The billion dollar spy, unintentionally i think evokes a famous item from studies in intelligence many years ago, the million dollar photograph. The title the billion dollar spy refers to the research and manufacturing costs saved by the united states as a result of mr. 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. Hoffman will describe this singularlyimportant operation, based on declassified cia cables and his new book, the billion dollar spy, and argue that despite the many achievements of technology in espionage, human sources are still vital. Upcoming events at the international spy museum in washington dc. The nga stands for the national geospatialintelligence agency and its basically in charge of all the ultrahigh definition imagery that our satellites and. The pulitzer pricewinning russian affairs expert zooms in on the true saga of a soviet engineerthe spy of the titlewho passed the cia billions of dollars worth of top secret intel right under the nose of the kgb, passing off notes into waiting cars and employing other bondworthy tactics to help the u. 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. Steve vogel the berlin tunnel and an epic tale of cold war. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal, new york, doubleday, 2015, isbn 9780385537605 about beriev a50 1,237 words view diff case mismatch in snippet view article find links to article.
Amma asante will direct the film adaptation of david e. The date is supplied courtesy of a september 25, 1986 politburo document referring to tolkachevs execution yesterday note however that the prevailing tolkachev story as presented in this post is disputed by cia historian benjamin fischer, who has argued that adolf tolkachev was a kgb prank on its opposite number in the cold wars spy vs. 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. The billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting, and finally dismaying, for being true. The 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. The billion dollar spy is a pageturner that stands up to any spy novel, not only for its lively writing, but also because it isnt just based on a true story, it is a true story. Eine billion dollar is a 2001 novel by german writer andreas eschbach. He provided a road map to the united states for compromising and defeating two critical soviet weapons systems. Hoffman presents the events in such a way the raises the stakes of each operation to its peak. 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. British director amma asante will helm the film adaptation of david e. Its plot revolves around a young pizza driver from new york city, who inherits a trillion us dollars from one of his ancestors who lived in 16th century florence. 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.
We also learn growing up in the 70s and 80s, the cold war and its concomitant threat of nuclear extinction was constantly in our faces in the form of. Air force adolf tolkachev is shown here on vacation near the baltic sea in. The billion dollar spy download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. The billion dollar spy tolkachev was one of the cias most productive agents of the cold war, providing the united states with intelligence no other spy had ever obtained. The billion dollar spy agency youve never heard of the. The billion dollar spy movie is currently in development. Rodric braithwaite, british ambassador in moscow, 19881992. 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. From 1979 until 1985, the cia ran an immensely productive spy in the heart of the soviet militaryindustrial complex in moscow. 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.
Waterstones nonfiction book of the month august 2018 and a sunday times bestseller an astonishingly detailed picture. The world can be a very dangerous placeand hopefully one day well get back out there. A thoroughly researched excavation of an astoundingly important and sadly sacrificed spy for the cia during the low point of the 1970s. Read the billion dollar spy a true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. Hoffman is a scrupulous, meticulous writer whose pages of footnotes and references attest to how carefully he sticks to his sources. Billion dollar business idea billionaire igor rybakov, the best russian entrepreneur in interview duration.
Every meeting, whether between tolkachev or another of the spies featured in the book is supplemented by the exact right. 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. How a billion dollar spy stole soviet secrets and helped the u. Hoffman an intricate, mesmerizing portrayal of the kgbcia spy culture. The billion dollar spy a true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. The billion dollar spy is the fascinating true story of adolf tolkachev, a soviet engineer who for personal reasons wanted to pass critical engineering secrets to the united states. The billion dollar spy agency youve never heard of they can see a stick of butter from space claire bernish.
Smashwords the billion dollar spy summary a book by. Hoffman details the account of a spy in the cold war so valuable, the united. The billion dollar spy agency youve never heard of video by voice of reason the last great stand. The true story of a man who became the pentagons most valuable spy during the last years of the cold war. The billion dollar spy agency youve never heard of video. As is the style of histories published these days, the billion dollar spy opens not at the beginning of the story but with a dramatic event briefly recountedin this case, a cia officers attempt in december 1982 to recontact tolkachev, who had not been able to communicate for several months. David hoffman, author of the billion dollar spy initially, the cia was suspicious of soviet aviation expert adolf tolkachev. Break out of quarantine mode with clint emerson wed, april 29, 2020 5. The billion dollar spy the billion dollar spy audiobook, by david e. Hoffmans look into the story of tolkachev, the billiondollar spy, is exciting and thrilling, while also being a tragic emotional roller coaster. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal duration. 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.
A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e hoffman americas most successful spy in moscow paid with his. Youve heard of the nsa and the cia, but youve probably never heard of the nga. This is an independent addition to the billion dollar spy, meant to enhance your experience of the original book. The billion dollar spy reads like the most taut and suspenseful parts of tinker tailor soldier spy or smileys people. It is a gripping story of courage, professionalism, and betrayal in the secret world. 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 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. How a billion dollar spy stole soviet secrets and helped. Click download or read online button to get the billion dollar spy book now. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. The billion dollar spy quotes showing of 45 the one thing that proved to me you were cia and not kgb is when you gave me those medicines to test on my daughter. Capitol in size has managed to keep to the shadows while. While most americans would consider the cia, and perhaps the nsa, household names, one u.
If you have not yet bought the original copy, make sure to purchase it before buying this unofficial summary from abookaday. 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. July 7, 2015 a thoroughly researched excavation of an astoundingly important and sadly sacrificed spy for the cia during the low point of the 1970s. The movie, written by ben august remember, will be produ.
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