A fascinating book by a British journalist and writer who argues that some time after 1942 British leaders decided to make up for British loss of real power by relying more and more on the secret intelligence service, a kind of "shadow government" in a different sense. A highly readable and even plausible book, focusing on the Suez debacle, the Cuban triumph, and the Falklands risk. Intelligent and anecdotal variations on the familiar theme of Britain's losing battle with decline.