The Spy and the Traitor

Movies, books, music, and all the arts go here.
Give us your recommendations and reviews.
Post Reply
User avatar
Gob
Posts: 33642
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:40 am

The Spy and the Traitor

Post by Gob »

The best book I have read this year, those interested in Cold War history (Jim?) will enjoy!

Image

A thrilling Cold War story about a KGB double agent, by one of Britain's greatest historians - now with a new afterword

On a warm July evening in 1985, a middle-aged man stood on the pavement of a busy avenue in the heart of Moscow, holding a plastic carrier bag. In his grey suit and tie, he looked like any other Soviet citizen. The bag alone was mildly conspicuous, printed with the red logo of Safeway, the British supermarket.

The man was a spy. A senior KGB officer, for more than a decade he had supplied his British spymasters with a stream of priceless secrets from deep within the Soviet intelligence machine. No spy had done more to damage the KGB. The Safeway bag was a signal: to activate his escape plan to be smuggled out of Soviet Russia. So began one of the boldest and most extraordinary episodes in the history of spying. Ben Macintyre reveals a tale of espionage, betrayal and raw courage that changed the course of the Cold War forever...

The best true spy story I have ever read (John le Carré)

[A] captivating espionage tale. In a feat of real authorial dexterity, Macintyre accurately portrays the long-game banality of spycraft-the lead time and persistence in planning-with such clarity and propulsive verve that the book often feels like a thriller. Macintyre has produced a timely and insightful page-turner. (Publishers Weekly)

Meticulously researched, splendidly told, immensely entertaining and often very moving (John le Carré on 'Agent Zigzag')

Impeccably researched, superbly told - by far the best book on the SAS in World War II (Antony Beevor on 'SAS')

Thrilling. Ben Macintyre is the ideal narrator (Spectator on 'SAS')

Thorough and highly entertaining. It would be nigh on impossible to praise it too highly (Daily Express on 'SAS')
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

User avatar
Lord Jim
Posts: 29716
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:44 pm
Location: TCTUTKHBDTMDITSAF

Re: The Spy and the Traitor

Post by Lord Jim »

The best true spy story I have ever read (John le Carré)
Well that is certainly high praise...

Looks like a good summer read; I'll check it out.
ImageImageImage

ex-khobar Andy
Posts: 5419
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:16 am
Location: Louisville KY as of July 2018

Re: The Spy and the Traitor

Post by ex-khobar Andy »

I'll look for it. But I have to say that holding a Safeway carrier bag in 1985 Moscow as a signal "I want out, MI6 pals" seems a bit obvious. If he was under some sort of suspicion you might think that he would avoid carrying a large colored symbol of the enemy. I enjoyed Mackintyre's Operation MIncemeat which was the story of a body plus bogus messages dumped into the Mediterranean in order to deceive the Nazis about the location and timing of the planned Italy landings.

User avatar
Gob
Posts: 33642
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:40 am

Re: The Spy and the Traitor

Post by Gob »

I loved "mincemeat" too.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

User avatar
Bicycle Bill
Posts: 9015
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Surrounded by Trumptards in Rockland, WI – a small rural village in La Crosse County

Re: The Spy and the Traitor

Post by Bicycle Bill »

I seem to recall a book I read way back in my grade school days called "The Man Who Never Was" that detailed the "Mincemeat" operation.  And I think they even made a big-screen movie out of it too.
Image
-"BB"-
Yes, I suppose I could agree with you ... but then we'd both be wrong, wouldn't we?

User avatar
Lord Jim
Posts: 29716
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:44 pm
Location: TCTUTKHBDTMDITSAF

Re: The Spy and the Traitor

Post by Lord Jim »

I seem to recall a book I read way back in my grade school days called "The Man Who Never Was" that detailed the "Mincemeat" operation.
I recall reading that one back when I was in High School as well.
ImageImageImage

Big RR
Posts: 14050
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 9:47 pm

Re: The Spy and the Traitor

Post by Big RR »

I did as well. and. as I recall, the movie was pretty good (usually I don't like the movie if I read the book, but this was an exception).

User avatar
Long Run
Posts: 6717
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:47 pm

Re: The Spy and the Traitor

Post by Long Run »

I'm enjoying The Spy and the Traitor -- good recommendation, Gob!

Post Reply