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The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship & Espionage
Recounts the story of how two young Americans--Christopher John Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee--became outstanding Soviet spies and penetrated America's most secret satellite operations
359 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
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1621 people want to read
About the author
Robert Lindsey
38 books11 followersRobert Lindsey (born 1935) is a journalist and author of several true crime books, including The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage (1980), the story of Christopher John Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee, who were both convicted of selling information to the Soviets. The Flight of the Falcon: The True Story of the Escape and Manhunt for America's Most Wanted Spy (1983) followed, a chronology of Christopher Boyce's escape from Federal prison and subsequent bank robbing spree.
In 1980 he received the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best non-fiction crime book for "The Falcon and the Snowman." He won the 1989 CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction for A Gathering of Saints: a true story of money, murder and deceit.
Lindsey worked as a reporter and editor at the San Jose Mercury-News and The New York Times, and also served as the Los Angeles bureau chief for The New York Times.
Marlon Brando and Ronald Reagan used Lindsey's assistance when writing their autobiographies, respectively, Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me, and "Ronald Reagan: An American Life." Lindsey's memoir, Ghost Scribbler," was published in 2013.
In 1980 he received the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best non-fiction crime book for "The Falcon and the Snowman." He won the 1989 CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction for A Gathering of Saints: a true story of money, murder and deceit.
Lindsey worked as a reporter and editor at the San Jose Mercury-News and The New York Times, and also served as the Los Angeles bureau chief for The New York Times.
Marlon Brando and Ronald Reagan used Lindsey's assistance when writing their autobiographies, respectively, Brando: Songs My Mother Taught Me, and "Ronald Reagan: An American Life." Lindsey's memoir, Ghost Scribbler," was published in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
May 1, 2023
“The Falcon” was Christopher Boyce, a young ex-seminary student who dabbled in falconry in his spare time. “The Snowman” was Daulton Lee, a friend of Boyce who sold cocaine (“snow”) to any willing buyer. And in a real-life twist worthy of a John le Carré novel, these two ordinary young men from affluent Southern California families ended up as spies for the Soviet Union – a story that journalist Robert Lindsey tells in a compelling manner in his 1979 book The Falcon and the Snowman.
In order to tell A True Story of Friendship and Espionage (the book’s subtltle), Lindsey, who was then the Los Angeles bureau chief for The New York Times, conducted extensive interviews with Boyce, Lee, and other participants in the chain of events that took Boyce and Lee from suburban L.A. cul-de-sacs to cells in a federal prison. Those interviews form the basis of a story of how differing motivations and opportunities, and different personal needs, brought these two American friends together as Soviet spies.
Boyce, once he had left seminary, was not sure what he wanted to do with his life, and therefore his father, a former FBI agent, pulled some strings to get Boyce a job at a TRW facility where spy satellites were built. Making friends among people with varying ties to covert U.S. intelligence services, and learning of secret CIA activities in friendly and allied nations like Australia, Boyce became profoundly disillusioned with the U.S. government, and began to think that selling U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union could be a way to protest against what the government of his country was doing.
Lee’s motivations for joining in this spy scheme related not to politics or idealism, but rather to money and the need to stay out of jail. Arrested repeatedly for drug-dealing, Lee had used up all the second chances that the U.S. justice system was willing to offer, and therefore he decamped to Mexico.
From there, the two friends’ plan evolved. At TRW in California, Boyce would photograph or photocopy various documents and other secret data, and would get this information to Lee. In Mexico City, Lee would then see to the delivery of the documents to the Soviets, utilizing contacts he had made at the Soviet Embassy.
It all sounds absurd, and yet it worked for a time for the two spies. At the same time, Boyce in particular seems to have been aware from the start that he and Lee were amateurs at spycraft, playing a dangerous game in an arena for experienced professionals. Passages like this one, detailing a conversation between Boyce and his mother, capture well Boyce’s feelings of foreboding:
Chris seemed to be a little more willing to talk about his life than usual, and his mother suspected that it might have had something to do with drugs or liquor. Something was bothering Chris, and she tried to ferret it out.
Chris shook his head as if to say he couldn’t tell her about the mysterious problem, and then said, "Mom, I’m going to have to do something that may embarrass Dad."
“Chris,” his mother replied quickly, “Don’t do it, please. If it’s anything serious, it could kill your father.”
“Mom, I’m sorry. I have no way out.”
His mother pressed him to explain what he meant, but Chris didn’t answer… (pp. 100-01)
If Boyce was already getting those feelings of impending doom that early in his and Lee’s entry into the spy game, then those feelings can only have gotten worse as time went on. Lee responded to the stress and tension of this dangerous way of life by increasing his own drug use; the unstable behavior that Lee displayed as a result caused Boyce to consider Lee increasingly unreliable, while Lee in turn feared that Boyce would cut him loose.
Against the background of that strain upon the friendship between the two young men, Boyce traveled to Mexico City and met Lee’s Soviet contact, an upper-level KGB agent. The Soviet officer offered to fund Boyce’s education – all the way through graduate school – and Boyce once again got that sense of being hopelessly enmeshed in the world of espionage:
The trap he had set for himself in an impulsive swipe at what he viewed as a corrupt, cancerous system had sprung again. This time, he knew it might grip him for the rest of his life. Wherever he went, whatever he did – whether he became a lawyer, a priest, a government employee, a teacher, whatever – he realized he might always be called on to work for the KGB….They could find him. By threatening to disclose the secret of his youth, the KGB could blackmail him into doing its bidding for the rest of his life. (p. 203)
It should be no surprise that Boyce and Lee’s entry into spycraft ended badly, with both men being arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to long prison terms.
Part of what gives The Falcon and the Snowman a degree of pathos that causes it to stand out from many other true-life stories of Cold War espionage is Lindsay’s emphasis on how young Boyce and Lee were when all these things happened – as when he describes Lee’s response to being convicted as a spy for the U.S.S.R.
Daulton shook his head in bitter disbelief. And then in a gesture that recalled his tormented glances toward his father years before, when he had dropped a fly ball or swung at a third strike, he looked quickly in the direction of his parents, both of whom had tears in their eyes. (p. 304)
Lindsay’s sympathy for Boyce in particular is clear to the reader of The Falcon and the Snowman. What Boyce did was terribly misguided and profoundly wrong – and millions of other Americans who shared his dislike of the U.S. foreign policy of that time did not respond to their disillusionment by becoming spies for a totalitarian, nuclear-armed enemy state. Yet Lindsay boldly invites the reader to understand, at some level, the inner turmoil that drove Boyce toward his brief career in espionage, while disapproving of the choices that Boyce made.
Boyce and Lee both were released from prison, after serving 21 to 25 years of their prison sentences. Lee worked for a time as a personal assistant for Sean Penn, who played him in John Schlesinger’s tense and well-crafted 1985 film adaptation of The Falcon and the Snowman; Boyce has written a book of his own about his experiences as spy and prisoner, and has expressed support for Edward Snowden’s efforts to publicize U.S. government secrets.
Decades after the events chronicled in The Falcon and the Snowman, the Russian Federation is behaving much the way the old Soviet Union once did, invading a neighboring country (in this instance, Ukraine) while reminding potential adversaries in the West of the strength of the Russian nuclear arsenal. The Falcon and the Snowman, always a fine example of meticulous journalism and well-crafted nonfiction writing, now takes on new significance, a fresh sense of menace, as a new Cold War impends.
