STRANGERS ON A BRIDGE, THE CASE OF COLONEL ABEL (The Basis for Recent Tom Hanks Movie BRIDGE OF SPIES)- - - - Signed- - - - -

by James B. Donovan

In the early morning of February 10, 1962, James B. Donovan began his walk toward the center of the Glienicke Bridge, the famous “Bridge of Spies” which then linked West Berlin to East. With him, walked Rudolf Ivanovich Abel, master spy and for years the chief of Soviet espionage in the United States. Approaching them from the other side, under equally heavy guard, was Francis Gary Powers, the American U-2 spy plane pilot famously shot down by the Soviets, whose exchange for Abel Donovan had negotiated. These were the strangers on a bridge, men of East and West, representatives of two opposed worlds meeting in a moment of high drama. Abel was the most gifted, the most mysterious, the most effective spy in his time. His trial, which began in a Brooklyn United States District Court and ended in the Supreme Court of the United States, chillingly revealed the methods and successes of Soviet espionage. No one was better equipped to tell the whole absorbing history than James B. Donovan, who was appointed to defend one of his country’s enemies and did so with scrupulous skill. In Strangers on a Bridge, the lead prosecutor in the Nuremburg Trials offers a clear-eyed and fast-paced memoir that is part procedural drama, part dark character study and reads like a noirish espionage thriller. From the first interview with Abel to the exchange on the bridge in Berlin—here is an important historical narrative that is “as fascinating as it is exciting” (The Houston Chronicle).

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Espionage, Russia, Biography, Memoir, Politics

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1964

Reviews

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

...I will admit that I did not know this particular event in history until the recent film "Bridge of Spies." I had planned to read this book a couple of months ago when I first learned about that film, but did not actually purchase the book until after the film was released.

Although generally accurate, the film dramatizes much of the story. There was no mention in the book of a shooting at James Donovan's house, for instance. And he was on vacation when he got word that he was selected to defend Rudolf Abel, not in New York City close to his office as it was in the movie.

Moreover, the book goes into further detail of Rudolf's trial that isn't covered in the film. Rudolf Abel was uncovered as a Soviet spy by his associate Reino Hayhanen, who cooperated with the US government and turned in Rudolf Abel as a Soviet agent. Reino Hayhanen would later testify against Rudolf Abel in the trial. Moreover, the book fleshes out more fully the friendly professional relationship between Rudolf Abel and James Donovan over the years, from trial, the appeals process, the US Supreme Court decision and finally the exchange on Glienicke Bridge in Berlin.

Although sometimes dry, the book still remains important not just in the context of the Cold War, but also in the context of modern terrorism. Our values of a nation, of a fair trial and the rights in the Constitution, must hold even during times of unease and fear.

[Sean O · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book right after seeing the Spielberg/Hanks movie "Bridge of Spies."

This is the memoir written by James Donovan, the lawyer appointed to Rudolph Abel, the Soviet Spy discovered in the "Hollow Nickel Case."

Bottom line up front: The book is as good as the movie. AND the movie is a good adaptation of the book.

I liked this book because it covers the entire case: from the time that Donovan is asked to represent Abel, all the way through the sensitive and unofficial negotiations that led to Abel being exchanged with Francis Gary Powers in February 1962.

If you're not a law nerd, or a cold war fan, you're not going to enjoy this book. If you like dry humor and intelligent discussions, this is your kind of book. If you saw the movie and said "I wish there was more courtroom stuff" then this book is DEFINITELY for you.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given my general interest in all things spy-related and the fact that I grew up in Potsdam, where one end of the Glienicker Brücke (i.e. the infamous "Bridge of Spies") is located, it probably shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that the Cold War era spy exchanges carried out on that bridge hold a certain fascination for me. The first of these exchanges took place in 1962 and involved the exchange of Soviet spy Rudolf Abel, who'd been arrested in the US in 1957, for Francis Gary Powers, the U2 pilot shot down over the Soviet Union in 1960. The book is largely focussed on Abel and his trial in the US, with a shorter section dedicated to the negotiations leading up to the exchange. Written by the lawyer assigned to defend Abel and who later also negotiated with the Soviets to arrange the exchange, this is a fascinating and detailed firsthand account of these events. Donovan isn't the world's most engaging writer, being clearly more used to crafting documents in lengthy mindnumbing legalese than exciting narratives, but the material is intriguing enough to keep the book interesting in spite of that.

