The Illegals: A History of Moscow's Most Audacious Spy Program ~ UK SIGNED TO TITLE PAGE FIRST/FIRST

Shaun Walker

ISBN 10: 1788167775 / ISBN 13: 9781788167772

Published by Profile Books, 2025

About this Item

INCREDIBLY SCARCE SIGNED! FIRST EDITION, first printing. Full number line present. Book is brand new and unread. Personally hand signed by the author, Shaun Walker, directly to the full title page. NOT inscribed to anyone. NOT a tip in. NOT a bookplate. Dust jacket hand covered in protective archival grade Mylar for many worry free years of reading/collecting! The definitive history of Russia s most secret spy program, from the earliest days of the Soviet Union to Putin s invasion of Ukraine, and a revelatory examination of how that hidden history shaped both Russia and the West. More than a century ago, the new Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad as deep-cover spies, training them to pose as foreign aristocrats, merchants, and students. Over time, this grew into the most ambitious espionage program in history. Many intelligence agencies use undercover operatives, but the KGB was the only one to go to such lengths, spending years training its spies in language and etiquette, and sending them abroad on missions that could last for decades. These spies were known as illegals. During the Second World War, illegals were dispatched behind enemy lines to assassinate high-ranking Nazis. Later, in the Cold War, they were sent to assimilate and lie low as sleepers in the West. The greatest among them performed remarkable feats, while many others failed in their missions or cracked under the strain of living a double life. Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews, as well as archival research in more than a dozen countries, Shaun Walker brings this history to life in a page-turning tour de force that takes us into the heart of the KGB s most secretive program. A riveting spy drama peopled with richly drawn characters, The Illegals also uncovers a hidden thread in the story of Russia itself. As Putin extols Soviet achievements and the KGB s espionage prowess, and Moscow continues to infiltrate illegals across the globe, this timely narrative shines new light on the long arc of the Soviet experiment, its messy aftermath, and its influence on our world at large. Seller Inventory # ABE-1747878706688

Bibliographic Details

Title: The Illegals: A History of Moscow's Most ...

Publisher: Profile Books

Publication Date: 2025

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: New

Dust Jacket Condition: New

Signed: Signed by Author(s)

Edition: 1st Edition

About this title

Synopsis:

''A brilliant historical investigation that''s as gripping as a Le Carre novel'' Tom Burgis''Shaun Walker skilfully shows how Russia''s modern-day election meddling is rooted in the subterfuge and trickery of the bad old days. This is a fascinating read.'' Oliver Bullough''A gripping history critical to understanding many of Russia''s influence operations today.'' Catherine Belton''Sinister, clandestine and deadly - this is essential history, and it is happening now.'' Simon Sebag Montefiore''A riveting spy thriller, which doubles as a secret history of Russia.'' Peter PomerantsevIn 2010, two decades after the Cold War had ended, ten Russian spies were arrested in America, having hidden their true identities from their friends, neighbours and even their children. They were part of a spy programme that had begun nearly a century earlier, when the revolutionary Bolshevik government began sending Soviet citizens abroad to pose as foreign aristocrats, merchants and students. These deep-cover missions - some remarkable feats of espionage, others high-profile failures - could last for decades.Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews, as well as newly discovered archival material, Shaun Walker brings this history to life in a page-turning tour de force that goes to the heart of what became the most ambitious espionage programme in history. As Moscow continues to infiltrate illegals across the globe, The Illegals shines new light on the long arc of the Soviet experiment and its messy aftermath - and on how that hidden history shaped Russia and the West.

About the Author:

Shaun Walker is an international correspondent for The Guardian. He reported from Moscow for more than a decade and is the author of The Long Hangover: Putin's New Russia and the Ghosts of the Past. His coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine was shortlisted for the Foreign Reporter of the Year category at the British 2023 Press Awards, and he has appeared as a commentator on Russia and Ukraine for various television and radio programmes. He currently divides his time between Warsaw, Kyiv and London.