- Is this a spy thriller or a history book?
- It is a documented history of KGB foreign intelligence, not fiction. Expect names, dates and operations rather than a narrative plot.
- Do I need to read the earlier Mitrokhin volume first?
- No. This volume stands on its own and covers the KGB's foreign operations; the earlier book dealt with the KGB inside the USSR.
- How does it compare with Ben Macintyre's spy books?
- Macintyre tells single-case stories with strong narrative drive. This book is broader and more archival, with less storytelling and far more source detail.
- Is the paperback edition complete?
- Yes. The paperback carries the full text and notes; the main difference from the hardcover is binding and paper quality.
- Who wrote it?
- Christopher Andrew, a historian of intelligence, wrote it with Vasili Mitrokhin, the former KGB archivist whose notes form its core.
- Where is the The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and Secret History of the KGB cheapest?
- At alibris, for $5.00, 75% under what the other stores charge, as of our latest check.
- Where can I buy the The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and Secret History of the KGB?
- 3 stores we checked sell it, including alibris, Target, Walmart.