Kim philby s own book my silent war is a skeleton of selected parts of his life. A member of the british establishment, philby joined the secret intelligence service in 1940, rose to the head of soviet counterintelligence, and, as mi6s liaison with the cia and the fbi, betrayed every secret of allied operations to the russians. Dec 15, 2015 foreword by phillip knightley kim philby, the socalled third man in the cambridge spy ring, was the cold wars most infamous traitor. In my silent war, kim philby gloated over the failure of the covert operations britain and america mounted between 1949 and 1953 to subvert the albanian. In a spy among friends, he not only gives us the story of kim philby, an agent who. This exploration of the life of kim philly allows readers to gain a strong grasp of the personality and motivation of the kbg spy philly. In this book, macintyre focuses on philbys longtime friendship with another british intelligence officer, nicholas elliott. With the renewed interest in kim philby triggered by the hugely successful a spy among friends, i thought it would be interesting to read this book, as it is often quoted in asaf. Kim philby, byname of harold adrian russell philby, born january 1, 1912, ambala, indiadied may 11, 1988, moscow, russia, u. Though a seeming paragon of british values, he actually spent his career working as a double agent for the russians. The real story of philby as presented in this book is even more thrilling than the tv although the four were far less connected in real life, which spoils the story a little. The best true spy story was written by historys most infamous spy.
Philby published a book, my silent war 1968, detailing his exploits. It was written by a british journalist who not only corresponded with philby, but actually got to meet him and interview him extensively in moskow in the 1980s. Ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim philbys friendships, particularly with nicholas elliott other books on philby may. The accurate locations within the world war 2 and cold war landscapes are well wrought. He is the author of nine books including agent zigzag, shortlisted for the costa biography award and the galaxy british book award for biography of the year.
Philby seems to have been a lifelong and committed communist whose primary devotion lay toward the soviet union rather than his native country. The life of cambridge spy kim philby is analysed in this irresistibly readable study. Feb 08, 2018 that is the gist of many of the umpteen books and articles written about kim philby, guy burgess, donald maclean, anthony blunt and john cairncross, the socalled cambridge spies. The unknown story of the kgbs master spy, the late tim milnes finely written and refreshingly unhysterical book. Jan 16, 2018 foreword by phillip knightley kim philby, the socalled third man in the cambridge spy ring, was the cold wars most infamous traitor. The puzzle of why a person would choose to live his life in a kind of extreme distortion of reality is difficult to comprehend. In the annals of espionage, one name towers above all others. Macintyre has also written and presented bbc documentaries of his work. Kim philby, the ringleader of the legendary cambridge spies. One of the peculiar pleasures involved in reading a biography of kim philby is that of spying on the spy.
The author, kim philby, was the most notorious traitor in the modern history of spycraft. Isaacson writes when devouring this thriller about kim philby, the highlevel british spymaster who turned out to be a russian mole, i had to keep reminding myself that it was not a novel. Ben macintyre has written a truly fabulous book about the fabulous kim philby the suave, dedicated, and most intriguing spy of the entire cold war era. Rufina philpys book provides much more interesting reading than her husband kims dry book, my silent war.
Philby and his colorful cambridge comrades are endlessly fascinating. I came away with the impression that he missed the goods, services, and lifestyle of the free world. To the cambridge of 1930, kim philby was no outlier. Bought this at a secondhand bookshop in brisbane, because philby was one of the cambridge four, and i loved the tv show cambridge spies. A tale of espionage, alcoholism, bad manners and the chivalrous code of spiesthe real world of james bond, that is. May, 2011 this is the hardback first edition of kim philby. Ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim philby s friendships, particularly with nicholas elliott other books on philby may have left one with a feeling of grudging respect, but a spy among friends draws out his icy cold heartthis book consists of 300 pages.
Eleanor philby died of cancer a year after the book was published having returned to the states. In the book, philby says that his loyalties were always with the communists. Many related personalities are presented in a vivid fashion. Philby joined britains secret service mi6 during the war and went on to head the section tasked with rooting out russian spies before becoming the services chief liaison officer with the cia. Ben macintyres a spy among friends the new york times.
