proves fact can be more fantastic than fiction. This seminal work on the subject is the first book based on interviews with eyewitnesses to Area 51 history.

This book recounts journalist Annie Jacobsen's investigation into what she believed to be a terrorist "dry run" she witnessed while traveling on a flight in 2004. Jacobsen reveals the full story of the events on the flight and the subsequent year-long investigation. She emphasizes the importance of air security in preventing future attacks like 9/11. This gripping account unveils the true potential of terrorism in the skies.