Book a spy among friends

To meet philby, it seemed, was to fall under his convivial sway. Ben macintyres latest nonfiction thriller, a spy among friends, is about kim philby, the highlevel british spymaster who turned out to be a russian mole. Mar 12, 2015 to read a spy among friends is a bit like climbing aboard a runaway train in terms of speed and excitement except that macintyre knows exactly where he is going and is in total control of his material daily mail, books of the week it reads like fiction, which is testament to the extraordinary power of the story itself but also to the. The title of this book is a spy among friends, but a more accurate one might have been, intelligence agents have no friends. An engaging book on a tantalising and ultimately tragic subject, if it starts as a study of friendship, it ends as an indictment philip hensher, spectator. Ben macintyre also wrote a book about philby called a spy among friends. The celebrated author of a spy among friends and rogue heroes returns with his greatest spy story yet, a thrilling cold warera tale of oleg gordievsky, the russian whose secret work helped hasten the collapse of the soviet union.

Real life spy kim philby had a level of charm that fictional spy james bond could only aspire to. Suspected of being a spy for a decade before his 1963 defection to moscow, kim philby escaped punishment with the help of a smooth manner and loyal friends. A spy among friends is not just an elegy, it is an unforgettable requiem observer gripping. A spy among friends book daniel boone regional library. In macintyres telling, philbys story is not a tale.

Macintyre is a superb writer, with an eye for the telling detail as fine as any novelistsa spy among friends is as suspenseful as any novel, too, as the clues tighten around philbys guilt. Written with an historians fidelity to fact and a novelists eye for character, a spy among friends is one terrific book. A spy among friends by ben macintyre suspected of being a spy for a decade before his 1963 defection to moscow, kim philby escaped punishment with the help of a smooth manner and. The bestselling author of operation mincemeat presents a definitive portrait of the notorious 20thcentury spy that discusses his rise in mi6, highprofile intelligence friendships and 20year espionage operation that culminated in his 1963 defection to moscow. As history, a spy among friends is incredibly interesting, and gives some insight into a period many lived through. Dramatic, immersive, and wantingmuch like desire itself. A spy among friends is an absorbing book offering stories of sex, booze, betrayal, suspense, and other risky behaviors. Like almost every character in this book, philby and angleton were. Kim philby was the most notorious british defector and soviet mole in history. A spy among friends, by ben macintyre july 24, 2014 walter isaacson when devouring this thriller about kim philby, the highlevel british spymaster who turned out to be a russian mole, i had to keep reminding myself that it was not a novel.

Mar 12, 2015 the book a spy among friends written by ben macintire made for fascinating reading for my husband. Ben macintyre tells the story of notorious british defector and soviet mole kim philby. He was only able to put the book down when absolutely necessary. Ben macintyres a spy among friends the new york times. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading a spy among friends. Jul 29, 2014 a spy among friends, ben macintyres thrillingly ambitious new book, tackles the greatest spy story of all. In a spy among friends, ben macintyre expertly weaves the heartpounding tale of how philby almost got away with it alland what happened when he was finally unmasked.

Boston globe macintyre is a superb writer, with an eye for the telling detail as fine as any novelistsa spy among friends is as suspenseful as any novel, too, as the clues. Macintyres focus on friendship brings an intimacy to this book that is missing from the cardboard stereotypes that populate spy novels and conventional espionage historiesim not a lover of spy novels, yet i adored this book. How to discuss a book helpful discussion tips generic discussion questionsfiction and nonfiction readthinktalk a guided reading chart also, consider these talking points to help start a discussion for a spy among friends spoiler alert in effectbeware if youve not read the book. To read a spy among friends is a bit like climbing aboard a runaway train in terms of speed and excitement except that macintyre knows exactly where he is going and is in total control of his material. Thus, when it was disclosed in 1963 that this very proper, wellplaced and cambridgeeducated. A spy among friends is not just an elegy, it is an unforgettable requiem. Mar 28, 2014 to order a spy among friends or kim philby, each at. A spy among friends, ben macintyres thrillingly ambitious new book, tackles the greatest spy story of all. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.

