Spy Among Friends, A
MacIntyre, BenOscar Wilde may have asserted that 'true friends stab you in the front', but it would have been no consolation to the friends of English spy Kim Philby. One of the notorious 'Cambridge Four', and reputedly a charming and charismatic man, Philby spied for the Russians over a thirty year period during the Cold War. Betraying his colleagues, family and especially his friends, he was responsible for many people being tortured and killed.
This well written and researched account of his relationship with his friends, including his MI6 handler Nicholas Elliot and the head of the CIA James Angleton, delivers a thrilling real-life spy story of duplicity and subterfuge.
Comments from Groups
All members of the group enjoyed this book though it took a while to get "into it". Really interesting to learn the work of spy networks, and the naivety of the old-boy networks in this modern age. Auckland 280 Absolutely riveting. Highly recommended. Takaka 002
Pages
340
340
Year
2014
2014
Reviews
11-01-2024
Heaps of discussion - intriguing! How did he get away with it
24-11-2023
Some of us had recently read other Spy books so this consolidated our understanding of how the network operates. Much of what was revealed provided good discussion regarding the ethics. His ability to betray and deceive so many for so long was incredible.
04-05-2023
One member really liked this book, however the majority rated it 3 stars. Well-written and interesting, but some found it hard to get into as it is not a genre they would usually select.
17-04-2023
The group enjoyed hearing the stories of real life spies and how close they are to stories we see in fiction. There were a lot of names to get past in the beginning, but the story gave a good insight into British society (or the past).
14-08-2022
Great read - our group relished the real life goings of a traitor, narcissist, upper class and entitled spy . Such damage done by one person - and great social commentary about the English class system.
28-03-2022
There was a low turn-out, but those at the meeting rated this book at the high score end. One said, "This was my favourite BDS book in years. A very well-written psychological study".
22-09-2021
Tremendous book! Great writing and lots to learn about how the other half, ie. MI6, thought and acted. We were all engrossed from beginning to end.
23-08-2021
Well-written, easy to read. Generated lots of discussion. Very relevant for even NZ cultural issues.
14-07-2021
This book generated much discussion. Not everyone made it past the slow start. Those who did were soon caught up in the shocking unfolding of events. It is well-written and thought provoking.
21-02-2020
Group found it interesting, though thought that the author's effort to prove every point was verifiable, meant that he blinded us with detail. Most felt that it took a while to get into the book, but became involved. A good study of the blindness of love/friendship and all agreed he must have been the ultimate deceiver. A strange character and his cause was so at odds with his character and his life.
07-09-2018
The group divided between those who stopped reading after a few chapters and those who really enjoyed the book. A good discussion - and some who decided to read it after all!
07-09-2018
We concluded that Philby was a psychopath. There was much discussion about class entitlement and the old boy network. He lived the high life, so not really committed to communism.
07-09-2018
Almost all the group (7/8) enjoyed this book, and several of us enjoyed it a great deal, finding it gripping and full of fascinating detail. It is now clear to me where Ian Fleming's inspiration came from and why the James Bond stories have that dated, stuffy, 1950s mens' club atmosphere.
01-09-2018
One of the few books that everyone in the group enjoyed. The writing was fast-paced, funny at times, and always interesting. A very lively discussion book about the peculiar nature of the British secret service, the class system, and the old boys' network protecting its own.
13-07-2018
This book while interesting was not "enjoyed" by our group. The group found the concept of spying and betrayal very distasteful. The book was very well written. Not our most popular book of the year but it gave us plenty to discuss.
13-07-2018
Overwhelming amount of detail at times - some found this "hard-going". An amazing story/part of history - good discussion had.
13-07-2018
A fabulous read, and such a good topic for our Christmas lunch party! We are all of an age to remember the Burgess/McLean scandal, but not with the knowledge of the workings of MI5 and MI6. What a lot of "dimwits" the MI6 lot were! Privilege in those positions had a lot to answer for.
13-07-2018
A great read, enjoyed by the whole group. This work of non-fiction was about the British spy , Kim Philby, who deceived his closest friends and betrayed his country (Britain) by working as a counter-spy for the then USSR. He penetrated the top ranks of MI6 during WW2 and after, during the Cold War. His relationship with his fellow spies was close and far-reaching, even though not one of them guessed his real identity. The book gives a very detailed yet very readable account of his wartime activities and those of his friends and colleagues.
13-07-2018
Almost everyone in our group found 'A Spy Among Friends' quite fascinating. The biography of Kim Philby, and the other 'Cambridge' spies was an eye opener, and the true stories of their exploits could not have been more outlandish if it had been written by Ian Fleming or Graham Greene or John Le Carre, all of whom had had some contact with these men.
13-07-2018
The group had a good discussion about this book. Most found it a bit wordy but a very interesting topic.
13-07-2018
A very interesting social observation. We were all interested to note how efficiently the 'old boys' network operated. The conflict between MI5 and MI6 pinpointed this. We also commented on the alcohol consumed by everyone, the deals done in restaurants and the absolutely corrupt way that Philby manipulated his friendships, especially with Elliot.