Customer Reviews

The Book of Spies: An Anthology of Literary Espionage (Modern Library)

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"The Book of Spies" caught my attention because it is edited by Alan Furst, who also wrote the introduction. I have been reading Furst's excellent literary novels of espionage and I was curious to read works by other authors he recommends. Furst is often compared to Eric Ambler and Graham Greene, whom I've read. But what would Furst himself select? "A Coffin for Demetrios" is the first selection and there's one from "The Quiet American" by Graham Greene, but many of the other selections are unexpected and riveting. The only one I had read was the Ambler. I ran out and bought "The Quiet American," but I'm also going to read "Tremor of Intent" by Anthony Burgess, "Under Western Eyes" by Joseph Conrad, "Ashenden" by W. Somerset Maugham (probably the most intriguing selection in the entire anthology), and "The Tears of Autumn" by Charles McCarry. In his introduction Furst notes that the date of publication is important for each selection because they are essentially political novels, tied to and shaped by a particular place and time. I was struck by the variety among these selections and although I had my favorites, I was sorry when each ended. The anthology is not a substitute for the full-length novels, but rather provides an overview of the genre and serves a guide for further reading.

This is a collection of excerpts from novels by 11 different authors. Contrary to the title, they are not all about spies. Some are about revolutionaries, at least one about wartime resistance, and one is about two men stranded on a road at night in Vietnam. The point in time is not always clear. The stories are in no particular order by chronology or subject, but are simply in alphabetic order by the authors' last names. The writing quality is mixed and some are skimable. Some seem to have too much background color and not enough story. I think the collection could have been much better considering the literature available. The best value that I obtained was identifying authors to avoid.

Just Following Orders
I invite this author to check out my own newest ebook about espionage. Being born to former East German STASI "Master Spy" General Markus "Mischa" Wolf, I was bred to be one of his specialties, a life-long "Manchurian Candidate." I was to be used in a court precedence regarding inheritance law, which would have eventually communized the Right to Own Property - In timing and conjuction of our most recent attempted take-over and Communizing of our country by the Socialist Democrats.
But I was unknowingly "Turned" by the CIA and used to lure Wolf to the West by putting me in US Army M.I. Wolf was "Turned" in 1977, and counter-run, a major to now unknown secret.
There is a major scandal brewing in DC as certain documents are now being unsealed in the Phoenix Federal Court system.
Guess what they are?
Guess just who else Wolf bred, groomed, created a false Legend and documentations for, and yet planted therein, his eventual failure?
Yes, just who is listed as "Father" on that infamous Birth Certificate that HI Gov. Acrocrombie frantically tries to hide?
And an Indonesian black mother?

I was disappointed in this book. I expected something more exciting and think the selection was poor.