# Simple Sabotage Field Manual by Office of Strategic Services

8 Hacker News commenters recommended Simple Sabotage Field Manual by Office of Strategic Services and 2 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 7 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for practical advice on workplace dysfunction that still reads as relevant today; one critic doubts its effectiveness and one finds parts unclear.

## Why people recommend it

- Still relevant today (2 comments): "the lessons in the CIA's very own Simple Sabotage Field Manual are still as helpful as when they were written" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49364505)) "there's never been a better time to dust off your copy of the "Simple Sabotage Field Manual."" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48223133))
- Useful for understanding workplace dysfunction (2 comments): "To get an idea of how this stuff usually works, start with the Simple Sabotage field manual" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48317417)) "The "Managers and Supervisors" section is like a reverse Joel test for many jobs." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46684993))
- Interesting read with good advice (2 comments): "It was a very interesting read!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47372657)) "It contains lots of good advice" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49576578))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll](https://hackerapproved.com/p/cuckoo-s-egg.md): 40 recommend
- [Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/amusing-ourselves-to-death.md): 36 recommend
- [The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt](https://hackerapproved.com/p/anxious-generation.md): 24 recommend
- [Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber](https://hackerapproved.com/p/bullshit-jobs.md): 20 recommend
- [Enshittification by Cory Doctorow](https://hackerapproved.com/p/enshittification.md): 19 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1684111420?tag=YOURTAG-20) (affiliate link)
- [Bookshop.org](https://bookshop.org/a/YOURID/9781684111428) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Simple Sabotage Field Manual by Office of Strategic Services", https://hackerapproved.com/p/simple-sabotage-field-manual/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).