Ben Macintyre's Top Book Recommendations
Want to know what books Ben Macintyre recommends on their reading list? We've researched interviews, social media posts, podcasts, and articles to build a comprehensive list of Ben Macintyre's favorite book recommendations of all time.
One of SMERSH’s most deadly operatives, the man known only as “Le Chiffre,” has been a prime target of the British Secret Service for years. If Bond can wipe out his bankroll, Le Chiffre will likely be “retired” by his paymasters in Moscow. But what if the cards won’t cooperate? After a brutal night at the gaming tables, Bond soon finds himself dodging... more
Recommended by Ben Macintyre, and 1 others. Ben MacintyreI think it’s the best of them, and it’s wonderful because it reveals what I think is the essential Bond. (Source)
Recommended by Ben Macintyre, and 1 others. Ben MacintyreIt’s an authorised, not an official, history, which means that it’s authorised to the extent that Andrew was allowed access to all 400,000 MI5 files. (Source)
No man knew more about the dangers of double-dealing and counter-espionage, and in writing his report, Masterman was keen to give the most complete...
moreRecommended by Ben Macintyre, and 1 others. Ben MacintyreMasterman’s account of the double-cross system is the definitive account and, although it’s written in quite a dry way, it’s absolutely thrilling. (Source)
Ben MacintyreI think it sets the standard for all spy literature. It’s very hard to improve on The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. It’s the classic le Carré recipe of compromised individuals trying to find their way through a labyrinth of deception and self-deception (Source)
Keith JefferyThis is at the far end of the spectrum from James Bond, but it also says a lot about the bureaucracy of the Service. (Source)
Sounding a warning of the dangers of a German sea-borne invasion, The Riddle of the Sands created a sensation when it appeared in 1903. Recognizably the great forerunner... more
Ben MacintyreIt’s a ripping yarn, it’s just so exciting. I first read it when I was about ten, and I’ve re-read it periodically since and it combines two of the things that I love most. (Source)
Keith JefferyA wonderful book both for the espionage aficionado and also for the yachtsman. (Source)
Stephen EvansIt’s the Great Game again, but this time it is played out in a small sailing boat on the Frisian Coast in Germany around 1900. (Source)
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