PUBLICATIONS OF READER'S DIGEST BOOK 'KGB'

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 02148713
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2018
• Case Number: F-2017-02063
• Publication Date: October 9, 1973

Approved for Release: 2018/08/28 CO2148713
�
9 October 1973
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
j
Executive Registry
SUBJECT: Publication of Reader's Digest Book
"KGB"
1. The book publishing unit of the Reader's Digest expects
that "KGB", a non-fiction work by John Barron, a senior Digest
staffer, will be off the presses by mid-November 1973 and go on
sale in late December. This book is not a CIA project but Barron
has been in touch with Agency officers, principally
(now retired), for consultation and advice ever since 1967 when the
idea for the book originated. Barron has also been in contact with
the FBI, which gave him considerable help, with MI-6 and with
other west European services. Preliminary versions of a number
of chapters of the book have already been printed in regular issues
of the Digest in the past few years.
2. The Author's Preface states, in the course of many other
acknowledgements:
"The Central Intelligence Agency eventually fulfilled
most of our requests for addresses through which we were
able to write former KGB personnel and negotiate our own
arrangements for interviews. We further profited from
the expert counsel of two retired CIA officers, William
King Harvey and Peer d'Silva."
3. Although the above statement is accurate, CIA made
available overt materials, and also provided Barron a document
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
pproved for Release: 2018/08/28 CO2148713
Approved for Release: 2018/08/28 CO2148713
�
a
�
In addition, all chapters
were carefully proof-read for factual errors, and corrections and
additions of some substance were made to the passages on KGB
organization. None of the case histories was provided by CIA,
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
4. Barron has annotated his book with chapter notes citing (b)(1)
actual (non-CIA) sources for virtually everything in the book. Never- (b)(3)
theless, the wealth of detail and relative accuracy and currency of the
information will lead knowledgeable observers to infer that the CIA.
and/or the FBI either wrote or were active collaborators in the book.
Barron and Reader's Digest are prepared to stand behind the state-
ment in the Author's Preface, quoted in paragraph 2 above. We
should be able to maintain this stance publicly, although it may be
useful to acknowledge that the Digest did us the courtesy of showing
us an advance copy. We should not indicate that we censored the
book in any way.
cc: A/DCI
David H. Blee
Associate Deputy Director for Operations
r1017i71� .111T
pproved for Release: 2018/08/28 CO2148713
_
,.;Approved for Release: 2018/08/28 602148713
- - CUNFI
U NIX
-U4.CLASSI F I ED
TO: (Officer designation, -room number, and �
building)
15
FORM
3-62
0 USE PREVIOUS
EDITIONS
ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
TI AL ri SECRET
OGC Subjeat - PUBLICATIONS
EXTENSION
�
OFFICER'S:
INITIALS
DATE
9 Oct 73
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
agree with Dave, Mee' s
o si.tfofC:thatwe can: go iwith the
preface-and agree -further
that if--aske-d we, shouldic-kri owl e dgo._
_ .
at_the;Digest showed us an. _
-
a vance,copy. While there may
be -i*O-Me:Who-would disagree with
a publication dealing with the KGB
at. this time, I would think that
this is Very much a minority
position_ A well-researched
factual piece would seem appropriate
at any .time.
(b)(6)
John S. Warner (b)(3)
ing General Counsel
15 October 1973
SECRET- n CONFIDENTIAL INTERNAL
USE ONLY Li UNCLASSIFIED
pproved for Release: 2018/08/28 CO2148713