Status
Checked out
Due 2024-04-16
Call number
Collection
Publication
Random House Large Print (2020), Edition: Large type / Large print, 624 pages
Description
"The New York Times bestselling author of The Spy and the Traitor tells the thrilling true story of the most important female spy in history: an agent code-named "Sonya," who set the stage for the Cold War. In 1942, in a quiet village in the leafy English Cotswolds, a thin, elegant woman lived in a small cottage with her three children and her husband, who worked as a machinist nearby. Ursula Burton was friendly but reserved, and spoke English with a slight foreign accent. By all accounts, she seemed to be living a simple, unassuming life. Her neighbors in the village knew little about her. They didn't know that she was a high-ranking Soviet intelligence officer. They didn't know that her husband was also a spy, or that she was running powerful agents across Europe. Behind the facade of her picturesque life, Burton was a dedicated Communist, a Soviet colonel, and a veteran agent, gathering the scientific secrets that would enable the Soviet Union to build the bomb. This true-life spy story is a masterpiece about the woman code-named "Sonya." Over the course of her career, she was hunted by the Chinese, the Japanese, the Nazis, MI5, MI6, and the FBI-and she evaded them all. Her story reflects the great ideological clash of the twentieth century-between Communism, Fascism, and Western democracy-and casts new light on the spy battles and shifting allegiances of our own times. With unparalleled access to Sonya's diaries and correspondence and never-before-seen information on her clandestine activities, Ben Macintyre has conjured a page-turning history of a legendary secret agent, a woman who influenced the course of the Cold War and helped plunge the world into a decades-long standoff between nuclear superpowers."--… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member labfs39
Ursula Kuczynski grew up in 1920s Berlin. A daughter of an upper middle class, Jewish, liberal family, Ursula was participating in communist marches by the time she was a teenager. Once she was struck by a brownshirt, leaving a nasty bruise and solidifying a lifelong hatred of fascism. In 1930
Thus Ursula (codenamed Sonya) began her decades long career as a Soviet spy and later spymaster. She would carry out missions in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, Poland, Switzerland, and England, where she handled one of the most notorious spies, Klaus Fuchs. Along the way, she was to acquire several lovers who, like her, were spying for the Soviets. She also had several children and used her status as a mother and housewife to camouflaged her activities.
Her career was remarkable for its longevity, surviving the Stalinist purges and illuding the Kempeitai, MI5, and spycatchers around the world. She would be feted by the Soviets, achieving the military rank of Colonel in the Red Army, and by the Stasi. I found her story utterly fascinating, and, once again, Ben Macintyre's research and writing were stellar. Highly recommended for anyone interested in espionage.
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Ursula and her new husband, Rudi Hamburger, moved to Shanghai, where he could find work as an architect. There she met Agnes Smedley, a dedicated communist like herself. Agnes recruited her to begin spying for the Soviets, who were backing the Chinese communists. Despite being pregnant with her first child, Ursula leapt at the chance to further the cause.Thus Ursula (codenamed Sonya) began her decades long career as a Soviet spy and later spymaster. She would carry out missions in Japanese-occupied Manchuria, Poland, Switzerland, and England, where she handled one of the most notorious spies, Klaus Fuchs. Along the way, she was to acquire several lovers who, like her, were spying for the Soviets. She also had several children and used her status as a mother and housewife to camouflaged her activities.
Her career was remarkable for its longevity, surviving the Stalinist purges and illuding the Kempeitai, MI5, and spycatchers around the world. She would be feted by the Soviets, achieving the military rank of Colonel in the Red Army, and by the Stasi. I found her story utterly fascinating, and, once again, Ben Macintyre's research and writing were stellar. Highly recommended for anyone interested in espionage.
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LibraryThing member ericlee
This is the story of Ursula Kuczynski, a Soviet spy who was instrumental in ensuring that Stalin was able to build an atomic bomb. So at first glance, not an entirely sympathetic character. And yet in Ben MacIntyre's hands, one cannot help but admire her.
Ursula was born into a middle-class German
Though she remained a Stalinist her entire life, and was bitterly disappointed when the German Democratic Republic came to an end, there is much to be admired in her work, especially in the early years.
Ben MacIntyre is a brilliant writer and tells Ursula's story with compassion and understanding. He does not minimise the horrors of the Stalin regime (Ursula's first husband, also a Soviet spy, spent years in the Gulag).
After reading this book, I wonder why I ever bother to read espionage fiction. The real thing is so much better.
