4 ms·

That Spycatcher book sounds interesting but looks intimidating. Can someone comment on its style and for-leisure readability?

by anc84 10y ago

stevetrewick 10y ago
It's an easy enough read, quite leisurely. Suitable for the beach or a rail commute. At least I thought so, but YMMV depending on what you'd normally read under those circumstances.
nabla9 10y ago
It's interesting book and easy to read. Wright clearly had chip on his shoulder and it shows, but all facts in the book seem to be correct. It became bestseller trough Streisand effect. UK tried to ban it's publication in Australia and it was forbidden in England. British newspapers were given gag orders.
- SyneRyder 10y ago
  An additional sidenote: the Australian lawyer who defended the publisher in the Spycatcher case is now the Prime Minister of Australia. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/14/malcolm-turnbull-spycatcher-lawyer-prime-minister https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/14/malco...
- beezle 10y ago
  As I recall he was a bit of a conspiracy type as well with his 5th man theory, very Angleton. So yes the book is interesting but bear in mind the agenda as well
  - nabla9 10y ago
    Right or wrong, his suspicion of Hollis was not crazy. Was Roger Hollis a British patriot or Soviet spy? IWP panel uses argument mapping to investigate April 21, 2015 http://www.iwp.edu/news_publications/detail/was-roger-hollis-a-british-patriot-or-soviet-spy http://www.iwp.edu/news_publications/detail/was-roger-hollis... http://www.iwp.edu/docLib/20150417_ReportandChronologyHollis.pdf http://www.iwp.edu/docLib/20150417_ReportandChronologyHollis...
rdtsc 10y ago
I enjoyed this book: "Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer" https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Handler-Officer-Recruited-Hanssen/dp/0465009697 https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Handler-Officer-Recruited-Hanssen... It presents the story from the other side. It follows the carrier of the person who handled two highest profile defections to the Soviet Union: Hansen and Ames. You can skip over some chapters of his childhood and early career. But has nice stories from Beirut (what used to be the Paris of the Middle East, also a popular playground for Spies), India, Australia and of course during his post as counter-intelligence chief in US. It doesn't talk in depth about technical issues but more about handling of sources, procedures used, blackmailing tactics, honeypots. Oh also talk about Robert Pelton's selling of Ivy Bells operation (probably a hundred million+ dollar cost) to the Russians for $35k. How they smuggled him out by shaving his beard and dressing him as a delivery worker.
- anc84 10y ago
  Thank you!

That Spycatcher book sounds interesting but looks intimidating. Can someone comment on its style and for-leisure readability?

by anc84 10y ago

That Spycatcher book sounds interesting but looks intimidating. Can someone comment on its style and for-leisure readability?

stevetrewick 10y ago

It's an easy enough read, quite leisurely. Suitable for the beach or a rail commute. At least I thought so, but YMMV depending on what you'd normally read under those circumstances.

nabla9 10y ago

It's interesting book and easy to read. Wright clearly had chip on his shoulder and it shows, but all facts in the book seem to be correct. It became bestseller trough Streisand effect. UK tried to ban it's publication in Australia and it was forbidden in England. British newspapers were given gag orders.

SyneRyder 10y ago
An additional sidenote: the Australian lawyer who defended the publisher in the Spycatcher case is now the Prime Minister of Australia. https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/14/malcolm-turnbull-spycatcher-lawyer-prime-minister https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/14/malco...
beezle 10y ago
As I recall he was a bit of a conspiracy type as well with his 5th man theory, very Angleton. So yes the book is interesting but bear in mind the agenda as well
- nabla9 10y ago
  Right or wrong, his suspicion of Hollis was not crazy. Was Roger Hollis a British patriot or Soviet spy? IWP panel uses argument mapping to investigate April 21, 2015 http://www.iwp.edu/news_publications/detail/was-roger-hollis-a-british-patriot-or-soviet-spy http://www.iwp.edu/news_publications/detail/was-roger-hollis... http://www.iwp.edu/docLib/20150417_ReportandChronologyHollis.pdf http://www.iwp.edu/docLib/20150417_ReportandChronologyHollis...

rdtsc 10y ago

I enjoyed this book: "Spy Handler: Memoir of a KGB Officer" https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Handler-Officer-Recruited-Hanssen/dp/0465009697 https://www.amazon.com/Spy-Handler-Officer-Recruited-Hanssen... It presents the story from the other side. It follows the carrier of the person who handled two highest profile defections to the Soviet Union: Hansen and Ames. You can skip over some chapters of his childhood and early career. But has nice stories from Beirut (what used to be the Paris of the Middle East, also a popular playground for Spies), India, Australia and of course during his post as counter-intelligence chief in US. It doesn't talk in depth about technical issues but more about handling of sources, procedures used, blackmailing tactics, honeypots. Oh also talk about Robert Pelton's selling of Ivy Bells operation (probably a hundred million+ dollar cost) to the Russians for $35k. How they smuggled him out by shaving his beard and dressing him as a delivery worker.

anc84 10y ago
Thank you!