[Arnis · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...

[Cold War Conversations Podcast · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting 1960s account of the Rudolf Abel spy case and subsequent exchange.

Rudolf Abel was a KGB agent who lived undercover in New York between 1948 and 1957. This account is written by the lawyer who defended and does suffer from the fact it was written in the 1960s and the security concerns of the time prevent it from being a full account.

That being said it provides great insight into the tradecraft used by Abel and his associates as well as the resulting court case, negotiations over an exchange with the shot down U2 pilot Gary Powers, and the actual exchange itself. I found the most interesting part of the book when the author has to travel to Berlin and gives an eyewitness account of a divided city at the height of Cold War tensions.

If you are interested in Cold War espionage then this is must read. I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the new Tom Hanks film based on this account.

Link to movie trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-2x3...

[Marcella Wigg · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Enjoyable account from the perspective of Donovan, who served as Abel's defense attorney in his espionage trial and negotiated with the Soviets and East Germans to exchange Abel for Powers and Pryor. Of course, since it was written only two years after the spy swap actually occurred, it lacks some context that has emerged from Soviet archives since this case (such as the fact that Abel, real name Fisher, failed to identify or recruit Soviet spies). The negotiation was particularly interesting, especially Donovan's leading role in it; he presented evidence at the Nuremberg trials and worked in the OSS, so he wasn't new to intelligence, but it still seems unusual he led of the negotiations while also being Abel/Fisher's defense attorney.

[Cold War Conversations Podcast · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting 1960s account of the Rudolf Abel spy case and subsequent exchange.

Rudolf Abel was a KGB agent who lived undercover in New York between 1948 and 1957. This account is written by the lawyer who defended and does suffer from the fact it was written in the 1960s and the security concerns of the time prevent it from being a full account.

That being said it provides great insight into the tradecraft used by Abel and his associates as well as the resulting court case, negotiations over an exchange with the shot down U2 pilot Gary Powers, and the actual exchange itself. I found interesting part of the book when the author has to travel to Berlin and gives an eyewitness account of a divided city at the height of Cold War tensions.

If you are interested in Cold War espionage then this is must read. I enjoyed the book and am looking forward to the new Tom Hanks film based on this account.

Link to movie trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-2x3...

[Julia · Rating 2 out of 5]

If I read this book first, I wouldn't have been interested in seeing the movie BRIDGE OF SPIES. What is dubbed as a thrilling spy novel is anything but. It's a behind the scenes look at the court case against Soviet spy Rudolf I. Abel. More than 3/4 of the book is devoted to James Donovan's defense of Abel, the trial, and the appeal process. While it was meticulous in its detail, since Donovan kept copious notes and a journal during this time, fully intending to write a book, I found it tedious and boring.

The the negotiations for the spy exchange and actual exchange on the so-called Bridge of Spies happens in the last 90-100 pages or so. I had been waiting so long for some more action but by the time it got there, I was still bored and found Donovan's narrative of the events anything but riveting.

My advice is to watch the excellent and suspenseful Spielberg movie and skip this book.

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm pretty sure that most of the people reading this review of "Strangers on the Bridge", by the late James Donovan, found their way here after seeing the Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks movie, "Bridge of Spies". Hanks starred as the lawyer in the Rudolf Abel spy case and subsequent prisoner exchange in Berlin of Abel for Francis Gary Powers and a graduate student, Frederic Pryor.

