Bookshelf
| Agent Zigzag, Ben Macintyre |
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Agent Zigzag, by Ben Macintyre **** Billed as a "true story of Nazi espionage, love and betrayal", this fascinating book tells the story of Eddie Chapman -- thief, lover, spy, philanderer and overall mess. If you like WW2 history or spy novels, this book combines the two and Macintyre writes the story as if you are reading a John le Carre thriller. Eddie Chapman was a truly interesting character who was probably the most successful double agent in the second world war. His exploits are legend, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. What really makes this book tick is the close examination of his relationships with his handlers (both British and German), his paramours and his criminal friends. He was a man who lived on action and adventure. He would pick your pocket as you were reaching for the money to buy him a drink. Macintyre fashions this story after exhaustively researching declassified documents from MI5 and MI6. Much like recent exposes of the CIA and FBI, it's really cool to see the inside workings of these shadow agencies and the men drawn into them by war. That they were able to find and manage a man like Eddie Chapman is amazing. That he actually survived is almost unbelievable. This is a great book.
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| Last Updated on Tuesday, 23 September 2008 11:04 |