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Gordon Thomas

Robert Maxwell, Israel's Superspy: The Life and Murder of a Media Mogul Hardcover – November 5, 2002

by Martin Dillon (Author), Gordon Thomas (Author)

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Robert Maxwell—ruthless, volatile, defiant; a man of gargantuan appetites, for food, wine, women, power, money—unabashedly bared his ambition to the world, as he strove to build a publishing empire. But, throughout his career, Robert Maxwell also nurtured another, more driving, and—until now—altogether hidden ambition, and that was to spy for Israel’s Mossad. In the end, as Gordon Thomas, an author who has long been trolling the murky waters of international intelligence, shows in this gripping narrative, the conflict between the tycoon’s public interests and spy’s secret pursuits led to his mystifying death, officially by drowning, in November 1991, offshore of the Canary Islands. According to Thomas’s well-placed sources in Israel, Washington, and London, Maxwell first came into Mossad’s orbit in the 1970s, when the crack Israeli spy organization stole from the United States its most sophisticated piece of intelligence-gathering software, Enhanced Promis. Of it Mossad made an electronic Trojan horse, secretly amassing strictly classified information from inside the very organizations worldwide to which they were selling it. Mossad’s representative for these extremely sensitive transactions costing tens of millions of dollars in China, Russia, India, and twenty other countries was Robert Maxwell. Only Maxwell was also helping himself to some of Mossad’s profits—as well as $750 million from his employees’ pension fund—in desperate attempts to maintain his empire and to meet the demands of increasingly intolerant creditors. Aboard his yacht that November night in 1991 Maxwell no doubt still clung to the hope of a bailout by Mossad. But Mossad’s spy masters could not afford to smile on blackmail. This book reveals all the shocking reasons why. Eight pages of black-and-white photographs add to this astonishing tale of international intrigue, espionage, the Mossad, and murder.

Print length

368 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Carroll & Graf
Publication date

November 5, 2002
Dimensions

6.5 x 1.38 x 9.5 inches
ISBN-10

0786710780
ISBN-13

978-0786710782
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In 1991, British media tycoon Robert Maxwell died in mysterious circumstances off his yacht in the Canary Islands. The official cause of death was drowning, but this intriguing, if somewhat overreaching, investigative work argues that Maxwell died at the hands of the spy agency he worked for, Israel's Mossad. Thomas (Gideon's Spies) and Dillon (Shankill Butchers) have little sympathy for Maxwell-they build an unflattering portrait of an overweight and vain man who rose from a pre-WWII Jewish childhood in Czechoslovakia and England to become one of the world's most powerful media barons. Using a wealth of international sources-Israeli and British intelligence, for instance, both named and anonymous-the authors argue that Maxwell helped the Mossad steal intelligence-gathering software from the U.S. and then sold it around the world. They also depict Maxwell's involvement in several other international intrigues, including an attempt to involve the Jewish state in the 1991 coup against Mikhail Gorbachev. Much of the book has a breathless tone, particularly when the authors describe, in detail, the night of Maxwell's death. The Mossad "whacked" Maxwell, they say, because he tried to extort money from them to get out of debt. Some readers might find the depiction of the Mossad at times hard to believe, such as the suggestion that the spy agency was entangled in the death of Sen. John Tower. But those interested in the world of international intrigue will find themselves engrossed. 8 pages of b&w photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Here's the latest revision of history by the wide-ranging and conspiracy-minded Thomas. This time Thomas and coauthor Dillon contend that Robert Maxwell, the media giant, did not drown in 1991 but was murdered by his former employer, the Israeli Mossad, after he tried to extort money from it. That Maxwell was a Mossad spy is not a new idea: Thomas himself floated it in Gideon's Spies, his 1999 history of Mossad, and Victor Ostrovsky, a former Mossad agent, proposed it in his own memoir, The Other Side of Deception (1995). Thomas and Dillon interviewed Ostrovsky for their book; they also interviewed Efraim, a former Mossad assassin who claims to have been involved in the Maxwell murder; Maxwell's widow and daughter; two former CIA directors; three former prime ministers of Israel; the former director-general of Mossad; and a host of related experts. They don't prove their case beyond a shadow of doubt, but they do present a reasoned and well-supported argument. Whether it's the startling truth or merely revisionist nonsense, it makes a thought-provoking and compelling book. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Carroll & Graf; 1st edition (November 5, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0786710780
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786710782
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.75 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.5 x 1.38 x 9.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #143,280 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7 in Book Publishing Industry
- #130 in Israel & Palestine History (Books)
- #874 in Rich & Famous Biographies