In order to tell A True Story of Friendship and Espionage (the book’s subtltle), Lindsey, who was then the Los Angeles bureau chief for The New York Times, conducted extensive interviews with Boyce, Lee, and other participants in the chain of events that took Boyce and Lee from suburban L.A. cul-de-sacs to cells in a federal prison. Those interviews form the basis of a story of how differing motivations and opportunities, and different personal needs, brought these two American friends together as Soviet spies.
Boyce, once he had left seminary, was not sure what he wanted to do with his life, and therefore his father, a former FBI agent, pulled some strings to get Boyce a job at a TRW facility where spy satellites were built. Making friends among people with varying ties to covert U.S. intelligence services, and learning of secret CIA activities in friendly and allied nations like Australia, Boyce became profoundly disillusioned with the U.S. government, and began to think that selling U.S. secrets to the Soviet Union could be a way to protest against what the government of his country was doing.
Lee’s motivations for joining in this spy scheme related not to politics or idealism, but rather to money and the need to stay out of jail. Arrested repeatedly for drug-dealing, Lee had used up all the second chances that the U.S. justice system was willing to offer, and therefore he decamped to Mexico.
From there, the two friends’ plan evolved. At TRW in California, Boyce would photograph or photocopy various documents and other secret data, and would get this information to Lee. In Mexico City, Lee would then see to the delivery of the documents to the Soviets, utilizing contacts he had made at the Soviet Embassy.
It all sounds absurd, and yet it worked for a time for the two spies. At the same time, Boyce in particular seems to have been aware from the start that he and Lee were amateurs at spycraft, playing a dangerous game in an arena for experienced professionals. Passages like this one, detailing a conversation between Boyce and his mother, capture well Boyce’s feelings of foreboding:
Chris seemed to be a little more willing to talk about his life than usual, and his mother suspected that it might have had something to do with drugs or liquor. Something was bothering Chris, and she tried to ferret it out.
Chris shook his head as if to say he couldn’t tell her about the mysterious problem, and then said, "Mom, I’m going to have to do something that may embarrass Dad."
“Chris,” his mother replied quickly, “Don’t do it, please. If it’s anything serious, it could kill your father.”
“Mom, I’m sorry. I have no way out.”
His mother pressed him to explain what he meant, but Chris didn’t answer… (pp. 100-01)
If Boyce was already getting those feelings of impending doom that early in his and Lee’s entry into the spy game, then those feelings can only have gotten worse as time went on. Lee responded to the stress and tension of this dangerous way of life by increasing his own drug use; the unstable behavior that Lee displayed as a result caused Boyce to consider Lee increasingly unreliable, while Lee in turn feared that Boyce would cut him loose.
Against the background of that strain upon the friendship between the two young men, Boyce traveled to Mexico City and met Lee’s Soviet contact, an upper-level KGB agent. The Soviet officer offered to fund Boyce’s education – all the way through graduate school – and Boyce once again got that sense of being hopelessly enmeshed in the world of espionage:
The trap he had set for himself in an impulsive swipe at what he viewed as a corrupt, cancerous system had sprung again. This time, he knew it might grip him for the rest of his life. Wherever he went, whatever he did – whether he became a lawyer, a priest, a government employee, a teacher, whatever – he realized he might always be called on to work for the KGB….They could find him. By threatening to disclose the secret of his youth, the KGB could blackmail him into doing its bidding for the rest of his life. (p. 203)
It should be no surprise that Boyce and Lee’s entry into spycraft ended badly, with both men being arrested, tried, convicted, and sentenced to long prison terms.
Part of what gives The Falcon and the Snowman a degree of pathos that causes it to stand out from many other true-life stories of Cold War espionage is Lindsay’s emphasis on how young Boyce and Lee were when all these things happened – as when he describes Lee’s response to being convicted as a spy for the U.S.S.R.
Daulton shook his head in bitter disbelief. And then in a gesture that recalled his tormented glances toward his father years before, when he had dropped a fly ball or swung at a third strike, he looked quickly in the direction of his parents, both of whom had tears in their eyes. (p. 304)
Lindsay’s sympathy for Boyce in particular is clear to the reader of The Falcon and the Snowman. What Boyce did was terribly misguided and profoundly wrong – and millions of other Americans who shared his dislike of the U.S. foreign policy of that time did not respond to their disillusionment by becoming spies for a totalitarian, nuclear-armed enemy state. Yet Lindsay boldly invites the reader to understand, at some level, the inner turmoil that drove Boyce toward his brief career in espionage, while disapproving of the choices that Boyce made.
Boyce and Lee both were released from prison, after serving 21 to 25 years of their prison sentences. Lee worked for a time as a personal assistant for Sean Penn, who played him in John Schlesinger’s tense and well-crafted 1985 film adaptation of The Falcon and the Snowman; Boyce has written a book of his own about his experiences as spy and prisoner, and has expressed support for Edward Snowden’s efforts to publicize U.S. government secrets.
Decades after the events chronicled in The Falcon and the Snowman, the Russian Federation is behaving much the way the old Soviet Union once did, invading a neighboring country (in this instance, Ukraine) while reminding potential adversaries in the West of the strength of the Russian nuclear arsenal. The Falcon and the Snowman, always a fine example of meticulous journalism and well-crafted nonfiction writing, now takes on new significance, a fresh sense of menace, as a new Cold War impends.
July 5, 2015
It’s not hard to see the ideals of our nation’s founders aren’t working as originally envisioned. And yet, does that entitle anyone to sell our country’s security secrets to a foreign power, especially one who is an avowed enemy?
One of the most damaging espionage conspiracies against the United States in the postwar era was perpetrated by two young men who had begun life with what seemed to be the best America had to bestow on her children. Christopher John Boyce was elected student body president and delivered the graduation address for his eighth grade class. Andrew Daulton Lee had been adopted by a compassionate and wealthy couple unable to have more children. Both boys grew up in stable, upper middle class homes, with devoted parents, siblings, and every opportunity. They were altar boys when they were young and later shared a love of falconing. It was southern California in the late 50s, early 60s. So how could they end up as traitors? As spies, selling their own country out to the Soviet Union for money during the most frigid years of the Cold War? What went so wrong?
Robert Lindsey’s The Falcon and the Snowman explores this near-suicidal trek Boyce and Lee embarked on without any real plan and very different motives. A riveting read!
One of the most damaging espionage conspiracies against the United States in the postwar era was perpetrated by two young men who had begun life with what seemed to be the best America had to bestow on her children. Christopher John Boyce was elected student body president and delivered the graduation address for his eighth grade class. Andrew Daulton Lee had been adopted by a compassionate and wealthy couple unable to have more children. Both boys grew up in stable, upper middle class homes, with devoted parents, siblings, and every opportunity. They were altar boys when they were young and later shared a love of falconing. It was southern California in the late 50s, early 60s. So how could they end up as traitors? As spies, selling their own country out to the Soviet Union for money during the most frigid years of the Cold War? What went so wrong?
Robert Lindsey’s The Falcon and the Snowman explores this near-suicidal trek Boyce and Lee embarked on without any real plan and very different motives. A riveting read!