While the movie showed some of the Abel capture and then the trial, and finally the appeal to the United States Supreme Court, it really couldn't go into the detail that Donovan does in his 1964 book. Donovan - not to be confused with fellow lawyer and OSS founder, William "Wild Bill" Donovan - gives a steady account of both the trial and the exchange on the Glienike Bridge, which spans the Havel River in Berlin.

"Strangers on a Bridge" isn't particularly exciting book, but it is written with a eye towards giving the truth, rather than the Hollywood version of the case. Certainly Spielberg and the Coen brothers do take artistic license with James Donovan and Rudolf Abel and Francis Gary Powers, but it seems less than many other "based on real life" movies that are made.

James Donovan died in 1970 at the age of 53, of, I think, a heart attack. He left a legacy of government work behind, beginning with an early stint with the OSS, then working on the Nurenburg War trials, continuing with the defense of Soviet spy Rudol Abel, and also helping with an exchange of prisoners in Cuba. He must have been quite a guy.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Nonfiction is not one of my favorite genres in general, but this book was so engaging and, in so many ways, hard to believe it is all true. This book makes me want to go to law school; Mr. Donovan's strong and emphatic faith in the law, even when he is defending a man that betrayed our country, illustrates all the best things about our system of law in this country. And how it all ended, with him helping to orchestrate a prisoner exchange in a country we didn't recognize?

Anyone that loves court cases and spies and historical novels should enjoy this book. If that's you, I recommend.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating study primarily into the defense and trial afforded accused Soviet spy, Rudolph Abel. The book goes into far greater detail than the movie, and is truly an excellent story on the law and legal strategy. Mr. Donovan’s subsequent negotiations in East Berlin are endlessly clever. While less dramatic that the movie, the true story told in this book is absolutely fantastic. Great read set in such an interesting period of history.

[Sahani Perera, The Book Sherpa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly one of the best espionage related books I have ever read. Though dull at times, Mr. Donovan was gracious enough to provide the actual accounts of the Colonel Able incident that took place between 1957 to 1962. I found the reference books stated by Mr. Donovan and Colonel Able at great interest that opened a gate way for my future additions to my library.

[Brett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm interested in the movie, but the book is only somewhat interesting. Focuses almost entirely on the trial of the Soviet spy, including lengthy excerpts of only mildly interesting testimony, and only the last bit of the book focuses on the event that gives the book its name

[Novella Semplici · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il voto più giusto sarebbe ⭐⭐⭐ e 1/2.
Interessante sia come resoconto che come documento storico, il testo altro non è che il diario del caso Rudolf Abel, scritto dal suo avvocato difensore James B. Donovan nel 1964. Si tratta di una storia di spionaggio in piena guerra fredda tra Usa e Urss (i fatti si svolgono nel primo dopoguerra e terminano nel famoso scambio di prigionieri nel 1962). Abel era un russo di etnia tedesca, colonnello del KGB, infiltrato negli Usa e catturato nel 1957, condannato con regolare processo e protagonista di un famoso scambio di prigionieri in Germania. Non è un giallo o un thriller, ma il diario giornaliero dell'avvocato, che mescola il processo con qualche minimo sprazzo di vita privata e di sensazioni personali. Se qualcuno lo volesse leggere sperando di trovarlo avvincente, si sbaglia... perché non vuole essere un testo di puro e semplice svago; bensì un vero compendio della vicenda dal punto di vista giuridico (e anche umano) dell'avvocato difensore, che divenne giustamente famoso per la condotta di difesa e per il successivo impegno nelle trattative (Donovan era sì avvocato, ma aveva un fratello senatore, lui stesso fu ufficiale di marina con il grado di capitano di fregata, fece parte degli OSS e cioè dei primi servizi segreti americani... Era un bravo e coraggioso negoziatore, tanto che fu coinvolto anche nella liberazione di migliaia di prigionieri a Cuba). Insomma, il resoconto è accurato ed è ben fatto; forse a tratti leggermente pedante, ma piuttosto interessante come documento storico e giuridico. Se uno ha una minima conoscenza della procedura legale statunitense è abbastanza godibile anche come lettura; ma non è un romanzo e non ci si deve aspettare il classico libro da spy story. Il punto di vista ovviamente è quello statunitense, ma Donovan cerca di essere oggettivo e stabilisce un rapporto amichevole con il nemico, tanto da ricevere anche molte critiche in proposito. Certo non è un capolavoro ma l'ho letto con interesse in pochi giorni e questo è sicuramente un pregio.
Dalla vicenda è stato ispirato il film di Spielberg "Il Ponte delle Spie" del 2015 in cui Donovan è interpretato da Tom Hanks.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had just finished reading Skunk Works by Ben Rich, the story of Lockheed’s secret group that developed the U2 and various other spy planes, when I discovered this book. Francis Powers capture in Russia was one of the stories in Skunk Works and I didn’t know anything about how he was released from Russia.

