SPIES, REAL AND IMAGINED Coordinators: Lucy Kirk, Rena Shagan, and Maureen Sullivan "I've got a story to tell you . about spies," says Ricki Tarr in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Stories about spies raise many issues - morality, patriotism, recruiting, betrayal, conspiracy. They also tell us what motivates people to become spies - love of danger, ideology, money, blackmail . We investigate the matrix of issues and motivation through five books, both fiction and non-fiction, concentrating on the Cold War. We discuss the intelligence organizations, their spycraft, and the believability of the characters. Background material includes the history of the Cold War, its participants and events. Some of the best spy fiction is written by former case officers. Coordinator Lucy Kirk shares her experience constructing her own spy novel, including what a career officer can disclose about operations and how to fictionalize former colleagues. Readings: NOTE: Low cost used books are available from BookFinder.com. Any edition can be purchased. Please read entire book prior to first week's discussion of that book. 1. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré, {1974} FICTION: George Smiley, le Carré's continuing character, searches for a mole in Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. This is le Carré's most famous Smiley book. 2. The Main Enemy by Milton Beardon and James Risen, {2003} NONFICTION: The inside story of the CIA's final showdown with the KGB 3. Istanbul Passage by Joseph Kanon, {2012} FICTION: Formerly neutral city must take sides at the outbreak of the Cold War. 4. The Geneva Trap by Stella Rimington, {2012} FICTION: Cyber sabotage threatens West defenses. This book is strong on procedure because Rimington is the former head of Britain's MI5. She is one of the few women spy novelists. 5. An Englishman Abroad by Alan Bennett, {1983} This play is contained in Single Spies by Bennett, also available as DVD, and on Youtube. NONFICTION: Look who drops in on Australian actress Coral Browne playing in Hamlet in Moscow: Guy Burgess, one of the Cambridge Five, unconcerned about morality but missing cricket scores and silk pajamas. Lucy Kirk spent 34 years in intelligence, as a case officer and chief of station for the CIA, and so represents the factual aspects of espionage. Rena Shagan and Maureen Sullivan are devoted fans of espionage fiction and can judge when it is well written. * * * * * * * * Syllabus - A Work in Progress * * * * * * * * Week 1 Topic: Cold War causes and major players, countries involved Reading: Reading is emailed prior to week 1. Questions: 1. Why did the Cold War end? 2. Who won? Please read entire book prior to first week's discussion of that book. Weeks 2,3 Topic: Early cyber warfare between US and Russia Reading: The Geneva Trap Questions: 1. Does having a female MI5 agent change the level of intrigue? 2. How important is computer technology in anti-terrorism? Weeks 4,5 Topic: CIA vs KGB by a career intelligence officer and a NYT reporter Reading: The Main Enemy: The Inside Story of the CIA's final showdown with the KGB Questions: 1. What is the measure of success in the espionage business? 2. Which operatives described achieved success and how? Weeks 6,7 Topic: Who is the mole among 5 top British spymasters? Reading: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Questions: 1. Spot examples of the vocabulary that le Carre introduces. 2. Why is Smiley's interrogation technique so effective? Weeks 8,9 Topic: A city and its spies--transition from the end of WWII to the Cold War Reading: Istanbul Passage Questions: 1. How does setting contribute to a spy novel? 2. How well is the moral ambiguity of espionage portrayed? Week 10 Topic: Elements of a spy novel Reading: Material is emailed prior to week 10. Speaker: Lucy Kirk discusses plot, characters and approvals required, based on her experience and that of colleagues writing about spies. Week 11 Topic: Guy Burgess on why he was never discovered until he defected: "How can he be a spy? - He goes to my tailor." Reading: An Englishman Abroad Questions: 1. Do you feel sympathy or, at least, understanding for Burgess? 2. How does Burgess manage to remain "English" even though abroad? Week 12 Topic: Wrap-up. Reading: Readings are emailed prior to week 12. Questions: 1. Is the Cold War over or are we in a new Cold War? 2. What is the value of a human spy in a world of cyber warfare and cutting edge technology? .