January 12, 2020
This is a fascinating true story about two young men in the 1970s who stumbled their way into selling classified information to the Soviet Union. The author is a journalist and true-crime writer, and the book reflects his journalist's eye for detail along with a novelist's knack for story-telling that holds the reader's interest.
Christopher Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee were friends who grew up in well-off families in southern California. They were altar boys together in their local church and friends in school. Despite, or maybe because of, their privileged backgrounds, when they were teenagers they both fell into the somewhat aimless drug culture around them. Both tried college for a while but dropped out.
Through his father's connections, Chris Boyce got a job with defense contractor TRW. Although he was only 21 years old and had no relevant education or experience, he was given a top-secret security clearance and put in charge of highly sensitive work relating to the CIA's spy satellite program. Meanwhile, he was becoming increasingly disillusioned with the United States government. He spent much of his free time pursuing his passion, falconry.
Daulton didn't hold a steady job. Instead, he spent most of his time in the drug world. He threw a lot of parties, and he was always the guy with the drugs. His ambition was to make his mark as a major player and make a lot of money. He gradually moved from selling marijuana to selling cocaine and then heroin, and eventually, he became an addict himself.
Somehow, the combination of Chris's political disillusionment and Daulton's greed led the two friends to initiate a bold espionage scheme: Chris would steal classified documents from TRW, and Daulton would sell them to the Russians at the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City. In turn, Daulton would use the proceeds of the sales to make bigger and bigger drug deals.
It is almost inconceivable that these two guys were able to pull off this scheme, even for a while. The idea that it would ultimately unravel should not have been surprising to anyone, and in fact, it probably wasn't surprising even to the two of them.
Although this was a major news story when it happened, I don't really remember hearing about it. So it was all new to me, and I found it to be a great story. I recommend reading it, especially if you're interested in true crime and/or Cold War-era espionage.
Christopher Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee were friends who grew up in well-off families in southern California. They were altar boys together in their local church and friends in school. Despite, or maybe because of, their privileged backgrounds, when they were teenagers they both fell into the somewhat aimless drug culture around them. Both tried college for a while but dropped out.
Through his father's connections, Chris Boyce got a job with defense contractor TRW. Although he was only 21 years old and had no relevant education or experience, he was given a top-secret security clearance and put in charge of highly sensitive work relating to the CIA's spy satellite program. Meanwhile, he was becoming increasingly disillusioned with the United States government. He spent much of his free time pursuing his passion, falconry.
Daulton didn't hold a steady job. Instead, he spent most of his time in the drug world. He threw a lot of parties, and he was always the guy with the drugs. His ambition was to make his mark as a major player and make a lot of money. He gradually moved from selling marijuana to selling cocaine and then heroin, and eventually, he became an addict himself.
Somehow, the combination of Chris's political disillusionment and Daulton's greed led the two friends to initiate a bold espionage scheme: Chris would steal classified documents from TRW, and Daulton would sell them to the Russians at the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City. In turn, Daulton would use the proceeds of the sales to make bigger and bigger drug deals.
It is almost inconceivable that these two guys were able to pull off this scheme, even for a while. The idea that it would ultimately unravel should not have been surprising to anyone, and in fact, it probably wasn't surprising even to the two of them.
Although this was a major news story when it happened, I don't really remember hearing about it. So it was all new to me, and I found it to be a great story. I recommend reading it, especially if you're interested in true crime and/or Cold War-era espionage.
April 23, 2020
Among all the Cold War espionage stuff I've read, somehow I never came across this case before. Definitely a fascinating story, though the book didn't grip me as much as I would have expected given its subject. For the most part, I'd attribute that to the rather bland writing, otherwise it's quite intriguing.
June 13, 2024
“They wanted what I had; I was basically dealing with addicts. But I knew they’d kill to get it, too.”
Competent report of the most fascinating spy case you never heard of. Published 1979. The New York Times reporter who covered the trials, expended his reporting into a book.
Daulton and, to a lesser extent, Chris had grown up with just about everything a rich society could bestow on its young men. They had money, good schools, a good family and a good future. They had everything—including boredom.
Fascinating and sad. Told sympathetically but told warts and all. These were not lovable people, but their life and times were the life and times of many Baby Boomers.
“Does it make sense that an alcoholic and a Polack pot head could do this on their own?”
Personal note: I am Boyce and Lee’s contemporary: born in Los Angeles in 1946, but in working class South Gate. But my life couldn’t have been more different. Lindsey scratches the surface of how two relatively affluent, privileged young men became an embarrassment to their families, generation, and nation.
In truth, each entered the espionage conspiracy with different motives. In a grotesque way, each used the other.
Competent report of the most fascinating spy case you never heard of. Published 1979. The New York Times reporter who covered the trials, expended his reporting into a book.
Daulton and, to a lesser extent, Chris had grown up with just about everything a rich society could bestow on its young men. They had money, good schools, a good family and a good future. They had everything—including boredom.
Fascinating and sad. Told sympathetically but told warts and all. These were not lovable people, but their life and times were the life and times of many Baby Boomers.
“Does it make sense that an alcoholic and a Polack pot head could do this on their own?”
Personal note: I am Boyce and Lee’s contemporary: born in Los Angeles in 1946, but in working class South Gate. But my life couldn’t have been more different. Lindsey scratches the surface of how two relatively affluent, privileged young men became an embarrassment to their families, generation, and nation.
In truth, each entered the espionage conspiracy with different motives. In a grotesque way, each used the other.
April 18, 2013
When Christopher Boyce was 21 years old, his father helped him get a job at TRW, a company in the defense industry. He began working as a general clerk with classified material but eventually he earned the clearance to work in the Black Vault with special projects in which he had access to Top Secret information. He was only one of six people approved for this most exclusive of clearances. While working in the Black Vault, he gained insight into the CIA and some of its covert operations. He decided he didn’t like what he learned about the U.S. government and the way they obtained intelligence thru secret satellites and he wanted to get back at them. For the next two years, Chris smuggled Top Secret documents out of TRW and had his childhood friend, Daulton, sell them to the KGB at the Russian Embassy in Mexico City. It was one of the most damaging espionage conspiracies against the U.S. in the postwar era. The loss was among the worst in the history of the CIA, since never before had the KGB penetrated American surveillance-satellite operations. This is the story about two men who came from respectable families, attended good schools, lived in a well-to-do neighborhood but threw away their futures.
I’ve always wanted to read this book and I’m so glad I finally found it in a used bookstore. I live in the South Bay area of Los Angeles where this incident took place so I’m familiar with a lot of the places that are mentioned in this book. This is an interesting story and the book was well written. Both these men came from privileged backgrounds so it’s unfortunate that they decided to make bad choices in life and ruin any chance of being successful. In the book they came across as smug and arrogant and they seemed to have the attitude that a lawyer can get them out of any jam so I’m glad they were found guilty and received a prison sentence. I’m not sure if I will read the follow-up book, The Flight of the Falcon, but I look forward to watching the movie.
I’ve always wanted to read this book and I’m so glad I finally found it in a used bookstore. I live in the South Bay area of Los Angeles where this incident took place so I’m familiar with a lot of the places that are mentioned in this book. This is an interesting story and the book was well written. Both these men came from privileged backgrounds so it’s unfortunate that they decided to make bad choices in life and ruin any chance of being successful. In the book they came across as smug and arrogant and they seemed to have the attitude that a lawyer can get them out of any jam so I’m glad they were found guilty and received a prison sentence. I’m not sure if I will read the follow-up book, The Flight of the Falcon, but I look forward to watching the movie.
