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The Stalin Affair

The Impossible Alliance that Won the War

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The Stalin Affair

By: Giles Milton
Narrated by: Giles Milton
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About this listen

 A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK

A SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR

'Hugely enjoyable' The Spectator

'Delivered with flamboyance, it features a sparkling cast of chancers' KATJA HOYER, Daily Telegraph 5* review

'Page-turning . . . a sizzling high-stakes tale' JAMES HOLLAND

'This book might read like the screenplay of a gripping movie, yet every word is accurate and verified' ANDREW ROBERTS

'Giles Milton is a phenomenon' DAN SNOW

'Another rollercoaster ride from Giles Milton. Endlessly surprising' ANTHONY HOROWITZ

From internationally bestselling historian Giles Milton comes the remarkable true story of the Allies' secret mission to wartime Moscow.

In the summer of 1941, as Hitler invaded the Soviet Union, Stalin's forces faced a catastrophic defeat which would make the Allies' liberation of Europe virtually impossible. To avert this disaster, Britain and America mobilized an elite team of remarkable diplomats with the mission of keeping the Red Army in the war.

Into the heart of Stalin's Moscow Roosevelt sent Averell Harriman, the fourth richest man in America and his brilliant young daughter Kathy. Churchill dispatched the reckless but inventive bon vivant Archie Clark Kerr - and occasionally himself - to negotiate with the Kremlin's wiliest operators. Together, this improbable group grappled with the ingenious, mercurial Stalin to make victory possible. But they also discovered that the Soviet dictator had a terrifying masterplan for the post-war world.

Based on astonishing unpublished diaries, letters and secret reports, The Stalin Affair reveals troves of new material about the most unlikely coalition in history.©2024 Giles Milton (P)2024 Hodder & Stoughton Limited Eastern Europe Military Stalin War Imperialism Winston Churchill Roosevelt Family Red army

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All stars
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Loved the narration. Content was thorough and well crafted. I enjoyed it very much. Giles Milton is a wonderful writer.

Excellent

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Well narrated. A great story. Worth listening to and informative. A part of history that is largely unknown and sheds light on the victory over Germany with an unusual alliance.

Well narrated and a great story.

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The book fills in all the unknown facts about these relationships.very chilling! Throughly recommended. A good read

Excellent

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Another great book from Giles Milton. Never rambling or going into so much detail that you get bored.

Thoroughly enjoyable

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A deft mix of high strategy and the personalities involved. History vividly brought to life through a variety of entertaining and interesting characters. Throughly recommended. Excellent narration, no doubt due to being delivered by the author. Always the best way if they can pull it off.

Thoroughly addictive

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Brilliantly researched and full of fascinating details. Wonderfully read by the author, the various historical characters are woven into a thrilling adventure story.

Thoroughly enjoyable

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The big picture things, I had read about many times but what Giles does wonderfully is to give details and hence real life to the players. The extent of the research in private letters and notes is astonishing. One of the best books I have read in ages! Fabulous historian who writes his tales like a thriller writer.

Utterly absorbing!!

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A story full of heroes and villains, heroines and femme fatales (almost), interwoven with jeopardy and well … not really a happy ending (depending on your point of view).

I think I knew some of this but after hearing the Author preview this on Dan Snow’s History Hit I was intrigued. Was there more to be learnt. And oh yes there is! Brilliantly written and narrated by the Author this is an outstandingly good book from this accomplished narrator. Finished in 3 days. Will definitely recommend to friends. Stuart

An astonishing story - that just happens to be true.

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I’ve come to expect a great read/listen when it comes to Giles’ books/podcasts, and this did not disappoint! Giles is a natural storyteller, so easy to listen to and his passion for his subjects is evident.

Drawing on personal first hand accounts, The Stalin Affair gives us another side to the tyrannical monster. So much so that he is ‘almost’ likeable. Certainly devious, but also capable of flashes of humanity that we don’t learn about at GCSE history. I recommend readers/listeners follow up with Giles’ Checkmate in Berlin.

Loved it. What next Giles? Hurry up!!

Utterly absorbing!

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The story is based on letters and diaries of the British and US ambassadors in Moscow. Meetings between Stalin and Churchill as recorded by the interpreter.

Gossipy account of the second war

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