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Stalin's Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess

The Lives of Guy Burgess

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Stalin's Englishman: The Lives of Guy Burgess

By: Andrew Lownie
Narrated by: Simon Shepherd
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About this listen

 'MORE RIVETING THAN A SPY NOVEL': THE GRIPPING TRUE STORY OF CAMBRIDGE SPY GUY BURGESS

Readers LOVE Stalin's Englishman:

'Fantastically detailed . . . a very quick, absorbing read.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Andrew Lownie's biography of Guy Burgess is that rare achievement - a historical biography of considerable political and human complexity that is also a page turner.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Surely the definitive account of one of the country's most prominent traitors.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Guy Burgess was the most important, complex and fascinating of 'The Cambridge Spies' - Maclean, Philby, Blunt - all brilliant young men recruited in the 1930s to betray their country to the Soviet Union. An engaging and charming companion to many, an unappealing, utterly ruthless manipulator to others, Burgess rose through academia, the BBC, the Foreign Office, MI5 and MI6, gaining access to thousands of highly sensitive secret documents which he passed to his Russian handlers.

In this first full biography, Andrew Lownie shows us how even Burgess's chaotic personal life of drunken philandering did nothing to stop his penetration and betrayal of the British Intelligence Service. Even when he was under suspicion, the fabled charm which had enabled many close personal relationships with influential Establishment figures (including Winston Churchill) prevented his exposure as a spy for many years.

Through interviews with more than a hundred people who knew Burgess personally, many of whom have never spoken about him before, and the discovery of hitherto secret files, Stalin's Englishman brilliantly unravels the many lives of Guy Burgess in all their intriguing, chilling, colourful, tragi-comic wonder.

PUBLISHED TO GREAT CRITICAL ACCLAIM:

Winner of the St Ermin's Intelligence Book of the Year Award.

'One of the great biographies of 2015.' The Times

Fully updated edition including recently released information.

A Guardian Book of the Year. The Times Best Biography of the Year. Mail on Sunday Biography of the Year. Daily Mail Biography of Year. Spectator Book of the Year. BBC History Book of the Year.

'A remarkable and definitive portrait ' Frederick Forsyth

'Andrew Lownie's biography of Guy Burgess, Stalin's Englishman ... shrewd, thorough, revelatory.' William Boyd

'In the sad and funny Stalin's Englishman, [Lownie] manages to convey the charm as well as the turpitude.' Craig Brown©2015 Andrew Lownie Historical Political Science Politics & Government Russia
All stars
Most relevant
I enjoyed this book but as it is a listen I found the number of characters difficult to remember and distinguish. I resorted to searching them via the Internet. Burgess comes over as persuasive but self destructive - very much a user of people. Not sure that I agree that he was the most important figure in the Cambridge spy ring but I did change my view from the one I held after reading "An Englishman Abroad". I will probably listen to this again at some future date.

Interesting perspective

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So informative. This book has stimulated my interest in espionage history at that time. The author gives a well researched and balanced account.

well researched and interesting

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Burgess was a self obsessed eccentric perv who the KGB employed. He failed and so did the Soviet Union.

Burgess Spy Ring Explained

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What did you like most about Stalin's Englishman?

I enjoyed the detail. I knew of Burgess as one of the Cambridge set of spies, but I knew little of the person behind the name. This account is definitive; it brings him to life and leaves the reader to draw their own conclusions.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Stalin's Englishman?

So many; the contrast between his intelligence and politics in stark contrast to his appearance and lifestyle. A life filled with enigma.

What about Simon Shepherd’s performance did you like?

Great narration, a pleasure to listen to.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It raises many questions Was he good or bad, traitor or principled, caring of cold...? Great food for thought and an incredible insight into his life.

Any additional comments?

Can't imagine anything to better this account. Accessible, interesting and informed. I enjoyed every minute of it.

Outstanding biography and great slice of social hi

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Having just finished Ben MacIntyre's brilliant book on Kim Philby "A Spy among Friends" I found myself interested in that other Cambridge Spy, Guy Burgess, and was pleased to see this recommended by Audible. Like MacIntyre's book, this book does a brilliant job of showing more of the infamous man. Burgess, of all the spies, has had the worst reputation but Lownie describes a compellingly flawed and ideologically naive man. A particular strength of this book is that it does not, as so many do, treat Burgess's life after his defection as an epilogue but rather show the impact that his decision to defect had on Burgess and those close to him. A really great book for all spy aficionados and cold warriors!

Beilliant

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