Pursuing a career with the FBI is a high goal, and there are many books that were written by former FBI agents that describe what the experience is like. These would be very useful reads to you if you are considering the FBI as your career, but most of all, they are enjoyable and a good way to spend an afternoon.
1. A G-Man’s Journal: A Legendary Career Inside the FBI – From the Kennedy Assassination to the Oklahoma City Bombing, by Oliver Buck Revell and Dwight Williams
Oliver Buck Revell was involved in many of the scandals that plagued the United States over the years, and these included the Kennedy assassination, Watergate, the Iran hostage crisis and anti-terrorism related to the Gulf war. He was the Associate Deputy Director in the investigations unit of the FBI. This means that he was second in command of the entire department. In his book, he gives the details into FBI investigations that went well as well as the mistakes that were made in investigations that did not.
2. A Guide to Identifying Terrorists through Body Language, by D. Vincent Sullivan and Lillian Glass, Ph.D
The time for a book such as this one that informs the American public of what a possible terrorist looks like is now. That’s why body-language expert Lillian Glass and Special Agent D. Vincent Sullivan wrote this book. They are informing the world of what the visual cues are for people who are intent upon committing a terrorist act by outlining what the behaviors and the characteristics are of these people. They have experience working with law enforcement officials, and they give many examples of cases they have worked on in the past.
3. A Journey to the Center of the Mind, by James Fitzgerald
James Fitzgerald obtained several years of experience working with the FBI as a profiler in the 1960s and 1970s. Mr. Fitzgerald does more than just explore his years with the FBI. He goes back to the beginnings of his interest in law enforcement and describes how he performed his first investigations at the tender age of 6 years old. One interesting point in his past is the fact that he had a friend who ended up being convicted of murder.
4. A.B.C.’s of Behavioral Forensics: Applying Psychology to Financial Fraud Prevention and Detection, by Sridhar Ramamoorti, David E. Morrison, III, Joseph W. Koletar and Kelly R. Pope
This book explores the victims as well as the perpetrators of fraud. The authors also studied fraud prevention specialists and how these individuals let their guards down when investigating these crimes. The authors put some time into examining the reasons that people want to believe those who are deceiving them. This study includes the principles of psychology, psychiatry, sociology, auditing and accounting. They also introduce behavioral forensics into the discussion.
5. Agent Bishop: True Stories from an FBI Agent Moonlighting as a Mormon Bishop, by Mike McPheters
Mike McPheters became a Mormon bishop four times in his life. He also was an FBI agent. He performed his duties as an agent during the day, and at night, he would attend to his congregation in the Mormon Church. He had the pleasure of joining in on investigations into crimes that were committed on Indian reservations. He was also involved in the fight against drug traffickers and took part in investigations that took him to both coasts of the United States.
Related Resource: Top 10 Best Online Homeland Security Degree Programs
Any one of these books will be able to help you determine if a career in the FBI would be for you. They should definitely be a part of your research on this career.
