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Deep Undercover: My Secret Life and Tangled Allegiances as a KGB Spy in America
One decision can end everything . . . or lead to unlikely redemption.
Millions watched the CBS 60 Minutes special on Jack Barsky in 2015. Now, in this fascinating memoir, the Soviet KGB agent tells his story of gut-wrenching choices, appalling betrayals, his turbulent inner world, and the secret life he lived for years without getting caught.
On October 8, 1978, a Canadian national by the name of William Dyson stepped off a plane at O’Hare International Airport and proceeded toward Customs and Immigration.
Two days later, William Dyson ceased to exist.
The identity was a KGB forgery, used to get one of their own―a young, ambitious East German agent―into the United States.
The plan succeeded, and the spy’s new identity was Jack Barsky. He would work undercover for the next decade, carrying out secret operations during the Cold War years . . . until a surprising shift in his allegiance challenged everything he thought he believed.
In this deeply personal and gripping true story, Barsky
The recruitment process and espionage training used by the KGBHis time working in America as a secret agentHow he unraveled the political ideologies instilled by the Communist PartyThe spiritual awakening that changed everything
Deep Undercover will reveal the secret life of this man without a country and tell the story no one ever expected him to tell.
Millions watched the CBS 60 Minutes special on Jack Barsky in 2015. Now, in this fascinating memoir, the Soviet KGB agent tells his story of gut-wrenching choices, appalling betrayals, his turbulent inner world, and the secret life he lived for years without getting caught.
On October 8, 1978, a Canadian national by the name of William Dyson stepped off a plane at O’Hare International Airport and proceeded toward Customs and Immigration.
Two days later, William Dyson ceased to exist.
The identity was a KGB forgery, used to get one of their own―a young, ambitious East German agent―into the United States.
The plan succeeded, and the spy’s new identity was Jack Barsky. He would work undercover for the next decade, carrying out secret operations during the Cold War years . . . until a surprising shift in his allegiance challenged everything he thought he believed.
In this deeply personal and gripping true story, Barsky
The recruitment process and espionage training used by the KGBHis time working in America as a secret agentHow he unraveled the political ideologies instilled by the Communist PartyThe spiritual awakening that changed everything
Deep Undercover will reveal the secret life of this man without a country and tell the story no one ever expected him to tell.
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2017
About the author
Jack Barsky
1 book70 followersJack Barsky’s life has been improbable, impossible and downright fascinating. In fact, CBS 60 Minutes found it so interesting that they featured the story in a double segment which was repeated twice.
This true spy story had a very humble beginning in the most backward corner of the old East Germany. Smarts and hard work got Jack out into the world, where he started a career teaching chemistry and math at a well-known university. And then his life took a fantastic detour – Jack was recruited by the KGB and infiltrated into the US where he spent ten years spying for the Soviet Union. He “resigned” from the KGB and embarked on a very successful career in Information Management. When he was finally discovered by the FBI, nine years after his resignation, his life took yet another sharp turn. Today, Jack is a law abiding patriotic American citizen who is taking advantage of one last chance to live a normal life.
This is a story of a life that parallels the rise and fall of Communism in the second half of the 20th century, but in its broader sense it is a multi-layered human drama played out against the background of a historic clash of systems and ideologies. Fittingly, Steve Kroft of CBS’s 60 Minutes, called Jack a “relic of the Cold War.” Indeed, he is a relic, but this this relic is very much alive, and he is now sharing his story, a story with all the elements of a Shakespearean drama: ambition, courage, ruthlessness, deceit, betrayal, love, survival and redemption. It is a story Jack has laid out at length in his book “Deep Undercover”. In his endorsement, Joel Fields, Executive Producer of the successful show “The Americans”, states: “Jack Barsky’s ultimate act of courage is sharing this intimate story that sheds light on the true personal consequences of a life in espionage. Gripping and emotional, Deep Undercover peers beyond the Iron Curtain for a look into the world of a KGB officer illegally living abroad”.
Pick up this book, and you will be entertained, educated, fascinated, baffled, and moved.
This true spy story had a very humble beginning in the most backward corner of the old East Germany. Smarts and hard work got Jack out into the world, where he started a career teaching chemistry and math at a well-known university. And then his life took a fantastic detour – Jack was recruited by the KGB and infiltrated into the US where he spent ten years spying for the Soviet Union. He “resigned” from the KGB and embarked on a very successful career in Information Management. When he was finally discovered by the FBI, nine years after his resignation, his life took yet another sharp turn. Today, Jack is a law abiding patriotic American citizen who is taking advantage of one last chance to live a normal life.
This is a story of a life that parallels the rise and fall of Communism in the second half of the 20th century, but in its broader sense it is a multi-layered human drama played out against the background of a historic clash of systems and ideologies. Fittingly, Steve Kroft of CBS’s 60 Minutes, called Jack a “relic of the Cold War.” Indeed, he is a relic, but this this relic is very much alive, and he is now sharing his story, a story with all the elements of a Shakespearean drama: ambition, courage, ruthlessness, deceit, betrayal, love, survival and redemption. It is a story Jack has laid out at length in his book “Deep Undercover”. In his endorsement, Joel Fields, Executive Producer of the successful show “The Americans”, states: “Jack Barsky’s ultimate act of courage is sharing this intimate story that sheds light on the true personal consequences of a life in espionage. Gripping and emotional, Deep Undercover peers beyond the Iron Curtain for a look into the world of a KGB officer illegally living abroad”.
