A SPY AMONG FRIENDS KIM PHILBY AND THE GREAT BETRAYAL 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Ben Macintyre | 9780804136655 | | | | | A Spy Among Friends Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal 1st edition PDF Book A dominating figure physically and psychologically, Claude was nicknamed "the Emperor" by the boys at Eton. I could write pages about this enthralling book but instead, I would recommend that you read it. The Philby legend as told by Mr. In one particular Albanian operation that ended in possibly hundreds of deaths, Macintyre notes that "Lunch at Harvey's restaurant came with a hefty bill. Sponsored items from this seller Feedback on our suggestions - Sponsored items from this seller. All items are guaranteed to be as described or they may be returned within 30 days of receipt for a full refund. And this is a really good one: Kim Philby and Nicholas Elliott are fascinating characters, and their story reads like a fictional spy thriller - although 38 pages of notes and bibliography say otherwise. Kiyosaki , Paperback 4. I believe this is a bestseller primarily due to the subject matter as I can see why this story would appeal to readers all across the genres. In Russian we have 2 different words - "razvedchik" good spy and "shpion" bad spy. I believe MacIntyre expects us to already understand this and he is not going to be the one to reveal any real secrets. It has all the suspense of a good spy novel, and its characters are a complex mix of charm, eccentricity, intelligence and wit. Buy New Learn more about this copy. Personally, I found this a really interesting read and there is an enjoyable afterword, written by John le Carre. As riveting as Macintyre''s earlier books were, this searing portrait of Britain''s ruling class is even better. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. One reads this exchange with a shiver, yet with a certain admiration, too. For years he operated at the highest levels of the British Secret Intelligence Service [SIS also known as MI6] and his double agent career spanned from until when he was exposed by his long time and good personal friend Nicholas Elliot in Beirut. Click to Read More and View Comments. Shipping cost cannot be calculated. No additional import charges at delivery! Incredible true story about a master spy who had a tremendous impact on operations in British, American, and Soviet intelligence. This remarkable story, told with heart-pounding suspense and keen psychological insight, and based on personal papers and never- before-seen British intelligence files, is Ben Macintyre's best book yet, and a high-water mark in Cold War history telling. It was madness for one to think the other might be a communist spy, bent on subverting Western values and the power of the free world. With his friend Graham Greene , he could never wean himself from the thrill of risk, and like Macbeth became "in blood stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er". A Spy Among Friends Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal 1st edition Writer I'm not a lover of spy novels, yet I adored this book. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the subject. Other reading includes several of LeCarre's novels. All the time he was spying for the Soviet Union remitting many damaging Anglo-American secrets to Moscow. In later life he would look back on this as his most important skill, the foundation of his career. Ben Macintyre is a writer-at-large for The Times U. How Philby came to be a citizen of the USSR now Russia living in a uninspiring flat on rubles a month with visitors and movements controlled and monitored is well described in Ben Macintyre's very readab In , thirty years after Kim Philby's death, a small and uninteresting square was named after him. Watch list is full. There is no question that Kim Philby was the most legendary spy of World War II, carving a trail of deception and death in the world of espionage. If you want to understand the depths of despair that one human being can cause another without causing them the slightest physical blemish--this is the book. Great-aunt Blanche was said to have been "crossed in love" at the age of twenty-six and thereafter took to her bed, where she remained for the next fifty years. The stunning truth of his betrayal would have devastating consequences on the two men who thought they knew him best, and on the intelligence services he left crippled in his wake. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. He did not believe in God or Marx or capitalism; he had faith in King, country, class, and club White's Club, in his case, the gentleman's club in St James's. Estimated between Wed. On weekends he went shooting or to the races at Newmarket. To an eavesdropper their conversation appears exquisitely genteel. History is related "true" within context of that era's "eyes". There was no fresh fruit, no toilets with doors, no restraint on bullying, and no possibility of escape. The most chilling aspect of this riveting book is its contention that his success was dependent on the protective boundaries of the British class system. It is really an unbelievable and unique account of the worldwide spy and intelligence network during and after the second world war. However, it is still impossible to know what reasons Philby had for leaking secrets to the Soviet Union and what made him betray everything he knew. Add to Watchlist. Exciting and easy to read account of the despicable communist spy Philby, who used his friends to help out the communist regime that killed millions and enslaved millions more. And it offers a great--and mostly troubling--insight into the behind-the-scenes workings of those we entrust with the most important of our political and military secrets. Highly intelligent, cheerful, and lazy, the young Elliott did just enough work to get by: "The increased legibility of his handwriting only serves to reveal the inadequacy of his ability to spell," noted one report. The British government had nothing to gain by prosecuting him. Macintyre suggest that although Philby was a sincere Communist, the impelling motive for his treachery was conceit. Philby and Nick Elliot, another rising star in the service, became close friends. One reads this exchange with a shiver, yet with a certain admiration, too. Domestic Sources of Foreign Economic Policy 1st ed. How do you process this kind of duplicity? With his friend Graham Greene , he could never wean himself from the thrill of risk, and like Macbeth became "in blood stepp'd in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er". Learn more - opens in a new window or tab. It was as though, having decided on his beliefs, he simply put them out of his mind and stayed true to them, despite any conflicting, or disturbing, evidence — such as the disappearance of successive Soviet spymasters that he looked up to and respected. Told with heart-pounding suspense and keen psychological insight, and based on personal papers and never-before-seen British intelligence files, A Spy Among Friends is Ben Macintyre's best book yet, a high-water mark in Cold War history telling. This is what enabled him to get away with, quite literally, murder, for years. He played cricket, punted, drove around Cambridge in a Hillman Minx, and attended and gave some very good parties. Personally, I found this a really interesting read and there is an enjoyable afterword, written by John le Carre. Philby was one of those men of Britain's interwar generation hailing from a privileged class who, upon graduating from Oxford or Cambridg For Americans, the name "Benedict Arnold" is synonymous with traitor. For Philby, as much as Elliott, the secret life had become an addiction, a game of Russian roulette. Click to Read More and View Comments. The general remarked under his breath to Elliott that Hitler was well within rifle range: "I am tempted to take advantage of this," he muttered, adding that he could "pick the bastard off from here as easy as winking. He was actually found to be a spy and suspected to be a spy several times. MacIntyre also, in order to propel the narrative I suppose, was a bit sketchy with dates. Perhaps one of the most famous spy rings in history is the Cambridge Five. King had been passing Foreign Office telegrams to Moscow since A Spy Among Friends Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal 1st edition Reviews This is labelled as a bestseller but I struggled to really get into it. The most interesting analysis was whether or not Philby was encouraged to defect to avoid political embarrassment in the UK and US. In the autumn of the two friends went up to Cambridge. Buy New Learn more about this copy. In reality it is the death throes of a bloodied friendship. He just couldn't believe that a person of Philby's upbringing could be a Soviet Agent. Today such an institution would be illegal; in it was considered "character-forming. Get the item you ordered or get your money back. Sign in to check out Check out as guest. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. During this time Philby met and befriended a young James Angleton who became a top intelligence officer and later became head of the CIA.