Ben macintyres latest nonfiction thriller, a spy among friends, is about. Read free book excerpt from a spy among friends by ben macintyre, page 8 of 9. A spy among friends is an extraordinary book about a sordid profession in which the most important attribute is the ability to lie. As a biography, macintyre probes the deepest reaches of the life of kim philby, revealing more than has ever been known. Jul 27, 2014 ben macintyres latest nonfiction thriller, a spy among friends, is about kim philby, the highlevel british spymaster who turned out to be a russian mole. A spy among friends kim philby and the great betrayal book. Kim philby and the great betrayal ben macintyre, 2014 crown publishing 384 pp. To read a spy among friends is a bit like climbing aboard a runaway train in terms of speed and excitement except that macintyre knows exactly where he is going and is in total control of his material daily mail, books of the week it reads like fiction, which is testament to the extraordinary power of the story itself but also to the. Even his russian handler, the suave and sophisticated yuri. Boston globe macintyre is a superb writer, with an eye for the telling detail as fine as any novelistsa spy among friends is as suspenseful as any novel, too.

If anyone could be considered a russian counterpart to the infamous british doubleagent kim philby, it was oleg. A spy among friends ebook by ben macintyre rakuten kobo. Based on personal papers and neverbeforeseen british intelligence files, this is ben macintyres epic telling of one of the greatest spy stories ever, a cold war history. Here he tells the story of his book a spy among friends. New york times bestseller the true story of kim philby, the cold wars most infamous spy, from the master espionage writer and author of the spy and the traitor. In that high noon among the teacups, each sacrificed everything. Kim philby and the great betrayal by ben macintyre. Agent, double agent, traitor and enigma, he betrayed every secret of allied operations to the russians in the early years of the cold war. Ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim philbys friendships, particularly with nicholas elliott. Aug 30, 2019 ben macintyre also wrote a book about philby called a spy among friends. A spy among friends manages to convey philbys satanic charm craig brown, mail on sunday books of the year this account of the highlevel british spymaster who turned out to be a russian mole reads like john le carre but is a solidly researched true story new york times 100 notable books of 2014.

Like a spy among friends and ben macintyres other books on the world of intelligence, such as agent. The focus of a spy among friends is the fragility of trust in the spy business. Told with heartpounding suspense and keen psychological insight, and based on personal papers and neverbeforeseen british intelligence files, a spy among friends is ben macintyres best book yet, a highwater mark in cold war history telling. I would have been happy had it been three times as long mail on sunday. The book a spy among friends written by ben macintire made for fascinating reading for my husband. Master storyteller ben macintyres most ambitious work to date brings to life. Boston globe macintyre is a superb writer, with an eye for the telling detail as fine as any novelistsa spy among friends is as suspenseful as any novel, too, as the clues tighten around philbys guilt. The celebrated author of double cross and rogue heroes. Ben macintyre s latest nonfiction thriller, a spy among friends, is about kim philby, the highlevel british spymaster who turned out to be a russian mole. Apart from the pain of losing his best friend when philby was outed and subsequently fled to russia, elliott also suffered the embarrassment of having brought philby back into mi6 after he had been nearly exposed as a spy a few years earlier. Jan 01, 2015 the book a spy among friends written by ben macintire made for fascinating reading for my husband. Kim philby and the great betrayal kim philby was the most notorious british defector and soviet mole in history.

Mar 09, 2014 in that high noon among the teacups, each sacrificed everything. Jul 29, 2014 a spy among friends kim philby and the great betrayal by. Kim philbys duplicity has appalled and fascinated his compatriots for over half a century. I gave it to him as a gift and he had great problems to stop reading. A portrait of the notorious twentiethcentury spy discusses his rise in mi6, highprofile intelligence friendships, and twentyyear espionage operation that culminated in his 1963 defection to moscow. Kim philby and the great betrayal kindle edition by macintyre, ben. Those closest to himlike his fellow mi6 officer and best friend since childhood. Master storyteller ben macintyres most ambitious work to date brings to life the twentieth centurys greatest spy story. Master storyteller ben macintyres most ambitious work to da. If anyone could be considered a russian counterpart to the infamous british doubleagent kim philby, it was oleg gordievsky.