Pick up this book, and you will be entertained, educated, fascinated, baffled, and moved.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 362 reviews
November 2, 2017
It really bothers me that I feel compelled to give 5 stars to a book in which the later chapters are devoted to proselytizing, convincing his reader know that Jesus is our savior, and only Jesus can explain how he got so lucky in his life. I am fairly certain that I would give one star to just about any other book that wasted my time in this way. Yet, this is undoubtedly a five star book. After reading about 3/4 of the book, I really began to wonder whether Jack Barsky was either delusional or an outright liar. He is neither. The story that unfolded in this book has been corroborated by the FBI, who spent a lot of money and man power following and documenting his life.
Barsky's time as a spy would have been an interesting enough story on its own, but the depictions of his childhood, complete with historical lessons about Soviet controlled East Germany (and what it was like to grow up on the other side of the wall) kept me enthralled. Reading his recounting of what it was like for the Soviet Union to strip East Germany of any prosperity, thus leaving the inhabitants to eat the most disgusting food in the hopes of helping their bodies capture a little bit of sustenance each day, made me so very glad I live where I live, in the time that I live. I cannot imagine living in East Germany after WWII. Equally interesting are his descriptions of his parents and upbringing. I always wonder what it takes to make a person into the type of spy who would put country above all else. I wish I had read this book right after reading about North Korea. There are some similarities with how Barsky viewed the world, and his political leaders, and the views held by citizens in North Korea. It always makes me wonder what things shape my view of reality that might not be as reliable an indicator of reality as I think they are.
Jack began the book talking about the inner struggle he felt when looking at his beloved American child, who was anchoring him to America, and the orders from his true home country, ordering him to come back. When watching The Americans, I can't help but wonder what it was like for the real Russian spies of the 1980s cold war. Thanks to Jack Barsky, I know have a much better idea. Without giving too much away, I can say that it was incredibly interesting to watch his thought process as it developed from childhood, to young adulthood, to the older man he is today.
This is a captivating page-turner that details a little of what governments do to spy on each other. It seems far less organized than what we see on a show like The Americans, but somehow that made the book all the better. I still feel like I don't know how well a Russian spy, or a spy from any other country for that matter, could do if they continued to put their full resources toward the goal of spying for their entire life through. Those people will probably take all their spy secrets to the grave because the kind of person who would make the best possible spy would never write a tell all book. This book might be as close as we get to those secrets.
Barsky's time as a spy would have been an interesting enough story on its own, but the depictions of his childhood, complete with historical lessons about Soviet controlled East Germany (and what it was like to grow up on the other side of the wall) kept me enthralled. Reading his recounting of what it was like for the Soviet Union to strip East Germany of any prosperity, thus leaving the inhabitants to eat the most disgusting food in the hopes of helping their bodies capture a little bit of sustenance each day, made me so very glad I live where I live, in the time that I live. I cannot imagine living in East Germany after WWII. Equally interesting are his descriptions of his parents and upbringing. I always wonder what it takes to make a person into the type of spy who would put country above all else. I wish I had read this book right after reading about North Korea. There are some similarities with how Barsky viewed the world, and his political leaders, and the views held by citizens in North Korea. It always makes me wonder what things shape my view of reality that might not be as reliable an indicator of reality as I think they are.
Jack began the book talking about the inner struggle he felt when looking at his beloved American child, who was anchoring him to America, and the orders from his true home country, ordering him to come back. When watching The Americans, I can't help but wonder what it was like for the real Russian spies of the 1980s cold war. Thanks to Jack Barsky, I know have a much better idea. Without giving too much away, I can say that it was incredibly interesting to watch his thought process as it developed from childhood, to young adulthood, to the older man he is today.
This is a captivating page-turner that details a little of what governments do to spy on each other. It seems far less organized than what we see on a show like The Americans, but somehow that made the book all the better. I still feel like I don't know how well a Russian spy, or a spy from any other country for that matter, could do if they continued to put their full resources toward the goal of spying for their entire life through. Those people will probably take all their spy secrets to the grave because the kind of person who would make the best possible spy would never write a tell all book. This book might be as close as we get to those secrets.
January 1, 2017
This is an incredibly sad book. It’s one long chronicle of lying, deceit, betrayal, abandonment, loneliness, confusion, and bitterness. You really won’t like Jack. Not for most of the story anyway. Every decision he makes is entirely self-centered. He betrays everyone that comes into his life. There are many situations, relationships that are not good. Many are sinful. They are part of the story and he speaks of them as delicately as possible. Then! Then he met someone who he couldn’t betray. Slowly, oh so slowly he starts to live for someone else.
The last few chapters are what make this book worth reading. Without them, it would just be the memoirs of a low-level spy. They give the meaning to both this book and his life and are a beautiful example of God pursuing a sinner.
I received a free Advanced Review Copy of this book through NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers. Its content and form were not final. But, there was one paragraph that was so powerful and important, that it brings the rest of the book into the proper perspective and makes it worth reading. So let me recommend that you read it.
The last few chapters are what make this book worth reading. Without them, it would just be the memoirs of a low-level spy. They give the meaning to both this book and his life and are a beautiful example of God pursuing a sinner.
I received a free Advanced Review Copy of this book through NetGalley and Tyndale House Publishers. Its content and form were not final. But, there was one paragraph that was so powerful and important, that it brings the rest of the book into the proper perspective and makes it worth reading. So let me recommend that you read it.
April 4, 2018
Intriguing up to a point, but in truth it is the story of a KGB spy who didn't really do much spying and then found religion.
As most former intelligence officers will tell you, the life of your average spy is pretty unexciting, it certainly isn't James Bond. The KGB archives by the end of its days were stacked full of papers containing utterly worthless information as the majority of spies never get into positions where they can access state secrets.
The agents who successfully stole atomic secrets and infiltrated the FBI/CIA/MI5 were unique instances, certainly not the norm. The interest here is more in the journey the author took to become a spy in the USA, rather than what happened once he was there.
