--- product_id: 253488760 title: "The Spy And The Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story Of The Cold War" price: "¥4096" currency: JPY in_stock: true reviews_count: 5 url: https://www.desertcart.jp/products/253488760-the-spy-and-the-traitor-the-greatest-espionage-story-cold store_origin: JP region: Japan --- # 4.7/5 from 7,700+ readers Top 10 in Political Biographies 384 gripping pages The Spy And The Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story Of The Cold War **Price:** ¥4096 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 🕵️‍♂️ Dive into the Cold War’s most thrilling true spy story before everyone else does! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Spy And The Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story Of The Cold War - **How much does it cost?** ¥4096 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.jp](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/253488760-the-spy-and-the-traitor-the-greatest-espionage-story-cold) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Unforgettable True Story:** Follow the daring escape plan of a senior KGB double agent that changed history. - • **Immersive Cold War Thriller:** Experience espionage like never before with a narrative that reads like a classic novel. - • **Perfect Paperback Companion:** Compact 384 pages, ideal for your commute or coffee break reading ritual. - • **Authentic Historical Insight:** Written by one of Britain’s greatest historians, revealing untold secrets of the KGB. - • **Critically Acclaimed Bestseller:** Ranked #9 in Political Biographies and shortlisted for the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize. ## Overview The Spy And The Traitor is a 384-page paperback bestseller by Penguin, offering a gripping true story of a senior KGB double agent who altered Cold War history. With a 4.7-star rating from over 7,700 readers and top rankings in political and military biographies, this book combines expert historical research with a page-turning narrative that appeals to professionals craving both knowledge and intrigue. ## Description *The No.1 Sunday Times Bestseller**Shortlisted For The 2018 Baillie Gifford Prize* 'The Best True Spy Story I Have Ever Read' John Le Carré A Thrilling Cold War Story About A Kgb Double Agent, By One Of Britain'S Greatest Historians - Now With A New Afterwordon A Warm July Evening In 1985, A Middle-Aged Man Stood On The Pavement Of A Busy Avenue In The Heart Of Moscow, Holding A Plastic Carrier Bag. In His Grey Suit And Tie, He Looked Like Any Other Soviet Citizen. The Bag Alone Was Mildly Conspicuous, Printed With The Red Logo Of Safeway, The British Supermarket.The Man Was A Spy. A Senior Kgb Officer, For More Than A Decade He Had Supplied His British Spymasters With A Stream Of Priceless Secrets From Deep Within The Soviet Intelligence Machine. No Spy Had Done More To Damage The Kgb. The Safeway Bag Was A Signal: To Activate His Escape Plan To Be Smuggled Out Of Soviet Russia. So Began One Of The Boldest And Most Extraordinary Episodes In The History Of Spying. Ben Macintyre Reveals A Tale Of Espionage, Betrayal And Raw Courage That Changed The Course Of The Cold War Forever... Review: Great book for all interested about Cold War - What is incredible about this true-life spy story is that you can read it like a classic novel, as it never slows its pace. This captivating espionage tale is a real page-turner. What struck me most in this book is how likeable the main character really is. Review: Worthwhile read - True story. Gave it to my son and he said it was one of the best tellings of spying he has read. ## Features - Binding : Paperback - Pages : 384 - Publisher : Penguin ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #5,747 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #9 in Biographies of Political Leaders #23 in Military History #31 in Historical Biographies | | Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 7,772 Reviews | ## Images ![The Spy And The Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story Of The Cold War - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81-NGIEBQKL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great book for all interested about Cold War *by M***0 on 21 January 2024* What is incredible about this true-life spy story is that you can read it like a classic novel, as it never slows its pace. This captivating espionage tale is a real page-turner. What struck me most in this book is how likeable the main character really is. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Worthwhile read *by N***Y on 29 June 2026* True story. Gave it to my son and he said it was one of the best tellings of spying he has read. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Splendid history & a gripping read *by L***N on 14 October 2018* The Spy and The Traitor is touted in its subhead as "the greatest espionage story ever told." That isn't just publisher hype. The real events and the story of Oleg Gordievsky, KGB officer and diplomat reads like something from a John LeCarre or Robert Ludlum story...except it's true and marvelously documented. Raised by a father and older brother who both served devotedly and unquestioningly in the KGB (dad worked through Stalin's purges and survived in the KGB's precursor agency). Loyalty to the service then would seem to be a given--betraying the agency and its million members (you read that right) would be like sabotaging the family's business. Yet events and history continue to flummox human expectations. First the invasion of Hungary, then the erection of the Berlin Wall (which Gordievsky was present to see) and finally the brutal crushing of the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia all drove this KGB officer further and further away from the party. Exposure to the West in Copenhagen and later in London provided a first hand taste of liberty and freedom. It served as the final push into the eager and eternally grateful arms of his M16 handlers. The double agent provided them with not merely a trove of concrete information but invaluable insight into the workings of the KGB and planning of the Soviet Leadership. It is no exaggeration to say Gordievsky was our Kim Philby. The details of these meetings, contacts, "drops", etc. and how spies operated from the end WWII until the dissolution of the Soviet empire is fascinating and novelistic in the telling. Gordievsky's escape or "exfiltration" from the USSR by M16 is nothing short of breathtaking--a Bourne Identity moment. Best of all though is the historical and moral context that gives readers a perspective of events' meanings. Ben McIntyre is a masterful storyteller and detailed chronicler. He thoroughly but concisely points out the import and value of Grodievsky's insights--particularly warning the Brits and thereby the Americans that the Soviet leader Yuri Andropov genuinely believed the West was intent upon a first nuclear strike. Appreciating that paranoia can be as perilous as animus, first Thatcher and then Reagan worked to assuage Soviet fears. It was Gordievsky who prepped both sides for successful summits in the 80s and it was he who counseled wisely to neither disband nor include the USSR in the SDI or Star Wars initiative. Rather, ratchet up the pressure and they would go bankrupt trying to keep up, which is precisely what happened. Gordievsky certainly didn't single handedly end the cold war--there were dozens of events and officials who played a significant role. But Oleg Gordievsky was surely in the first rank of those who made a valuable contribution earning the appreciation of Reagan, Thatcher, the CIA, M16 and yes, QEII (the monarch, not the ocean liner). Best of all, McIntryre doesn't put a patriotic gloss on his subject's behavior. What Gordievsky did was of enormous benefit to democracy and the West but it destroyed his marriage, implicated his wife and children as well as family and friends who all paid some price for his defection. In short, his actions both saved and ruined lives and the choices he made can be rightfully regarded as both morally defensible and appalling or enraging to those who knew him. Unsurprisingly, his marriage failed and most Russian friends regard him with disdain and disgust. In the western intelligence community he is a hero. This is terrific, important history and a wonderfully well-told tale. Enjoy! ## Frequently Bought Together - The Spy And The Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story Of The Cold War - Putin’s People: How the KGB Took Back Russia and Then Took on the West - A Line in the Sand: Britain, France and the struggle that shaped the Middle East --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.jp/products/253488760-the-spy-and-the-traitor-the-greatest-espionage-story-cold](https://www.desertcart.jp/products/253488760-the-spy-and-the-traitor-the-greatest-espionage-story-cold) --- *Product available on Desertcart Japan* *Store origin: JP* *Last updated: 2026-10-05*