Craig brown on mail on sunday books of the year wrote. The 2005 film a different loyalty is an unattributed account taken from eleanor philbys book, kim philby. A true story of nazi espionage, love, and betrayal. He was a soviet spy at the heart of british intelligence, joining britains secret service, mi6, during the war, rising to become head of the section tasked with rooting out russian spies and then head of liaison with the cia. Nov 10, 2019 in january 1951, kim philby hosted the most illfated dinner party in the history of the nations capital, or at least since the british captured washington in 1814, found the white house dining. During world war ii, philby joined mi5 the british counterespionage department working on british soil then moved to the sis the former. He was also an exceptional writer who gave us the great iconic story of the cold war and revolutionized, in the process, the art of espionage writing. He was known for passing more than 900 british documents over to the kgb. When he went up to the university to read history, he was, like so many other firstyear 18yearolds, distinctly upper class and burning with academic ambition.
Kim philbys memoir, penned with the kgb watching, is a superbly cynical. I suppose it began when i was twentytwo and i read my silent war, philby s mendacious but utterly fascinating autobiography. The spy i loved by eleanor philby, with a dustjacket front cover photo by olga mathews. In 2016 you told the new york times you had recently reread your entire collection of books on the kim philby affair in preparation for a forthcoming novel. Philbys betrayal inspired some of the novels by john le carre. For instance, there are occasions involving kgb personnel eg. Kim philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man. The story takes place in the 1960s and stars sharon stone and rupert everett. In this book, macintyre focuses on philby s longtime friendship.
Harold kim philby was a senior officer in britains secret intelligence service, known as mi6, who began his work for the soviet union as a spy in 1934. About deception espionage against the germansnazis. Mar 28, 2014 kim philby in this context it is useful to turn to kim philby. The autobiography of a spy paperback september 24, 2002. Nprs arun rath talks with author ben macintyre about his new book, a spy among friends, and the boozy secret to philby s success. Recalling soviet russia, the kgb, and a fateful lunch with joseph brodsky in a chinese restaurant sunday, december th, 2020. There have been quite a few books written about kim philby in recent years but this interested me because in was penned in 1967 by someone who thought she was close to him. Recalling soviet russia, the kgb, and a fateful lunch with joseph brodsky in a chinese restaurant. Kim philby s nascent socialist inclinations were formed at cambridge and in revolutionary vienna. Kim philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man who rose to head britains counterintelligence against the soviet union during the height of the cold warwhile he was secretly working for the enemy.
Many found resemblances to philby and his predicament in greenes protagonist, a midlevel mole named castle. Kim philby, the socalled third man in the cambridge spy ring, was the cold wars most infamous traitor, a soviet spy at the heart of british intelligence. Apr 28, 2016 it was a book greene wrote in the 60s but didnt publish until the late 70s because it came so close to the philby affair. This book is about mi6 spies in england, spain, north africa, and british double agents. But macintyre tells the devastating story in an entirely new fashion, with new sources and an astonishing intimacy. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Harold adrian russell kim philby hotu ol odn 1 january 1912 11 may 1988 was a. Kim philby has been an obsession of mine for a very long time.
Kim philby was the greatest spy in history, a brilliant and charming man who rose to head britains counterintelligence against the soviet union during the height of the cold war while he was secretly working for the enemy. Ben macintyres bottomlessly fascinating new book is an exploration of kim philby s friendships, particularly with nicholas elliott. She paints a vivid picture of the frustrating and inconvenient life that kim philby led after he defected from britain to russia. It follows the endeavours of taciturn, aging spymaster george smiley to uncover a soviet mole in the british secret intelligence service. The film recounts philbys love affair and marriage to eleanor brewer during his time in beirut and his eventual defection to the soviet union in late january 1963, though the characters based on philby and brewer have different names. His earlier books about spies have included agent zigzag. I would have been happy had it been three times as long mail on sunday the life of cambridge spy kim philby is analysed in this irresistibly readable study sunday times. It was written in moscow under the watchful eye of the kgb, a few years after he defected.