It was interesting to learn how the KGB went about recruiting and preparing the author for the job. Furthermore, the process behind getting the author over to the USA undetected and subsequent attempts to obtain documentation and to enter American society were similarly intriguing. The author also does well to describe the experience of a devout communist being confronted with a reality which was totally different to what he had been told growing up.
Beyond that however, our protagonist never went much further than getting a degree, a job and a family, so while it was quite interesting to a point, the story never quite takes off and the author fails to really build up the tension. Clearly the author's life was anything but run-of-the mill but unfortunately the storytelling here lets it all down by making much of it sound exactly that.
Finally, the last portion of the book is utterly insufferable as the author "finds Jesus" and then ludicrously begins to cherrypick fortunate (and fairly inane) moments from his past and proclaim each one to be evidence of God. I'm too stubborn to leave a book unfinished after getting 3/4 of the way through, but it reached the point of being irritating (in addition to adding absolutely nothing).
As most former intelligence officers will tell you, the life of your average spy is pretty unexciting, it certainly isn't James Bond. The KGB archives by the end of its days were stacked full of papers containing utterly worthless information as the majority of spies never get into positions where they can access state secrets.
The agents who successfully stole atomic secrets and infiltrated the FBI/CIA/MI5 were unique instances, certainly not the norm. The interest here is more in the journey the author took to become a spy in the USA, rather than what happened once he was there.
It was interesting to learn how the KGB went about recruiting and preparing the author for the job. Furthermore, the process behind getting the author over to the USA undetected and subsequent attempts to obtain documentation and to enter American society were similarly intriguing. The author also does well to describe the experience of a devout communist being confronted with a reality which was totally different to what he had been told growing up.
Beyond that however, our protagonist never went much further than getting a degree, a job and a family, so while it was quite interesting to a point, the story never quite takes off and the author fails to really build up the tension. Clearly the author's life was anything but run-of-the mill but unfortunately the storytelling here lets it all down by making much of it sound exactly that.
Finally, the last portion of the book is utterly insufferable as the author "finds Jesus" and then ludicrously begins to cherrypick fortunate (and fairly inane) moments from his past and proclaim each one to be evidence of God. I'm too stubborn to leave a book unfinished after getting 3/4 of the way through, but it reached the point of being irritating (in addition to adding absolutely nothing).
September 22, 2020
3.5 stars for an interesting read...
A communist soviet spy turned into a Christian capitalist!
I liked the phase where(how) an East German youth is recruited into KGB in the postwar scenario. The actual years of this youth as a ‘spy’ is probably disappointing as there is no mention of any of his operation in US for 10 long years. (even though there is a mention of 9 volumes of data collected by him)
I was put off by his bible-evangelist talks at the end!
A communist soviet spy turned into a Christian capitalist!
I liked the phase where(how) an East German youth is recruited into KGB in the postwar scenario. The actual years of this youth as a ‘spy’ is probably disappointing as there is no mention of any of his operation in US for 10 long years. (even though there is a mention of 9 volumes of data collected by him)
I was put off by his bible-evangelist talks at the end!
June 19, 2022
Deep Undercover by Jack Barsky is one of the few amazing books I've read so far this year. It's also one of the very best autobiographies I've ever experienced, out of the countless dozens I have read.
It's an amazing reading journey! I was riveted. I inhaled most of it in only a few days.
Deep Undercover is the ultimate redemption story of an East German KGB spy who could not escape the truth.
He eventually had a change of heart--and then later became a Christian, to his own shock and that of everyone who hears his story, including me. I actively thought the book would hold the opposite when I first picked it up, hoping for an excellent narrative of the life of a real KGB illegal. The author does not hide this fact (it's in the inside cover summary), but it comes as a surprise since his life path was so different before, despite the subtle yet clear signs that he could change.
This is a complex yet straightforward story of success and failure, fatherhood and broken relationships, a sinister path and the light that never wavered–ultimately leading to unanticipated hope, freedom, and restoration.
It’s exciting, fascinating, and engaging in its portrayal of intense events, wounded hearts, and the secret world of the KGB that all of us wonder about but few have a chance to see.
With its unique and valuable perspective, Deep Undercover will inspire and interest readers from many backgrounds and experiences.
The prologue intrigued and hooked me at the start with the premise that fatherhood was Barsky's salvation--or undoing, if you look at it from the perspective of his former life. It took immense self-discipline and hardness for this agent to maintain his cover and secret life in a hostile territory amid a constant level of danger. Only the deepest touch to a cold heart could change such a life so completely--or make that first spark of love into a lasting change when his heart had refused that touch so many times before.
Deep Undercover is excellently written and completely accurate--authentic and well-researched, as much as any book can be, with a veracity that is supported by the FBI and by the clarity of the story itself.
Jack Barsky wrote his life story skillfully, in order to show his mindset and how it changed in each season and event of his life, building inevitably toward the seemingly sudden redemption that he didn't see coming but couldn't avoid, even with willpower.
Since I'm a career writer who appreciates things like story, character arcs, and foreshadowing, I was impressed by the author's full command of each of these elements that are used to execute any good factual or fictional narrative--especially one so personal as this.
I'd been craving real spy stories my whole life, and it's been awesome to finally have some biographies to show me what it's really like. It's not like the movies. It's less glamorous and more miserable but far more amazing.
The life of Jack Barsky is one of the most high-profile spy stories that is publicly known. And it's incredible.
Barsky's account is an important, famous, and unique one in the professional spy world. It's of great interest to anyone who reads the most important spy biographies (like my brother) or to someone who has a casual interest in real-life spies (like me).
