The Company We Keep: A Husband-and-Wife True-Life Spy Story (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
The book is really weird. I was under the impression it was a book about their life in the CIA, and in some ways it was. Both Baers are married to different people when the book begins, and it follows each of their careers with (mostly) alternating chapters with their viewpoints. The reader is dropped into Robert's story in the middle (ish) and Dayna's from a relatively new perspective. We follow their adventures, from her training to his time in the Middle East. We see the missions they undertake, the type of people they meet (and follow and observe) as well as the snippets of some of their colleagues. I found the alternating style really jarring. I understood they didn't meet until they were well into adulthood (vs. right out of college or a few years after college, etc.) and that they each had their own careers. But the back of the book seemed to make me think the book was more about their lives together. And even though the writing is compelling, I felt it was still rather distant somehow. Part of it is obviously to obscure their missions and hide the identities of the people they met/worked with. But something about the writing style definitely started to lose me after a while.Then the book shifts to their departure from the CIA and their adventure to adopt a child. Snippets of their lives get mentions here and there--Robert's previous wife and their children (especially the youngest) as well as Dayna's former husband, who gets a few mentions here and there. I found it a little strange they would want to adopt a child after the work at the CIA, and couldn't help but feel sad at Robert's acknowledgement that his relationship with his children from his previous marriage is at best rather distant. While interesting, I thought their relating the adoption story didn't really fit with the rest of their tale, although I understand that it was part of their relationship. Overall I liked the idea and found it an interesting read, but upon finishing it I felt disappointed. If you are into spy thrillers or are curious about intelligence work then it's an interesting read. But I'd recommend a reader try the library or bargain bin. Easy but disappointing read.Started out as a fairly decent memoir about the lives of an unlikely couple who were both in the CIA but by the end of it I was wondering if it was the same book. It went from a book about spies (a life they were technically out of midway in) to a nearly sappy story of planting roots & other family matters. It didn't know what it wanted to be and so it never came together.Not a book I'd re-read or recommend to anyone.
What do You think about The Company We Keep: A Husband-and-Wife True-Life Spy Story (2011)?
Interesting narrative of the lives of CIA agents, but somewhat disjointed telling.
—KetsuekiRaven
Fascinating love story. The real Mr and Mrs Smith.
—Justin
More interesting than a fictional spy thriller
—becky1496