Ursula was born into a middle-class German
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Jewish family in Berlin. She joined the Communist Party in the 1920s, participating in street battles with the police. For the first two decades of her work as an agent of Soviet military intelligence (the GRU) she devoted herself to the struggle against fascism. She served the cause in China, Poland, Switzerland and finally in a small village in Oxfordshire, where she was known as "Mrs Burton". During her time in Switzerland, she plotted with other agents to kill Hitler. It was a good plan and might have worked, but was scuppered by the Hitler-Stalin pact. She was never caught, and eventually fled with her children to East Germany where she died in 2000.Though she remained a Stalinist her entire life, and was bitterly disappointed when the German Democratic Republic came to an end, there is much to be admired in her work, especially in the early years.
Ben MacIntyre is a brilliant writer and tells Ursula's story with compassion and understanding. He does not minimise the horrors of the Stalin regime (Ursula's first husband, also a Soviet spy, spent years in the Gulag).
After reading this book, I wonder why I ever bother to read espionage fiction. The real thing is so much better.
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LibraryThing member LynnB
A fascinating account about a woman who lived an amazing life. Well researched and well written.
The story of "Sonya's" life is a prime example of truth being stranger than fiction. She had so many narrow escapes (like when her nanny informed on her but wasn't believed), accomplished so much with
The book gives us a look at the evolution of spycraft. It is also an excellent portrayal of dedication to a cause. Sonya believed in communism, even to the point of turning a blind eye to Stalin's brutality. She made so many personal sacrifices in her life, especially as a mother, and the cause she supported so strongly went so wrong. She had a ideological motivation for what she did, and I wonder how common that is versus those who spy for money or power
"Sonya" is a complex character with an intriguing story. Well worth reading.
The story of "Sonya's" life is a prime example of truth being stranger than fiction. She had so many narrow escapes (like when her nanny informed on her but wasn't believed), accomplished so much with
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little training, and ended her life as a fiction writer.The book gives us a look at the evolution of spycraft. It is also an excellent portrayal of dedication to a cause. Sonya believed in communism, even to the point of turning a blind eye to Stalin's brutality. She made so many personal sacrifices in her life, especially as a mother, and the cause she supported so strongly went so wrong. She had a ideological motivation for what she did, and I wonder how common that is versus those who spy for money or power
"Sonya" is a complex character with an intriguing story. Well worth reading.
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LibraryThing member dpappas
I have always really enjoyed Ben Macintyre's books and this one is no exception. Like his previous books this one is not dry at all and almost at times reads like fiction. I found myself fascinated by Ursula and the people in her life. While this was nonfiction it still provided a nice escape
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.
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during these difficult times. I look forward to reading more from Ben Macintyre.Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.
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LibraryThing member edwardsgt
As always with this author, a superbly researched biography covering a long period, pre-WW2 in Germany, Shanghai, during WW2 in Switzerland and Britain and afterwards in Britain before escaping to East Germany. The author paints a picture of a complex, highly intelligent woman driven primarily by
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misplaced ideology, almost sacrificing her family in the process. Show Less
LibraryThing member yukon92
Quite an intense story about a totally unknown (to me!) spy for the Russian Communists. All I could think was... when is PBS making that into a movie? Dragged a little bit here and there, but overall very good. My only reason for giving this audiobook only 4 stars.... the author and narrator should
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be able to figure out in our modern world how to actually pronounce foreign names and places correctly. It really irked me when he did this repeatedly. Show Less
LibraryThing member evatkaplan
Very interesting. Well written. As a Russian Spy, we find a lot of empathy—for this Russian Spy—perhaps more than we would have of someone else more “ even balanced” would have written
LibraryThing member MaggieFlo
Ben McIntyre once again provides a fascinating spy story about Ursula Kuczynski, born in Berlin in 1907 to a wealthy family headed by Robert Kuczymski, a well respected demographic statistician. She became actively involved in politics in her teens and was a committed communist by the time she met
Over two decades she becomes the most successful Soviet spy master simply because no one suspected that a housewife, mother and homemaker could be so deeply involved in espionage at this level. She set up networks in Europe, especially in Nazi Germany so that the Soviets had up to date information on German plans, supplies and troops. Once the USA entered the war, she established a network that was able to obtain details of the atomic bomb.
She had three children, Michael, Nina and Peter, was able to manage her spies and network even though she was a single mother most of the time.
At the end of of WWII, MI5 was rounding up former spies and communist supporters and Sonya was the target of Millicent Bangor, chief spy catcher. However, this was the era of Kim Philby, so Bagot’s suspicions were brushed off.