But it's surprising and radical to anyone who reads it, whether professionals in the international spy world, amateur buffs with interest in it, or any ordinary person, whether or not they have experience with the worlds where Barsky came from and worked in--or where he ended up.
If you like plot twists, this book has the ultimate twist. It makes complete sense, since the foundation was laid from the beginning, and in hindsight it was inevitable, natural, and solid. But it is shocking to read, even knowing without a doubt that it is true.
The author lays the path and the foreshadowing from the beginning, and he does not try to hide the ending–but even if a reader first knows what’s on the back cover, it’s still a startling ending–in a good way.
To me, this twist was delightful as well as incredible and exciting. I got more and more invested in the author's book and life as it accelerated towards the ending. I knew the basics of how it would end, but I had no idea how, and I enjoyed witnessing this unlikely but entirely plausible life story.
I did not think I’d read this book when I first picked it up. I doubted that the level of writing quality and the author’s perspective would fit my personal taste.
Part of what hooked me from the beginning was that the author wrote his book with the lens of the values of family and fatherhood that he later found--acknowledging the religious beliefs that began at the end of his life and the strong moral code that he had from the start. I did not expect that at all when I picked up the book, and I only gave it a second chance when a family member finished the book and told me a hint of what was to come.
In Deep Undercover, I appreciated how Jack Barsky faced the messy, difficult parts of his life head-on, including his deep failings in his relationships and family, with complete honesty and sincerity but with a focus on what matters most. He wrote with complete openness and great depth, allowing me to understand the workings of his mind, relationships, life, and the people around him. But he never bogged down in too much detail and depth like so many authors. The writing was always tight and kept moving forward. It takes great skill to convey thoughts and emotion so vividly without overwhelming the reader with angst–or even just unnecessary words.
Deep Undercover taught me a lot about men and women, fatherhood and manhood, relationships, romance, different kinds of families, and the destruction and restoration of relationships and trust. All of it was fascinating and developed many new and old things I thought about while reading.
Barsky deals with hard topics in an unflinching and complete, yet tasteful and wholesome, way. He gives plenty of necessary detail but never anything unnecessary. This is certainly an adult book, but it is appropriate for older and younger teens, for sure. Even when writing about intimate relationships or painful topics, Barsky uses language that is unmistakable yet only hints at things a younger reader may choose not to read about. Readers may wish to know that there is no real violence, no explicit sex, and no swearing that I remember (if there was swearing, it was very mild and infrequent).
In addition to its historical and political merit, I enjoyed Deep Undercover as one of the best autobiographies or intimate biographies that I've ever read--and I've read many, comparing their merits and quality.
Goodreads tells me that I’ve read, finished, and rated 48 biographies as of mid-2022, most of them in less than ten years since I joined Goodreads. And those are just the ones I’ve read from start to finish (every word) and considered worth recording. I’ve read small parts or big chunks of many more biographies that I didn’t finish because they were not worth noting permanently–often because of poor writing–and others that I plan to finish someday when I don’t have a stack waiting.
Some of the books I enjoy are secular autobiographies, and others are by an author who is Christian or from another faith (often Jewish or Muslim). Deep Undercover is one of the best biographies I know for both secular and faith-based audiences.
I find that truth is far more intense and interesting than fiction. The best autobiographies are completely true and credible, but no one would believe all of the heartstopping events if they were included in fiction.
I choose and evaluate these types of biographies based on the tone, perspective, quality, and depth of the writing. I notice what the author's perspective and life are like, and I care about how they portray it.
I prefer understated yet deep writing that lets the events and emotions speak for themselves. If something is dramatic on its own, it should not be sensationalized or exaggerated--and it certainly doesn't need to be changed from actual events.
I don't personally enjoy books that are written in a grim, dark way--but I love books that acknowledge all the darkness, tragedy, and hardship from a perspective of hope and goodness, rather than grimly rejoicing in pain--whether secular or faith-based, fiction or nonfiction.
For myself, I prefer it when the same events are written with a different focus. I seek the hard stuff rather than avoiding it, but how it's handled matters to me. Things that might be too heavy for other people and certainly too heavy for me in most cases can be good for me depending on the writing style. (For instance, I've loved some memoirs of the kind that I've read by Jewish women who faced great danger and survived the Holocaust.)
In the case of Barsky's book and other books I've read, my reading partner commented that she found it heavy, even depressing, yet I was uplifted and excited by this particular book.
On all these points, Deep Undercover excels. It hit all the minimum requirements of the boxes I love to check. But it went infinitely further to blow me away with its depth and reach, and with the fascinating story of redemption from the beginning to the startling ending. Deep Undercover delivered on things I’ve never read and never realized I wanted to read. I didn’t expect this book to include so many of the elements that I loved–some I always enjoy and some that I’ve never encountered before.
Deep Undercover is an exceptional autobiography that can be enjoyed by any audience–those with an interest in the spy world or the world of faith, or those who want to read an amazing life story but have no experience with either background.
It’s engaging and fascinating, intense and fast-paced, thoughtful and deep, uplifting and heartbreaking, and incredibly well-written.
Deep Undercover is now one of the best books I’ve ever read, period, and it’s certainly in the top few biographies on my “read” list. I’m so glad I didn’t miss the chance to read it. If it appeals to you, give it a read! You’re guaranteed to have an interesting experience no matter your perspective.
4.5 excellent stars.
It's an amazing reading journey! I was riveted. I inhaled most of it in only a few days.
Deep Undercover is the ultimate redemption story of an East German KGB spy who could not escape the truth.
He eventually had a change of heart--and then later became a Christian, to his own shock and that of everyone who hears his story, including me. I actively thought the book would hold the opposite when I first picked it up, hoping for an excellent narrative of the life of a real KGB illegal. The author does not hide this fact (it's in the inside cover summary), but it comes as a surprise since his life path was so different before, despite the subtle yet clear signs that he could change.