Strangers on a Bridge is a fascinating read. James Donovan is an excellent writer. Donovan’s characteristic integrity is clear in every action he takes on behalf of Colonel Abel. I learned so much reading this book. I got a bit bored w the tediousness of Colonel Abel’s trial. I’m not an attorney nor am I interested in the technicalities of a trial. I learned, however, why those tedious technicalities matter though.

If you like learning about US and Soviet relations, espionage, or the late 1950s, then you will probably enjoy this book. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read.

[MJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

Most true stories about spies end where this book starts. I haven't seen the movie but this is a good entry into this crazy case. From the perspective of the lawyer who defended the alleged spy this is very courtroom and legal argument heavy. It's a very interesting look at the legal process and how you portray someone as innocent until proven guilty.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible and humane, if I end up going to law school because of a book I picked out a whim I will be so pissed

[La Biblioteca di Eliza · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://labibliotecadieliza.blogspot.i...

1962. Il mondo vive in piena Guerra Fredda, diviso dalla Cortina di Ferro. Lo spionaggio tra le due metà del mondo è all'ordine del giorno. Il libro è in realtà un diario giorno per giorno tenuto da James Donovan, avvocato di lunga fama, che ha partecipato tra le altre cose al Processo di Norimberga. Donavan accetta di difendere Rudolf Abel, considerato la spia russa su suolo americano più importante e misteriosa del secolo scorso. Giorno dopo giorno e incontro dopo incontro, Donovan ci da il ritratto di un uomo per bene, forse chiuso, ma che in fondo ama il suo paese e fa quello che molti americani facevano per il proprio, passa informazioni fingendosi un fotografo. Accanto al ritratto di Abel Donovan però ci da molto altro, in primo luogo ci parla dei rapporti tra America e Urss, formalmente pacifici ma in pratica sempre all'erta e con l'indice puntato sul famigerato bottone rosso. E poi racconta nei minimi dettagli anche il processo giuridico americano, senza tralasciare un po' di sano paternalismo.
Ammetto che da questo libro mi aspettavo una cosa molto diversa, anche alla luce del film da poco uscito nelle sale con Tom Hanks, Il ponte delle spie, che si rifà proprio a questo libro. Ecco, se avete visto il film sappiate che quegli eventi si trovano nelle 50 pagine finali, non di più. Quindi un po' delusa sono rimasta, anche perché il libro è particolarmente lento. Quello che però mi ha dato l'occasione di scoprire è il modo di lavorare di Donavan. Si ritrova a difendere uno degli uomini più odiati del momento da tutto il popolo americano, un popolo che leggeva la parola Comunista come noi oggi leggiamo Terrorista. Nonostante ciò l'avvocato difende e consiglia Abel nella maniera più professionale e giusta possibile, consigliandolo e diventandone quasi amico.
Non è un libro per tutti, sia chiaro, è un saggio e come tale va trattato e letto. E' un libro per gli amanti della Storia e per chi ama leggere particolari e cavilli... si lo ammetto, in fondo mi è piaciuto. Avrei voluto un po' più di azione? Si, soprattutto nella parte iniziale ma bisogna anche considerare che è stato scritto negli anni '60, quindi in contemporanea con gli eventi trattati.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Bridge of Spies" was one of my favourite from last year's batch of "movies I watched on the plane" (which is all the movies I watched). This book, by the real-life protagonist of the film, lawyer James Donovan, goes deep into the story of the trial of Rudolf Abel and his subsequent exchange.