February 18, 2018
3.5 stars.
Originally published in 1979 this book probably seemed quaint after the collapse of the Soviet Union and before 2016, when terrorism was one of America's prominent concerns. Recent events in America have given this book a certain freshness. Without getting into the particulars the book covers the meddling in another country's politics to produce a desired outcome and there are the discussions about nuclear war. And the Russians return to their Cold War position as the primary threat to America. The book is really about the bad deeds of Lee and Boyce but the side stories add interesting theater.
The book itself moves along well with two lead "characters" to propel the action. Lindsey does a very good job of telling the wild tales of both Lee and Boyce. Lee is the ne'er-do-well with the highest entertainment value while Boyce is the self-righteous pseudo-intellectual "conscience" of the story. Both are self-delusional liars but interesting nonetheless.
2018 is a good time to read this book before the headlines change drastically.
Originally published in 1979 this book probably seemed quaint after the collapse of the Soviet Union and before 2016, when terrorism was one of America's prominent concerns. Recent events in America have given this book a certain freshness. Without getting into the particulars the book covers the meddling in another country's politics to produce a desired outcome and there are the discussions about nuclear war. And the Russians return to their Cold War position as the primary threat to America. The book is really about the bad deeds of Lee and Boyce but the side stories add interesting theater.
The book itself moves along well with two lead "characters" to propel the action. Lindsey does a very good job of telling the wild tales of both Lee and Boyce. Lee is the ne'er-do-well with the highest entertainment value while Boyce is the self-righteous pseudo-intellectual "conscience" of the story. Both are self-delusional liars but interesting nonetheless.
2018 is a good time to read this book before the headlines change drastically.
June 28, 2008
This story is so fascinating because its a true story and happened right here in my own backyard... Its hard to believe two boys, raised from good families in Palos Verdes, grew up to become spies for the KGB in the late 1970s. One of them worked for a company in the aerospace industry right here in the South Bay. Its amazing how easily and how long they were able to perform what ended up being one of the worst acts of espionage in United States history.
The book is over 25 years old and I was curious to see what the guys were up to today. They're both out of prison on parole... I don't want to give any spoilers about how the book ends, so if you're curious, check out the articles on Wikipedia:
Christopher Boyce
Andrew Daulton Lee
The book is over 25 years old and I was curious to see what the guys were up to today. They're both out of prison on parole... I don't want to give any spoilers about how the book ends, so if you're curious, check out the articles on Wikipedia:
Christopher Boyce
Andrew Daulton Lee
February 1, 2013
One of the few books I've read where the film adaptation does an excellent job of condensing the novel into an accurate representation. Timothy Hutton is a perfect Chris Boyce and Sean Penn is who my mind's eye could see portraying Daulton Lee.
With the new FX series, "The Americans", this book was an ideal read to complement the show's theme. How quickly we can forget the Cold War and the threat of nuclear war that overshadowed the mid-70's and 80's.
With the new FX series, "The Americans", this book was an ideal read to complement the show's theme. How quickly we can forget the Cold War and the threat of nuclear war that overshadowed the mid-70's and 80's.
November 14, 2018
True crime story of Christopher Boyce and Daulton Lee, two young men brought up in an affluent area of California, become international spies. The gist of the story is Christopher Boyce is struggling to find his way into adulthood. His father, a former FBI agent, finds him a job at TRW. Christopher handles top secret documents in his job. Christopher is disenchanted with how the US is involved in Vietnam, Watergate and then becomes aware of how the CIA is influencing the Australian government. He decides to "retaliate" and quickly becomes involved in selling secret information to the Russians via his drug dependent friend Daulton Lee. Daulton Lee sells the information to the Russians in their embassy in Mexico to support his drug habit and Boyce gets some of the money. Their espionage has become a forgotten story that took place in the 1970's, but rings of Edward Snowden recent times. The title refers to their code names: Lee was Snowman for his drug dependency and Boyce had a fascination with falconry. The story delves into the psychology of both characters and very well written.
May 21, 2018
Reads like a Cold War novel and, because its a true story, is a page turner that was difficult to put down. Although published 39 years ago, there is still an immediacy that reminds us of the other subsequent spy scandals such as the CIA's Aldrich Ames and the FBI's Robert Hanssen. The 1984 film with Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn was remarkably faithful to the book.
What's not included in the book, at least in the edition I read, is the remarkable epilogue for Christopher Boyce and Daulton Lee. In 1980, Boyce escaped from federal prison after three years and while a fugitive for about 18 months participated in 17 bank robberies in the Pacific Northwest. He gained his freedom in 2002. Lee, originally sentenced to life imprisonment, was released in 1998 after 32 years.
What's not included in the book, at least in the edition I read, is the remarkable epilogue for Christopher Boyce and Daulton Lee. In 1980, Boyce escaped from federal prison after three years and while a fugitive for about 18 months participated in 17 bank robberies in the Pacific Northwest. He gained his freedom in 2002. Lee, originally sentenced to life imprisonment, was released in 1998 after 32 years.
July 26, 2017
Fascinating story. Two friends working together selling secrets to the enemy. Different motivation for each guy. Then comes the trial and they turn on each other.
July 22, 2024
For the Mexico prompt in my bookclub’s Summer Passport Challenge, I chose The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage, which takes place in California and Mexico City.
This has been on my TBR for 7 years and I'm so glad I finally read this true story about two young friends in their 20s who sell top-secret intelligence to the Soviets in the late 70s.
My edition was 505 pages, but it was such a quick read because it was utterly fascinating. I love spy stories and this one reads like a fiction novel, but the fact that this is a true story just adds a whole other level of intrigue. I highly recommend!
This has been on my TBR for 7 years and I'm so glad I finally read this true story about two young friends in their 20s who sell top-secret intelligence to the Soviets in the late 70s.
My edition was 505 pages, but it was such a quick read because it was utterly fascinating. I love spy stories and this one reads like a fiction novel, but the fact that this is a true story just adds a whole other level of intrigue. I highly recommend!
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January 8, 2020
I had heard of the movie - did not watch it - so I was curious about the book. Frankly, the book did disappoint. It started very slow, dragged on quite a bit. I was on the verge of giving it up but decided to stick on, especially because I had no wifi connection to download another book.
The story idea itself is simple, and that is why the book drags - the author had to expand it by a few miles, to say the least. Full of unnecessary details, events, and characters, the narrative is listless, like reading a lengthy report. There is nothing exciting here apart from the stupidity on part of one of the main characters - Andrew Daulton Lee - fueled by drugs and greed, and naivete on part of the other, main 'espionage agent' Christopher John Boyce. Their 'KGB' handlers seem incompetent, not realising that the drug addict Daulton can cause them enormous problems.
This is a fictionalised version of a true story, so a lot of it does seem like conjecture on part of the author.
Overall, an uninspiring, boring book. Best avoided.
