The book then describes briefly the history of the few spies the united states had before the events of this book. He became a spy by finding american diplomats in moscow by recognizing their license plates on the cars they were driving. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. The billion dollar spy summary by summary station nook book. The true story of a man who became the pentagons most valuable spy during the last years of the cold war. As is the style of histories published these days, the billion dollar spy opens not at the beginning of the story but with a dramatic event briefly recountedin this case, a cia officers attempt in december 1982 to recontact. How the cia ran a billion dollar spy in moscow the washington post. Hoffman perhaps the only thing more engrossing than a cold war spy novel is the truth behind the tales. The henna artist opens a door into a world that is at. Adolf tolkachev, a senior engineer in a topsecret soviet aerospace laboratory, becomes one of the most valuable spies ever for the u. Hoffmans look into the story of tolkachev, the billiondollar spy, is exciting and thrilling, while also being a tragic emotional roller coaster. Steve vogel the berlin tunnel and an epic tale of cold war. From the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the dead hand comes the riveting story of a spy who cracked open the soviet military research establishment and a penetrating portrait of the cias moscow station, an outpost of daring espionage in the last years of the cold war while driving out of the american embassy in moscow on the evening of february 16, 1978, the.
He covered the white house during the presidencies of ronald reagan and george h. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal cover image. The untold story of the cold war arms race and its dangerous legacy 2009, washington post contributing editor hoffman has strong credentials to tell the unheralded story of. Kathy krantz fieramoscafrom the book the billion dollar spy. It is easy to follow, and readers will find it hard to put down. Learn about americas most valuable spy in a fraction of the time it takes to read the actual book hoffmans look into the story of tolkachev, the billiondollar spy, is exciting and thrilling, while also being a tragic emotional roller coaster. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by hoffman, david e isbn.
Hoffman i received this book through the goodreads first reads program. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e hoffman. The billion dollar spy reads like the very best spy fiction yet is meticulously. The pulitzer pricewinning russian affairs expert zooms in on the true saga of a soviet engineerthe spy of the titlewho passed the cia billions of dollars worth of top secret intel right under the nose of the kgb, passing off notes into waiting cars and employing other bondworthy tactics to. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. Bush, and was subsequently diplomatic correspondent and jerusalem correspondent. He was the most successful spy run by the cia within the ussr in the later cold war, yet he.
A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal audiobook by david e. A washington post notable book of the year it was the height of the cold war, and a dangerous time to be stationed in the soviet. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. Rodric braithwaite, british ambassador in moscow, 19881992. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal book online at best prices in india on.
Hoffman presents the events in such a way the raises the stakes of each operation to its peak. A thoroughly researched excavation of an astoundingly important and sadly sacrificed spy for the cia during the low point of the 1970s. The billion dollar spy tolkachev was one of the cias most productive agents of the cold war, providing the united states with intelligence no other spy had ever obtained. It hits the sweet spot between pageturning thriller and solidly researched history even the footnotes are informative and then becomes something more, a shrewd character study of spies. Jul 07, 2015 a thoroughly researched excavation of an astoundingly important and sadly sacrificed spy for the cia during the low point of the 1970s. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 336 pages and is available in hardcover format.
Hoffman is a contributing editor at the washington post. A washington post notable book of the year it was the height of the cold war, and a dangerous time to be stationed in the soviet union. It hits the sweet spot between pageturning thriller and solidly researched history even the footnotes are informative and then becomes something more, a shrewd character study of spies and the spies who run them, the mixed motives, the risks. Such is the conclusion of david hoffmans account of perhaps the most productive spy in cia history. It follows the ipcress file 1962, horse under water 1963, and funeral in berlin 1964. Mar 16, 2018 the billion dollar spy is in development. The billion dollar spy a case from the soviet era nanovic. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal duration.
Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. Stirring, unpredictable, and at times unbearably tense, the billion dollar spy is a brilliant feat of reporting that. From the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the d. Image from the book the billion dollar spy by david hoffman. Reallife billion dollar spy reads like a cold war fiction thriller tolkachev being seized by kgb officers on june 9, 1985. The title of david hoffmans excellent new book, the billion dollar spy, unintentionally i think. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal david e. He provided a road map to the united states for compromising and defeating two critical soviet weapons systems. Jul 06, 2015 the title the billion dollar spy refers to the research and manufacturing costs saved by the united states as a result of mr. The billion dollar spy movie is currently in development. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. Tolkachevs story is detailed in 944 pages of previously secret cia cables about the operation that were declassified without condition for the forthcoming book the billion dollar spy.
