Kim philby, spies, and the dangers of paranoia the new yorker. The 2nd of 3 promotional shorts to introduce my new book a wilderness of mirrors. Isaacson writes 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. I would have been happy had it been three times as long mail on sunday the life of cambridge spy kim philby is analysed in this irresistibly readable study sunday times. A kirkus best fiction book of 2012 a kansas city star top book the year when kim philby fled to moscow in 1963, he became the most notorious double agent in the history of espionage. The book entitled kim philby will be followed by another homily on moscow tv next month in a bid to make the cambridge five double agent an espionage icon for a. Inevitably, the ghost of kim philby hovers over the pages. Oct 01, 2017 a new portrait of the british double agent kim philby, second from right, at a state art gallery in moscow. Philby was the inspiration for the character of british intelligence officer archibald arch cummings in the 2005 film the good shepherd. Apr 12, 2015 the 2nd of 3 promotional shorts to introduce my new book a wilderness of mirrors. Agent, double agent, traitor and enigma, he betrayed every secret of allied operations to the russians in the early years of the cold war. Kim philby, the british mi6 officer who defected to russia during the cold war, has been published in moscow. Ben macintyres a spy among friends the new york times.
Ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim philbys friendships, particularly with nicholas elliott other books on philby may. Dec 12, 2011 the book entitled kim philby will be followed by another homily on moscow tv next month in a bid to make the cambridge five double agent an espionage icon for a new generation of russians. British traitor kim philby praised in new book as 1 of. In january 1951, kim philby hosted the most illfated dinner party in the history of the nations capital, or at least since the british captured washington in 1814, found the white house dining. May 20, 2015 a prolific writer on intelligence work, the philby study is his third fulllength book. There have been quite a few books written about kim philby in recent years but this interested me because in was penned in 1967 by someone who thought she was close to him.
Kim philby, the ringleader of the legendary cambridge spies. Rare film emerges of doubleagent kim philby speaking. S the footage sheds longawaited new light on philby. A member of the british establishment, philby joined the secret intelligence service in 1940, rose to the head of soviet counterintelligence, and, as m16s liaison with the cia and the fbi, betrayed every secret of allied operations to the russians. Philby was one of the 20th centurys most legendary spies. A spy among friends is not just an elegy, it is an unforgettable requiem. Kim philby, the soviet mole in british intelligence and acknowledged. In case doubt should still lurk in devious minds, a plain statement of the facts is perhaps called for. New book on british double spy kim philby published in.
That is the gist of many of the umpteen books and articles written about kim philby, guy burgess, donald maclean, anthony blunt and john cairncross, the socalled cambridge spies. Apr 10, 20 the philby bookyoung philbyis a unique and strangely overlooked historicallybased spy novel by wellrespected espionage writer robert littell the company and the once and future spy. This book is a fascinating history of his life and relationships with other mi6 agents, russian spies, and his wives. Kim philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man who rose to head britains counterintelligence against the soviet union during the height of the cold war while he was secretly working for the enemy. Todor boyadjiev at the presentation of his book the spy.
Recruited into his majestys secret intelligence service at the beginning of world war ii, he rose rapidly in the ranks to become the chief liaison officer with the cia in washington after the war. It is based on candid interviews with his surviving fourth wife, rufina pukhovaphilby, as well as on an array of declassified documents from russian state archives. The observer ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim philbys friendships, particularly with nicholas elliott. He, after all, abandoned his five children when he defected. Hulton archive i n january 1963, two middleaged englishmen took tea together in the christian quarter of beirut. The writer, who has just landed a book deal with harper collins for her debut novel, the most difficult thing, has grown up with the legacy of kim philby s betrayal and defection to the soviet. The first ever authorised history of the sas, commemorating the 75th anniversary of the regiment in the. Bbc radio 4 will air more of philbys speech at 8 p. Master storyteller ben macintyres most ambitious work to date offers a powerful new angle on the 20th centurys greatest spy story kim philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man who rose to head britains counterintelligence against the soviet union during the height of the cold warwhile he was secretly working for the enemy. This books main theme is trying to tell the story of one of the 5 spies as the leader of the whole enterprise kim philby.
