From the Bookshelf of Espionage Aficionados…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
This reads like a novel. Yes, there are some factual errors. Yes, some of the dialog must have been invented. But, it's stunningly good.
...more
Once again, Ben Macintyre draws you in so that you feel as though you have met this extraordinary man - a fascinating yet chilling true story.
If there was a spy who could be called a star it would be Kim Philby. Fooling friends, family and fellow spies (the latter not only in MI6 and MI5 but globally), Philby was the supreme artist in this field. Charming, witty, outrageous and mischievous, he escaped detection of his dark deception for decades. It is Nicholas Elliott in particular who captures ...more
If there was a spy who could be called a star it would be Kim Philby. Fooling friends, family and fellow spies (the latter not only in MI6 and MI5 but globally), Philby was the supreme artist in this field. Charming, witty, outrageous and mischievous, he escaped detection of his dark deception for decades. It is Nicholas Elliott in particular who captures ...more
A Spy Among Friends was an interesting read that covers very old ground that has never been fully understood. It still isn't, but it's getting closer.
The story of Kim Philby's recruitment, subsequent recruitment of several other Cambridge grads, betrayal of his country, and ongoing cat-and-mouse adventures as events and suspicion caught up to him was fascinating, but much of it was conjecture by the author, co-workers, and acquaintances. I realize that's the nature of the beast when dealing wit ...more
The story of Kim Philby's recruitment, subsequent recruitment of several other Cambridge grads, betrayal of his country, and ongoing cat-and-mouse adventures as events and suspicion caught up to him was fascinating, but much of it was conjecture by the author, co-workers, and acquaintances. I realize that's the nature of the beast when dealing wit ...more
Good story and well written. I liked the angle of betrayal of friends and not just country.
This is one of those books I will read again and again.
Nov 03, 2014
Shirley Conlin
marked it as to-read
May 10, 2016
Stephen Boiko
marked it as to-read
Jun 07, 2016
Anna
marked it as to-read
Aug 15, 2018
Jchristophj
marked it as to-read
May 08, 2019
Ian Walton
marked it as to-read
Oct 04, 2019
Turbosu
marked it as to-read
Jul 26, 2020
Marija Korac
added it
Jan 17, 2021
M
marked it as parked-nonfiction
Jan 10, 2025
Rafal Konopka
marked it as to-read
