THE LITVINENKO FILE: The True Story of a Death Foretold

Martin Sixsmith

ISBN 10: 0230531547 / ISBN 13: 9780230531543

Published by Macmillan, London, 2007

About this Item

First impression of the true first edition, with a full number-string sequence on the publisher's prelims copyright page including the no. "1": 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2. Illustrated with black and white photographs. ***Near fine in black cloth-covered boards with gilt titles to spine. Very slight light foxing to edges of text-block not affecting interior pages. No inscriptions. Boards clean. Pages clean. Spine tight. ***In a near fine colour illustrated dustwrapper that has not been price-clipped, showing original publisher's price of £16.99. No tears. No fading. Dustwrapper bright. 242mm x 160mm. viii prelim-pages plus 312 pages including select bibliography, notes and index to rear. ***'Martin Sixsmith draws on his long experience as the BBC's Moscow correspondent, and contact with the key London-based Russians, to dissect Alexander Litvinenko's murder. Myriad theories have been put forward since he died, but the story goes back to 2000 when hostilities were declared between the Kremlin and its political opponents. This is a war that has blown hot and cold for over six years: a war that has pitted some of Russia's strongest, richest men against the most powerful president Russia has had since Josef Stalin. But a war it most certainly is. a war that is beginning to revive some of the worst horrors of the old days of the KGB, and looks set to intensify in a bitter battle for the presidency in March 2008. ***The Litvinenko File is a gripping, powerful inside account of a shocking act of murder, when Russian's war with itself spilled over on the streets of London and made the world take notice.' (Quote from inside front of dustwrapper blurb). ***First impression of the true first edition in its original dustwrapper. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate - please contact us for postal rates for heavier books and sets etc.

Seller Inventory # 4276Soviet

Bibliographic Details

• Title: THE LITVINENKO FILE: The True Story of a Death Foretold
• Publisher: Macmillan, London
• Publication Date: 2007
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0230531547
• ISBN 13: 9780230531543
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: First Edition
• Printing: First Impression
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine
• Seller catalogs:
  • Political & Social History
  • History & Military

About this title

Synopsis

On December 7th 2006, in a Highgate Cemetery drenched with London rain, a Russian was buried within a stone’s throw of the grave of Karl Marx. He was Alexander Litvinenko, Sasha to his friends, a boy from the deep Russian provinces who rose through the ranks of the world’s most feared security service. Litvinenko was the man who denounced murder and corruption in the Russian government, fled from the wrath of the Kremlin, came to London and took the shilling of Moscow’s avowed enemy … Now he was a martyr, condemned by foes unknown to an agonised death in a hospital bed thousands of miles from home.

Martin Sixsmith draws on his long experience as the BBC’s Moscow correspondent, and contact with the key London-based Russians, to dissect Alexander Litvinenko’s murder. Myriad theories have been put forward since he died, but the story goes back to 2000 when hostilities were declared between the Kremlin and its political opponents. This is a war that has blown hot and cold for over six years; a war that has pitted some of Russia’s strongest, richest men against the most powerful president Russia has had since Josef Stalin.

The Litvinenko File is a gripping, powerful inside account of a shocking act of murder, when Russia’s war with itself spilled over onto the streets of London and made the world take notice.

About the Author

MARTIN SIXSMITH was born in Cheshire and educated at Oxford, Harvard and the Sorbonne. From 1980 to 1997 he worked for the BBC as the Corporation's correspondent in Moscow, Washington, Brussels and Warsaw. From 1997 to 2002 he worked for the Government as Director of Communications and Press Secretary first to Harriet Harman, then to Alistair Darling and finally to Stephen Byers. He is now a writer, presenter and journalist. He is the author of two novels, Spin and I Heard Lenin Laugh, and several works of non-fiction, including Philomena, first published in 2009 as The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, which is the basis for Stephen Frears' acclaimed film, Philomena, starring Steve Coogan (playing the author) and Judi Dench. He lives in London.