Looking for Mr. Nobody: The Secret Life of Goronwy Rees

by Jenny Rees

Jenny Rees is the eldest of the five children of Goronwy Rees, Editor of "Encounter" and friend of A.J. Ayer, Noel Annan and Elizabeth Bowen (who put him in her novel "Death of the Heart"). Since Rees's death more than 10 years ago she has had to cope with the frequently-made allegations that her father was another of the spies recruited at Cambridge in the 1930s. He had never disguised his friendship with Guy Burgess, who with Donald Maclean had defected to Moscow in 1951. In 1979 Rees helped Andrew Boyle unmask Anthony Blunt, the fourth man, but by then Rees himself was dying of cancer. Was Rees himself actually a spy? The recent opening of KGB files have acted as a spur to Jenny Rees in her quest to exorcise the past. The result is full of unexpected revelation made all the more moving as Jenny Rees discovers for the first time the secret life of her father.

291 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Sophy H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Admittedly I didn't finish this book. The subject matter although it looked appealing proved to be a bit boring for my liking. It was a daughter reminiscing about a dad she didn't know that well. I'm sure if you're interested in the secret service and can be bothered sitting through all the trailing of past life Jenny Rees does then go for it. I didn't have the inclination or the patience however.