Is it safe to assume the other woman was the novel you were referring to. Kim is a novel by nobel prizewinning english author rudyard kipling. Jul 23, 2014 there is no question that kim philby was the most legendary spy of world war ii, carving a trail of deception and death in the world of espionage. Mar 09, 2014 ben macintyres account of kim philby s long friendship with the mi6 spy nicholas elliott is a riveting read. Jul 27, 2014 ben macintyres latest nonfiction thriller, a spy among friends, is about kim philby, the highlevel british spymaster who turned out to be a russian mole. Kim philby worked for british intelligence, but he was secretly sending information to russia. The deception, at the core of philby s espionage, would eventually infect every part of his life. A different loyalty is a 2004 drama film inspired by the story of british traitor kim philby s love affair and marriage to eleanor brewer in beirut and his eventual defection to the soviet union. Discover book depositorys huge selection of kim philby books online. She totally rebuts their claims of involvement with philby. The film was entered into the 26th moscow international film festival. A spy among friends is ben macintyres best book yet, a highwater.
The novel has received critical acclaim for its complex social commentaryand, at the time, relevance, following the defection of kim philby. A spy among friends is an absolutely captivating book about. Ben macintyre has written a truly fabulous book about the fabulous kim philbythe suave, dedicated, and most intriguing spy of the entire cold war era. Nicholas hytner on observer books of the year wrote. Jul 24, 2014 by now, the story of british double agent harold kim philby may be the most familiar spy yarn ever, fodder for whole libraries of histories, personal memoirs and novels. A fascinating insight into the mind and motivations of the notorious british master spy and soviet double agent. Mail on sun day the life of cambridge spy kim philby is analysed in this irresistibly readable study. New york times bestseller the true story of kim philby, the cold wars most infamous spy, from the master espionage writer and author of the spy and. Sep 16, 2018 the writer, who has just landed a book deal with harper collins for her debut novel, the most difficult thing, has grown up with the legacy of kim philbys betrayal and defection to the soviet.
His books deal with real spies and real consequences. Other journalists tried to contact philby for longer interviews. Dec 30, 2020 sayles account of his meeting with philby was published in december 1967. Kim philby, the socalled third man in the cambridge spy ring, was one of the cold wars most infamous traitors. Jul 27, 2014 philby was one of the 20th centurys most legendary spies. It was published in the uk by hamish hamilton in 1968 in conjunction with paperback publisher pan books, who issued a simultaneous mass market softcover edition. I would have been happy had it been three times as long. The three best books of john le carre for whom the. A spy among friends by ben macintyre penguin random house. The hick from indiana who nailed master spy kim philby. In all the books, articles and memoirs in which philby has figured it is striking how little attention, indeed, how much credence, is given to his belief. His book was rather bland compared to this one of rufinas. Apr 18, 2014 philby s father, st john philby, was captain of westminster school, which kim attended and where he first met tim milne, who later joined him in mi6. Master storyteller ben macintyres most ambitious work to date brings to life the twentieth centurys greatest spy story.
It is the small, human details that makes this grim, beguiling story so intoxicating. The puzzle of why a person would choose to live his life in a kind. A spy among friends manages to convey philby s satanic charm. Ben macintyres latest nonfiction thriller, a spy among friends, is about kim philby, the highlevel british spymaster who turned out to be a. Rufina philpys book provides much more interesting reading than her husband kim s dry book, my silent war. My silent war by kim philby penguin books australia. A spy among friends is an absolutely captivating book. Kim philby and the albanian mission the new york times.
An unputdownable thriller, and the impeccably researched truth. Rare film emerges of doubleagent kim philby speaking. One explanation is that the implied cia doubts about philby are part of the secret superpower intelligence wars, in which accounts are never fully settled and books never really closed. This book is the result of research, as well as inperson interviews with kim philby by philip knightley. A soviet spy at the heart of british intelligence, at one point heading up the section tasked with rooting out russian spies within mi6, he betrayed hundreds of british and us agents to the russians and compromised numerous operations inside the soviet union. Jul 29, 2014 a spy among friends is an absolutely captivating book about the kim philby case like macintyres other books, a spy among friends is extensively researched, wellwritten, and a terrific read. And nobody thought he knew philby like nicholas elliott, philby s best friend and fellow officer in mi6. A spy among friends 2014 details the life of kim philby, a highly respected operative who rose through the ranks of the british secret services during world war ii and the cold war.
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