Stalin's Spy: Richard Sorge and the Tokyo Espionage Ring [Paperback]

Robert Whymant (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 2007 | ISBN-10: 1845113101 | ISBN-13: 978-1845113100 | Edition: 2nd

This is the true story of a remarkable man who pulled off a seemingly impossible espionage mission in Tokyo, before and during World War II. Richard Sorge, born to a Russian mother and a German father, ran a network of Japanese and Europeans under the noses of Japan's dreaded secret police. From 1933 until he was caught in late 1941, he transmitted priceless secrets to Red Army intelligence. Sorge's espionage group -- perhaps the most successful operating in this critical period - kept the Russians informed about Japanese and German intentions, and also helped influence decisions made by these governments.Sorge's biggest coup was to inform Stalin of the German attack on Russia in 1941, weeks before it occurred -- with details of troop deployments, movement of armaments and the actual date of the attack. Abandoned to his fate by Stalin, Sorge became the first European sentenced to death by a Japanese court. After a prolonged ordeal he was executed in Sugamo prison in 1944.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The most careful assessment to date of one of the most successful spy rings ever…a judicious and often gripping account."--Kirkus Reviews

"Enthralling."--London Review of Books

"As readable as a first-rate thriller...Whymant tells the story extremely skillfully, combining amusing detail of everyday life and erotica, with the tale of the problems of the greatest strategic and intelligence importance."--Times Literary Supplement

"In his penetrating biography, Robert Whymant delves into the nether regions of human betrayal."--The Observer

 

 'As well researched as possible and yet as readable as a first-rate thriller.' Oleg Gordievsky, Times Literary Supplement

'This is a gripping story and very well told. Whymant's new material deepens understanding and advances knowledge…a very readable book.' M.R.D. Foot

 

'Kim Philby several times expressed to me his admiration of Sorge. He felt Sorge was the only secret agent beyond reproach.' Philip Knightley

 

'In his penetrating biography, Robert Whymant, delves into the nether regions of human betrayal to recover the man from the myth.' Kevin Toolis, The Observer

 

'An enthralling new account' Murray Sayle, London Review of Books

 

'This gripping account of Sorge's Tokyo spy ring by Robert Whymant draws on recently released Russian archives to add much new material to an important bit of Japan's wartime history.' William Dawkins, Financial Times

 

About the Author

Robert Whymant covered East Asia for The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph from 1972 to 1993 when he became Tokyo Correspondent of The Times. Whymant was tragically killed in the 2004 tsunami while on holiday in Sri Lanka.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris; 2nd edition (January 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845113101
• ISBN-13: 978-1845113100
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,227,673 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The definative Sorge book to date, January 16, 2008

By 

Simon Lacey (Jakarta, Indonesia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stalin's Spy: Richard Sorge and the Tokyo Espionage Ring (Paperback)

I just finished reading this book, which I had been meaning to get my hands on for about 2 years now.

It is a superbly well-documented piece of historical research and it's clear that the author, Robert Whymant, spared no effort in combing, analyzing and recounting the historic record on this extraordinary spy and the network he painstakingly built up in Tokyo in the run up to and start of the Second World War.

A review of the book's endnotes (it is extensively footnoted) shows that Whymant relied on a variety of sources, both official and private, including Soviet, Japanese and German archives as well as on personal accounts of those who knew and worked with the protagonists.

Personally, I found that the narrative, although quite exciting, is not as gripping as the works of Anthony Beevor, nor does it flow with the casual ease of Norman Davies' works, but is nevertheless a very entertaining read and does not get bogged down in unnecessary detail.

I am fairly confident that, for now, this represents the definitive piece of popular historical research on Richard Sorge, and it will be difficult for someone to do a better job than Whymant has done, unless more sources emerge from the Soviet archives or some other new revelations come to light.

I was very saddened to discover, after finishing the book, that Richard Whymant actually perished in the 2004 Asian Tsunami, whilst holidaying in Sri Lanka. This constitutes a very grave loss indeed.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome book condition and delivered on time!!!, January 3, 2011

By 

Jorge F. Cazarez - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Stalin's Spy: Richard Sorge and the Tokyo Espionage Ring (Paperback)

This book was in great condition and it arrived before my course started, which is a great plus for me!!!