In 1947, while living in England, she thought she might finally be captured but her MI5 interviewer underestimated Sonya and she was able to escape to East Germany with her children. Although she became disenchanted with the government of East Germany, she gave up spying to lead a normal life. Using a pseudonym, she became a successful children’s author and lived to an old age.
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Rudi Hamburger, an architectural student. They marry in 1929 . Through her numerous Communist contacts she is given the code name Sonya and begins setting up a network of spies when she and Rudi move to Shanghai for a job. Over two decades she becomes the most successful Soviet spy master simply because no one suspected that a housewife, mother and homemaker could be so deeply involved in espionage at this level. She set up networks in Europe, especially in Nazi Germany so that the Soviets had up to date information on German plans, supplies and troops. Once the USA entered the war, she established a network that was able to obtain details of the atomic bomb.
She had three children, Michael, Nina and Peter, was able to manage her spies and network even though she was a single mother most of the time.
At the end of of WWII, MI5 was rounding up former spies and communist supporters and Sonya was the target of Millicent Bangor, chief spy catcher. However, this was the era of Kim Philby, so Bagot’s suspicions were brushed off.
In 1947, while living in England, she thought she might finally be captured but her MI5 interviewer underestimated Sonya and she was able to escape to East Germany with her children. Although she became disenchanted with the government of East Germany, she gave up spying to lead a normal life. Using a pseudonym, she became a successful children’s author and lived to an old age.
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LibraryThing member breic
Not my favorite of Macintyre's spy books. The story spans such a long time, with so many characters, that I found it difficult to follow and, sometimes, to care. On the other hand, the fact that the spy story spans such a long time, tying together so many characters, is exactly what makes it of
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interest. Show Less
LibraryThing member Castlelass
Ursula Kuczynski Buerton was a mother, housewife, novelist, expert radio technician, spymaster, courier, saboteur, bomb maker, Cold Warrior, and secret agent, all at the same time. Her code name was “Sonya.” This is her story.
True story of Soviet communist spymaster Ursula Kuczynski
Colonel Kuczynski of the Red Army, meanwhile, was running the largest network of spies in Britain: her sex, motherhood, pregnancy, and apparently humdrum domestic life together formed the perfect camouflage. Men simply did not believe a housewife making breakfast from powdered egg, packing her children off to school, and then cycling into the countryside could possibly be capable of important espionage. Ursula ruthlessly exploited the natural advantage of her gender.
True story of Soviet communist spymaster Ursula Kuczynski
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(1907-2000), called Agent Sonya. It spans her life, focusing on her time as a spy. Originally from Berlin, and born in a Jewish family, she fought against nationalism in many forms. The story is structured around her journey, as she practices spy craft in China, Poland, Switzerland, and England in the 1930s and 1940s. It follows her life, multiple marriages and children, and almost naïve acceptance of Stalin’s form of communism. A colonel in the Red Army, she somehow survived the Great Purge. She inspired fierce loyalty and was never betrayed. This account is well-written and engrossing. I found it interesting that she managed to hide in plain sight by using the camouflage of motherhood. I appreciated the inclusion of photographs at the end to put faces with the many names. Definitely a book for those interested in the history of the Cold War. Colonel Kuczynski of the Red Army, meanwhile, was running the largest network of spies in Britain: her sex, motherhood, pregnancy, and apparently humdrum domestic life together formed the perfect camouflage. Men simply did not believe a housewife making breakfast from powdered egg, packing her children off to school, and then cycling into the countryside could possibly be capable of important espionage. Ursula ruthlessly exploited the natural advantage of her gender.
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LibraryThing member StaffPicks
This non-fiction account of a highly successful Soviet spy reads like a thriller. Ursula Kuczynski was born into a German Jewish family of communist sympathizers. She lived in China, Russia, England and finally East Germany all the while passing on secrets including information that helped Russia
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develop nuclear capability. Despite being married she conducted numerous affairs and led an unconventional life. She was able to avoid detection largely because she was underestimated by the male dominated intelligence agencies. Show Less
Awards
Crime Writers' Association Awards (Shortlist — 2021)
Independent Booksellers' Book Prize (Shortlist — Non-Fiction — 2021)
BookTube Prize (Octofinalist — Nonfiction — 2021)
Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (Nonfiction — 2020)
Original language
English
Original publication date
2020
Physical description
9.2 inches
ISBN
0593295102 / 9780593295106
Other editions
Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy by Ben Macintyre (Hardcover)