synopsis
The spy and the traitor is a non fiction historical and political book regarding a double agent who changed the course of the Cold War forever. A novel which illustrates the dichotomy between indoctrination and individualism whilst also examining the tense relations between communism and western democracy. Ben Macintyre explains how one man Oleg Gordievsky abandons the KGB due to his love for British culture and ideology. The tale of how a drugged and interrogated Gordviesky escaped Moscow and changed the course of history forever.
''Who but a fully indoctrinated KGB officer would be able to taste such freedom and resist the urge to stay?''
Analysis
The spy and the traitor was one of the best books I've ever read. There was an initial doubt that a non fiction thriller may lack suspense due to being realistic however the first page in, I knew that was not the case. Ben Macintyre exposes the relationship between Russia and the West in a way which is still relevant and key today. With many political scientists today regarding British and Russian relations as the ' new Cold War', Oleg Gordiveskys story remains significant. The novel touches on important key historical events such as the Star Wars, the building of the Berlin Wall, Thatchers time in office as well as the burning tensions of the Cold War In the 70s and 80s. Not only does the spy and the traitor expose the tense relations between Russia and the west but it also shines a light on the competitive alliance of America and Britain, a significant tale of competition and danger. Gordivesky was not just a doubt agent but a man who prevented a totalitarian state and nuclear war. In a time where the world was not certain on a tomorrow, Macintyre demonstrates how Oleg Gordivesky changed the future.
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