The Book of Spies: An Anthology of Literary Espionage

Bys: Burgess, Anthony and Steinbeck, John

Book Overview

Here is an extraordinary collection of the world's best literary espionage, selected by Alan Furst, a contemporary master of the genre. The Book of Spies brings us the aristocratic intrigues of The Scarlet Pimpernel, in which French ?migr?s duel with Robespierre's secret service; the savage political realities of the 1930s in Eric Ambler's classic A Coffin for Dimitrios ; the ordinary (well, almost) citizens of John le Carr?'s The Russia House , who are drawn into Cold War spy games; and the 1950s Vietnam of Graham Greene's The Quiet American , with its portrait of American idealism and duplicity. Drawing on acknowledged classics and rediscovered treasures, A Book of Spies delivers literate entertainment and excitement on every page.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 037575959X
• ISBN13: 9780375759598
• Release Date: June 2004
• Publisher: Modern Library
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

The Best of Literary Spy Fiction

"The Book of Spies" caught my attention because it is edited by Alan Furst, who also wrote the introduction. I have been reading Furst's excellent literary novels of espionage and I was curious to read works by other authors he recommends. Furst is often compared to Eric Ambler and Graham Greene, whom I've read. But what would Furst himself select? "A Coffin for Demetrios" is the first selection and there's one from "The Quiet American" by Graham Greene, but many of the other selections are unexpected and riveting. The only one I had read was the Ambler. I ran out and bought "The Quiet American," but I'm also going to read "Tremor of Intent" by Anthony Burgess, "Under Western Eyes" by Joseph Conrad, "Ashenden" by W. Somerset Maugham (probably the most intriguing selection in the entire anthology), and "The Tears of Autumn" by Charles McCarry. In his introduction Furst notes that the date of publication is important for each selection because they are essentially political novels, tied to and shaped by a particular place and time. I was struck by the variety among these selections and although I had my favorites, I was sorry when each ended. The anthology is not a substitute for the full-length novels, but rather provides an overview of the genre and serves a guide for further reading.