The FBI Way is a sterling achievement in narrative nonfiction, thrilling without being a thriller, and one of those books people will be referencing for decades to come as a definitive tome for the times in which we live."
An achievement in narrative nonfiction, a thrilling non-thriller.
Shines as a positive view of the storied agency.
"Frank Figliuzzi is a patriot. He is an intelligent, straight-forward, and passionate voice for reason, loyalty, and what I have discovered are the simple but essential FBI values. In The FBI Way, through dramatic front-line stories and commentary, he demonstrates how to bring those values into our own lives."
2020-09-19
A leadership book from the FBI’s former head of counterintelligence.
Figliuzzi rightly notes that an exceptional organization maintains high ethical standards, but the way the author communicates his concepts is not as potent as some would expect from a former special agent. The book mixes ideas that will be familiar to readers of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations and Sun Tzu’s Art of War except instead of deception, integrity is the recipe for success. Though Figliuzzi offers explanations of the principles that guide the FBI, the text is largely a series of anecdotes. Many organizations could stand to implement the FBI’s purported moral uprightness, but the book is not a how-to manual. The author hints at many of the disturbing crimes he no doubt witnessed during his years of service, and his accounts of consoling surviving family members of deceased agents are touching. One particularly thrilling story involves the high-speed chase of a suspected terrorist across half of the country. “FBI surveillance units in state after state had been handing off Zazi like a toxic baton in a deadly relay race,” writes Figliuzzi. Most of the other stories are only mildly interesting, but they all do illustrate the value of the FBI. The author wrote this book when it was “time to defend and extol the work of the FBI,” and he does just that; he certainly goes against the grain of current criticism of law enforcement. Late in the book, we learn that Figliuzzi held the position “referred to as the nation’s top spy catcher,” but there is little spy-catching to be found. The author relates events through James Comey’s departure and the early pandemic. Perhaps the clandestine nature of the FBI prevents Figliuzzi from telling us what we really want to hear, or maybe it’s just too soon.
A surprisingly middle-of-the-road book.
"Far-reaching, arguing that the world can benefit not from particular FBI skills but from the organization’s principles of accuracy and accountability." — Devlin Barrett, Washington Post
“The FBI Way is a sterling achievement in narrative nonfiction, thrilling without being a thriller, and one of those books people will be referencing for decades to come as a definitive tome for the times in which we live." — Providence Journal
“Figliuzzi’s war stories of hunting terrorists are spellbinding, but equally important is his playbook for how the FBI’s methods for achieving excellence in performance can be duplicated by a wide variety of organizations. This should be required reading in business schools across America.” — Andrea Mitchell, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, NBC News
"Frank Figliuzzi is a patriot. He is an intelligent, straight-forward, and passionate voice for reason, loyalty, and what I have discovered are the simple but essential FBI values. In The FBI Way, through dramatic front-line stories and commentary, he demonstrates how to bring those values into our own lives." — Robert De Niro, Recipient of the Medal of Freedom
"This is a must read for serious leaders at every level. Frank Figliuzzi served 25 years in the famed FBI rising to the highest levels of leadership. His assignments as chief counter-espionage officer for the Bureau, his street experience as a Special Agent confronting crime, corruption and police misconduct, and his perspective as an FBI policy maker offer us fresh insights into the links between preserving values, pursuing excellence, and defending anything worth keeping." — General Barry R. McCaffrey (U.S. Army Retired)
“The institutions that best preserve and defend our nation’s values are made up of men and women who live and die by a code of excellence. ... As Frank Figliuzzi's The FBI Way makes clear, their survival and success are dependent on the same values that will determine the survival and success of our democracy. It’s time we all ask whether we are willing to live by that code.” — Leon E. Panetta, Former Secretary of Defense and Director of the CIA
"For Frank Figliuzzi it's personal; for the rest of us, The FBI Way offers unique insights into how the men and women of the FBI serve with distinction and honor by adhering to a code that allows them to defend what matters most - our democracy." — Michael Steele, Former Chairperson of the Republican National Committee
“An achievement in narrative nonfiction, a thrilling non-thriller.” — Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Frank Figliuzzi is a patriot. He is an intelligent, straight-forward, and passionate voice for reason, loyalty, and what I have discovered are the simple but essential FBI values. In The FBI Way, through dramatic front-line stories and commentary, he demonstrates how to bring those values into our own lives."
"Far-reaching, arguing that the world can benefit not from particular FBI skills but from the organization’s principles of accuracy and accountability."
"For Frank Figliuzzi it's personal; for the rest of us, The FBI Way offers unique insights into how the men and women of the FBI serve with distinction and honor by adhering to a code that allows them to defend what matters most - our democracy."
The institutions that best preserve and defend our nation’s values are made up of men and women who live and die by a code of excellence. ... As Frank Figliuzzi's The FBI Way makes clear, their survival and success are dependent on the same values that will determine the survival and success of our democracy. It’s time we all ask whether we are willing to live by that code.
Figliuzzi’s war stories of hunting terrorists are spellbinding, but equally important is his playbook for how the FBI’s methods for achieving excellence in performance can be duplicated by a wide variety of organizations. This should be required reading in business schools across America.