This is a complex yet straightforward story of success and failure, fatherhood and broken relationships, a sinister path and the light that never wavered–ultimately leading to unanticipated hope, freedom, and restoration.
It’s exciting, fascinating, and engaging in its portrayal of intense events, wounded hearts, and the secret world of the KGB that all of us wonder about but few have a chance to see.
With its unique and valuable perspective, Deep Undercover will inspire and interest readers from many backgrounds and experiences.
The prologue intrigued and hooked me at the start with the premise that fatherhood was Barsky's salvation--or undoing, if you look at it from the perspective of his former life. It took immense self-discipline and hardness for this agent to maintain his cover and secret life in a hostile territory amid a constant level of danger. Only the deepest touch to a cold heart could change such a life so completely--or make that first spark of love into a lasting change when his heart had refused that touch so many times before.
Deep Undercover is excellently written and completely accurate--authentic and well-researched, as much as any book can be, with a veracity that is supported by the FBI and by the clarity of the story itself.
Jack Barsky wrote his life story skillfully, in order to show his mindset and how it changed in each season and event of his life, building inevitably toward the seemingly sudden redemption that he didn't see coming but couldn't avoid, even with willpower.
Since I'm a career writer who appreciates things like story, character arcs, and foreshadowing, I was impressed by the author's full command of each of these elements that are used to execute any good factual or fictional narrative--especially one so personal as this.
I'd been craving real spy stories my whole life, and it's been awesome to finally have some biographies to show me what it's really like. It's not like the movies. It's less glamorous and more miserable but far more amazing.
The life of Jack Barsky is one of the most high-profile spy stories that is publicly known. And it's incredible.
Barsky's account is an important, famous, and unique one in the professional spy world. It's of great interest to anyone who reads the most important spy biographies (like my brother) or to someone who has a casual interest in real-life spies (like me).
But it's surprising and radical to anyone who reads it, whether professionals in the international spy world, amateur buffs with interest in it, or any ordinary person, whether or not they have experience with the worlds where Barsky came from and worked in--or where he ended up.
If you like plot twists, this book has the ultimate twist. It makes complete sense, since the foundation was laid from the beginning, and in hindsight it was inevitable, natural, and solid. But it is shocking to read, even knowing without a doubt that it is true.
The author lays the path and the foreshadowing from the beginning, and he does not try to hide the ending–but even if a reader first knows what’s on the back cover, it’s still a startling ending–in a good way.
To me, this twist was delightful as well as incredible and exciting. I got more and more invested in the author's book and life as it accelerated towards the ending. I knew the basics of how it would end, but I had no idea how, and I enjoyed witnessing this unlikely but entirely plausible life story.
I did not think I’d read this book when I first picked it up. I doubted that the level of writing quality and the author’s perspective would fit my personal taste.
Part of what hooked me from the beginning was that the author wrote his book with the lens of the values of family and fatherhood that he later found--acknowledging the religious beliefs that began at the end of his life and the strong moral code that he had from the start. I did not expect that at all when I picked up the book, and I only gave it a second chance when a family member finished the book and told me a hint of what was to come.
In Deep Undercover, I appreciated how Jack Barsky faced the messy, difficult parts of his life head-on, including his deep failings in his relationships and family, with complete honesty and sincerity but with a focus on what matters most. He wrote with complete openness and great depth, allowing me to understand the workings of his mind, relationships, life, and the people around him. But he never bogged down in too much detail and depth like so many authors. The writing was always tight and kept moving forward. It takes great skill to convey thoughts and emotion so vividly without overwhelming the reader with angst–or even just unnecessary words.
Deep Undercover taught me a lot about men and women, fatherhood and manhood, relationships, romance, different kinds of families, and the destruction and restoration of relationships and trust. All of it was fascinating and developed many new and old things I thought about while reading.
Barsky deals with hard topics in an unflinching and complete, yet tasteful and wholesome, way. He gives plenty of necessary detail but never anything unnecessary. This is certainly an adult book, but it is appropriate for older and younger teens, for sure. Even when writing about intimate relationships or painful topics, Barsky uses language that is unmistakable yet only hints at things a younger reader may choose not to read about. Readers may wish to know that there is no real violence, no explicit sex, and no swearing that I remember (if there was swearing, it was very mild and infrequent).
In addition to its historical and political merit, I enjoyed Deep Undercover as one of the best autobiographies or intimate biographies that I've ever read--and I've read many, comparing their merits and quality.
Goodreads tells me that I’ve read, finished, and rated 48 biographies as of mid-2022, most of them in less than ten years since I joined Goodreads. And those are just the ones I’ve read from start to finish (every word) and considered worth recording. I’ve read small parts or big chunks of many more biographies that I didn’t finish because they were not worth noting permanently–often because of poor writing–and others that I plan to finish someday when I don’t have a stack waiting.
Some of the books I enjoy are secular autobiographies, and others are by an author who is Christian or from another faith (often Jewish or Muslim). Deep Undercover is one of the best biographies I know for both secular and faith-based audiences.
I find that truth is far more intense and interesting than fiction. The best autobiographies are completely true and credible, but no one would believe all of the heartstopping events if they were included in fiction.
I choose and evaluate these types of biographies based on the tone, perspective, quality, and depth of the writing. I notice what the author's perspective and life are like, and I care about how they portray it.
I prefer understated yet deep writing that lets the events and emotions speak for themselves. If something is dramatic on its own, it should not be sensationalized or exaggerated--and it certainly doesn't need to be changed from actual events.
