- Is this a history book or a literary study?
- It is a literary and cultural history. It analyzes Soviet spy fiction as a genre and ties it to the security state that produced and policed it.
- Do I need to know Soviet history first?
- Some background helps. The book assumes familiarity with the Cold War and Soviet institutions, so newcomers may want an introductory history alongside it.
- Does it cover real KGB operations?
- Only as context. The focus is on fiction and the writers, publishers and censors around it, not on case files of actual operations.
- Is it readable for a general spy-fiction fan?
- It is denser than popular spy history. Fans of le Carré-style context will find it rewarding, but expect academic prose and argument.
- What edition is this?
- It is the paperback edition from University of Toronto Press, 232 pages, sized about 6 by 9 inches.
- Where is the KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet Union cheapest?
- At Amazon, for $29.95, as of our latest check.
- Where can I buy the KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet Union?
- 8 stores we checked sell it, including AbeBooks.com, Books A Million, shermans.com, Barnes & Noble, BooksRun.