Spy Handler

Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: After finishing this book, I suddenly thought back to many of the cold war ventures involving exploitation of the fine arts. One has to wonder whether this engrossing and enjoyable piece may serve several purposes. Not least of which may be to reinforce, or publically sing the praises of, the capabilities and dedication of Russian intel. As is evidenced today, there is a swelling myopic nostalgia within the former Soviet Union for aspects of the "good ol' days."

All in all, I highly recommend the piece.



Rating:
Summary: Engrossing but sometimes overwhelming
Review: Cherkashin was a senior KGB figure in numerous Soviet outposts all over the world during the 1970s and 80s. He had a very important stint in Washington DC where he "handled" Aldrich Ames, one of the most damaging spies in the history of the United States. The tone of this interesting book is neither adversarial nor arrogant; Cherkashin certainly didn't write this memoir in order to make himself look like the most important KGB operative in the history of the USSR, and for that we should all be thankful.

Cherkashin worked his way up through the ranks of the KGB and along the way we are exposed to the different units of the KGB, what their roles were, and the figures that led them. Sometimes the terminology and names can get a little overwhelming to those like me who aren't fully versed in the language of the spy game. Then again, I doubt there are many people, outside of ex-CIA and FBI personnel, who wouldn't have any difficulty.

Brushing aside the frequent but not too distracting names and titles, this book could easily be called "Spycatching for Dummies". Cherkashin talks candidly about the methods of recruiting a spy (hint: blackmail works wonders), handling a spy (hint: stroke their ego), and what to do when something goes wrong (hint: find a scapegoat). Machiavelli would have been proud.

That said, I really liked Cherkashin's style, everything is delivered very matter-of-factly and one is left with the distinct impression that he is telling the truth about a lot of things. He talks about the information that Ames and Hansen handed over to the Soviets and the damage that it did to US intelligence collection. What is even more amazing is that Ames and Hansen both forked over secrets for so long a period.

If you're a fan of LeCarre or James Bond films, you'll definitely enjoy this book.

Rating:
Summary: One comment
Review: I'm still reading this but I did find one unintentionally hilarious statement by the author about his father who was an employee in the "great OGPU" off fighting "counterrevolutionaries" somewhere.

I have a feeling that Cherkashin probably believes that the OGPU was "great" and his father spent his career "fighing counterrevolutionaries." But the ugly reality is that the OGPU was the executive agent of Stalin (pronounced "EXECUTE-ive"). If his father was stationed inside the Soviet Union during the 1930s and 1940s, he was almost certainly involved in what Robert Conquest called "the Harvest of Sorrow" (forced collectivization) and "the Great Terror" (insane murderous purges including those of the Red Army officer corps right before the German invasion).

It saddens me that someone in this day and age would feel like this sort of "heritage" is something worth mentioning as something admirable. It would be akin to some German boasting that his daddy had a high rank in the Schutzstaffel (SS) in Hitler's Germany.



Rating:
Summary: Cold War Espionage Uncovered
Review: Spy handler is an inside look at how the Russians engaged in Cold War espionage, and how luck and skill were equally important in trying to outwit their adversaries. It shows how spies were recruited and how some volunteered, and the lenghts taken to figure out if they were legitimate or indeed double or even triple agents. Anyone who has read any of the books on either Aldrich Ames or Robert Hannsen should consider this book a must read.

Rating:
Summary: A TEXBOOK FOR SPIES!!
Review: This book differs from other books of this genre I have read before in that the author offers you- the reader-almost all you need to know about spying in the modern age.
He is cold, ruthless,yet the bureaucrat - officer who hunts down his adversaries all over the world.
I can guarantee you that you will not get bored even for one second.
Brilliant!