I don't personally enjoy books that are written in a grim, dark way--but I love books that acknowledge all the darkness, tragedy, and hardship from a perspective of hope and goodness, rather than grimly rejoicing in pain--whether secular or faith-based, fiction or nonfiction.
For myself, I prefer it when the same events are written with a different focus. I seek the hard stuff rather than avoiding it, but how it's handled matters to me. Things that might be too heavy for other people and certainly too heavy for me in most cases can be good for me depending on the writing style. (For instance, I've loved some memoirs of the kind that I've read by Jewish women who faced great danger and survived the Holocaust.)
In the case of Barsky's book and other books I've read, my reading partner commented that she found it heavy, even depressing, yet I was uplifted and excited by this particular book.
On all these points, Deep Undercover excels. It hit all the minimum requirements of the boxes I love to check. But it went infinitely further to blow me away with its depth and reach, and with the fascinating story of redemption from the beginning to the startling ending. Deep Undercover delivered on things I’ve never read and never realized I wanted to read. I didn’t expect this book to include so many of the elements that I loved–some I always enjoy and some that I’ve never encountered before.
Deep Undercover is an exceptional autobiography that can be enjoyed by any audience–those with an interest in the spy world or the world of faith, or those who want to read an amazing life story but have no experience with either background.
It’s engaging and fascinating, intense and fast-paced, thoughtful and deep, uplifting and heartbreaking, and incredibly well-written.
Deep Undercover is now one of the best books I’ve ever read, period, and it’s certainly in the top few biographies on my “read” list. I’m so glad I didn’t miss the chance to read it. If it appeals to you, give it a read! You’re guaranteed to have an interesting experience no matter your perspective.
4.5 excellent stars.
May 30, 2017
I found this to be a moderately interesting story. The insights into the author's youth in postwar East Germany and ultimate recruitment into the KGB were the best parts for me. His actual active years as a "spy" were probably as disappointing and anticlimactic to him as they were to read about.
I was put off by his bible-thumping, of the evangelical kind, at the end. It's allowed him to forgive himself, whether that's justified or not. I'm not sure what to say about someone who discovers ethics and compassion for others at the end of a life during which he himself had left the lives of many partners/paramours and their children in shambles.
I was put off by his bible-thumping, of the evangelical kind, at the end. It's allowed him to forgive himself, whether that's justified or not. I'm not sure what to say about someone who discovers ethics and compassion for others at the end of a life during which he himself had left the lives of many partners/paramours and their children in shambles.
August 7, 2017
One man's story about his experience of transforming from Soviet spy to christian capitalist. No revelations here. After all, he has lived to tell this tale.
January 24, 2026
Best book I’ve read so far this year. Took it on vacation and could hardly stop listening 😊
May 16, 2024
Wasn't what I expected. I wanted more but it was mostly his life when he was young, his bad marriage, and conversion to Christianity. Not much "spy" stuff.
April 5, 2017
I didn't really make New Year's resolutions this year, but I mentioned before that an unofficial "goal" for me is to read more about the Cold War. The Cold War was kind of a big deal, and it's pretty amazing when you think about that we fought an entire war without any official shots being fired back and forth. Like many millennials though, I didn't understand it that well, so this is the year I chose to remedy that.
Deep Undercover is the story of Jack Barsky, a former KGB spy turned proud American citizen and Christian. I loved this book! Barsky's story is written as narrative non-fiction, so it reads more like a novel, and it is fascinating. This book gave me a really good idea of what it was like in East Germany in the post-World-War-II era, and how many East Germans thought their communist government was anti-Nazi, and the answer to the world's problems. Even though Barsky doesn't realize until much later the atrocities that have been committed by communist regimes, it was fascinating to get a glimpse into how this ideology was explained to those who had to live under it, and how the American way of life was demonized and the truth hidden under government propaganda.
Barsky is eventually recruited by the KGB, and the stories of his "spy training" were so interesting. I think we have this glamorized view of spies in our culture, but this book made me see that a lot of these spies are just normal people, and their tasks are rather mundane. Dangerous, but not necessarily glamorous. It was so interesting. The way he ended up defecting from the KGB was really clever too! I didn't see it coming.
The best part of this book was reading about how Barsky's view of the US (and Christianity) started to change when he actually started living here, how he developed a love of freedom through experiencing it in America and realized how much of that freedom the people in East Germany did not have.
After many personal and family struggles, Barsky ends up hiring an assistant who is a Christian. He researches the Christian faith and eventually comes to know Jesus as His Savior. This was the coolest part of the story to me. Barsky never found out why exactly he was recruited to the KGB, but if he hadn't been recruited, he never would have formed a life in America, and perhaps never would have come to Christ. It was amazing to see God working through his life, even as a KGB spy.
I highly recommend this book. Even if you aren't particularly interested in the Cold War, this book was an absolutely fascinating read! I couldn't find a big enough chunk of time to finish it in one sitting, but I was sorry every time I had to put it down!
Note: I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
Deep Undercover is the story of Jack Barsky, a former KGB spy turned proud American citizen and Christian. I loved this book! Barsky's story is written as narrative non-fiction, so it reads more like a novel, and it is fascinating. This book gave me a really good idea of what it was like in East Germany in the post-World-War-II era, and how many East Germans thought their communist government was anti-Nazi, and the answer to the world's problems. Even though Barsky doesn't realize until much later the atrocities that have been committed by communist regimes, it was fascinating to get a glimpse into how this ideology was explained to those who had to live under it, and how the American way of life was demonized and the truth hidden under government propaganda.
Barsky is eventually recruited by the KGB, and the stories of his "spy training" were so interesting. I think we have this glamorized view of spies in our culture, but this book made me see that a lot of these spies are just normal people, and their tasks are rather mundane. Dangerous, but not necessarily glamorous. It was so interesting. The way he ended up defecting from the KGB was really clever too! I didn't see it coming.
