Who's on First

Blackford Oakes #3

by William F. Buckley Jr.

The celebrated author of Tucker's Last Stand and Stained Glass offers a chilling story set against the backdrop of the cold war space race. Blackford Oakes heads a mission to kidnap a pair of extraordinary Russian scientists who can put the U.S. ahead in the race for space, unaware that KGB spymaster Bolgin is hot on his trail.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Espionage, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Novels, Spy Thriller

259 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American author and conservative commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing style was famed for its erudition, wit, and use of uncommon words.

Buckley was "arguably the most important public intellectual in the United States in the past half century," according to George H. Nash, a historian of the modern American conservative movement. "For an entire generation he was the preeminent voice of American conservatism and its first great ecumenical figure." Buckley's primary intellectual achievement was to fuse traditional American political conservatism with economic libertarianism and anti-communism, laying the groundwork for the modern American conservatism of US Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater and US President Ronald Reagan.

Buckley came on the public scene with his critical book God and Man at Yale (1951); among over fifty further books on writing, speaking, history, politics and sailing, were a series of novels featuring CIA agent Blackford Oakes. Buckley referred to himself "on and off" as either libertarian or conservative. He resided in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut, and often signed his name as "WFB." He was a practicing Catholic, regularly attending the traditional Latin Mass in Connecticut.

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson]

Good. Fun read. I read it first in 1982. Read it again in 2015, but I didn't think I was reading it again. I had actually forgotten I had read it the first time. It is that kind of read. Of course it is hard to fault Buckley for this. Most potboilers don't stay with you for 33 years.

[Paul Peterson]

I've found my lost love for spy novels...LOVED this author as a political commentator, although his writing was sometimes so intricate I had to take time to follow it. I think he MIGHT be writing about himself as the main character and , if you think that, there is a subtle humor to the way he praises the guy (good looking, smart, VERY competent, awesome lover, etc....)

I miss ol' Bill!!

[Love]

I do very much enjoy the Backford Oaks spy novels but this one wasn't all that exciting. The story’s connection to the Sputnik launch is however interesting and the best parts are Buckley's imagined dialogues between Dean Acheson and Allen Dulles focusing on the space race.

[Chris]

Cold War Classic

Most people of a certain age would not understand the dynamics of Oakes dilemmas and digressions. A solid number three to the series. Liked the first two better. Interesting intersection of Sputnik and the Hungarian Revolution.

[E]

Slightly odd little story about Buckley's spy attempting to exfiltrate Soviet scientists and thus thwart the launching of Sputnik. They fail, of course, so this isn't exactly alternate history; more like Buckley's ruing what could have been. The man is still developing as a novelist--he is still not great at linking the plot together, though he does just fine with individual scenes. Characterization remains fine--perhaps more of the "what could have been" here, as Oakes seems to be Buckley's dream version of himself!

[Brian Skinner]

This book was no masterpiece but it was fun. If you know the personality of William F Buckley it makes the book even more fun. His son Christopher Buckley is a very talented Humor writer himself. This is not a comedy but it has a lot of comedy in it. It has a sex scene in it that was written in a literary way that makes it funny.

[Bob]

Summary: Oakes becomes involved in a plot to abduct a Soviet scientist couple involved in the research to launch Sputnik.

CIA agent Blackford Oakes leaves Hungary with the memory of the execution of Theophilus Molnar during the quenched Hungarian uprising of 1956. Having provided access to a "safe" house, somehow his safety is betrayed, Molnar is arrested, and executed on the spot.

Vadim and Viktor sustained each other through eight years in the Gulag. Both were scientist arrested for "anti-Soviet" agitation. Viktor believes Vadim saved his life by giving him hope. Later Vadim defects, and becomes involved with the CIA as "Serge."

The Soviet Union and the United States are in a mad race for space, to put the first satellite in orbit. Each has technical problems, which if solved would clear the way to launch. Each has the answers the other needs.

All these factors come together in Paris when Viktor and his wife Tamara are in Paris for a scientific conference. It is decided to abduct the couple, who are working on the critical research, using the friendship with Vadim to elicit their co-operation. Oakes is enlisted as a taxi driver to abduct them during a staged bus breakdown, with a cover plot of an Algerian radical group seeking an exchange of weapons for hostages.