A member of the british establishment, philby joined the secret intelligence. The observer ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim. Nov 10, 2019 in january 1951, kim philby hosted the most illfated dinner party in the history of the nations capital, or at least since the british captured washington in 1814, found the white house dining. Recruited into his majestys secret intelligence service at the beginning. Eleanor philby died of cancer a year after the book was published having returned to. The book also contains a transcript of philby s meeting with the bulgarian interior ministrys deputy ministers and chiefs of operations made during philby s first visit to bulgaria in 1973. In 1963, he was revealed to be a member of the cambridge five, a spy ring which passed information to the soviet union during world war ii and in the early stages of the cold war. But ben macintyre manages to retell it in a way that makes philbys destructive genius fresh and horridly fascinating. Her thriller, described by its publishers as a cross between john. Is it safe to assume the other woman was the novel you were referring to. Of the five, philby is believed to have been most successful in providing.
Nprs arun rath talks with author ben macintyre about his new book, a spy among friends, and the boozy secret to philby s success. In the annals of espionage, one name towers above all others. Jul 27, 2014 philby was one of the 20th centurys most legendary spies. Kim philby and the great betrayal crown is the latest in ben macintyres series on twentiethcentury espionage including the bestselling operation mincemeat. Kim philby and the great betrayal kim philby was the most notorious british defector and soviet mole in history. Jul 08, 2019 inevitably, the ghost of kim philby hovers over the pages. 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. 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. Eleanor philby died of cancer a year after the book was published having returned to the states.
New evidence links the cases of kim philby and lee harvey. 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. Philby defected to the soviet union from britain in 1963. Ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim philbys friendships, particularly with nicholas elliott this book consists of 300. A new portrait of the british double agent kim philby, second from right, at a state art gallery in moscow. Nprs arun rath talks with author ben macintyre about his new book, a spy among friends, and the boozy secret to.
Those closest to himlike his fellow mi6 officer and best friend since childhood, nicholas elliot, and the cias head of counterintelligence, james jesus angletonknew him as a loyal confidant and an. Apr 04, 2016 bbc radio 4 will air more of philbys speech at 8 p. Kim philby, byname of harold adrian russell philby, born january 1, 1912, ambala, indiadied may 11, 1988, moscow, russia, u. My silent war by kim philby penguin books new zealand. New cia affidavits cast doubt on his loyalty to the russians. Ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim philbys friendships, particularly with nicholas elliott. Harold adrian russell kim philby 1 january 1912 11 may 1988 was a british intelligence officer and a double agent for the soviet union. And nobody thought he knew philby like nicholas elliott, philbys best friend and fellow officer in mi6. Jul 23, 2014 in an essay in this weeks issue of the new yorker, malcolm gladwell takes a survey of the espionage world. Kim philby, spies, and the dangers of paranoia the new.
This is a cultural and theological engagement with the wests prevailing culture of suspicion, and how we can. In 2016 you told the new york times you had recently reread your entire collection of books on the kim philby affair in preparation for a forthcoming novel. When devouring this thriller about kim philby, the highlevel british. Sep 16, 2018 the writer, who has just landed a book deal with harper collins for her debut novel, the most difficult thing, has grown up with the legacy of kim philbys betrayal and defection to the soviet. The writer, who has just landed a book deal with harper collins for her debut novel, the most difficult thing, has grown up with the legacy of kim philbys betrayal and defection to the soviet. An undercurrent of macintyres book is the sense that, for those living a. A prolific writer on intelligence work, the philby study is his third fulllength book. In early manhood, i became an accredited member of the soviet intelligence service. This book details the blunt, burgess, philby, maclean and cairncross ussr spy ring inside the british intelligence services. New book on british double spy kim philby published in russia. Of all soviet spies during the cold war, harold kim philby is the one authors seem to most like writing about. Kim philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man who rose to head britains counterintelligence against the soviet union during the height of the cold warwhile he was secretly working for the enemy. Harold kim philby, the senior mi6 british liaison officer to the fbi and the cia, was secretly a soviet spy and leader of britains. The unknown story of the kgbs master spy tim milne.
Ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim philby s friendships, particularly with nicholas elliott. This is a cultural and theological engagement with the wests prevailing culture of. Kim philby and the great betrayal, ben macintyre explores how philby exploited personal relationships to. One has to keep reminding oneself that kim philbys spying for the soviet union resulted in hundreds of deaths. Master storyteller ben macintyres most ambitious work to date brings to life the twentieth centurys greatest spy story. Kim philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man who. Ben macintyre is a writeratlarge for the times of london and the bestselling author of a spy among friends, double cross, operation mincemeat, agent zigzag, and rogue heroes, among other books.
Kim philby has been an obsession of mine for a very long time. The hick from indiana who nailed master spy kim philby. The philby bookyoung philbyis a unique and strangely overlooked historicallybased spy novel by wellrespected espionage writer robert littell the company and the once and future spy. Kim philby and the great betrayal, by ben macintyre kim philby was arguably the most successful russian spy throughout ww2 and the cold war.
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