The story idea itself is simple, and that is why the book drags - the author had to expand it by a few miles, to say the least. Full of unnecessary details, events, and characters, the narrative is listless, like reading a lengthy report. There is nothing exciting here apart from the stupidity on part of one of the main characters - Andrew Daulton Lee - fueled by drugs and greed, and naivete on part of the other, main 'espionage agent' Christopher John Boyce. Their 'KGB' handlers seem incompetent, not realising that the drug addict Daulton can cause them enormous problems.
This is a fictionalised version of a true story, so a lot of it does seem like conjecture on part of the author.
Overall, an uninspiring, boring book. Best avoided.
April 28, 2020
All I can say is boring. The actual story was interesting but all the details of girlfriends, drug and alcohol abuse was extremely unnecessary. Apparently, it would have a short book, if the author had simply told the actual true story of the spying. Would have been a much better read.
October 10, 2020
I am two years younger than Christopher John Boyce (The Falcon) and Andrew Daulton Lee (The Snowman). I knew guys like them in high school. When they got caught and convicted, I was a freshman in college so I didn’t pay much attention to their case. When the movie “The Falcon and the Snowman” was released, I never saw it and I still haven’t. When Amazon offered the Kindle version of the book at a deep discount, I decided to buy and read it.
Since I knew guys like Chris (Boyce) and Daulton (Lee), their upbringing and high school escapades were no revelation to me. It was the typical upbringing of white privilege youths who reveled in the 1970’s drug culture of southern California. As white privilege youths, someone like Daulton knew how to take advantage of the criminal justice system. He was given numerous breaks after another after committing drug offenses. Daulton’s numerous breaks really highlighted what it means to be “white privilege” within the criminal justice system.
I understood Chris’s conflict with the US government. I too had the same conflicts. We grew up with the Vietnam War, race riots, Watergate, etc. The social unrest is similar to what’s happening in 2020. I don’t think, however, that Chris was ever truly concerned about current events, politics or social justice
Although I have some understanding of Chris, Chris and Daulton reminded me of the duo from the movie DUMB AND DUMBER and the drug crazed comedy duo of Cheech & Chong. The fact that Chris could get access to Top Secret information is truly astounding. It also brings new meaning to “white privilege” and using family influence to secure a highly classified job regardless of qualification.
The first half of the book wasn’t very interesting to me. The second half when they got caught and convicted of spying was much more interesting. The way that Daulton got caught as a spy is comical and stupid.
After they got caught, Chris and Daulton tried to blame the other. Chris tried to spin his spying as being idealism and a protest against US involvement in Vietnam and other countries. He tried to portray himself as “whistleblower”. His claim of being a “whistleblower” was more of a criminal defense strategy and a psychological defense mechanism knowing that what he did was traitorous. Chris only embraced being a “whistleblower” and a “martyr” after he was caught.
Daulton tried to spin his spying by claiming he was recruited by the CIA to spread disinformation to the Russians.
Chris was never a “whistleblower” or idealist like Reality Winner, Edward Snowden, or Bradley (Chelsea) Manning. Instead, Chris and Daulton sold US secrets to the Russians for MONEY to finance their illicit drug habit and drug pushing business. They also enjoyed the fantasy of being spies. Chris knew that what he was doing was wrong and that he would eventually get caught. He was so caught up in the spy game that he did not know how to stop.
In a nutshell, Chris and Daulton were just two greedy and immature guys who were looking for quick and easy money. They didn’t care if they were traitors or the consequences to their country. It was all about the MONEY.
Would I re-read this book in 10-20 years? I highly doubt it. Chris and Daulton were just two morons who lived the life of white privilege youths looking for quick and easy money. I think the prison sentences that they both received were justified.
Since I knew guys like Chris (Boyce) and Daulton (Lee), their upbringing and high school escapades were no revelation to me. It was the typical upbringing of white privilege youths who reveled in the 1970’s drug culture of southern California. As white privilege youths, someone like Daulton knew how to take advantage of the criminal justice system. He was given numerous breaks after another after committing drug offenses. Daulton’s numerous breaks really highlighted what it means to be “white privilege” within the criminal justice system.
I understood Chris’s conflict with the US government. I too had the same conflicts. We grew up with the Vietnam War, race riots, Watergate, etc. The social unrest is similar to what’s happening in 2020. I don’t think, however, that Chris was ever truly concerned about current events, politics or social justice
Although I have some understanding of Chris, Chris and Daulton reminded me of the duo from the movie DUMB AND DUMBER and the drug crazed comedy duo of Cheech & Chong. The fact that Chris could get access to Top Secret information is truly astounding. It also brings new meaning to “white privilege” and using family influence to secure a highly classified job regardless of qualification.
The first half of the book wasn’t very interesting to me. The second half when they got caught and convicted of spying was much more interesting. The way that Daulton got caught as a spy is comical and stupid.
After they got caught, Chris and Daulton tried to blame the other. Chris tried to spin his spying as being idealism and a protest against US involvement in Vietnam and other countries. He tried to portray himself as “whistleblower”. His claim of being a “whistleblower” was more of a criminal defense strategy and a psychological defense mechanism knowing that what he did was traitorous. Chris only embraced being a “whistleblower” and a “martyr” after he was caught.
Daulton tried to spin his spying by claiming he was recruited by the CIA to spread disinformation to the Russians.
Chris was never a “whistleblower” or idealist like Reality Winner, Edward Snowden, or Bradley (Chelsea) Manning. Instead, Chris and Daulton sold US secrets to the Russians for MONEY to finance their illicit drug habit and drug pushing business. They also enjoyed the fantasy of being spies. Chris knew that what he was doing was wrong and that he would eventually get caught. He was so caught up in the spy game that he did not know how to stop.
In a nutshell, Chris and Daulton were just two greedy and immature guys who were looking for quick and easy money. They didn’t care if they were traitors or the consequences to their country. It was all about the MONEY.
Would I re-read this book in 10-20 years? I highly doubt it. Chris and Daulton were just two morons who lived the life of white privilege youths looking for quick and easy money. I think the prison sentences that they both received were justified.
October 28, 2018
Christopher John Boyce and Andrew Daulton Lee grew up in wealthy, upper middle-class homes in Southern California in the 1950s and 60s. Friends from an early age, they’d been altar boys together and shared an interest in falconry. Both started to dabble in drugs in high school and both were listless, unsure of what they would do after school, trying and dropping out of college. While Lee gravitated from selling drugs in school to forming his own drugs network, making runs to Mexico and regularly in trouble with the law, Boyce got work in a defence contractor through a contact of his father where, aged twenty one, he quickly graduated to handling highly classified spy satellite plans and international CIA communications. Disillusioned with America’s foreign policy and domestic politics in the early 1970s, Boyce decided to express his discontent by passing on secrets to the Soviets. Lee’s role was to act as a courier, taking copies of documents to the Soviet embassy in Mexico City where he was to sell the information. For Lee, the new line in finance offered the opportunity to expand his drugs enterprise. The two passed highly secret information for a couple of years before being caught, kind of by accident. Tried separately, they were both given long sentences for treason.
