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Agent Sonya

Lover, Mother, Soldier, Spy

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Agent Sonya

By: Ben Macintyre
Narrated by: Ben Macintyre
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin

A TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'His best book yet' The Times

'Macintyre's page-turner is a dazzling portrait of a flawed yet driven individual who risked everything (including her children) for the cause' Sunday Times

DISCOVER THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF THE SPY WHO ALMOST KILLED HITLER - FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SPY AND THE TRAITOR

Ursula Kuczynski Burton was a spymaster, saboteur, bomb-maker and secret agent. Codenamed 'Agent Sonya', her story has never been told - until now.

Born to a German Jewish family, as Ursula grew, so did the Nazis' power. As a fanatical opponent of the fascism that ravaged her homeland, Ursula was drawn to communism as a young woman, motivated by the promise of a fair and peaceful society.

From planning an assassination attempt on Hitler in Switzerland, to spying on the Japanese in Manchuria, to preventing nuclear war (or so she believed) by stealing the science of atomic weaponry from Britain to give to Moscow, Ursula conducted some of the most dangerous espionage operations of the twentieth century.

In Agent Sonya, Britain's most acclaimed historian Ben Macintyre delivers an exhilarating tale that's as fast-paced as any fiction. It is the incredible story of one spy's life, a life that would alter the course of history . . .

'Macintyre does true-life espionage better than anyone else' John Preston

'Macintyre has found a real-life heroine worthy of his gifts as John le Carré's nonfiction counterpart' New York Times

'This book is classic Ben Macintyre . . . quirky human details enliven every page' Spectator


© Ben MacIntyre 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

20th Century Freedom & Security Military Modern Politics & Government Espionage Marriage Soviet Union War Imperialism Socialism Village Solider

Critic Reviews

Macintyre does true-life espionage better than anyone else (John Preston)
Think John le Carré at his early best - but fact not fiction
This impeccably researched account of her double life spans continents and is brilliantly compelling
Macintyre's page-turner is a dazzling portrait of a flawed yet driven individual who risked everything (including her children) for the cause
The best true spy story I have ever read (John le Carré on 'The Spy and the Traitor')
Thrilling...Macintyre will have you hooked to her life's every twist and turn (Lucy Knight)
Macintyre has found a real-life heroine worthy of his gifts as John le Carré's nonfiction counterpart
This book is classic Ben Macintyre...quirky human details enliven every page... it is Macintyre's own vivid retelling of her perilous professional, personal and political life that make Agent Sonya such an accessible spy story.
He has the unerring gift of uncovering those astonishing truths that make even the best novelists of espionage seem both earthbound and artificial in comparison
His best book yet (The Times)
All stars
Most relevant
Incredible story of real life 20th century espionage, we’ll read. A compelling listen, thoroughly recommended!

Amazing work of non fiction that you’d swear was fiction

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Better than fiction. Wonderfully constructed. Excellent narration. Totally captivating - kept me completely engaged from start to finish. Thank you.

Brilliant

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the life and times of agent Sonya are brilliantly portrayed by Ben. another Stirling production by Ben Macintyre

interesting detailed account !

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Nothing to dislike in this story. Like the way the author doesn’t apply any judgements.


A really good narration, with a really interesting story

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thoroughly enjoyed this excellent book. very well narrated. Amazing story and best of all it's true.

excellent book

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