From the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the dead hand comes the riveting story of a spy who cracked open the soviet military research establishment and a penetrating portrait of the cias moscow station, an outpost of daring espionage in the last years of the cold war. The main characters of this history, non fiction story. Free download or read online the billion dollar spy. How a billion dollar spy stole soviet secrets and helped. The title the billion dollar spy refers to the research and manufacturing costs saved by the united states as a result of mr. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal hardcover. Hoffman chronicles the six year relationship between the central intelligence ag. The billion dollar spy the billion dollar spy audiobook, by david e. It is a gripping story of courage, professionalism, and betrayal in the secret world. It hits the sweet spot between pageturning thriller and solidly researched history even the footnotes are informative and then becomes something more, a shrewd character study of spies and the spies who run.
The billion dollar spy is an excellent and thoroughly engaging read. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel. The billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting. At the beginning, i hesitated in buying this book, since i read barry roydens. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal this is a production by the national history center in. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Air force adolf tolkachev is shown here on vacation near the baltic sea in the early 1970s. The first edition of the novel was published in july 7th 2015, and was written by david e. Every meeting, whether between tolkachev or another of the spies featured in the book is supplemented by the exact right amount of background information. The billion dollar spy is the true story of an electronics engineer at a secret military aviation institute in moscow who for almost seven years provided the cia with a huge volume of sensitive and valuable intelligence on soviet research and development r%d activities concerning radars, avionics, aa missiles, and other technologies.
Hoffman will describe this singularlyimportant operation, based on declassified cia cables and his new book, the billion dollar spy, and argue that despite the many achievements of technology in espionage, human sources are still vital. It was the fourth to feature an unnamed secret agent working for the british woocp intelligence agency. Even the deep cover officers of the cias moscow station, invisible to the. From 1979 until 1985, the cia ran an immensely productive spy in the heart of the soviet militaryindustrial complex in moscow. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal pdf epub book. The winner of the pulitzer prize for his previous book, the dead hand. Waterstones nonfiction book of the month august 2018 and a sunday times bestseller an astonishingly detailed picture. Hoffman covers innovation in operational technology with a passage on. The billion dollar spy, adolf tolkachev, was a russian electronics engineer in moscow. Smashwords the billion dollar spy summary a book by. The pulitzer pricewinning russian affairs expert zooms in on the true saga of a soviet engineerthe spy of the titlewho passed the cia billions of dollars worth of top secret intel right under the nose of the kgb, passing off notes into waiting cars and employing other bondworthy tactics to help the u. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal this is a production by the national history center in cooperation with the woodrow wilson center. The billion dollar spy reveals the gripping story of adolf tolkachev, an engineer in a soviet military design bureau who used his highlevel access to leak sensitive information about soviet weapons systems. The billion dollar spy central intelligence agency.
Jul 07, 2015 from the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the dead hand comes the riveting story of a spy who cracked open the soviet military research establishment and a penetrating portrait of the cias moscow station, an outpost of daring espionage in the last years of the cold war while driving out of the american embassy in moscow on the evening of february 16, 1978, the chief of the cia. On january 12, 1977 around 6 pm, an averagelooking soviet man leaned into the car that the cia station chief, robert fulton, was filling at a gas station. Billion dollar brain is a 1966 cold war spy novel by len deighton. Hoffmans the billion dollar spy the billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting. The date is supplied courtesy of a september 25, 1986 politburo document referring to tolkachevs execution yesterday note however that the prevailing tolkachev story as presented in this post is disputed by cia historian benjamin fischer, who has argued that adolf tolkachev was a kgb prank on its opposite number in the cold wars spy vs. The billion dollar spy navy general library program. The billion dollar spy reads like the very best spy fiction yet is meticulously drawn from real life. Working at the soviet radar design bureau phazotron as one of the chief designers, tolkachev gave the cia. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal the billion dollar spy.
How the cia ran a billion dollar spy in moscow the. The billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting, and finally dismaying, for being true. It hits the sweet spot between pageturning thriller and solidly researched history even the footnotes are informative and then becomes something more, a shrewd character study of. The untold story of the cold war arms race and its dangerous legacy 2009, washington post contributing editor hoffman has strong credentials to tell the unheralded story of adolf. Read the billion dollar spy a true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. David hoffman, author of the billion dollar spy initially, the cia was suspicious of soviet aviation expert adolf tolkachev. Washington post the billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting, and finally dismaying, for being true. Hoffman the singular traitor the cold war was certainly a time in human history where unconventional warfare became the norm, where battles between the worlds two greatest superpowers were no longer fought openly on battlefields but rather behind the secrecy of closed doors. Jul 06, 2015 how a billion dollar spy stole soviet secrets and helped the u.
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