The best part of this book was reading about how Barsky's view of the US (and Christianity) started to change when he actually started living here, how he developed a love of freedom through experiencing it in America and realized how much of that freedom the people in East Germany did not have.
After many personal and family struggles, Barsky ends up hiring an assistant who is a Christian. He researches the Christian faith and eventually comes to know Jesus as His Savior. This was the coolest part of the story to me. Barsky never found out why exactly he was recruited to the KGB, but if he hadn't been recruited, he never would have formed a life in America, and perhaps never would have come to Christ. It was amazing to see God working through his life, even as a KGB spy.
I highly recommend this book. Even if you aren't particularly interested in the Cold War, this book was an absolutely fascinating read! I couldn't find a big enough chunk of time to finish it in one sitting, but I was sorry every time I had to put it down!
Note: I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in exchange for a review. This is my honest opinion.
November 20, 2021
Lol this guy who forever needs to spill his guts about being a spy. I like "Jack Barsky" and his story. The book (it's his autobiography!) made him seem like kind of a goof and a poor performer in the KGB Directorate S. The moment the FBI finds out he is KGB is laugh-out-loud ridiculous. He seems nothing at all like the ultra-serious and super-careful Elizabeth and Philip Jennings of The Americans (which I'm re-watching with enthusiasm). The KBG recruited him out of university and sent him, apparently with some training but seems like not much, to Canada and the U.S. to adopt the persona of a real U.S. citizen and collect top secret information. Throughout the whole book he never once says that he got any good intelligence. I didn't expect to hear the details of what he got, but he doesn't say anything much about the spy business. He talks a lot about his schooling, legit jobs and wife and kids. Meanwhile the KBG is sending him commendational bonuses while he's settling into his sweet American life. It's funny how there are Russian deep cover agents in the U.S. but no American deep cover agents in Russia. Hmmmm... coincidence? I think not. When you have to spend decades in another country to maintain your cover, you'll want to have good TV and conveniences. You know - the things that make you question your allegiance to your cause. He never talks about his idealism for Mother Russia but at the end he talks a lot about his adoption of Christianity. It's funny because he writes how he's surprised with all the publicity and attention while he can't stop himself from telling people he is ex-KGB. Worth a read if you like this subject.
July 26, 2020
Engaging autobiography of an East German KGB spy in the US, who, for the love of his infant daughter, risks everything by cutting ties with his espionage past and eventually becomes a Christian. It’s not a work of high art, but the life story is wild enough to keep you reading. And Barsky is an impressive and intellectually gifted individual, but he makes extremely sure that the reader knows how very, very bright and talented he is. And tall. He keeps bringing up his 6’3” frame as something truly remarkable. Anyway, I got tired of how deeply impressed he is with himself, but in the end, the humility he has to show in order to seek forgiveness for the sins of his past makes it easier to overlook his self-important tone. Aside from that, it’s a story really worth reading. Now I’m hoping to track down the 2015 episode of 60 Minutes that covers the events of Barsky’s unusual life.
May 8, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book. It reads like a novel and not autobiography. As someone who grew up in USSR I found the description of life in the East Germany very interesting. I would have given it 5 stars if not for the chapter on Jesus towards the end. This is not a fiction and I guess this is an important part of the author's life story and I respect that, but the part about finding Jesus was disappointing to me. I felt I wanted to skip it over. It left me to wonder how some one so bright, smart and intelligent found himself so brainwashed into believing in the Communist idealogy so strongly earlier in life and later believing in God.
Otherwise, it's a fascinating book written very candidly.
Otherwise, it's a fascinating book written very candidly.
January 26, 2025
3.5 stars
Listened to it as an audiobook storyline was good but he was not the victim in my opinion
Listened to it as an audiobook storyline was good but he was not the victim in my opinion
August 7, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography of a man born in East Germany post world war 2, who became a spy for KGB. It will probably be made into a movie. He is a brilliant man educated in chemistry with plans to become a professor when he is recruited. He learns several languages, receives another degree as valedictorian in the United States and becomes successful in the computer field. He probably could be successful at whatever he attempts. In reading other reviews, some have condemned him for his past and also for cold, callous behavior toward others, but we must keep in mind that he was raised in a cold, callous environment with no affection from his parents. Some say people cannot change, but I beg to differ. This man changed practically everything about himself, freely accepted his guilt and tried hard to make amends. It is a highly interesting read.
April 25, 2017
Fascinating! Jack Barsky, or should I say Albrecht Dittrich, presents an interesting perspective of East Germany during the Cold War. Barsky also describes a realistic, unglamorous, lonely portrayal of life as a spy, in which he captures the tension of the relinquishment of family and friendship in the vocation of undercover intelligence. Overall, I found this nonfiction account of espionage quite fascinating.
August 14, 2017
Stellar. A thrill! And unexpectedly sweet and moving.
August 2, 2022
This is a really cool story and an amazing testimony.
October 8, 2022
This a true story about the author who was an undercover KGB spy operating in New York City. The author grew up in East Germany during the Cold War and was recruited by the KGB based on his various attributes. He left his family and was sent to New York City primarily to send back his daily observances of American society, something akin to a sleeper cell. Unlike most spy thrillers there is no dangerous mission or murder plot in this story. We do learn how the KGB spies operated in the West through blending into society by obtaining the necessary paperwork and a full-time job and perhaps even a family. Barsky's story is quite interesting and has its moments of exhilaration. I give this book 4 stars.
