The billion dollar spy reads like the most taut and suspenseful parts of tinker tailor soldier spy or smileys people. Once revenue from home entertainment is factored in it is not immediately clear which film. Hoffmans the billion dollar spy the billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting. The billion dollar spy is an espionage thriller worthy of john le carre but much more than that. The billion dollar spy was betrayed at the cost of his life, but adolf tolkachev was also betrayed by our ignorance of his extraordinary contribution to our nations safety and wellbeing. In this remarkable cold war saga, david hoffman has redeemed that betrayal. Hoffmans the billion dollar spy with akiva goldsman producing, variety has learned exclusively. Mar 29, 2016 footnotes 1 dino brugioni, the million dollar photograph, studies in intelligence 23, no.
Jul 06, 2015 the title the billion dollar spy refers to the research and manufacturing costs saved by the united states as a result of mr. With michael caine, karl malden, ed begley, oskar homolka. Working at the soviet radar design bureau phazotron as one of the chief designers, tolkachev gave the cia. This spellbinding story pulses with the dramatic tension of running an agent in sovietera moscowwhere the kgb is ubiquitous and cia officers and russian assets are prey. Nov 05, 2016 hoffmans look into the story of tolkachev, the billiondollar spy, is exciting and thrilling, while also being a tragic emotional roller coaster. It looks like we dont have a synopsis for this title yet. The winner of the pulitzer prize for his previous book, the dead hand. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal, about adolf tolkachev, a russian engineer who worked for the soviet military and. Rodric braithwaite, british ambassador in moscow, 19881992. It hits the sweet spot between pageturning thriller and solidly researched history even the footnotes are informative and then becomes something more, a shrewd character study of spies and the. Hoffman did a great job with keeping his title short, simple and catchy. The good the billion dollar spy was my first cold war espionage book and it has directed me to an entirely new genre of books to explore. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e hoffman americas most successful spy in moscow paid with his life for his bravery, says ben macintyre. Jul 07, 2015 a thoroughly researched excavation of an astoundingly important and sadly sacrificed spy for the cia during the low point of the 1970s.
The movie, written by ben august remember, will be produced by walden media and akiva goldsman. Billiondollar brain is a 1966 cold war spy novel by len deighton. Air force adolf tolkachev is shown here on vacation near the baltic sea in the early 1970s. We also learn growing up in the 70s and 80s, the cold war and its concomitant threat of nuclear extinction was constantly in our faces in the form of. The billion dollar spy david e hoffman haftad 9781785783524. He covered the white house during the presidencies of ronald reagan and george h. The brain of the title is a sophisticated computer with which an anticommunist organisation controls its worldwide antisoviet spy network. On imdb tv, you can catch hollywood hits and popular tv series at no cost. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal company confessions near and distant neighbors disciples the image of the enemy the secret war being nixon and one man against the world ghost fleet intelligence officers bookshelf intelligence and us pows during the vietnam war the strategic services unit. This spellbinding story pulses with the dramatic tension of running an agent in sovietera moscowwhere the kgb.
How the cia ran a billion dollar spy in moscow the. At 17 leighanne williams has a six month old baby to look after, with only the help of three teenage squatters who flog stolen gear to make ends meet. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free. He provided a road map to the united states for compromising and defeating two critical soviet weapons systems. Wouldnt surprise me if they made a film out of this. It was the fourth to feature an unnamed secret agent working for the british woocp intelligence agency. The billion dollar spy, unintentionally i think evokes a famous item from studies in intelligence many years ago, the million dollar photograph. A scrupulously researched work of history that is also a gripping thriller, the billion dollar spy is an unforgettable journey into cold war espionage. Every meeting, whether between tolkachev or another of the spies featured in the book is supplemented by the exact right amount of background information. Hoffman will describe this singularlyimportant operation, based on declassified cia cables and his new book, the billion dollar spy, and argue that despite the many achievements of technology in espionage, human sources are still vital. From 1979 until 1985, the cia ran an immensely productive spy in the heart of the soviet militaryindustrial complex in moscow. The title the billion dollar spy refers to the research and manufacturing costs saved by the united states as a result of mr.
Jun 17, 2015 the riveting story of a spy who cracked open the soviet military research establishment and a penetrating portrait of the cias moscow station, an outpost of daring espionage in the last years. The billion dollar spy the billion dollar spy audiobook, by david e. Read the billion dollar spy a true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. May 10, 2016 walden media will develop, finance and produce a film adaptation of david e. The billion dollar spy quotes showing of 45 the one thing that proved to me you were cia and not kgb is when you gave me those medicines to test on my daughter. Hoffman described this singularlyimportant operation, based on declassified cia cables and his new book, the billion dollar spy, and argued that despite the many achievements of. The billion dollar spy reads like the very best spy fiction yet is meticulously drawn from real life. A neighbour actually from turkey across the street becomes target to her growing paranoia that social services are going to take her daughter. When a film is highly exploitable as a commercial property, its ancillary revenues can dwarf its income from direct film sales.
Bush, and was subsequently diplomatic correspondent and jerusalem correspondent. The billion dollar spy and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle. Tolkachevs story is detailed in 944 pages of previously secret cia cables about the operation that were declassified without condition for the forthcoming book the billion dollar spy. The billion dollar spy tolkachev was one of the cias most productive agents of the cold war, providing the united states with intelligence no other spy had ever obtained. The billion dollar spy is the fascinating true story of adolf tolkachev, a soviet engineer who for personal reasons wanted to pass critical engineering secrets to the united states. The untold story of the cold war arms race and its dangerous legacy 2009, washington post contributing editor hoffman has strong credentials to tell the unheralded story of adolf. The film features michael caine as secret agent harry palmer, the antihero protagonist. It tells a story that i never knew about and tells it very well indeed. Hoffman is a contributing editor at the washington post.
