Listen free for 30 days
Listen with offer
-
MI6
- Life and Death in the British Secret Service
- Narrated by: Gordon Corera
- Length: 15 hrs and 51 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
99p for the first 3 months
Buy Now for £16.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Summary
The secret history of MI6 - from the Cold War to the present day.
The British Secret Service has been cloaked in secrecy and shrouded in myth since it was created 100 years ago. Our understanding of what it is to be a spy has been largely defined by the fictional worlds of James Bond and John le Carre. MI6 provides a unique and unprecedented insight into this secret world and the reality that lies behind the fiction. It tells the story of how the secret service has changed since the end of World War II and by focusing on the people and the relationships that lie at the heart of espionage, revealing the danger, the drama, the intrigue, the moral ambiguities and the occasional comedy that comes with working for British intelligence. From the defining period of the early Cold War through to the modern day, MI6 has undergone a dramatic transformation from a gung-ho, amateurish organisation to its modern, no less controversial, incarnation. Gordon Corera reveals the triumphs and disasters along the way.
The grand dramas of the Cold War and after - the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the 11 September 2001 attacks and the Iraq war - are the backdrop for the human stories of the individual spies whose stories form the centrepiece of the narrative. But some of the individuals featured here, in turn, helped shape the course of those events. Corera draws on the first-hand accounts of those who have spied, lied and in some cases nearly died in service of the state. They range from the spymasters to the agents they ran to their sworn enemies. Many of these accounts are based on exclusive interviews and access. From Afghanistan to the Congo, from Moscow to the back streets of London, these are the voices of those who have worked on the front line of Britain's secret wars. And the truth is often more remarkable than the fiction.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
More from the same
Narrator
What listeners say about MI6
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Iris
- 19-10-21
Gripping
History told in such an enjoyable way. Factual and could relate to current affairs also. Highly recommend
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 15-12-21
Brilliant and well read
This is a great overview of MI6 from its conception to the 2010s. Full of interesting insights and interviews with key individuals.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- GP
- 28-03-23
Disappointing
Mostly rehashed well known stories. Sounds like it’s recorded in a wardrobe - probably a Covid era recording, but would benefit from using egg boxes on the walls and ceiling.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jen
- 29-05-22
A very quick overview
This audiobook is a very general summary and doesn’t provides much new information that hasn’t been written about many, many times. However, his delivery and writing are good- sound improved when paired with a speaker.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 07-11-21
sounds like it was recorded in someone's bathroom
great book bad recording, good voice actor but the recording is quite echoey would enjoy more if the audio quality is better
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 17-08-23
Terrible audio. If you get through the audio issue then it’s great content
First off - the audio in this is the worst I’ve ever heard. It’s like a very bad zoom call. However with careful placing of cushions you can get a dry-ish sound without all the reverb and enjoy it. The content is brilliant. I almost refunded this but I’m going to stick with it. Shame the audio is disgraceful cos the narration is pretty good. In my opinion audible should be giving every person who has purchased this a free credit due to the disgraceful audio.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Clay
- 20-04-21
Probably my favourite book.
This was such an interesting, insightful ride. I'm sure I'll listen to this multiple times.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Neil Green
- 25-12-21
Good history.
I found the most interesting part was about the Iraq war. But the whole book is very good covering the most interesting parts of the history. Well narrated.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- John
- 11-04-23
Informative and detailed
It provides an interesting insight into the what drives both traitors and patriots. We’ll Narrated
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- nicki
- 04-06-21
Last 2 hours are the best!!
Only take this on if you have a lot of spare time or a historian.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful