My Life as a Spy

"A memoir with the exciting elements of an espionage thriller. . . . This work of anthropological intrigue shows the author’s academic coming-of-age." -- Karl Helicher * Foreword Reviews *
"Fascinating, thoughtful and occasionally riveting." -- James Ryerson * New York Times Book Review *
"Coming from such a distinguished academic, Verdery’s brutally honest description of herself, including as a naive and careless young scholar, is stunning. Few books reflect so frankly and so powerfully on the nature and complications of an academic career." * Foreign Affairs *
"This book raises provocative points about the effect of surveillance that will appeal to most readers." -- Laurie Unger Skinner * Library Journal *
"To read one’s police file is—suddenly—to have the curtain pulled open. The self you think you know becomes a mask, concealing a devious somebody else whose relationships are mere espionage fakes. . . . [An] unforgettable book." -- Neal Ascherson * London Review of Books *
"This book constitutes an excellent, detailed foray into the workings of a surveillance state in the Soviet bloc. But ultimately, this book’s strength emerges from its transparency concerning anthropological methodologies, an openness that comprises a foundational read for not only anthropology students but also for any social scientist working in post-socialist states." -- Sabrina Papazian * EuropeNow *
"Surely one of the finest and most thoughtful accounts of modern surveillance that we possess." -- Mark Mazower * TLS *
"Joining a growing body of literature based on secret police archival documents, Verdery’s book stands out as she deploys her craft of anthropologist to examine the unexpected material. . . . By investigating one of its most elusive yet powerful apparatuses, the Securitate, Verdery creates an enthralling ethnography of the Communist state. . . . My Life as a Spy will teach anthropology, sociology, and history students much about methodology, and it is exemplary in exposing the dilemmas inherent in that methodology." -- Irina Culic * American Ethnologist *
"My Life as a Spy is Verdery’s masterpiece. . . . This is a book that should be read by all anthropologists and taught across the globe – a beautifully written, deeply engaged and engaging text that shows just what a wonderful and revelatory discipline anthropology can be when in the hands of committed and resourceful scholars." -- Michael Stewart * Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute *
"This captivating memoir is like none I have read before. . . .  A masterpiece." -- Kate Brown * Slavic Review *
"Every anthropologist should read this book." -- Steven Sampson * PoLAR *