Lindsey’s book tells the story of Boyce and Lee’s lives and enterprise from childhood up to the end of the court case, exploring why two boys of privilege, whose fathers’ had served in the military or intelligence services, betrayed their country. Published not long after the court case, it is packed full of detailed information, cobbled together from various sources, including the trial, and extensive interviews with the protagonists. Since both Boyce and Lee were serial liars, and both tried to blame and frame the other for their enterprise, there’s always a sense that the account is Lindsey’s best attempt at untangling a muddled and contradictory set of stories. Nonetheless, it’s a comprehensive and engaging read about two young, opportunistic men who took advantage of circumstance, for different motivations, to commit treason. After finishing the book I decided to see what happened to the two men to find that Lindsey went on to write a second book about Boyce, who managed to escape from prison in 1980 and went on to commit 17 armed robberies before being recaptured; something I would have expected from Lee but not Boyce given their respective portrayals in The Falcon and the Snowman.
Lindsey’s book tells the story of Boyce and Lee’s lives and enterprise from childhood up to the end of the court case, exploring why two boys of privilege, whose fathers’ had served in the military or intelligence services, betrayed their country. Published not long after the court case, it is packed full of detailed information, cobbled together from various sources, including the trial, and extensive interviews with the protagonists. Since both Boyce and Lee were serial liars, and both tried to blame and frame the other for their enterprise, there’s always a sense that the account is Lindsey’s best attempt at untangling a muddled and contradictory set of stories. Nonetheless, it’s a comprehensive and engaging read about two young, opportunistic men who took advantage of circumstance, for different motivations, to commit treason. After finishing the book I decided to see what happened to the two men to find that Lindsey went on to write a second book about Boyce, who managed to escape from prison in 1980 and went on to commit 17 armed robberies before being recaptured; something I would have expected from Lee but not Boyce given their respective portrayals in The Falcon and the Snowman.
April 16, 2023
It was a small piece of tape covering a lock that led to the discovery of the Watergate burglars and the ultimate fall of Richard Nixon. It was a small pocket dictionary tossed over a wall that led to the exposure of espionage that compromised the US spy satellite program. The Falcon and the Snowman tells the story of Christopher Boyce and Daulton Lee two friends who stole secret information and sold it to the Soviet Union. Boyce was employed at TRW in their top-secret communications vault; Lee was a drug dealer who was Boyce's best friend. Disillusioned with the actions of the CIA that passed before him at work, Boyce decided to strike back. He enlisted Lee, a frequent traveler to Mexico for drug runs, to make contact with the Soviet Embassy in Mexico City. Lee saw an opportunity to make money to finance the enlargement of his drug business and his lavish lifestyle. Boyce would steal or copy documents from the vault and Lee would travel to Mexico to sell them to the Russians. Eventually, they purchased a microfilm camera to take pictures of the documents, develop the film, and pass the negatives to the KGB. This went on for about two years before the Russians began to lose confidence in Lee and his increasing demands for more money. Although Lee kept promising the encryption codes they wanted, he could not deliver them since Boyce did not have access to them. The enterprise began to fall apart when Lee was observed throwing something over the gate at the Embassy by a Mexican policeman. He was arrested and after days of interrogation, confessed to being a spy, He was deported from Mexico and arrested by the FBI as soon as he crossed the border. Boyce was arrested shortly thereafter. Both were convicted at trial with Lee receiving a life sentence and Boyce getting forty years.
John Schlesinger made a movie of the book with the same name. The movie greatly simplifies the story; the book contains much more information. The book does a good job in probing the motivations of the two young Americans. It also shows that each one blamed the other for espionage. Unfortunately, Lindsey ends the story with both subjects in prison. He did write another book The Flight of the Falcon about Boyce's escape from prison. Both men are presently out of prison on parole.
John Schlesinger made a movie of the book with the same name. The movie greatly simplifies the story; the book contains much more information. The book does a good job in probing the motivations of the two young Americans. It also shows that each one blamed the other for espionage. Unfortunately, Lindsey ends the story with both subjects in prison. He did write another book The Flight of the Falcon about Boyce's escape from prison. Both men are presently out of prison on parole.
January 26, 2022
The Falcon and the Snowman is a non-fiction story based around the true events of a spy scandal in the 1970’s. Before reading this book, I had seen the movie, featuring Timothy Hutton as Christopher Boyce and Sean Penn as Daulton Lee, the two main protagonists of the story. Reading the story, I couldn’t get their images out of my mind. It would have been better to have read the book first, I think.
Overall, the story is well laid out and narrated. I was surprised at the amount of detail and research that the author put in. I expect that he interviewed the two protagonists extensively. I am also surprised at the level of detail that he has in the story, the book coming out just a few years following the trials. Part of the problems the prosecution had when investigating and laying charges was the secrecy surrounding the information. I’m surprised that the author could go into details so soon. Judging by the way the American government reacted to the leak, I would have thought it would have been buried for decades.
I enjoyed the writing style. Most chapters had glimpses into what both protagonists were doing at a given time. In most, but not all cases, the events were chronological. There were few times that stories and observations fell outside the timelines to make or cement a point. I found these to be a slight distraction.
I think what surprised me most was the inequity of the legal system at the time. It seemed to me that people with money and resources could get away with doing all sorts of crimes. One would have thought that Daulton Lee would have been thrown in jail multiple times for getting caught dealing hard drugs and not following the rules of the court system, but he seems to still do what he pleases, and cross borders with impunity. I guess those were different times.
I enjoyed this book. It certainly took a much deeper dive into the events of the story than the movie was able to do. I would strongly recommend reading the book first in this case because of the depth of the story and events, but I also think seeing the move afterwards would be a benefit. I give it a strong five of five stars on Goodreads.
Overall, the story is well laid out and narrated. I was surprised at the amount of detail and research that the author put in. I expect that he interviewed the two protagonists extensively. I am also surprised at the level of detail that he has in the story, the book coming out just a few years following the trials. Part of the problems the prosecution had when investigating and laying charges was the secrecy surrounding the information. I’m surprised that the author could go into details so soon. Judging by the way the American government reacted to the leak, I would have thought it would have been buried for decades.
I enjoyed the writing style. Most chapters had glimpses into what both protagonists were doing at a given time. In most, but not all cases, the events were chronological. There were few times that stories and observations fell outside the timelines to make or cement a point. I found these to be a slight distraction.
I think what surprised me most was the inequity of the legal system at the time. It seemed to me that people with money and resources could get away with doing all sorts of crimes. One would have thought that Daulton Lee would have been thrown in jail multiple times for getting caught dealing hard drugs and not following the rules of the court system, but he seems to still do what he pleases, and cross borders with impunity. I guess those were different times.
I enjoyed this book. It certainly took a much deeper dive into the events of the story than the movie was able to do. I would strongly recommend reading the book first in this case because of the depth of the story and events, but I also think seeing the move afterwards would be a benefit. I give it a strong five of five stars on Goodreads.
December 8, 2022
"Drop that hamburger, you traitor!" FBI agent yelling at Christopher Boyce, American spy for the Soviets, after capturing him in a state park.