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Gordon Thomas

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Gordon Thomas is a political and investigative journalist and the author of 53 books, published in more than 30 countries and in dozens of languages. The total sales of his works exceed 45 million copies.

Thomas’ most recent bestseller is Gideon’s Spies: Mossad’s Secret Warriors. Published in 16 languages and 40 countries Gideon’s Spies is known throughout the world as the leading resource on Israeli intelligence. An updated edition will be published in 2012 by St. Martin’s Press. Gideon’s Spies was made into a major documentary for Channel Four in Britain, which Thomas wrote and narrated, called The Spy Machine. The Observer called The Spy Machine a “clear” picture of Israeli intelligence operations, and The Times called it “impressive,” and ”chilling.”

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5

118 global ratings

5 star		74%
4 star		15%
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Henry Gondorf

Unbelievable duplicity!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 31, 2020

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Great book that reveals how Israel is far from a friend or ally of the US or Britain!! Everything these Zionists do is for Israel; to quote from the book:

"Mossad had files on all senior US politicians."-p. 90 (paperback)

"When Yitzhak Shamir would later say that no one had done more for Israel, he was not exaggerating."-p108

"...Shamir felt sufficiently close to Maxwell to confide in him his anti-Americanism."-p.35

..."the suspicion grew later in MI6 and MI5 that Maxwell could not be trusted. He was placed on their Watch List and categorised as 'a Zionist-loyal only to Israel'..."-p.41

"...there could be no doubting Maxwell's commitment to Israel..."-p.69

"Mossad was deeply involved in all these areas, operating the diktat David Kimche had articulated: 'In all we do it is Israel first, last and always. Always.'.."-p.72

That accusing some Jewish politicians of dual loyalty is met with charges of "antisemitism" is absurd. In fact, it isn't dual loyalty, it's SOLE loyalty to the motherland. Read and see why.

Great book that reads like a spy novel!

11 people found this helpful

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Joneve

Spy Thriller

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 11, 2003

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Through British citizen Robert Maxwell, vain, gross, brilliant and criminal, Thomas and Dillon paint a picture of corruption and decadence in the West, Eastern Europe and the Middle East today. Maxwell's loyalties are to himself and to Israel; Senator John Tower is in his pocket; and so forth. The United States, apart from furnishing the likes of Tower, furnishes the intelligence stolen by Israel and the subsidies that keep that country in business stealing from its patron. Maxwell is a kind of super sayan (singular form of sayanim) and the book to some degree is an expose of the extent to which these volunteers-for-Israel around the world do damage to their host countries.

The Maxwell-Mossad team steals spy software PROMIS from the United States, Mossad puts an undetectable trap door in it so Mossad can track the activities of anyone using it, then Maxwell sells it around the world (including back to the U.S. -- with the trap door). When Maxwell finally goes bankrupt, the losses are passed on to "the little people," while Israel and Maxwell's protected heirs remain in the black, at least materially. Thomas/Dillon present, in thrilling mystery adventure mode, the theory that Maxwell became a loose canon to his beloved Israel, among other things hitting on Mossad for a bigger pay-off, and its agents assassinated him.

The authors, both top-notch investigative journalists, base their study on official documents and on interviews -- what they uncover is bound to shock and put on the alert anyone who loves his country, respects honesty, good will and just about any other virtue within its borders.

