On this channel talk about what i have learned from the billionaires, about my book project and. From the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the dead hand comes the riveting story of a spy who. Such is the conclusion of david hoffmans account of perhaps the most productive spy in cia history. It hits the sweet spot between pageturning thriller and solidly researched history. From the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the d. It follows the ipcress file 1962, horse under water 1963, and funeral in berlin 1964. He is the author of the oligarchs and of the dead hand, about the end. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by hoffman, david e isbn. Waterstones nonfiction book of the month august 2018 and a sunday times bestseller an astonishingly detailed picture. 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.
Read the billion dollar spy a true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. 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. The billion dollar spy navy general library program. 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. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal book. 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 reads like the very best spy fiction yet is meticulously. Hoffman perhaps the only thing more engrossing than a cold war spy novel is the truth behind the tales. He provided a road map to the united states for compromising and defeating two critical soviet weapons systems. 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. 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. Hoffman is a contributing editor at the washington post and a correspondent for pbss flagship investigative series, frontline. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal david e.
Hoffmans look into the story of tolkachev, the billiondollar spy, is exciting and thrilling, while also being a tragic emotional roller coaster. Courtesy of david rolphfrom the book the billion dollar spy david rolph, on his first cia tour, took over as tolkachevs case officer in 1980. A thrilling true account of doubleagent, adolf tolkachev this is a revelatory account of cold war. The billion dollar spy reads like the most taut and suspenseful parts of tinker tailor soldier spy or smileys people.
Jul 05, 2015 david hoffman tells tolkachevs story in his new book, the billion dollar spy. Hoffman i received this book through the goodreads first reads program. This book is a well referenced account of the cias work in moscow during the cold war and not only is it an enlightening book explaining how espionage was carried out during the 1970s and 1980s, but it is also an enthralling story containing suspense, love, duty, professionalism, ingenuity, jealousy and lots of betrayal. 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. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal from the worlds largest community of readers. Hoffman presents the events in such a way the raises the stakes of each operation to its peak. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal book online at best prices in india on.
The title of david hoffmans excellent new book, the billion dollar spy, unintentionally i think evokes a famous item from studies in. This book is a well referenced account of the cias work in moscow during the cold war and not only is it an enlightening book explaining how espionage was carried out during the 1970s and 1980s, but it is. Footnotes 1 dino brugioni, the million dollar photograph, studies in intelligence 23, no. 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 spies and the. From the pulitzer prizewinning author of the dead hand comes the riveting story of the cias most valuable spy in the soviet union and an evocative portrait of the agencys moscow station, an outpost. Mar 29, 2016 footnotes 1 dino brugioni, the million dollar photograph, studies in intelligence 23, no. On january 12, 1977 around 6 pm, an averagelooking soviet man leaned into.
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. 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. 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. The billion dollar spy the billion dollar spy audiobook, by david e. 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.
Christian science monitor the billion dollar spy packs valuable insights into the final decade of the cloakanddagger rivalry between the united states and the former soviet union, which came undone in 1989. I call it the billion dollar secret and thats what this channel and my book is going to be about. He married a young woman at his institute, his topsecret military institute, and her parents had been purged by. Hoffman will describe this singularlyimportant operation, based on declassified cia cables and his new book, the billion dollar spy, and argue. Billion dollar brain is a 1966 cold war spy novel by len deighton. How the cia ran a billion dollar spy in moscow the. 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. The billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting. 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 soviet asked if fulton was american and then said that he wanted to. The billion dollar spy central intelligence agency. The billion dollar spy reads like the very best spy fiction yet is meticulously drawn from real life. It was the fourth to feature an unnamed secret agent working for the british woocp intelligence agency. Its worth the clenched jaw and upset stomach it creates.
The winner of the pulitzer prize for his previous book. The billion dollar spy reveals the gripping story of. He is the author of the oligarchs and of the dead hand, about the end of the cold war arms race, and winner of a 2010 pulitzer prize. Hoffman immerses his readers in the deception of cold war espionage in his book, the billion dollar spy. 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. 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. The billion dollar spy pinnacle digital consortium overdrive. Hoffman the singular traitor the cold war was certainly a time in human history where unconventional warfare became the norm, where battles.
Jun 17, 2015 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. It is a mustread for historians and buffs of that era, as well as aficionados of espionage. David hoffman tells tolkachevs story in his new book, the billion dollar spy. One evening, while the chief of the cias moscow station was filling his gas tank, a stranger approached and dropped a note into the car. In a tale that reads more like a novel than a piece of nonfiction, hoffman takes his audience through the moment that adolf tolkachev, a soviet designer and engineer, first approaches moscows cia station chief to defect to the united states, all. Chicago turabian author date citation style guide hoffman, david e. From the pulitzer prizewinning author of the dead hand comes the riveting story of the cias most valuable spy in the soviet union and an evocative portrait of the agencys moscow station, an outpost of daring espionage in the last years of the c. 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.
In a tale that reads more like a novel than a piece of non. Christian science monitor the billion dollar spy packs valuable insights into the final decade of the cloakanddagger rivalry between the united states and the former soviet union, which came undone. Smashwords the billion dollar spy summary a book by. 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.
The winner of the pulitzer prize for his previous book, the dead hand. The true story of a man who became the pentagons most valuable spy during the last years of the cold war. 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. Billiondollar brain is a 1966 cold war spy novel by len deighton. The billion dollar spy summary by summary station nook book. Every meeting, whether between tolkachev or another of the spies featured in the book. Book discussion on the billion dollar spy internet archive. As is the style of histories published these days, the billion dollar spy opens not at the beginning of the story but with a. In his third book, he recreates the secret cold war career of adolf tolkachev, a soviet engineer who became one of the cias most valuable. Hoffmans new book adds more details about how and why the soviet radar expert adolf tolkachev secretly sided with the c.
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. 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. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. Nov 05, 2016 hoffmans look into the story of tolkachev, the billiondollar spy, is exciting and thrilling, while also being a tragic emotional roller coaster. 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.
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