The billion dollar spy oc public libraries overdrive. He married a young woman at his institute, his topsecret military institute, and her parents had been purged by. It is a very solid, well written and a well researched work. The untold story of the cold war arms race and its dangerous legacy 2009, washington post contributing editor hoffman has strong. It is also an evocative portrait of everyday life in the crumbling soviet union and a meticulously researched guide to cia sources and methods. Working at the soviet radar design bureau phazotron as one of the chief designers, tolkachev. The title of david hoffmans excellent new book, the billion dollar spy, unintentionally i think evokes a famous item from studies in intelligence many years ago, the million dollar photograph.
The billion dollar spy new hampshire state library. 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. Hoffman chronicles the sixyear relationship between the central intelligence agency cia and engineer adolf tolkachev, who spied on the soviet union for the united states. From the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the dead hand comes the riveting story of a spy. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal audible audio published july 7th 2015 by random house audio unabridged, audible audio. 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 soviet asked if fulton was american and then said that he wanted to. David hoffman talked about his book, the billion dollar spy. It is easy to follow, and readers will find it hard to put down. A scrupulously researched work of history that is also a gripping thriller, the billion dollar spy by david e. How the cia ran a billion dollar spy in moscow the.
Jul 05, 2015 david hoffman tells tolkachevs story in his new book, the billion dollar spy. A thoroughly researched excavation of an astoundingly important and sadly sacrificed spy for the cia during the low point of the 1970s. Tolkachev was one of the most productive cia spies during the cold war, persistent in his undertakings to ensure the. Get 50% off this audiobook at the audiobooksnow online audio book store and download or stream it right to your computer, smartphone or tablet. The billion dollar spy the billion dollar spy audiobook, by david e. It is a gripping story of courage, professionalism, and betrayal in the secret world. Waterstones nonfiction book of the month august 2018 and a sunday times bestseller an astonishingly detailed picture. If a book is not in a rank since the previous week, it will not have an arrow.
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. 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. Listen to the billion dollar spy a true story of cold war espionage and betrayal 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. Read the billion dollar spy a true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. 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. The billion dollar spy audiobook, written by david e. This spellbinding story pulses with the dramatic tension of running an agent in sovietera moscowwhere the kgb is ubiquitous and cia officers and russian assets are prey. The billion dollar spy reads like the very best spy fiction yet is meticulously drawn from real life.
From the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the dead hand comes the riveting story of a spy who cracked open the soviet military. Hoffman perhaps the only thing more engrossing than a cold war spy novel is the truth behind the tales. Drawing on previously classified cia documents and interviews with firsthand participants, the billion dollar spy is a brilliant feat of reporting and a riveting true story from the final years of the cold war. The good the billion dollar spy was my first cold war espionage book and it has directed me to an entirely new genre of books to explore. Hoffmans the billion dollar spy the billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal, about adolf tolkachev, a russian engineer who worked for the soviet military and. 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. The winner of the pulitzer prize for his previous book, the dead hand.
The billion dollar spy is an excellent and thoroughly engaging read. The billion dollar spy is a brilliant feat of reporting that unfolds like an espionage thriller. Stirring, unpredictable, and at times unbearably tense, the billion dollar spy is a brilliant feat of reporting that unfolds like an espionage thriller. 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. The billion dollar spy new york public library overdrive. It tells a story that i never knew about and tells it very well indeed.
The soviet asked if fulton was american and then said that he wanted to talk. Seven million dollar spy reveals, for the first time, the inside story of the dramatic us counterintelligence operation that resulted in the capture of the most dangerous mole working for russia inside us intelligence. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by hoffman, david e isbn. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by hoffman, david e. Such is the conclusion of david hoffmans account of perhaps the most productive spy in cia history. Hoffman is a contributing editor at the washington post. Audio book sample courtesy of penguin random house. 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. Plus, youll get an additional audiobook per month after trial. 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.
Tolkachevs story is detailed in 944 pages of previously secret cia cables about the operation that were declassified without condition for the forthcoming book the billion dollar spy. Now, the former senior kgb spy, to whom the us paid seven million dollars for moscows file on the mole, is identified by both his real and code names. 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 new hampshire state library overdrive.
A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal duration. Download and keep this book for free with a 30 day trial. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal audiobook by david e. 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. David hoffman, author of the billion dollar spy initially, the cia was suspicious of soviet aviation expert adolf tolkachev. He covered the white house during the presidencies of ronald reagan and george h.
The billion dollar spy fairfax county public library. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. Hoffman i received this book through the goodreads first reads program. One evening, while the chief of the cias moscow station was filling his gas tank, a. The billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting. Book discussion on the billion dollar spy internet archive. The title of david hoffmans excellent new book, the billion dollar spy, unintentionally i think. Jul 07, 2015 a thoroughly researched excavation of an astoundingly important and sadly sacrificed spy for the cia during the low point of the 1970s. 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. Listen to the billion dollar spy audiobook by david e. Bush, and was subsequently diplomatic correspondent and jerusalem correspondent. 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 david e. 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 o.