I had a friend on the left who went over to the left in large part after reading this incredible but true story. But, then, something similar had already happened to Christopher Boyce, after he was exposed to U.S. national security secrets. Boyce, a one-time choir boy, child math prodigy, and avid falconer, secured a job through his father at the National Security Agency (AKA the "No Such Agency"), and top security clearance to work on computers. What he saw in the files of the NSA, and CIA documents dropped off at the Agency astounded him and wounded his pride as a patriot. The files not only revealed top secret dirty tricks pulled off against America's enemies, meaning the usual suspects, Cuba, the Soviet Union, Allende's Chile, etc. but the 1975 CIA-staged removal of Australia's Labour Prime Minister, who held a majority in parliament, in favor of the more pro-American Liberal Party. Boyce decided to payback the NSA, in fact the whole U.S. intelligence apparatus, by selling NSA documents to the Soviet embassy in Mexico City. But, since his face was too well-known to American spies down Mexico way he entrusted the documents to his childhood friend Andrew, a notorious cocaine dealer ("The Snowman") hooked on his own supply. At first the two young men made mucho dolares, although Boyce's motivation remained revenge. Andrew, on multiple trips to Mexico, switched from cocaine to consuming heroin, with predictable results. Soon he was babbling to friends and strangers about his espionage exploits, the Soviets could no longer trust him and American intelligence saw a pattern of documents missing from the NSA and Andrew's trips south of the border. Both men were given long prison sentences but Boyce, true to form, escaped from a maximum security prison and spent years on the lam as a bank robber. P.S. Both men eventually earned their freedom and returned to society. This knock-out book would never be believed if it had been published as spy fiction.
I had a friend on the left who went over to the left in large part after reading this incredible but true story. But, then, something similar had already happened to Christopher Boyce, after he was exposed to U.S. national security secrets. Boyce, a one-time choir boy, child math prodigy, and avid falconer, secured a job through his father at the National Security Agency (AKA the "No Such Agency"), and top security clearance to work on computers. What he saw in the files of the NSA, and CIA documents dropped off at the Agency astounded him and wounded his pride as a patriot. The files not only revealed top secret dirty tricks pulled off against America's enemies, meaning the usual suspects, Cuba, the Soviet Union, Allende's Chile, etc. but the 1975 CIA-staged removal of Australia's Labour Prime Minister, who held a majority in parliament, in favor of the more pro-American Liberal Party. Boyce decided to payback the NSA, in fact the whole U.S. intelligence apparatus, by selling NSA documents to the Soviet embassy in Mexico City. But, since his face was too well-known to American spies down Mexico way he entrusted the documents to his childhood friend Andrew, a notorious cocaine dealer ("The Snowman") hooked on his own supply. At first the two young men made mucho dolares, although Boyce's motivation remained revenge. Andrew, on multiple trips to Mexico, switched from cocaine to consuming heroin, with predictable results. Soon he was babbling to friends and strangers about his espionage exploits, the Soviets could no longer trust him and American intelligence saw a pattern of documents missing from the NSA and Andrew's trips south of the border. Both men were given long prison sentences but Boyce, true to form, escaped from a maximum security prison and spent years on the lam as a bank robber. P.S. Both men eventually earned their freedom and returned to society. This knock-out book would never be believed if it had been published as spy fiction.
June 3, 2021
Strange Interlude
A very interesting read. I'm not usually a reader of spy stories, factual or fiction. I saw the movie and had to finally read the book to settle questions about why two young men who grew up with so much betrayed the very system that gave them opportunities and comfort.
Daulton Lee was the easiest to pigeon hole as the spoiled child whose parents indulged him and he had few consequences for his actions throughout his life. He had talents and ambitions in fields (craftsmanship and artistry) that his class and family did not value. Carpentry and woodworking, even as an artist, are viewed as hobbies, not careers no matter how talented the artist.
Maybe if they had been as supportive of these interests, he may not have turned to enterprises where he was able to make money but drew him into illegal activities that could not only reap a long prison sentence but became more dangerous as he climbed the ladder within the world of illegal drugs.
When he was caught for the drug offenses, he was still indulged by the system. A young man, constantly referred to as a boy to garner sympathy, who was given break after break and returned to his illegal activities.
Chris Boyce was a bit more of a puzzle. He was on track to a nice life where he would have been respected and could have found positive ways to bring about the changes in which he claimed to believe.
It may be that he became disillusioned by the hypocrisy and decided to strike back on the ideals he had been taught when he began to see the truth. Instead of looking for a positive outlet, he was like the toddler who is having a tantrum. He decided strike back by turning on everything he saw as dishonest and ugly. His claims of altruistic intentions fall flat when one considers he gave support to another regime as corrupt as the one he claimed to be rebelling against.
It's a good read and worth a look.
A very interesting read. I'm not usually a reader of spy stories, factual or fiction. I saw the movie and had to finally read the book to settle questions about why two young men who grew up with so much betrayed the very system that gave them opportunities and comfort.
Daulton Lee was the easiest to pigeon hole as the spoiled child whose parents indulged him and he had few consequences for his actions throughout his life. He had talents and ambitions in fields (craftsmanship and artistry) that his class and family did not value. Carpentry and woodworking, even as an artist, are viewed as hobbies, not careers no matter how talented the artist.
Maybe if they had been as supportive of these interests, he may not have turned to enterprises where he was able to make money but drew him into illegal activities that could not only reap a long prison sentence but became more dangerous as he climbed the ladder within the world of illegal drugs.
When he was caught for the drug offenses, he was still indulged by the system. A young man, constantly referred to as a boy to garner sympathy, who was given break after break and returned to his illegal activities.
Chris Boyce was a bit more of a puzzle. He was on track to a nice life where he would have been respected and could have found positive ways to bring about the changes in which he claimed to believe.
It may be that he became disillusioned by the hypocrisy and decided to strike back on the ideals he had been taught when he began to see the truth. Instead of looking for a positive outlet, he was like the toddler who is having a tantrum. He decided strike back by turning on everything he saw as dishonest and ugly. His claims of altruistic intentions fall flat when one considers he gave support to another regime as corrupt as the one he claimed to be rebelling against.
It's a good read and worth a look.
April 5, 2024
An amazing story of how two friends in their 20’s, who met as altar boys become traitors of their country by plying the Soviet embassy in Mexico City with stolen documents during the beginning of The Cold War of the 1970’s.
Christopher John Boyce, a hard-partying genius and son of a retired FBI agent, had a passion for falconry, and little love for his country. His connection to the title of the book is from the falcon he owned and flew. He had a cushy job at the Black Vault in Southern California at a secret satellite and communications company that provided the CIA with information. Security was so lax, Boyce couldn’t help but be tempted with sub-standard workmanship of others sending telecommunications to the wrong departments, revealing secrets meant for other Cold War Departments. His disillusion of his government became his motivation.
His best friend, Andrew Daulton Lee, was a drug dealer with connections south of the border. His family had a good lifestyle. “Daulton” as he was called became more and more a user of his own product—hence the “Snowman” part of the title. His motivation was for more money and cocaine. They both grew up privileged with loving families, making them an unusual pair of spies.
Lindsay chronicles the slide of the pair with thorough research as they fall deeper into the pit of espionage.
NOTE: This Edgar Award–winning book was the inspiration for a film of the same name starring Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn as two of the most unlikely spies in the history of the Cold War.
Christopher John Boyce, a hard-partying genius and son of a retired FBI agent, had a passion for falconry, and little love for his country. His connection to the title of the book is from the falcon he owned and flew. He had a cushy job at the Black Vault in Southern California at a secret satellite and communications company that provided the CIA with information. Security was so lax, Boyce couldn’t help but be tempted with sub-standard workmanship of others sending telecommunications to the wrong departments, revealing secrets meant for other Cold War Departments. His disillusion of his government became his motivation.
