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Spies, Lies, and Exile: The Extraordinary Story of Russian Double Agent George Blake
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About This Book
For fans of John le Carré and Ben Macintyre, an exclusive first-person account of one of the Cold War's most notorious spies "Kuper provides a different and valuable perspective, humane and informative. If the definition of a psychopath is someone who refuses to accept the consequences of his actions, does George fit the definition? There he sits, admitting it was all for nothing, but has no regrets. Or does he?" - John le Carré Few Cold War capers approach the sheer daring and treachery of the spy George Blake. After fighting in the Dutch resistance during World War II, Blake joined the British spy agency MI6 and was stationed in Seoul. Taken prisoner after the North Korean army overran his post in 1950, Blake later returned to England to a hero's welcome, carrying a dark secret: while in a communist prison camp, he had secretly switched sides to the KGB. As a Soviet double agent, Blake betrayed uncounted western spying operations--including the storied Berlin Tunnel, the most expensive covert project ever undertaken by the CIA and MI6. Blake exposed hundreds of western agents, forty of whom were likely executed. After his unmasking and arrest, he received, for that time, the longest sentence in modern British history. Much of Blake's career existed inside the hall of mirrors that was the Cold War, especially following his sensational escape from Wormwood Scrubs prison. Now that the master spy has died, veteran journalist Simon Kuper finally sets the record straight. Kuper tracked Blake to his dacha outside Moscow, where the aging spy agreed to be interviewed for this unprecedented account of Cold War espionage.
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Reviews
"Kuper's highly readable and multi-layered portrait is largely sympathetic, yet clear-eyed about the human cost of moral stances."
"Kuper's considered skepticism and his ability, at the end, to see through the veneer of self-deception."
"The result isn't new information — Blake's description of his life was consistent with previous accounts, which Kuper often quotes — but it is an enjoyable and lively retelling of a story now largely forgotten ..."
"This well-written and solidly researched biography of a complicated man will resonate with readers who enjoyed Ben Macintyre's A Spy Among Friends or the novels of John le Carré."
"the most comprehensive and insightful biography to date ..."
"There are no great revelations here, but this well-written book goes to the heart of the Blake story, one that is much more intriguing and interesting on a personal level than those of Britain's other notorious spies, including the Cambridge ring ..."
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