January 26, 2025
3.5 stars. I enjoyed this book for the most part. The story was easy to follow and the progression of the main character into a spy was interesting. However, Jack comes across as a narcissist that never takes fault for his own actions and eventually just blames God for always pointing him in the direction he took. He also seems to do very little "spying" and I struggled to see any accomplishments that warranted all the files the KGB supposedly had on him. I feel like he did a lot more damage than he lets on in the book.
September 29, 2024
Well-written, easy-going memoirs of probably the most useless spy in the world.
July 10, 2025
Intriguing read
April 27, 2022
My interest in this book was information from a KGB spy. Unfortunately the book fell far short of my expectations. This is a great story of how they recruit and the years spent on just setting up a spy. This individual, from his book, seems to have led an uneventful life of a spy. As far as I could tell he was set up as a spy but did nothing you would expect a spy to do. The biggest problems he had were how it affected his personal life. He was completely separated from his family, sired several children out of wedlock, and had several failed marriages. Toward the end of the book he turns to God and religion that almost made the book classification as a religious book. I found the book highly disappointing and not what I expected at all.
February 18, 2019
Interesting, to a point. The revelations in this book (without giving spoilers) are that growing up in East Germany under Soviet rule was difficult, and that - if Barely is to be believed - the KGB was rather inept.
Barsky tells his life story - growing up in East Germany with parents who were both educators and as a devout communist and devout atheist. Excelling in school, he gains attention of local party officials who recruit him into service with the KGB. What follows is a description of how our of touch the KGB was with Western culture.
Once he is in place and under cover in the US, according to Barsky, very little spying of any import is actually done. Instead, Barsky gradually grows into a capitalist, pursuing the American dream.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the last part of the book covers his discovery of and commitment to Christianity. Throughout the book, Barsky complains that he has never been able to find meaningful love in his life (after, as a 5 year old he tells his mother that he is too old for bedtime kisses and hugs). Then, throughout his adult life he proceeds to treat people (and especially the women in his life) like crap. Fathering multiple children with multiple women in Europe and the US, it is not until he actually lives with his third child (by a third woman) that he experiences unconditional affection.
Still, a decent story, even if Barsky has few redeeming qualities.
Barsky tells his life story - growing up in East Germany with parents who were both educators and as a devout communist and devout atheist. Excelling in school, he gains attention of local party officials who recruit him into service with the KGB. What follows is a description of how our of touch the KGB was with Western culture.
Once he is in place and under cover in the US, according to Barsky, very little spying of any import is actually done. Instead, Barsky gradually grows into a capitalist, pursuing the American dream.
As other reviewers have mentioned, the last part of the book covers his discovery of and commitment to Christianity. Throughout the book, Barsky complains that he has never been able to find meaningful love in his life (after, as a 5 year old he tells his mother that he is too old for bedtime kisses and hugs). Then, throughout his adult life he proceeds to treat people (and especially the women in his life) like crap. Fathering multiple children with multiple women in Europe and the US, it is not until he actually lives with his third child (by a third woman) that he experiences unconditional affection.
Still, a decent story, even if Barsky has few redeeming qualities.
March 16, 2022
The book is not terribly written, but if you think you will get a spy story, don't get it... He talks about his education and personal relationships mostly and oh boy in the end how he becomes a Christian and almost nothing about what exactly he did as a spy.... I was very disappointed. I mean you can write what you want as a memoir, but try and not call it something else ... I kind of felt like when I think it's my neighbor and I open the door to Jehova Witnesses ... He also seems to be completely in the dark as to what the Soviet union was about at the time. Claims he only found out about what the Secret Service, Stalin and the Soviet Union did to people years after from books and documentaries... I grew up in Hungary and my parents were this guy's contemporary... Everybody, I mean everybody knew what was going on.... I don't buy that part at all...
March 28, 2018
Such an interesting story, very well told!
I love to watch shows like The Americans and listen to podcasts like FBI Case File review so these two things lead me to this book. I love hearing about the author's upbringing and recruitment, and then the human missteps that accompany even super cool KGB spies! I won't give away the ending, but this is a story about redemption and growth as a person away from what one is always expected to do by their culture and upbringing. This story reminded me of Unbroken and of Boys In The Boat, in that there truly are people of ordinary means who have achieved extraordinary things.
I love to watch shows like The Americans and listen to podcasts like FBI Case File review so these two things lead me to this book. I love hearing about the author's upbringing and recruitment, and then the human missteps that accompany even super cool KGB spies! I won't give away the ending, but this is a story about redemption and growth as a person away from what one is always expected to do by their culture and upbringing. This story reminded me of Unbroken and of Boys In The Boat, in that there truly are people of ordinary means who have achieved extraordinary things.
March 10, 2019
I was first introduced to Mr. Barsky by a youtube video and felt the connection at the moment.the book is an astonishing heart throbbing spy-story alongside the ideological journey of a brilliant and talented student who came to a mission for destroying capitalism and affected by love and humane emotions and experienced a deep down revoloution upon himself which is according to wittgenstein, farest measuement of true revolution.
I am considering to read 2nd time
I am considering to read 2nd time
November 2, 2021
Interesting story; towards the end though it becomes a little hokey - communist becomes capitalist, atheist becomes religious, has children by different women and abandons them (except his last set of kids with third woman). Somewhat self-serving, large ego, but honest enough about his emotional failures to gain your sympathy. If you like spy stories this is a true one that will keep you engaged.
November 12, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography—couldn’t put it down. He doesn’t report any spying of consequence (or couldn’t include it), making all the incredible effort and fear associated with successfully infiltrating the US, subsequently destroying family relationships, such a sad waste.
But the fall of the USSR opens the door to discovery of his past, leading to reconciliation and hope.
But the fall of the USSR opens the door to discovery of his past, leading to reconciliation and hope.
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