--- product_id: 97728965 title: "The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War" price: "1408638₫" currency: VND in_stock: true reviews_count: 7 url: https://www.desertcart.vn/products/97728965-the-spy-and-the-traitor-the-greatest-espionage-story-cold store_origin: VN region: Vietnam --- # The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War **Price:** 1408638₫ **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War - **How much does it cost?** 1408638₫ with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vn](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/97728965-the-spy-and-the-traitor-the-greatest-espionage-story-cold) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War (Audible Audio Edition): John Lee, Ben Macintyre, Random House Audio: Books Review: Splendid history & a gripping read - The Spy and The Traitor is touted in its subhead as "the greatest espionage story ever told." That isn't just publisher hype. The real events and the story of Oleg Gordievsky, KGB officer and diplomat reads like something from a John LeCarre or Robert Ludlum story...except it's true and marvelously documented. Raised by a father and older brother who both served devotedly and unquestioningly in the KGB (dad worked through Stalin's purges and survived in the KGB's precursor agency). Loyalty to the service then would seem to be a given--betraying the agency and its million members (you read that right) would be like sabotaging the family's business. Yet events and history continue to flummox human expectations. First the invasion of Hungary, then the erection of the Berlin Wall (which Gordievsky was present to see) and finally the brutal crushing of the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia all drove this KGB officer further and further away from the party. Exposure to the West in Copenhagen and later in London provided a first hand taste of liberty and freedom. It served as the final push into the eager and eternally grateful arms of his M16 handlers. The double agent provided them with not merely a trove of concrete information but invaluable insight into the workings of the KGB and planning of the Soviet Leadership. It is no exaggeration to say Gordievsky was our Kim Philby. The details of these meetings, contacts, "drops", etc. and how spies operated from the end WWII until the dissolution of the Soviet empire is fascinating and novelistic in the telling. Gordievsky's escape or "exfiltration" from the USSR by M16 is nothing short of breathtaking--a Bourne Identity moment. Best of all though is the historical and moral context that gives readers a perspective of events' meanings. Ben McIntyre is a masterful storyteller and detailed chronicler. He thoroughly but concisely points out the import and value of Grodievsky's insights--particularly warning the Brits and thereby the Americans that the Soviet leader Yuri Andropov genuinely believed the West was intent upon a first nuclear strike. Appreciating that paranoia can be as perilous as animus, first Thatcher and then Reagan worked to assuage Soviet fears. It was Gordievsky who prepped both sides for successful summits in the 80s and it was he who counseled wisely to neither disband nor include the USSR in the SDI or Star Wars initiative. Rather, ratchet up the pressure and they would go bankrupt trying to keep up, which is precisely what happened. Gordievsky certainly didn't single handedly end the cold war--there were dozens of events and officials who played a significant role. But Oleg Gordievsky was surely in the first rank of those who made a valuable contribution earning the appreciation of Reagan, Thatcher, the CIA, M16 and yes, QEII (the monarch, not the ocean liner). Best of all, McIntryre doesn't put a patriotic gloss on his subject's behavior. What Gordievsky did was of enormous benefit to democracy and the West but it destroyed his marriage, implicated his wife and children as well as family and friends who all paid some price for his defection. In short, his actions both saved and ruined lives and the choices he made can be rightfully regarded as both morally defensible and appalling or enraging to those who knew him. Unsurprisingly, his marriage failed and most Russian friends regard him with disdain and disgust. In the western intelligence community he is a hero. This is terrific, important history and a wonderfully well-told tale. Enjoy! Review: One of the Most Enjoyable Books I Have Read - This is a great story in the hands of a master story-teller. Oleg Gordievsky was a Cold War KGB officer who let his humanity, clear vision of what the Soviet system represented and a personal fearlessness lead him to turn coat and become a British agent reporting from inside the KGB apparatus. This fascinating story is true and is as tense and dramatic as any Ian Flemming work (ok, without the sex, car chases and gun play). The book - based on over 100 hours of interviews with Gordievesky and countless other hours with British spy handlers, former KGB colleagues and Russian friends and his ex-wife detail the real life world of a master spy and excellent practitioner of spy craft. Gordievesky would have in all likelihood remained on station beyond 1985 had another famous spy not turned him out. The CIA's Aldrich Ames figured out who MI6's most productive source was and told his KGB handlers (though their was possibly another source of exposure as well). Called back to Moscow, Gordievsky activated a years-old exfiltration plan that saw him lose his surveillance and rendezvous with a British team mobilized to meet him near the Finnish border and whisk him to freedom. The spy training and craft, operational methods, recruitment of assets and interactions with his British handlers are all here. Also, the book provides an excellent insight into a part of the KGB that reveals it to be a slothful (though still deadly) bureaucracy where petty turf wars and jealousy had dulled the teeth of a once effective and ruthless organization. The recall to Moscow, interrogations, suspicions and eventual escape are tense and nerve wracking as the author has done a brilliant job of pacing in detailing a get-away fraught with danger. Gordievesky is a hero to our side; still a target of the Russians headed by ex-KGBer Vladimir Putin. This man's information and insights helped with political planning and understanding of Russian thinking at the height of the Cold War. His work possibly enabled the British to blunt American and NATO enthusiasm for the Abel-Archer military exercise which a tottering Soviet leadership feared might be cover for a western first strike against the Soviets. He also provided advice on how to deal with Russian reaction to the Strategic Defense Initiative and according to the author was extremely prescient on how it would play out. A fascinating and gripping account of a heroic man. Highly recommended. ## Images ![The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71uX9++33iL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Splendid history & a gripping read *by L***N on October 14, 2018* The Spy and The Traitor is touted in its subhead as "the greatest espionage story ever told." That isn't just publisher hype. The real events and the story of Oleg Gordievsky, KGB officer and diplomat reads like something from a John LeCarre or Robert Ludlum story...except it's true and marvelously documented. Raised by a father and older brother who both served devotedly and unquestioningly in the KGB (dad worked through Stalin's purges and survived in the KGB's precursor agency). Loyalty to the service then would seem to be a given--betraying the agency and its million members (you read that right) would be like sabotaging the family's business. Yet events and history continue to flummox human expectations. First the invasion of Hungary, then the erection of the Berlin Wall (which Gordievsky was present to see) and finally the brutal crushing of the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia all drove this KGB officer further and further away from the party. Exposure to the West in Copenhagen and later in London provided a first hand taste of liberty and freedom. It served as the final push into the eager and eternally grateful arms of his M16 handlers. The double agent provided them with not merely a trove of concrete information but invaluable insight into the workings of the KGB and planning of the Soviet Leadership. It is no exaggeration to say Gordievsky was our Kim Philby. The details of these meetings, contacts, "drops", etc. and how spies operated from the end WWII until the dissolution of the Soviet empire is fascinating and novelistic in the telling. Gordievsky's escape or "exfiltration" from the USSR by M16 is nothing short of breathtaking--a Bourne Identity moment. Best of all though is the historical and moral context that gives readers a perspective of events' meanings. Ben McIntyre is a masterful storyteller and detailed chronicler. He thoroughly but concisely points out the import and value of Grodievsky's insights--particularly warning the Brits and thereby the Americans that the Soviet leader Yuri Andropov genuinely believed the West was intent upon a first nuclear strike. Appreciating that paranoia can be as perilous as animus, first Thatcher and then Reagan worked to assuage Soviet fears. It was Gordievsky who prepped both sides for successful summits in the 80s and it was he who counseled wisely to neither disband nor include the USSR in the SDI or Star Wars initiative. Rather, ratchet up the pressure and they would go bankrupt trying to keep up, which is precisely what happened. Gordievsky certainly didn't single handedly end the cold war--there were dozens of events and officials who played a significant role. But Oleg Gordievsky was surely in the first rank of those who made a valuable contribution earning the appreciation of Reagan, Thatcher, the CIA, M16 and yes, QEII (the monarch, not the ocean liner). Best of all, McIntryre doesn't put a patriotic gloss on his subject's behavior. What Gordievsky did was of enormous benefit to democracy and the West but it destroyed his marriage, implicated his wife and children as well as family and friends who all paid some price for his defection. In short, his actions both saved and ruined lives and the choices he made can be rightfully regarded as both morally defensible and appalling or enraging to those who knew him. Unsurprisingly, his marriage failed and most Russian friends regard him with disdain and disgust. In the western intelligence community he is a hero. This is terrific, important history and a wonderfully well-told tale. Enjoy! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ One of the Most Enjoyable Books I Have Read *by W***H on October 30, 2018* This is a great story in the hands of a master story-teller. Oleg Gordievsky was a Cold War KGB officer who let his humanity, clear vision of what the Soviet system represented and a personal fearlessness lead him to turn coat and become a British agent reporting from inside the KGB apparatus. This fascinating story is true and is as tense and dramatic as any Ian Flemming work (ok, without the sex, car chases and gun play). The book - based on over 100 hours of interviews with Gordievesky and countless other hours with British spy handlers, former KGB colleagues and Russian friends and his ex-wife detail the real life world of a master spy and excellent practitioner of spy craft. Gordievesky would have in all likelihood remained on station beyond 1985 had another famous spy not turned him out. The CIA's Aldrich Ames figured out who MI6's most productive source was and told his KGB handlers (though their was possibly another source of exposure as well). Called back to Moscow, Gordievsky activated a years-old exfiltration plan that saw him lose his surveillance and rendezvous with a British team mobilized to meet him near the Finnish border and whisk him to freedom. The spy training and craft, operational methods, recruitment of assets and interactions with his British handlers are all here. Also, the book provides an excellent insight into a part of the KGB that reveals it to be a slothful (though still deadly) bureaucracy where petty turf wars and jealousy had dulled the teeth of a once effective and ruthless organization. The recall to Moscow, interrogations, suspicions and eventual escape are tense and nerve wracking as the author has done a brilliant job of pacing in detailing a get-away fraught with danger. Gordievesky is a hero to our side; still a target of the Russians headed by ex-KGBer Vladimir Putin. This man's information and insights helped with political planning and understanding of Russian thinking at the height of the Cold War. His work possibly enabled the British to blunt American and NATO enthusiasm for the Abel-Archer military exercise which a tottering Soviet leadership feared might be cover for a western first strike against the Soviets. He also provided advice on how to deal with Russian reaction to the Strategic Defense Initiative and according to the author was extremely prescient on how it would play out. A fascinating and gripping account of a heroic man. Highly recommended. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review *by M***0 on January 21, 2024* What is incredible about this true-life spy story is that you can read it like a classic novel, as it never slows its pace. This captivating espionage tale is a real page-turner. What struck me most in this book is how likeable the main character really is. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vn/products/97728965-the-spy-and-the-traitor-the-greatest-espionage-story-cold](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/97728965-the-spy-and-the-traitor-the-greatest-espionage-story-cold) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vietnam* *Store origin: VN* *Last updated: 2026-05-16*