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Deal.ai › Christopher Andrew › Books
Christopher Andrew
The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and Secret History of the KGB
Christopher Andrew

The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and Secret History of the KGB

Best price now

$5.00at alibrisChecked 15 h ago

75% under what the other stores charge

Compared across 3 stores. Prices are checked against each store and labelled with when. Store links may earn us a commission. Price via Klarna.

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Price facts

  • Lowest price today: $5.00 at alibris (checked Nov 10, 2026).
  • Checked at 3 stores.

Our take on the The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and Secret History of the KGB

Christopher Andrew and Vasili Mitrokhin's history of the KGB, built on files Mitrokhin smuggled out of Russia. It covers Soviet foreign intelligence from the 1920s to the end of the Cold War, with names, operations and agent networks. It is dense, source-heavy history rather than a spy thriller, and it remains the standard popular account of KGB foreign operations. Readers who want narrative momentum should look to Ben Macintyre; readers who want the documentary record will find more here than in most single volumes.

Best forCold War history readersStudents of intelligence and espionageReaders who want primary-source detailAnyone researching Soviet operations in the West
Pros
  • Draws on thousands of pages of KGB files
  • Names agents and operations across decades
  • Covers the whole Soviet era, not one episode
  • Well indexed and sourced for further reading
  • Paperback edition is easy to annotate and carry
Cons
  • Dense and slow in places
  • Large cast of names is hard to track
  • Little narrative tension compared with spy thrillers
  • Some claims rest on files that cannot be independently checked

The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and Secret History of the KGB prices at every store

  • alibrisNew

    In stock

    $5.00Checked 15 h ago
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  • TargetNew

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    $20.39+ $5.99 shippingChecked 15 h ago
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  • WalmartNew

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    $20.61+ $6.99 shippingChecked 15 h ago
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Store links may earn us a commission. Some prices via Klarna.

The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and Secret History of the KGB price history

Lowest price we've seen: $5.00 on Nov 10 at alibris. Tracked across 3 stores since Nov 10.

What reviewers say

Reviewers treat it as a landmark work of intelligence history and a serious reference. Many find it heavy going, and some note that the archive-driven approach reads more like a catalogue than a story.

What people mention
  • DetailPraisedReaders value the sheer volume of named agents and operations drawn from the smuggled files.
  • PaceCriticisedMany find the book slow and heavy, better read in sections than straight through.
  • SourcesPraisedThe archive basis is what reviewers cite as its main claim to authority.
  • ReadabilityMixedSome call the writing clear and workmanlike; others say it reads like a catalogue.
  • AnalysisCriticisedA few reviewers want more interpretation of what the KGB files reveal overall.

Specifications

Format
PaperbackSource
Release Year
2000Source
Language
EnglishSource
Genre
Crime, Thrillers & Mystery, Historical Fiction, History & ArcheologySource
Publisher

Questions and answers

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.

Stores we've priced the The Sword and the Shield: The Mitrokhin Archive and Secret History of the KGB at

  • Target deals and prices
  • Walmart deals and prices
Basic Books (AZ)
Source
Release Date
2000-08Source