The Pentagon's Brain Audiobook By Annie Jacobsen cover art

The Pentagon's Brain

An Uncensored History of DARPA, America's Top-Secret Military Research Agency

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The Pentagon's Brain

By: Annie Jacobsen
Narrated by: Annie Jacobsen
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Discover the definitive history of DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, in this Pulitzer Prize finalist from the author of the New York Times best seller Area 51.

No one has ever written the history of the Defense Department's most secret, most powerful, and most controversial military science R&D agency. In the first-ever history about the organization, New York Times best-selling author Annie Jacobsen draws on inside sources, exclusive interviews, private documents, and declassified memos to paint a picture of DARPA, or "the Pentagon's brain", from its Cold War inception in 1958 to the present.

This is the audiobook on DARPA - a compelling narrative about this clandestine intersection of science and the American military and the often frightening results.

©2015 Annie Jacobsen (P)2015 Hachette Audio Americas Biological & Chemical Warfare Military Weapons Weapons & Warfare War Thought-Provoking Middle East Imperial Japan Biological Weapons

Editorial reviews

"Annie Jacobsen...is a great storyteller, making the tantalizing tale of The Pentagon's Brain - from the depths of the Cold War to present day - come alive on every page." (Gerald Posner, author of God's Bankers)

Critic reviews

"A fascinating and unsettling portrait of the secretive US government agency.... Jacobsen walks a fine line in telling the story of the agency and its innovations without coming across as a cheerleader or a critic." ( Publishers Weekly starred review)
"Filled with the intrigue and high stakes of a spy novel, Jacobsen's history of DARPA is as much a fascinating testament to human ingenuity as it is a paean to endless industrial warfare." ( Kirkus Reviews)
Extensive Research • Fascinating History • Pleasant Voice • Eye-opening Revelations • Thought-provoking Content
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I still don't know Annie Jacobsen's politics, and I love it. She is what a journalist should be. I wish there were more like her. She is a wonderful writer, compelling, adroit, and intelligent.

I still don't know Annie Jacobsen's politics

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An important story told in good detail especially considering how much of DARPA is secret.

a history of America's idea factory for military.

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The author bounces between paranoia of the military industrial complex and objective needs for a strong military. Some good stories on technology maturation and policy pitfalls but then some serious skepticism on drone technology which boarders more on science fiction than sound AI reasoning.

Oscillating Objectivity

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Exciting story of DARPA. Must read for history and technology books' readers, covering 1957 to 2014.

Science, Bureaucracy and Politics

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Jacobsen does a masterful job breaking down the inner workings of DARPA. I found myself not wanting to stop listening. The author is very detailed and engaging, delivering information and concepts in a very digestible manner. Great Book!

Very, Very Informative Book

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Eye opening history of US military sponsored R&D. Like the idea of making the work unclassified as much as possible. Sorry to say there have been egregious failures in not keeping us out of Vietnam Iraq and Afghanistan. Hopefully there will be adequate investments in history / anthropology and social sciences going forward to help prevent US soldier entrapment in future quagmire conflicts. Thankfully the civilian benefits of some DARPA projects have been huge.

Helpful History of Military Tech projects

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The book is a must-read. Whether close to or far from the field, you'll learn a lot. Those close to it will catch some mispronouncing that Audible should've avoided. But it's not too distracting and others won't notice. I will go back to the written version for quotes, but the audio version was well worth having. It was educational and entertaining.

Excellent, very minor quibbles

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After the Area 51 book and the single sourced unverifiable alien BS I really wonder how much I can trust the information. It's a shame too because the Area 51 book would have been just as good without that story line. In my mind it calls into question the authenticity. This was a fascinating book. The author seems to always narrate her own books which is a little annoying. She's ok, but I think another narrator would be better.

Can you trust the author?

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This book is packed with history, details of personal stories that bring the events to life, crammed with science fact, and concludes with astonishingly critical questions to ponder. I truly enjoyed every chapter.

Simply great

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Would you consider the audio edition of The Pentagon's Brain to be better than the print version?

Yes, makes stuck in traffic a learning experience!

What about Annie Jacobsen’s performance did you like?

The knowledge was great with good research. Almost wished it was longer!

Great book!

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