It was really interesting to see the places where the film had added drama - which was everywhere; there were exceedingly few people who objected to Donovan's taking Abel's case, there was no shooting through the windows and threatening his family, etc. The story of the trial was interesting also, although it did get a bit dry while reciting some of the trial transcripts. But the discussion of the legal arguments and Donovan's interactions with Abel were fascinating.

There were a few touches of humour here and there. I liked this one, courtesy of Donovan's long-suffering wife Mary:

'Mary again accused me of giving more time to Abel than to our family. She, of course, was right. I told her that she was not "on trial" but the minute she became a defendant charged with a capital crime I would immediately reverse the division of my time. She asked me how I could do that if I were the victim of her capital crime.'

Another interesting tidbit: Abel was also very much into mathematics, and at one point during his arrest 'Abel looked out his [airplane] window and asked, "What are we doing in Alabama?" They were about to land at Mobile and Abel explained he knew they were over Alabama because from the sun's position he had calculated the direction they were flying, time in the air and their probable speed.'

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the true story behind the film Bridge of Spies and was written by James Donovan, the lawyer and communicator for the Russian spy Rudolf Abel. It tells how Donovan came to represent, empathise and fight for the release or repatriation of Abel. Abel was eventually exchanged for Powers an American U2 pilot caught in Russia and Frederic Pryor an American student trapped in East Germany.
This was a maverick choice and although not the sort of book I would have chosen for myself I thought I really needed to give it a chance before I could discard it. I am so glad I did as I found the story very engaging and I am happy I have read it. The trials, as Donovan kept trying various methods to get Abel released as he felt he had been unfairly trapped and evidence incorrectly handled were interesting but the time Abel spent in prison showed him to be a highly educated and artistic man. I felt Donovan was very sincere in all his efforts and the time he spent in Germany trying to get Abel exchanged for the two men was highly detailed and fascinating.
I would recommend this as a personal and a group read as there is so much to discuss. Even if it is not the type of book that appeals to you personally I believe you will be caught up in this fascinating and true book.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very thorough book covering the trial and eventual trade of Soviet spy Abel. The narrative was extremely detailed making it hard to keep my attention in parts. I originally picked up this book to learn something about Francis Gary Powers but his was but a very small portion of the book. Regardless, the author described a very intense case during the Cold War that reminded me of some of those super power tensions from my youth. Two great passages are below.

- Preparation is the only way to get ready for a hard test, whether a court trial, race, boxing math, Broadway appearance or death. You can fake readiness, falling back on past experience and bravado. But without backbreaking preparation for a main event, you know inside that you aren't really ready.
- Contrary to popular understanding, the overwhelming amount of most important intelligence is not a result of secret espionage but is obtained by overt means. It is for this reason that a democracy (with freedom of speech and of the press) is a vulnerable target for overt intelligence by every foreign power.

[Edward Gerk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, really enjoyed this book...I wanted to read the story behind the recent movie Bridge of Spies. I think many of us kind of wish we could return to the "kinder, gentler" Cold War days.

At any rate, this is a fascinating read, not just for the legal strategy employed by Donovan, but for the intrigue over the famous spy swap...linking to an actual later additional swap with Marvin Makinen and Father Walter Ciszek ( With God in Russia)

Makinen is also associated with the hunt for Raoul Wallenberg, being the President of the Independent Investigation into Raoul Wallenberg's Fate, Inc

The plot just thickens.

