What do you think?
Rate this book
Best of Enemies: The Last Great Spy Story of the Cold War
The thrilling story of two Cold War spies, CIA case officer Jack Platt and KGB agent Gennady Vasilenko -- improbable friends at a time when they should have been anything but.
In 1978, CIA maverick Jack Platt and KGB agent Gennady Vasilenko were new arrivals on the Washington, DC intelligence scene, with Jack working out of the CIA's counterintelligence office and Gennady out of the Soviet Embassy. Both men, already notorious iconoclasts within their respective agencies, were assigned to seduce the other into betraying his country in the urgent final days of the Cold War, but instead the men ended up becoming the best of friends-blood brothers. Theirs is a friendship that never should have happened, and their story is chock full of treachery, darkly comic misunderstandings, bureaucratic inanity, the Russian Mafia, and landmark intelligence breakthroughs of the past half century.
In Best of Enemies , two espionage cowboys reveal how they became key behind-the-scenes players in solving some of the most celebrated spy stories of the twentieth century, including the crucial discovery of the Soviet mole Robert Hanssen, the 2010 Spy Swap which freed Gennady from Soviet imprisonment, and how Robert De Niro played a real-life role in helping Gennady stay alive during his incarceration in Russia after being falsely accused of spying for the Americans. Through their eyes, we see the distinctions between the Russian and American methods of conducting espionage and the painful birth of the new Russia, whose leader, Vladimir Putin, dreams he can roll back to the ideals of the old USSR.
In 1978, CIA maverick Jack Platt and KGB agent Gennady Vasilenko were new arrivals on the Washington, DC intelligence scene, with Jack working out of the CIA's counterintelligence office and Gennady out of the Soviet Embassy. Both men, already notorious iconoclasts within their respective agencies, were assigned to seduce the other into betraying his country in the urgent final days of the Cold War, but instead the men ended up becoming the best of friends-blood brothers. Theirs is a friendship that never should have happened, and their story is chock full of treachery, darkly comic misunderstandings, bureaucratic inanity, the Russian Mafia, and landmark intelligence breakthroughs of the past half century.
In Best of Enemies , two espionage cowboys reveal how they became key behind-the-scenes players in solving some of the most celebrated spy stories of the twentieth century, including the crucial discovery of the Soviet mole Robert Hanssen, the 2010 Spy Swap which freed Gennady from Soviet imprisonment, and how Robert De Niro played a real-life role in helping Gennady stay alive during his incarceration in Russia after being falsely accused of spying for the Americans. Through their eyes, we see the distinctions between the Russian and American methods of conducting espionage and the painful birth of the new Russia, whose leader, Vladimir Putin, dreams he can roll back to the ideals of the old USSR.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2018
117 people are currently reading
1723 people want to read
About the author
Gus Russo
24 books47 followersGus Russo is a veteran investigative reporter, musician, and author. His first book, Live By the Sword: The Secret War Against Castro and the Death of JFK (Bancroft, 1998), was praised by the New York Times as “compelling, exhaustively researched and even handed.” Kirkus Reviews called Sword, “Probably the last book on the Kennedy assassination you will need to read....Gripping and convincing!” The book was a Book of the Month Club and History Book Club Featured Alternate. Sword was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in 1999, and has been scripted for a mini-series by Showtime Networks. Russo next authored The Outfit: The Role of Chicago’s Underworld in the Shaping of Modern America (Bloomsbury, 2002). It was described as “seamless” (Baltimore Sun), “a tireless read...a saga...550 pages of good journalism” (Chicago Tribune), and “one of the essential works on the subject of organized crime” (Los Angeles Times). The Outfit was also nominated for the Pulitzer, and was optioned before publication by USA Networks.
Russo’s next book, Gangsters and GoodFellas (June 2004, M Evans Pub.), was a collaboration with former NY gangster Henry Hill, a sequel to his 1985 biography Wiseguy, which was the basis for the hit 1990 movie GoodFellas, starring Robert DeNiro.
