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A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal

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A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal by Ben Macintyre is a gripping biographical account of Kim Philby, one of the most notorious spies in history. The book delves into Philby's deceiving nature, his double life as a Soviet spy while working in British intelligence, and the web of friendships and betrayals that shaped his espionage career. Through anecdotes and historical records, the author paints a vivid picture of Philby's rise, his relationships with key figures in the intelligence community, and the ultimate unraveling of his secrets.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is engaging and accessible, blending narrative storytelling with humor and descriptive details.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around Kim Philby's dual life as a high-ranking MI6 officer and a double agent for the Soviet Union, emphasizing his friendships and the consequences of his betrayals.

Setting:

The setting covers key locations in Britain and the international espionage landscape during WWII and the Cold War.

Pacing:

The pacing starts slow but builds tension as the story progresses, particularly during confrontations and investigations.
One moment Nicholas Elliott was at Ascot racecourse, watching the favourite, Quashed, come romping home at 7–2, and the next, rather to his own surprise, he was a spy. The date was 15 June 1939, three...

Notes:

Kim Philby was a British spy who became a double agent for the Soviet Union during WWII and the Cold War.
Philby rose through the ranks of MI6, the British intelligence service, while secretly working for the KGB.
He was responsible for the deaths of possibly hundreds of covert agents working for British interests.
Philby's charm and social connections allowed him to evade suspicion for decades, even after multiple accusations.
His friendship with Nicholas Elliott, another MI6 officer, was a key focus of the story, illustrating the personal betrayal.
Philby was able to maintain his cover, gathering secrets from trusted friends and passing them to the Soviets.
Despite suspicions, Philby was never put on trial, as it would expose the failures of British intelligence.
He famously held a press conference in 1955 where he lied convincingly about his innocence, a performance still studied by MI6.
Legacies of Philby's actions include a significant loss of faith in British intelligence systems.
Kim Philby defected to the Soviet Union in 1963, five years after his friend Nicholas Elliott confronted him about his espionage.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

The book includes content related to betrayal, espionage, and the death of agents due to Philby's actions, leading to a medium level of distressing content.

From The Publisher:

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

The true story of Kim Philby, the Cold War's most infamous spy, from the master espionage writer and author of The Spy and the Traitor.

Who was Kim Philby? Those closest to him-like his fellow MI6 officer and best friend since childhood, Nicholas Elliot, and the CIA's head of counterintelligence, James Jesus Angleton-knew him as a loyal confidant and an unshakeable patriot. Philby was a brilliant and charming man who rose to head Britain's counterintelligence against the Soviet Union. Together with Elliott and Angleton he stood on the front lines of the Cold War, holding Communism at bay. But he was secretly betraying them both: He was working for the Russians the entire time.

Every word uttered in confidence to Philby by his colleagues in the West made its way to Moscow, leading countless missions to their doom and subverting American and British attempts to subdue the Soviet threat. So how was this cunning double-agent finally exposed? In A Spy Among Friends, Ben Macintyre expertly weaves the heart-pounding tale of how Philby almost got away with it all-and what happened when he was finally unmasked.

Based on personal papers and never-before-seen British intelligence files, this is Ben Macintyre's epic telling of one of the greatest spy stories ever, a Cold War history that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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About the Author:

Ben Macintyre is a writer-at-large for The Times (U.K.) and the bestselling author of The Spy and the Traitor, A Spy Among Friends, Double Cross, Operation Mincemeat, Agent Zigzag, and Rogue Heroes, among other books. Macintyre has also written and presented BBC documentaries of his work.

 
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