Great book...and what a history!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Cold War story! Spies and US-USSR relations as observed by those who participated in the espionage trial of Col. Abel - a deep undercover spy for the former Soviet Union. The story also gave great insight into the workings of the US judicial system. The book was written by James Donovan, the lead defense attorney in the case. He was a fascinating person who was also an attorney at the Nuremberg Trials and who, at the request of President Kennedy, negotiated the release of over 9,000 "prisoners" from Cuba after it fell to communism.

[Donna Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fascinating and riveting. The author represented Rudolph Abel (the Russian spy) in his espionage trial and various appeals and also negotiated the exchange of prisoners.

Even knowing the outcome, I found the courtroom drama riveting, with a behind-the-scenes look at the defense's legal strategy and clear explanations of legal rules. This will be one of my top recommendations for incoming law students.

[Joann · Rating 2 out of 5]

411 pages of court battles, through to the Supreme Court, probably super exciting to lawyers, then 15 pages of fascinating and true cloak-and-dagger spy exchanges at the end. Probably popular when it came out, when people remembered the headlines. Not as interesting now, but not sad to have read it.

[Sabra · Rating 2 out of 5]

This should have been fascinating, and it just wasn't. The first half was painfully slow, bogged down with minutiae about the trial. The second half was a bit easier to read, but still very slow.

[Wayne Silver · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not as good as the movie, an honest but dry account , reads mostly like a court transcript.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is the one that the movie Bridge of Spys was based on. A wonderful explanation of the case and all that went on in the process of the case and trial.

[Pete · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unless you have an interest in court proceedings this novel will be a disappointment. Dull.

[Clem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before I write about this (rather disappointing) book, I must point out two things. First: Never judge a book by its movie. I’ve stated this before. Some of the best movies have been made from subpar books. “Forrest Gump” comes to mind. To be truthful, I’ve haven’t seen the Stephen Spielberg movie that was based on this book, but I know enough about Spielberg’s reputation to know that it was warmly received, as is typical of most of his works. The second thing is that I’ve discovered that many books written 50 or 60 years ago don’t deliver the same punch as modern works do. My guess is that peoples’ attention spans have shortened, and book publishers are well aware of this fact. Therefore, in order for a book to get published today, close scrutiny is involved in making sure the reader stays engaged throughout. I’m not sure the same criteria existed years ago. This has been true of biographies, works of fiction, non-fiction, and just about everything else that I have sampled.

This book is an account of the arrest and trial of soviet spy Rudolph Abel that happened back in 1957. The author is Abel’s lawyer, James B. Donovan. Contrary to the subtitle of this book, very little attention is paid to the eventual exchange for the downed U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers (Side note: I would HIGHLY recommend Michael Beschloss’ wonderful telling of that account). This book begins with the author giving a decent background of the times and the relationship with cold war Russia. It was actually interesting for the first 50 pages or so.

The problem here is that the author is essentially regurgitating his diary of his meticulous notes that he took before during and after the trial. In fact, the entire trial is here including much of the back and forth interrogation. If we’re to be honest, this isn’t typically interesting material. Oh sure, it’s interesting on all of the lawyer tv shows, but real life and real courtroom cases aren’t nearly as captivating, and anyone who has served on a jury for a case that lasted more than two days will tell you that nothing goes as slowly as sitting in a jury box for days at a time. Again, had this book been written within the last quarter-century, I’m sure the editor would have used his or her red pen more often.

This book is told in four chapters. Each chapter a year; from 1957 – 1960. The first year, in which the arrest and trial took place is longer than the other three combined. After the trial concludes, there’s a little bit of detail about the eventual exchange, but not nearly enough. The author seems to somehow feel his readers actually care about what clothes he brings his client to wear during the trial.

It’s really sad that this thing is such a slog. I imagine that with a better author, this could have turned into a much more interesting real-life spy story. Again, I’m willing to bet this is exactly what Stephen Spielberg did. Strangely, I’m a bit scared and hesitant to watch the film. I’ll need to make sure to get the bad taste of the book out of my mouth before I do. Readers should approach “older” books with a bit of caution.