Surprise, Kill, Vanish: The Secret History of CIA Paramilitary Armies, Operators, and Assassins. Annie Jacobsen authored one of the most highly recommended books from the Special Forces veterans we spoke with. Though the title doesn’t mention Special Forces, it unpacks the difficult and often covert missions Green Berets were tasked with while working alongside their CIA teammates. “This book had jaw-dropping moments for me, which surprised me. There is history in this book that almost no one knows unless they were specifically read on or they were there personally,” said Tyr Symank, a Special Forces soldier with over two decades of service.