Gray Work cover art

Gray Work

Confessions of an American Paramilitary Spy

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Gray Work

By: Jamie Smith
Narrated by: Jeff Gurner
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About this listen

The first ever, first-person story of America's private, paramilitary contractors at work around the world-from a man who performed these missions himself and has decades of stories to tell. This is a fascinating tale-and potentially the first-to describe the work of American contractors, men who run highly dangerous missions deep inside foreign countries on the brink of war. It will lift the veil and detail the ultimate danger and risk of paramilitary operations (both officially government-sanctioned and not) and show us in very intimate terms exactly what private soldiers do when the government can't act or take public responsibility. GRAY WORK combines covert military intelligence with boots-on-the-ground realism, following Jamie Smith through his CIA training and work as a spy in the State Department, to his co-founding of Blackwater following 9/11, to his decision to leave that company. As the founder and director of Blackwater Security, Smith's initial vision has undeniably shaped and transformed a decade of war. He argues that this gray area-and its warriors who occupy the controversial space between public and private-has become an indispensable element of the modern battlefield.

 Military & War Espionage Middle East Military Iran War Celebrity Government Africa Warfare Warrior
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Most relevant
Loved listening to this audiobook from the moment it started as it draws you in and holds your attention, I highly recommend it!

Great Title!

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But seriously, good stuff. Great stories and great direction. Well written and informative but friendly

A greyt read

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The book delved into the rise and rise of the Private Military Contractor, and the increasingly asymmetrical nature of modern battlefields. A place where the front line is a sphere that totally engulfs all that you know. Brilliantly written by a person who knows the details of both a state operated large intelligence organisation, and the role that PMC's can play in international and domestic security affairs.

Thumbs Up.

Expanding

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I found a few of the things in this book a bit questionable but i have say that if it's not all true as claimed by some then the writer certainly has a vivid imagination.

Interesting book.

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For those interested in knowing more about the few who support military and other government operations - from the shadows, this is for you.

Narrated by a clear, and apt voice the listener is compelled to keep listening.

For those who already have a good idea about what goes on "behind the scenes", this is also an excellent Audible.

Full endorsed!

Illuminating

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Not a bad book, good insight into this line of work. The book is a bit long and can be slow at times. Good listen though, the narrating is great!

Interestingly drawn-out

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This is the memoir of a major player in the defence and security contractor business (what once world have been termed mercenaries) over the past 20 years. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the shadowy and ambiguous world of contemporary geopolitical paramilitary operations and "gray work". This guy is ideologically an unreserved 'America first' type, but that comes with the terrain. Apart from that, the author's authorial voice strays from time to time from that of neutral narrator to letting his domestic political views come through strongly; but mostly this book provides a riveting first person account of on-the-ground operations as exciting as any novel or movie.

An engaging and fascinating insight

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Got halfway through this book and thought this is a lot of information that you normally wouldn't expect someone who has done this type of work to be writing about, so I decided to google the author.
I would recommend anyone looking at reading this book to do the same before purchasing.
I think this book would be better to be marketed in the fantasy section.

Disappointed

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Audible intake of breath before every... single...sentence.. was pretty distracting. Other than thay the author was ok. Story was decent too. Jumped all over the place though.

Narrator was ok... except for

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really interesting story. was more gritty and realistic than many others in the genere. no posturing or muscle flexing to look like a bigger badder tough guy.

I'll admit that Im an atheist so the few parts where he mentions bible things to use chapters as examples and says some sh+t about Jesus. it was pretty infrequent which was good. but when I did hear it I would feel rather irritated listening to someone spout fairytales after just surving violent war zones.
but it was infrequent enough that even a very unforgiving atheist such as myself was able to ignore the such passages.

other than that it was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who loves non-fiction soldiers in action, gritty and bloody type books.
I should note that he is a private military and espionage style contractor.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to listen to it and once again id like to give a shout out to the narrator Jeff Gurner for a job well done. he's no David Attenborough ;-) but I never once got sick of his voice. great job all around.

great story and narrator

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