Russo followed with Supermob: How Sidney Korshak and His Criminal Associates Became America’s Hidden Power Brokers (Sept. 2006); Supermob film rights were sold before publication to CBS-Paramount, and is being developed as a television series. Regarding this book, Publishers Weekly stated: “Veteran investigative author and organized crime expert Russo's magnum opus is a compelling look at one of the last century's major power players. Russo's extensive research is amply evident, and he has made use of recently disclosed records to paint a fuller picture than predecessors such as Seymour Hersh and Brian Ross were able to...a worthy addition to the genre.” Chicago Sun-Times: “An exhaustive look at [Korshak’s] exploits… Russo does a masterful job… The amount of research in the book is staggering… Russo pulls plenty of substantive dirty deeds done by Korshak into the light. Korshak would have cringed.” Kirkus: “there are plenty of revelations in this absorbing book.” SF Chronicle: “[Supermob] adds up to a compelling picture of the exercise of power in the 20th century… Russo’s chapter on the shameless plundering of the assets of imprisoned Japanese Americans during World War II, presided over by a bevy of Korshak’s associates, is particularly stirring.”
In January 2006, Russo, as co-writer with Wilfried Huismann, delivered a breakthrough 90-minute documentary for the German public television network WDR. The film, “Rendezvous With Death,” clarifies the relationship between Cuba’s intelligence service and JFK’s killer. At this writing, the film has aired in fifteen countries. In addition, Russo is also an occasional consultant to Hollywood screenwriter Ron Bass. Russo’s fifth book (w/ Steve Molton), is Brothers in Arms: The Kennedys, the Castros, and the Politics of Murder (October 2008). This book was inspired by the “Rendezvous” film. Brothers was named Winner of the 2008 History Prize by the New York Book Festival.
In 2009, Russo produced and co-wrote Generation 9-11, a documentary feature film on the West’s misconceptions about Islam, for Academy Award-winning director Nigel Nobel. Most recently, Russo’s The Outfit was optioned by top Hollywood producer Joe Roth (Alice in Wonderland) as a television series, and his original feature script, Django, ¬is currently being read by Mick Jagger for possible purchase by his Jagged Films Production Co.
Russo released his sixth book, a memoir entitled Boomer Days, in May 2011.
Previously, Gus Russo has worked an investigative reporter for PBS’ Frontline series, as well as ABC News Special Reports w
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
November 20, 2018
This account of the relationship between Jack Platt of the CIA and Gennady Vasilenko of the KGB begins in the late 70s and ends, shortly after Platt's death, with the beginning of the Trump administration. In telling the story of the deepening friendship between these two counter-intelligence operators the authors also tell of the two most successful moles of the period, Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen, and how Platt and Vasilenko contributed to their capture.
A quick read, but not particularly well written, this book was, for me, rather upsetting. Like 'Charlie Wilson's War', the main subjects are deeply flawed individuals who reflect poorly on the institutions they serve. The authors, however, seem to find some of such behaviors cute and/or funny.
A quick read, but not particularly well written, this book was, for me, rather upsetting. Like 'Charlie Wilson's War', the main subjects are deeply flawed individuals who reflect poorly on the institutions they serve. The authors, however, seem to find some of such behaviors cute and/or funny.
October 27, 2019
The thrilling story of two Cold War spies, CIA case officer Jack Platt and KGB agent Gennady Vasilenko -- improbable friends at a time when they should have been anything but.
Two dedicated agents of opposing counter-intelligence agencies who become friends - a buddy story. Whilst obviously written for the mass market, I found this to be a conflicting read for me. I was interested to know how the two men - Jack Platt and Gennady Vasilenko - managed to become close friends, and yet both men come off as arrogant, self-absorbed, renegades, whose respective agencies seemingly put up with despite going totally against the grain, that I felt no empathy with either of them.
For me, the striking thing to come out of all of this was how one-sided this friendship seemed to be. Valisenko seems to be taking all the risks and makes all the overtures (after Platt's initial contact), and appears to have come out of it all extremely worse for wear - used even by Platt.
There's a lot of school boy hi-jinks and very little espionage - except for the revealing of two spies, but by this stage both men were actually no longer members of their respective agencies but still, somehow, managed to stay in the game.
The more I read this book, the more I wanted to slap Vasilenko across the head with it or throw it at Platt that is how much both men infuriated me. Either that, or it was the writing style of both authors that failed to convey any sense the personal to attract me to wanting to know more of their stories beyond what was written here.
