Domain: tiger-web1.srvr.media3.us Books on spies - fiction or nonfiction | Book Board
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Books on spies - fiction or nonfiction

Posted on 7/8/19 at 6:56 pm
Posted by LSUbase13
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Member since Mar 2008
15060 posts
Posted on 7/8/19 at 6:56 pm
Any recommendations on some good, page-turning books on spies? Fiction or nonfiction, it doesn't really matter.
This post was edited on 7/8/19 at 6:57 pm
Posted by rebelrouser
Columbia, SC
Member since Feb 2013
13017 posts
Posted on 7/8/19 at 7:33 pm to
Best fiction:
1. Spy Who Came In From The Cold
2. The Berlin Game trilogy
3. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
4. The Charm School
5. The Fourth Protocol
6. A Coffin For Dimitrios
depends on what qualifies as a spy novel.
Non fiction:
Legacy Of Ashes: The History Of The CIA
Posted by OldTigahFot
Drinkin' with the rocket scientists
Member since Jan 2012
10507 posts
Posted on 7/8/19 at 8:48 pm to


Non-fiction
Posted by Htowntiger90
Houston
Member since Dec 2018
1005 posts
Posted on 7/9/19 at 10:01 am to
The Unseen War in Europe - John H. Waller
Piercing the Reich - Joseph E. Persico

These are a couple of good history books on WWII espionage. Waller was a former OSS Deputy theater chief in WWII and later CIA Inspector General.

Not new books but you can still find them.
Posted by glassman
Next to the beer taps at Finn's
Member since Oct 2008
118011 posts
Posted on 7/9/19 at 3:52 pm to
quote:

Books on spies - fiction


Read anything by Frederick Forsythe or Jack Higgins.

I'm currently reading the Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva and it is great.
Posted by rebelrouser
Columbia, SC
Member since Feb 2013
13017 posts
Posted on 7/9/19 at 4:00 pm to
quote:

I'm currently reading the Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva and it is great.


Meh. I thought the one book i read was just ok.
Posted by El Mattadorr
Member since Mar 2019
2374 posts
Posted on 7/10/19 at 9:10 am to
The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan is considered first novel in the "spy" genre. Published in 1915. I really enjoyed it when I read it in high school.
Posted by Stonehenge
Wakulla Springs
Member since Dec 2014
2627 posts
Posted on 7/10/19 at 11:15 am to
Defend The Realm The Authorized History Of M15
Posted by TheGooner
Baton Rouwage
Member since Jul 2016
1223 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 1:44 am to
Non Fiction

The Company
The Charm School (Already mentioned)
The Station Series
Posted by rebelrouser
Columbia, SC
Member since Feb 2013
13017 posts
Posted on 7/11/19 at 7:05 pm to
what is the Station series? i can only find teen girl books when i do a search.
Posted by Htowntiger90
Houston
Member since Dec 2018
1005 posts
Posted on 7/12/19 at 9:31 am to
Battleground Berlin

Another interesting book I read a while back. Veteran intel guys from both sides collaborated on a book about the early stages of the Cold War in Berlin.
Posted by TheGooner
Baton Rouwage
Member since Jul 2016
1223 posts
Posted on 7/14/19 at 11:13 pm to
Sorry for the delay.

The Station Series is by David Downing. There are six novels in total and the series is complete.

They are about a British ExPat journalist living in Berlin before the war who is pretty much forced to start spying for the Brits, Americans, Russians And The Nazis as well.

The parts during the fall of Berlin are amazing. The whole series is brilliantly done. I recommend getting the audiobooks if you can as the reader is great as well.

The titles of the books are train stations in Berlin.

This is the order to read them in.
Zoo Station
Silesian Station
Stettin Station
Potsdam Station
Lehrter Station
Masaryk Station
This post was edited on 7/14/19 at 11:14 pm
Posted by auyushu
Surprise, AZ
Member since Jan 2011
9866 posts
Posted on 7/15/19 at 7:54 pm to
Robert Ludlum, Jack Higgins, Alistair MacLean, John LeCarre.
Posted by Thurber
NWLA
Member since Aug 2013
15405 posts
Posted on 7/18/19 at 12:39 am to
Smiley’s People by John LeCarre
Posted by Pettifogger
I don't really care, Margaret
Member since Feb 2012
86737 posts
Posted on 7/30/19 at 2:21 pm to
The first couple of Red Sparrow books are excellent. The movie sucks, so don't be dissuaded.

Posted by beachdude
FL
Member since Nov 2008
6365 posts
Posted on 8/4/19 at 5:58 pm to
quote:

The Station Series


I’v read the Bernie Gunther Series by Philip Kerr and all Alan Furst’s WW II era novels and your recommendation of the David Downing books made me curious. I’m now reading this series and am on book number three. You were right. So far, these are very well done.
Posted by TheGooner
Baton Rouwage
Member since Jul 2016
1223 posts
Posted on 8/5/19 at 2:11 am to
quote:

The Station Series

I’v read the Bernie Gunther Series by Philip Kerr and all Alan Furst’s WW II era novels and your recommendation of the David Downing books made me curious. I’m now reading this series and am on book number three. You were right. So far, these are very
well done.


I’ve also read all of the Bernie Gunther series as well. The first 3 of them are a masterpiece.
I’ve long heard rumors about and HBO series being in the works. I would love that.

So far I’ve only read The Spies of Warsaw from Furst. It was great as well.

I know it’s not necessary spy related, but I currently can’t get enough of the Harry Flashman novels. He may be the greatest literary character of all time. LOL
Posted by beachdude
FL
Member since Nov 2008
6365 posts
Posted on 8/5/19 at 11:27 am to
quote:

Harry Flashman novels.


Yes. I’ve read them all. George Macdonald Fraser is one of my favorite writers.
Posted by Toki Wartooth
Mordhaus
Member since Mar 2019
972 posts
Posted on 8/5/19 at 7:27 pm to
Nonfiction - A Spy Among Friends

Hard to put down
Posted by ecb
Member since Jul 2010
10149 posts
Posted on 8/5/19 at 8:21 pm to
I have only read 1 & 3, but those were great books, looking forward to reading the others
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