A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal by david e. Full of suspense and intrigue, the billion dollar spy is an amazing look behind the scenes of the cia in the soviet. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal david e. How a billion dollar spy stole soviet secrets and helped. Hoffman presents the events in such a way the raises the stakes of each operation to its peak. Book discussion on the billion dollar spy internet archive. It hits the sweet spot between pageturning thriller and solidly researched history even the footnotes are informative and then becomes something more, a shrewd character study of spies. As in most of the authors novels, the plot of billion dollar brain 1967 is intricate, with many dead ends. The film s director amma asante last directed where hands touch and a united kingdom. Billion dollar brain is a 1967 britishamerican technicolor espionage film directed by ken russell and based on the novel of the same name by len deighton. It hits the sweet spot between pageturning thriller and solidly researched history even the footnotes are informative and then becomes something more, a shrewd character study of spies and the spies who run them, the mixed motives. A former british spy stumbles onto a plot to overthrow communism with the help of a supercomputer. Jul 07, 2015 from the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the dead hand comes the riveting story of a spy who cracked open the soviet military research establishment and a penetrating portrait of the cias moscow station, an outpost of daring espionage in the last years of the cold war while driving out of the american embassy in moscow on the evening of february 16, 1978, the chief of the cia.
Stirring, unpredictable, and at times unbearably tense, the billion dollar spy is a brilliant feat of reporting that unfolds like an espionage thriller. David hoffman talked about his book, the billion dollar spy. Hoffman chronicles the six year relationship between the central intelligence ag. Waterstones nonfiction book of the month august 2018 and a sunday times bestseller an astonishingly detailed picture. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal from the worlds largest community of readers. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. Smashwords the billion dollar spy summary a book by. History politics true crime nonfiction publication details. Its worth the clenched jaw and upset stomach it creates. Amma asante has been set to direct the upcoming film adaptation of david e. Walden media will develop, finance and produce a film adaptation of david e. It is also an evocative portrait of everyday life in the crumbling soviet union and a meticulously researched guide to cia sources and methods.
The pulitzer pricewinning russian affairs expert zooms in on the true saga of a soviet engineerthe spy of the titlewho passed the cia billions of dollars worth of top secret intel right under the nose of the kgb, passing off notes into waiting cars and employing other bondworthy tactics to help the u. It is a gripping story of courage, professionalism, and betrayal in the secret world. And now,after so many brave defectors,we have bs movies on streaming channels that are prorussian. Hoffman chronicles the sixyear relationship between the central intelligence agency cia and engineer adolf tolkachev, who spied on the soviet union for the united states.
Jul 06, 2015 how a billion dollar spy stole soviet secrets and helped the u. British director amma asante will helm the film adaptation of david e. It follows the ipcress file 1962, horse under water 1963, and funeral in berlin 1964. The billion dollar spy is the true story of an electronics engineer at a secret military aviation institute in moscow who for almost seven years provided the cia with a huge volume of sensitive and valuable intelligence on soviet research and development r%d activities concerning radars, avionics, aa missiles, and other technologies. From the author of the pulitzer prizewinning history the dead hand comes the riveting story of a spy who cracked open the soviet military research establishment and a penetrating portrait of the cias moscow station, an outpost of daring espionage in the last years of the cold war while driving out of the american embassy in moscow on the evening of february 16. I have to admit, the words billion and dollar in the title intrigued me when i first laid eyes on this book in addition to the word spy that made my hand immediately grab it.
The film s writer benjamin august last wrote remember and power down. Hoffmans drama thriller the billion dollar spy for walden media and. Not only because of its black cover but also because it is a novel about a spy. Hoffman is a scrupulous, meticulous writer whose pages of footnotes and references attest to how carefully he sticks to his sources. With stephanie james, gary sheppeard, nathan jones, dean wong. While getting into his car on the evening of february 16, 1978, the chief of the cias moscow station was handed an envelope by an unknown russian. Endgame is proclaimed to be the highestgrossing film, but such claims usually refer to theatrical revenues only and do not take into account home video and television income, which can form a significant portion of a film s earnings. While getting into his car on the evening of february 16, 1978, the chief of the cias moscow station was handed an envelope by an unknown. The billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting. Akiva goldsmans billion dollar spy adds walden as producer. Sep 24, 2016 the date is supplied courtesy of a september 25, 1986 politburo document referring to tolkachevs execution yesterday note however that the prevailing tolkachev story as presented in this post is disputed by cia historian benjamin fischer, who has argued that adolf tolkachev was a kgb prank on its opposite number in the cold wars spy vs. Jul 07, 2015 the billion dollar spy is one of the best spy stories to come out of the cold war and all the more riveting, and finally dismaying, for being true.
Mar 16, 2018 a look at the the billion dollar spy behindthescenes crew and production team. A true story of cold war espionage and betrayal the billion dollar spy. Moreover, as hoffman makes clear later in the book, the overall benefit to the united states went far beyond this dollar figure. Hoffmans look into the story of tolkachev, the billion dollar spy, is exciting and thrilling, while also being a tragic emotional roller coaster. In 1983 cinema audiences flocked to see the latest james bond movie in which. Tolkachev was one of the most productive cia spies during the cold war, persistent in. It is a very solid, well written and a well researched work.
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