Agent Sonya: Moscow’s Most Daring Wartime Spy – Ben Macintyre (Crown)
Author Ben Macintyre’s portfolio includes writer at large
for the Times of London, author of numerous historical books covering a range
of topics and work as a documentarian for the BBC. It is that experience in the
realm of documentaries that Macintyre puts at the forefront of his new book Agent
Sonya: Moscow’s Most Daring Wartime Spy.
In compiling the tale of a truly one of a kind spy story,
Macintyre had astonishing access to first hand source materials including Sonya’s
personal diaries, letters and other correspondence offering unique insights
into her life and career as and undercover, clandestine, operator for the U.S.S.R.
In this day and age of Google searches and online
sourcing, that this original source information survived and has been preserved
in it’s most raw and unencumbered state makes it all the more astonishing.
Early on the story, Macintyre offers a formative glimpse
into an event that the young 17 year old Sonya that drove her to become a committed
member of the communist party and a fledgling soviet spy, when she participated
in a communist workers parade/demonstration that earned year a beat down by the
police.
In a time where Antifa protestors are daily news, I
couldn’t help but be struck by the fact that the protagonist came from an upper
class, well to do, and respected family. A quick examination of the bios of
many of the protesters on the streets today will reveal similar backgrounds.
Macintyre has a le Carre like eye for trade craft and successfully
weaves an entertaining, thriller-like portrait of this overly zealous spy. Some
my find a quibble with some of the commentary and history that Macintyre uses,
but one has to be given some license when stringing together decades old
storylines into a coherent tale.
