It may come as no surprise that my bookshelf is dominated by spy novels and non-fiction books about the CIA and the KGB. While I prefer novels, there are several non-fiction books I consider essential to understanding the world of espionage. But first, the novels:
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Fiction
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A Gentleman in Moscow (Amor Towles)
While not a spy novel, per se, A Gentleman in Moscow is an exquisitely written tale about a Russian nobleman who finds himself on the wrong side of history after the 1917 Russian Revolution. When the new communist government declares Count Alexander Rostov an unrepentant aristocrat, he is sentenced to a lifetime of house arrest. Fortunately for the Count, he is exiled to Moscow’s luxurious Metropol Hotel, not a Siberian labor camp. Ever the gentleman and the optimist, Count Rostov builds a life for himself, even as the walls—both literal and figurative—close in around him. Towles’ story subtly depicts how the tentacles of communism invade and strangle the human spirit. The Count loses almost everything—his wealth, his freedom, his loved ones—to the communists. But the one thing the Bolsheviks cannot destroy is his spirit. And it’s that spirit which propels the story to an ending that only an indomitable character like Rostov could engineer.
Damascus Station (David McCloskey)
I’m a few chapters into Damascus Station, a debut spy thriller by David McCloskey, whose career mirrors mine in several ways. We both worked at the CIA, wrote a story that sat in a drawer for some time, worked for a consulting firm, and then finally published a novel. McCloskey’s understanding of the world of espionage comes through clearly in the opening pages of the story. From his case officer’s well—executive surveillance detection route to the briefings, debriefings, and interrogations involving American and Syrian intelligence agencies—this story brims with authenticity and tension. I look forward to reading the rest.
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Books, Books, and More (Spy) Books!
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Robert Littell: One of my favorite spy novelists, Littell has written dozens of intricately plotted Cold War espionage novels. Among my favorites are The Company and An Agent in Place.
Tom Clancy: When I read The Hunt for Red October, I began to wonder if I could write a story that would keep readers up reading way past their bedtimes. It lit a spark in me that took years to develop, but I finally started writing because of this book (casting Sean Connery as Captain Ramius also helped!). Other Clancy books I love include Red Storm Rising, Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, and The Sum of All Fears.
Nelson DeMille: I love DeMille’s John Corey series. Corey is a wise-cracking, street-smart, retired homicide detective turned anti-terrorist special agent who makes me laugh out loud. I highly recommend Plum Island, The Lion’s Game, and Night Fall. I also love many of DeMille’s other novels, especially The Charm School, The Gold Coast, and The General’s Daughter.
Daniel Silva: I have read about a dozen of Silva’s spy novels, most of which feature his Israeli intelligence hero, Gabriel Allon. Fantastic books. I remember reading one of his standalone books, The Unlikely Spy, before I had joined the CIA. A friend asked me if it was a novel or a personal how-to guide. Ha!
(There are so many authors I could add to this list, from Robert Ludlum, to Ken Follett, to Vince Flynn and more. Is there a book club for spy thriller fans? If not, perhaps there should be!)
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Nonfiction
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The Spy and the Traitor (Ben McIntyre)
The Spy and the Traitor is simply the best non-fiction spy story ever told. It’s a gripping, Cold War era page-turner about a senior KGB officer who spied for British intelligence. Oleg Gordievsky hailed from a family of Soviet intelligence officers, but a series of events made him question his work for and loyalty to the KGB and his country. First came the 1956 Soviet invasion of Hungary, then the building of the Berlin Wall in the early 1960s, and finally, the crushing of the Prague Spring in 1968. His disillusionment with communism and the Soviet system deepened after his time stationed in Denmark and England. Gordievsky’s role in keeping the Cold War from turning hot cannot be understated. For fans of espionage thrillers, The Spy and the Traitor is a must read (and a must listen for audiobook fans. Narrator John Lee does an exceptional job.).
KGB, The Inside Story (Christopher Andrew and Oleg Gordievsky)
The aforementioned Oleg Gordievsky joined forces with Christopher Andrews to write a comprehensive history of the KGB. If you are interested in Cold War intelligence history, this book is mandatory reading.
The Great Terror (Robert Conquest)
The Great Terror is considered the definitive work on Josef Stalin’s Great Purge on the late 1930s, during which millions of “enemies of the state” were killed or imprisoned in the USSR’s notorious gulags. The edition sitting on my bookshelf is the original book, published in 1968. Conquest updated the book in 1990 after gaining access to Soviet historical archives. The Great Terror: A Reassessment added even more detail about the horrors of Josef Stalin’s reign. (Adding it to my must-read list.)
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