Unbeknownst to Oakes, KGB agent Bolgin knows Oakes is in Paris. A mole in the French resistance develops a plot to seize and execute Oakes. Oakes, recognized in photos at the abduction scene, unknowingly betrays the kidnapping as a CIA operation. The attempt to obtain Russian secrets jeopardizes the lives of Oakes, and Viktor and Tamara. Along with the death of Theo, all of this raises questions for Oakes, questions that if he survives could end his career. Meanwhile, questions of a different sort at a higher level raise the question of whether winning the space race is worth it, even as a critical operation to sink a Russian freighter carrying a critical piece of technology is counting down to zero hour.

Buckley weaves a compact, fast paced espionage novel around these elements. He recalls the mood that existed in the Cold War era leading up to the launch of Sputnik on October 4, 1957, an event that actuated a military and scientific effort in the United States anticipated in this novel. He exposes the moral dilemmas of what Cold War maneuvering meant for the individuals whose futures and even lives might be sacrificed in covert efforts to attain a benchmark of supremacy. Having missed this series when it first came out, I'm glad for the second chance afforded by the folks at Open Road Media.

[Alifa Saadya]

Go back to the Golden Age of Spies and the Cold War. Although it's a bit dated, the story is quite solid and the characters interesting. The Soviet Union is on the verge of launching Sputnik, which sent a shock wave through the United States and launched that country into an era of scientific development. Buckley captures the behind-the-scenes elements among U.S. politicians, diplomats and CIA agents. It's quite a good read, albeit never would qualify as a "thriller." And extra points to the reader who knows Who's on first?

[Kevin]

Working my way through the Blackford Oakes series. Stained Glass (#2) stands out so far but I enjoyed Who's On First. They are not deep literature obviously but they do make for light and entertaining reading which is what I am looking for. Plus, having read half a dozen Buckley biographies it is interesting to read his fiction.

[Robert Juliano]

The usual entertaining spy fiction from Buckley. The author has a knack for inserting his protagonist, Blackford Oakes, into real life events of relatively recent history. Forget about the background pseudo-science and just enjoy this economically told tale.

[Jack]

At the time I read these novels (the late 1980's and early 1990's), I found them to be pretty good... sort of a cross between Matt Helm and James Bond. Not quite up to Ian Fleming's standards, but not quite as dated by then either.

[Mike Glaser]

A solid continuation of the series combing the space race with the Hungarian uprising of 1956. There are several points where the author seems to outsmart himself but is still a decent thriller and strongly recommended to readers of the series.

[Julia]

Not my favorite.

[Bob Box]

Read in 1980. Another satisfying Oaks spy thriller

[Michael King]

tongue in cheek, not realistic, but a fun read.

[Cliff]

Bill Buckley was quite a writer. Like the Blackford Oakes series of cold war spy novels. I can relate to those times since I grew up in that era and remember these events as they took place.

[Nancy]

This is a re-read of this series. The whole storyline of the US vs USSR being the first to launch a satellite was very interesting!

[Dalene Hansen]

3.5 Actual. Set in America in the 1950's and 1960's, American is in a race against Russia to go into space. Sets a very real picture of the fears of the day.

[James Cooper]

I feel as though the action really picked up during the last 50 pages of the book. The 'love' scene at the bottom of page 136 was one for the books. While at times to me the book dragged on, it was there at that scene where Buckley's writing reawakened me to liking and continuing and ultimately finishing the book in short order. My copy was the Book Club Edition - lasting 212 pages. Never a dull moment with Blackford Oakes. Can't wait to get into Marco Polo, If You Can.

[Jim]

The novel starts with the Soviet suppression of the 1956 Hungarian uprising. You will discover one way that the Soviets publicly punished Hungarian resisters. Unlike some spy novels (and the fevered imaginings of certain American "intellectuals"), there is no moral equivalency in Buckley's stories - the Soviets are the bad guys - just like real life.

[Gene]

This was perhaps one of Buckley's better spy novels. The characters seemed to come alive a bit more for me. The moral dilemma faced by Oakes is one that causes a lot of reflection in the reader. A good novel, but not so good that I feel bad to be finished with it.

[Kellylynn]

I struggled with the writing on this one a little, but that may just be related to the age of the book. The story focuses on some of the struggles during the space race, between America and Russia. Some characters I struggled with but others developed a bit better.

[Andrew]

This book started off a little slow, but once it got going it was hard to put down. Buckley is a very good storyteller.

[Gary]

Pretty Good read.

[Richard]

Another Blackford Oakes mystery. Very entertaining and not high brow as one might imagine from Mr. Buckley. But do not imagine that it is low brow either.

[Ange]

Profanity and two much sex. Other than that a good read.

[Nana Aboagye]

It is very interesting.

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: Blackford Oakes heads a mission to kidnap a pair of extraordinary Russian scientists. He's followed.