His best friend, Andrew Daulton Lee, was a drug dealer with connections south of the border. His family had a good lifestyle. “Daulton” as he was called became more and more a user of his own product—hence the “Snowman” part of the title. His motivation was for more money and cocaine. They both grew up privileged with loving families, making them an unusual pair of spies.
Lindsay chronicles the slide of the pair with thorough research as they fall deeper into the pit of espionage.
NOTE: This Edgar Award–winning book was the inspiration for a film of the same name starring Timothy Hutton and Sean Penn as two of the most unlikely spies in the history of the Cold War.
June 29, 2025
The book The Falcon and the Snowman by Robert Lindsey delves into the themes of espionage, betrayal, and the consequences of one's actions, particularly against the backdrop of the Cold War.
Here are some key themes explored:
Espionage and Treason: The book details the true story of Christopher Boyce, a young man who, despite a privileged background, becomes involved in selling classified US documents to the Soviet Union. The narrative explores the motivations behind his actions and the severe repercussions of his espionage.
Idealism and Disillusionment: Boyce's actions are partly fueled by a sense of disillusionment with the US government and intelligence agencies. The book touches upon the themes of flawed ideals and the potential for ignorance to lead down a destructive path.
Friendship and its Fragility: The relationship between Boyce (The Falcon) and his friend Andrew Daulton Lee (The Snowman), and their involvement in the spy operation, underscores the strains that betrayal and criminal activity can put on even strong bonds. The book examines the fragility of human connections and how characters handle their relationships.
Justice and the Prison System: The book also delves into the harsh realities of the American prison system, detailing the experiences of Boyce and Lee after their capture. It questions what constitutes justice and highlights the often brutal conditions within the penal system.
Redemption and Forgiveness: Despite the serious crimes committed, the book also explores themes of survival, redemption, and the potential for forgiveness, particularly through the involvement of a paralegal who attempts to help Boyce and Lee achieve freedom.
The Weight of Choices: The narrative serves as a reminder that even seemingly small or well-intentioned decisions can have catastrophic, life-altering consequences.
The book's themes resonate with contemporary discussions about patriotism, government overreach, and the complexities of the justice system, mirroring some of the questions raised by cases like Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning.
Here are some key themes explored:
Espionage and Treason: The book details the true story of Christopher Boyce, a young man who, despite a privileged background, becomes involved in selling classified US documents to the Soviet Union. The narrative explores the motivations behind his actions and the severe repercussions of his espionage.
Idealism and Disillusionment: Boyce's actions are partly fueled by a sense of disillusionment with the US government and intelligence agencies. The book touches upon the themes of flawed ideals and the potential for ignorance to lead down a destructive path.
Friendship and its Fragility: The relationship between Boyce (The Falcon) and his friend Andrew Daulton Lee (The Snowman), and their involvement in the spy operation, underscores the strains that betrayal and criminal activity can put on even strong bonds. The book examines the fragility of human connections and how characters handle their relationships.
Justice and the Prison System: The book also delves into the harsh realities of the American prison system, detailing the experiences of Boyce and Lee after their capture. It questions what constitutes justice and highlights the often brutal conditions within the penal system.
Redemption and Forgiveness: Despite the serious crimes committed, the book also explores themes of survival, redemption, and the potential for forgiveness, particularly through the involvement of a paralegal who attempts to help Boyce and Lee achieve freedom.
The Weight of Choices: The narrative serves as a reminder that even seemingly small or well-intentioned decisions can have catastrophic, life-altering consequences.
The book's themes resonate with contemporary discussions about patriotism, government overreach, and the complexities of the justice system, mirroring some of the questions raised by cases like Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning.
June 18, 2023
A pretty interesting account of what another reviewer dubbed one of the dumbest acts of espionage in American history, where two entitled drugged-out college dropouts ended up being able to sell satellite secrets to the Russians based upon a complete lack of security at a CIA contracted facility.
Lindsay takes pains to sympathetically portray Chris—the “Falcon”—as an ideologically disillusioned and confused kid, while Daulton—the “Snowman”— is acting purely out of greed. Which makes a compelling narrative, but strain’s credibility when you actually contrast Chris’s actions with what he later described to the author. Like the judge hearing the case, it seems to me this narrative is mostly an act of self-serving retcon.
Additionally, some (most) of the author’s descriptions and statements regarding the various women in the story border on salacious slut-shaming, which apparently was fine in 1980 but come across jarringly crass today.
Lindsay takes pains to sympathetically portray Chris—the “Falcon”—as an ideologically disillusioned and confused kid, while Daulton—the “Snowman”— is acting purely out of greed. Which makes a compelling narrative, but strain’s credibility when you actually contrast Chris’s actions with what he later described to the author. Like the judge hearing the case, it seems to me this narrative is mostly an act of self-serving retcon.
Additionally, some (most) of the author’s descriptions and statements regarding the various women in the story border on salacious slut-shaming, which apparently was fine in 1980 but come across jarringly crass today.
December 2, 2020
This 1979 book was made into a movie, dealing with these two dysfunctional young men who sold secret information to the Soviets. There is nothing to admire in their conduct. The book put me to sleep until the last quarter of the book, after their arrests. The court trial was interesting reading. Looking at Chris' personality profile was also interesting. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison. After reading the book I looked up the story on wikipedia and see he escaped from jail, committed many bank robberies, locked up again, then released after serving 25 years. His character study is probably the most interesting part of the book, but not interesting enough for me to recommend this book.
June 19, 2017
Insane page turner that I have had in my list for far too long. I have seen the film half a dozen times I bet and have always thought I should read the book for an expanded view of the story. It was well worth it I can say. Sadly Boyd's basis for his disillusionment at the actions of nations in personal interest only has not lessened one bit since his acts.
Also interestingly enough a quick hop onto Wikipedia tells a bit more of the story since the convictions of Boyd & Lee that's pretty interesting as well.
Also interestingly enough a quick hop onto Wikipedia tells a bit more of the story since the convictions of Boyd & Lee that's pretty interesting as well.
October 29, 2021
Chris Boyce and Daulton Lee were a pair of privileged, but unrooted young men who hatched a plan to sell top secret information to the USSR. For two years, Lee and Boyce succeeded with their plan. This is a carefully researched, well written account of their story. Lindsey had remarkable access to friends and family and the subjects, themselves. What emerges is a deeply explored account of the duo's lives, activities, and motivations.
A true-life espionage story that reads like fiction. Fast-paced, and fascinating.
A true-life espionage story that reads like fiction. Fast-paced, and fascinating.
March 16, 2025
This exceptionally researched biography of two young men from the OC who stole late 1970s satellite information from TRW and the CIA is fascinating, end to end. That Lindsey found Daulton appalling and Boyce simultaneously appealing and awful threads through the book despite his clear effort to remain objective. Lindsey also makes his book a powerful platform for the dismay and disgust Boyce developed for US elites, from the government to the developers, and juxtaposes the predations of people against the beauty, and deadliness, of nature. It's just incredibly well-done and also fascinating as an artifact of the period.
June 6, 2018
I've read this book before, but it has been many ages ago. The two main characters in the book were three years behind me in high school, although we never actually went to the same school at the same time. The locale makes the book more interesting to me than it might to other people. The story continues on after this book was written (escapes prison, is captured years later and even later is released after a long, concerted effort by a woman who later married one of them.)
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