Saturday, 7 August 2021

'Mother, housewife, novelist, expert radio technician, spymaster, courier, saboteur, bomb-maker, Cold Warrior and secret agent, all at the same time ...' I'm soooo gripped by Agent Sonya and we've not even got to the Cotswolds where she made excellent cakes and sent messages to Moscow from the outside lav. Someone must be making a film!
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6 comments:

callmemadam said...

I read this recently. I love all Ben MacIntyre's true spy stories but didn't like this one so much because I couldn't sympathise with 'Sonya's passionate devotion to the Communist party. A remarkable person, though.

8 August 2021 at 08:52
Sue said...

Mary, I agree. & this time I am ahead of you. I read this at some point during lockdown and enjoyed it so much too. I think I read somewhere that there is a film being made about Richard Sorge, but definitely yes to a film of Agent Sonya! When I read these sort of books I am always struck by the way none of it could happen that way now with iphones and internet. Another world completely.

8 August 2021 at 13:12
Mary said...

I haven't read any of his others, callmemadam. I agree, hard to understand her commitment once a few of her colleagues had been disappeared or tortured. Although it must be very hard to admit you've sunk so much into the wrong cause.

I should think espionage is very dull and desk-bound these days, Sue! I've googled the film - apparently there's a Japanese film about Sorge and a Russian mini-series - maybe something more accessible will be along soon!

8 August 2021 at 17:09
Nan said...

His books are just wonderful!!

8 August 2021 at 17:14
Mary said...

I'm very tempted by the Philby one and also by Agent ZigZag, Nan. He's certainly a good story teller!

8 August 2021 at 18:11
Vronni's Style Meanderings said...

Sounds brilliant - it will go on my 'must find a copy' list!

10 August 2021 at 14:55

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