A uniquely comprehensive and rich account of the Soviet intelligence services; Jonathan Haslam's Near and Distant Neighbors charts the labyrinthine story of Soviet intelligence from the October Revolution to the end of the Cold War.Previous histories have focused on the KGB; leaving military intelligence and the special service--which focused on codes and ciphers--lurking in the shadows. Drawing on previously neglected Russian sources; Haslam reveals how both were in fact crucial to the survival of the Soviet state. This was especially true after Stalin's death in 1953; as the Cold War heated up and dedicated Communist agents the regime had relied upon--Klaus Fuchs; the Rosenbergs; Donald Maclean--were betrayed. In the wake of these failures; Nikita Khrushchev and his successors discarded ideological recruitment in favor of blackmail and bribery. The tactical turn was so successful that we can draw only one conclusion: the West ultimately triumphed despite; not because of; the espionage war.In bringing to light the obscure inhabitants of an undercover intelligence world; Haslam offers a surprising and unprecedented portrayal of Soviet success that is not only fascinating but also essential to understanding Vladimir Putin's power today.
#201194 in Books Goodman Matthew 2014-03-11 2014-03-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.99 x .98 x 5.18l; .81 #File Name: 0345527275496 pagesEighty Days Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland s History Making Race Around the World
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. It reads like a novelBy SynergyAfter reading this book in the public library online edition; I had to buy it!!! It reads like a novel; and the historic details are thrilling. I was so interested in the story of the construction of; and boating through; the Suez Canal that I'm now going to read a book all about history of the Suez Canal. And of course the stories about the Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland -- in the days when women reporters except on the "women's society" page were extremely rare -- are very exciting and fascinating. Another thing that really interests me is about Joseph Pulitzer's newspaper "The World." There reports way back in the 1880s of the wealthy not paying taxes; of police brutality running rampant. So much history that is exactly like what we are fighting against now; over 150 years later. Very discouraging; because a lot of people; including myself; believe that we can turn this around -- that it's a new phenomenon in the United States. NOT.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. I enjoyed this story of these two women racing around the ...By manndrakeI grew up hearing the name Nellie Bly from time to time but had never known why she was famous. She rose from difficult economic circumstances to be an investigative journalist for Joseph Pulitzer's "World" newspaper. In November;1899 she boarded a ship; heading for England; in an attempt to beat the time set by Phileas Fogg for traveling around the world in Jules Verne's classic novel. On the same day; Elizabeth Bisland; a writer for Cosmopolitan Magazine set off by train in the opposite direction with the same goal in mind. I enjoyed this story of these two women racing around the world as fast as trains and steamships could take them. Mr. Goodman has done an excellent job of making history a turn-the-page thrill. He also gives us a biography of both women before and after the amazing race. My one disappointment with the book was that the race was not put in context to what was happening in the United States and around the world. If Mr. Goodman was limited in the number of pages he could write; which many authors are; I am glad he used them as he did. I give many books to friends or the local library; but "Eighty Days" is a keeper.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Around the World With Two Doughty WomenBy Catperson 9Very well-written; this book takes the reader entirely into the worlds of East and West as they existed in 1889 and 1890. As a journalist myself; I had heard of Nelly Bly of the old New York World; and of her race to beat Jules Verne's 80-day fictional trip around the world. But I had never heard that it was a real race against another woman writer; Elizabeth Bisland. Author Goodman delivers complete; sympathetic biographies of both women; emphasizing what pioneers they were in an outrageously patriarchal and discriminatory profession back then. Though the imaginary Phileas Fogg had a tougher trip; with more crazy adventures than Nelly and Elizabeth -- who really had to little more than sit on trains and ships; riding out some stormy days at sea -- the women's voyages and their lives make for absorbing reading.
