Book Post - Harry Potter and the Art of Spying

About the Book
What does Hogwarts have in common with the CIA? As it turns out, they have a lot in common. Spy novelist, Lynn Boughey and 36-year CIA veteran and Executive Director of the International Spy Museum Peter Earnest explore this question in their book Harry Potter and the Art of Spying. The title is set to be released nationwide on Sept. 15, 2014 through Wise Ink Creative Publishing. The book cycles through the Harry Potter series to reveal that spies and spy craft are just as much a part of Rowling’s world as wizards and magic.

“The characters draw heavily on traditional, and some not-so-traditional, spy craft to keep the wizarding world a secret,” say Boughey and Earnest. The authors discovered numerous connections to their own backgrounds in spy craft while reading the beloved series, such as secret organizations and covert action and adversary surveillance. “[Harry and his friends act like and are consummate espionage agents throughout the entire series, but especially in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.” The book mostly covers J.K. Rowling’s fifth installment in the Harry Potter series. Boughey developed the initial concept for the book, inspired by his military background and criminal education teaching career, and with Earnest’s collaborations, added a lot of spy lore and perspectives based on Earnest’s 36 years with the CIA.

Harry Potter and the Art of Spying promises a brand-new look at the series that inspired a generation. Inside, you’ll find a full chapter-by-chapter analysis of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and an intelligence primer that uses the entire series to teach the reader how to recruit spies, gather intelligence, find double agents and moles and be a major player in the areas of politics and diplomacy. Also within the pages are J.K. Rowling’s hidden references to Shakespeare and other important writers, as well as little-known facts about the author.

Boughey and Earnest will be featured presenters at this year’s LeakyCon which runs from July 31 to Aug. 2 in Orlando, Florida. In the past, the event has attracted 5,000 Harry Potter fans. “We are eager to engage with the Harry Potter fan base. We know we will learn from them,” say Boughey and Earnest.

About the authors:
North Dakota's first Truman Scholar, attorney Lynn Boughey is the author of spy-novel Mission to Chara, has served on the national committees relating to military matters, and has taught university courses in political science, terrorism, international relations, criminal law, and criminal procedure. Peter Earnest is the former Senior CIA National Clandestine Service Officer and is the Executive and Founding Director of the International Spy Museum in Washington DC. Peter has written several books relating to intelligence, including Business Confidential: Lessons for Corporate Success from Inside the CIA.



My Take on the Book
As a fan of the Harry Potter series, I am always interested in reading things that have connections to the original books themselves. This book was a fun book that explored the books in a new, creative and intriguing way. The author explores the books and characters and shares many new insights to his readers about hidden references, fun connections, as well as spy techniques that are both in and/or connected to the Harry Potter series itself. The book was well written and engaging. I found that I did not want to stop at night and the more I read, the more I seemed to shake my head in agreement, saying, yep, that makes total sense. If you are a Harry Potter fan, then this is a book that you will want to read and experience. You will leave reading this with a much greater appreciation for the writing of J.K. Rowling as well as learn a ton (at least I did) about spying and the connections, references and innuendos that were placed (intentionally or unintentionally) into the Harry Potter series books too.


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