---
product_id: 289243631
title: "Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency"
price: "50588CFA"
currency: XOF
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/289243631-behind-the-enigma-the-authorised-history-of-gchq-britain-s
store_origin: SN
region: Senegal
---

# 4.5/5 rating from 888 reviews Extensive 600+ pages of detailed history 125 rank in Espionage Biographies Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency

**Price:** 50588CFA
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🕵️‍♀️ Crack the code of history’s greatest secrets with the ultimate GCHQ chronicle!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency
- **How much does it cost?** 50588CFA with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/289243631-behind-the-enigma-the-authorised-history-of-gchq-britain-s)

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## Why This Product

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## Key Features

- • **Highly Rated & Respected:** Join thousands of readers who rate this a 4.5-star essential for espionage enthusiasts.
- • **Deep Dive into GCHQ's Legacy:** Uncover a century of secret cyber-intelligence evolution with unparalleled detail.
- • **Rich Social & Historical Context:** Explore the untold stories of women and management shaping Britain’s intelligence agency.
- • **Meticulously Researched & Authorised:** Trust the definitive, authorised account that dispels myths and reveals true history.
- • **Thought-Provoking & Complex Narrative:** Challenge your intellect with a dense, rewarding read that demands careful attention.

## Overview

Behind the Enigma is the authorised, meticulously researched history of Britain’s GCHQ, offering a dense and detailed exploration of its cyber-intelligence operations, social dynamics, and management evolution over a century. Highly rated and ranked among top espionage biographies, this book is a must-read for professionals craving deep insight into intelligence history.

## Description

Buy Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency by Ferris, John (ISBN: 9781526605481) from desertcart's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.

Review: Very Detailed. - This is a very densely written book - full of acronyms and hopefully, informed detail. Blows some holes in the Enigma mythology - but puts it firmly in the place where it should always have been. However, it also goes into social details as regards numbers of women employed, their social backgrounds, their employment and also their gradual rise in the ranks as societal pressures and backgrounds changed. It is complex - I'm doing about 40 pages a day - and this is a long book - but it is very detailed and takes careful reading to ensure that you fully understand what is happening. Well worth the reading, perhaps it could have been shortened a little - but lets face it - the author is dealing with a difficult and very detailed history. His account of Stuart Hampshire - a philosopy don, being brought in to sort out the management was astonishing to me - and more importantly his obvious competence in dealing with difficult problems in management and structure. Oh, if he were in charge of the Covid Crisis I wonder how much better off we would be now. Anyway- this is a dense but ultimately rewarding book that pulls no punches - but also allows for brilliance to have a light shone where necessary.
Review: Hard going so don't expect a novel! - Clearly a large amount of information was sifted to create this edition and clearly Ferris struggled to arrange it into logical sections and subsections. The result is that we jump between historical landmark dates repeatedly therefore you can be half way through before you understand the method in his chronology. That said we do have several preconceptions expunged from our minds and memories along with the assumption intelligence is uniquely useful, when it can be effectively nullified by incompetent usage and analysis. If you've looking for headline - making revelations that will shock then prepare to be disappointed. What you do get is a brilliant and detailed synopsis of the people, personalities and politics throughout a century of innovation, drama and world affairs, some of which you will either have forgotten or never been aware of in the first place. For that reason alone it is a must - read.

## Features

- New Store Stock

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | 55,353 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 125 in Espionage Biographies 131 in British Historical Military Biographies 558 in Historical Biographies by Country |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 888 Reviews |

## Images

![Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81ToTn+-iWL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very Detailed.
*by J***R on 23 December 2020*

This is a very densely written book - full of acronyms and hopefully, informed detail. Blows some holes in the Enigma mythology - but puts it firmly in the place where it should always have been. However, it also goes into social details as regards numbers of women employed, their social backgrounds, their employment and also their gradual rise in the ranks as societal pressures and backgrounds changed. It is complex - I'm doing about 40 pages a day - and this is a long book - but it is very detailed and takes careful reading to ensure that you fully understand what is happening. Well worth the reading, perhaps it could have been shortened a little - but lets face it - the author is dealing with a difficult and very detailed history. His account of Stuart Hampshire - a philosopy don, being brought in to sort out the management was astonishing to me - and more importantly his obvious competence in dealing with difficult problems in management and structure. Oh, if he were in charge of the Covid Crisis I wonder how much better off we would be now. Anyway- this is a dense but ultimately rewarding book that pulls no punches - but also allows for brilliance to have a light shone where necessary.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Hard going so don't expect a novel!
*by D***W on 7 December 2020*

Clearly a large amount of information was sifted to create this edition and clearly Ferris struggled to arrange it into logical sections and subsections. The result is that we jump between historical landmark dates repeatedly therefore you can be half way through before you understand the method in his chronology. That said we do have several preconceptions expunged from our minds and memories along with the assumption intelligence is uniquely useful, when it can be effectively nullified by incompetent usage and analysis. If you've looking for headline - making revelations that will shock then prepare to be disappointed. What you do get is a brilliant and detailed synopsis of the people, personalities and politics throughout a century of innovation, drama and world affairs, some of which you will either have forgotten or never been aware of in the first place. For that reason alone it is a must - read.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Assumes a prior knowledge level. Could be better.
*by O***Y on 5 January 2021*

I can’t argue with the quality of the research and accuracy, but this book is not an easy read. Difficult to describe but language used is unnecessarily flowery. Assumes a prior level of knowledge and acronyms used. Can become very confusing. The inclusion of a ‘Glossary of Terms’ would be very welcome. Mixes opinion with fact and it’s sometimes difficult to determine which is which. Personally, as you’ll probably guess, I find the book disappointing and unnecessarily hard work. The fact it’s an authorised history should have been an opportunity to produce a more readable book. It remains an interesting read about a fascinating service of ‘The State’ that has an important role in the nation’s safety across wide parameters.

## Frequently Bought Together

- Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History of GCHQ, Britain’s Secret Cyber-Intelligence Agency
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*Product available on Desertcart Senegal*
*Store origin: SN*
*Last updated: 2026-03-17*