38 people found this helpful

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HM

Omissions in the book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 4, 2010

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The book left out important information that reveals the author's biases. John Loftus, in "Secret War Against the Jews" (published BEFORE Thomas' book) noted that Maxwell had a cellmate in prison who was to become the future Foreign Minister of Czechoslavakia, who was instrumental in 1948 in supplying arms to the nascent state of Israel, that turned the battle in its favor. The Foreign Minister, Clementis, supplied Israel with everything he had, in defiance of Stalin. In 1952, Stalin hanged that government, including eleven Jews and Clementis. Clementis' support was garnered in part by Maxwell's exposure of a Communist coup that the government was able to monitor and deflect. Further, when that Czech government faced risk, there was absolutely no support from the United States or Great Britain forthcoming. Such detail is important because it was available to the author Thomas, but was ignored by author's choice. One can speculate in various ways about the rationale for that choice (including, possibly, bias, or sloppiness).

Another troubling issue is the role of the MI6 in destroying Maxwell's credit with the banks and driving him into ruin. That charge has been made explicitly elsewhere, and is based on the idea that they discovered he was a double agent serving Mossad. It is supported by the one detail Thomas gives in favor, namely the refusal of any British lawyer to take on Lloyd's of London, which screwed Betty Maxwell of her life insurance policy (pressure?). However, Thomas does not explore this angle whatsoever beyond the one tantalizing detail, that again seems like a calculated omission.

Thomas gives Maxwell responsibility for the creation and development of the Russian Mafia. Even though Maxwell may have been the potentate of Bulgaria, it seems excessive to place all that at his feet, even if he was involved with Mafia money laundering. Would the former KGB who formed the Russian Mafia not have been involved in illegal business had it not been for Maxwell? It takes a stretch. It certainly takes more than Thomas gave.

The best part of the book was the little details which shocked. For example, Yuri Andropov, fmr KGB then USSR head, was born Jewish. Another example: John Tower accepted a retainer of 200k per year to give Maxwell access to any part of the US government (how could this Texan be so brazen in his corruption?). A third: Tower was the guy Lee Oswald wrote to from the USSR when he wanted to be repatriated, comprising "Tower's role" (supposedly) in the JFK plot.

Summary-- good read, and food for thought, but beware of the British agenda behind it.

19 people found this helpful

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John Henry James

Good book but heavy read

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 3, 2020

Verified Purchase

A good book if you are interested in this sort of thing, Maxwell father and daughter, Epstein, Israel, Mossad etc. A very big chunk goes into all the deals Maxwell did in Eastern Europe, too many, too many characters to keep track of, becomes a very heavy read.

Also the authors don't seem to understand software very well and make some very big errors when talking about the Promis Software, was not explained very well at all. I'd buy the paperback as I did.

10 people found this helpful

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E. Holm

Wow.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 12, 2022

Fascinating.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 3, 2019

Verified Purchase

I read this book because of Ghislaine Maxwell's connection to the Jeffrey Epstein trial. This incredibly detailed research has changed forever how I view the governments of England, Israel and the U.S. International money laundering and the people behind big banks are a far bigger risk to world peace than any political issue.

47 people found this helpful

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L C

Speculation

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 21, 2022

Verified Purchase

Nothing new to report- save your heard earned money 😂

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Top reviews from other countries

Neil

Fascinating read.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on October 2, 2011

Verified Purchase

From the minute I bought this book I could not put in down. Well researched and some gripping stories will sustain your interest in this book. The book goes into Maxwell's ties with Mossad and other intelligence agencies at the time. You really see Maxwell as a Jerkyll and Hyde character, but a man with tremendous influence and power. A must read.

8 people found this helpful

John G

Fascinating

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 13, 2014

Verified Purchase

Fascinating book and subject. Maxwell seemed very familiar to me on one level through him being in the public eye. However the gap between the image and the truth (well the truth according to this book) is riveting

2 people found this helpful

john gibbs

A memory of a man that will not fade.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 24, 2013

Verified Purchase

I've now read most of the books written following the dramatic and puzzling death of a giant character.
Whether the reader loves or loathes the subject who strode across the scene of politics, big business and huge ambition, the book itself will leave you gasping for more.
John Gibbs

5 people found this helpful

Kent Boy

Bowyer's biography is better

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 21, 2018

Verified Purchase

Seriously, you expect us to believe all of this? Maxwell was a publisher not a spy!

Colonelpip

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 29, 2015

Verified Purchase

Great story - made an excellent present for a close friend

2 people found this helpful

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