If you are interested in this genre, you will no doubt pick it up and read at some stage.
Two dedicated agents of opposing counter-intelligence agencies who become friends - a buddy story. Whilst obviously written for the mass market, I found this to be a conflicting read for me. I was interested to know how the two men - Jack Platt and Gennady Vasilenko - managed to become close friends, and yet both men come off as arrogant, self-absorbed, renegades, whose respective agencies seemingly put up with despite going totally against the grain, that I felt no empathy with either of them.
For me, the striking thing to come out of all of this was how one-sided this friendship seemed to be. Valisenko seems to be taking all the risks and makes all the overtures (after Platt's initial contact), and appears to have come out of it all extremely worse for wear - used even by Platt.
There's a lot of school boy hi-jinks and very little espionage - except for the revealing of two spies, but by this stage both men were actually no longer members of their respective agencies but still, somehow, managed to stay in the game.
The more I read this book, the more I wanted to slap Vasilenko across the head with it or throw it at Platt that is how much both men infuriated me. Either that, or it was the writing style of both authors that failed to convey any sense the personal to attract me to wanting to know more of their stories beyond what was written here.
If you are interested in this genre, you will no doubt pick it up and read at some stage.
October 16, 2019
The fascinating story of the unlikely friendship that arose between CIA officer Jack Platt and his KGB counterpart Gennady Vasilenko during the Cold War and lasted until the Platt's death -surviving all manner of espionage shenanigans, betrayals, mole hunts, imprisonment and torture. While I had heard of this (almost) incredible relationship in broad strokes, the full story proved to be every bit as intriguing and engrossing as one might expect.
October 10, 2018
For more reviews and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com
Best of Enemies: The Last Great Spy Story of the Cold War by Gus Russo and Eric Dezenhall is a non-fiction book which narrates the relationship between KGB officer Gennady Semyovich Vasilenko and legendary CIA officer Jack Platt. Both Mr. Russo and Mr. Dezenhall are published writers with numerous works under their belts.
I love a good spy novel, a great one is even better, and a great non-fiction book which reads like a great spy novel is the best. Best of Enemies: The Last Great Spy Story of the Cold War by Gus Russo and Eric Dezenhall reads like the last one, an approachable and readable book about a complex relationship, geo-political goals, and true friendship.
The authors use extensive interviews of the Mr. Platt and Mr. Vasilenko, as well as unclassified information to tell the stories. The main narrative, besides a long lasting unlikely friendship, is the hunt for an American mole in the intelligence community which has caused untold amount of damage. Mr. Platt was instrumental in finding that mole, Robert Hanssen, unfortunately, Mr. Vasilenko was arrested and wrongfully imprisoned and tortured for years as a result.
Reading about the brutal imprisonment in modern Russia seems like an extension of the old gulag system. Trying to break a person to get unreliable, yet career making, information or a confession, a false one most likely.
The picture the authors paint of the ex-CIA, ex-KGB operators is that of two fun loving, strong and clever men who share much in common (most notably alcohol and shooting). Men who love their respective countries and will do anything out of pure patriotism despite the large personal cost they pay or their ideological disagreements with the current regime. The authors also touch on the difficult price operatives’ families pay, wives and children take second place to country and its needs.
Each person in the book is conveyed with great respect, but does not shy away from revealing some of their flaws which in my opinion makes this book about humans instead of fictional super-spies. Even actor Robert De Niro, who met the two while researching his 2006 movie The Good Shepard, became an admirer and a lifelong friend (he even wanted the charming and charismatic Mr. Vasilenko to star next to him).
The book contains relevant detail to the story the authors are trying to tell. It is not bogged down by details which will slow down the story, even if they might be somewhat relevant – after all, recapping 40 years of two very dangerous lives, lived by two exciting people is not an easy task to accomplish in 336 pages.
Best of Enemies: The Last Great Spy Story of the Cold War by Gus Russo and Eric Dezenhall is a non-fiction book which narrates the relationship between KGB officer Gennady Semyovich Vasilenko and legendary CIA officer Jack Platt. Both Mr. Russo and Mr. Dezenhall are published writers with numerous works under their belts.
I love a good spy novel, a great one is even better, and a great non-fiction book which reads like a great spy novel is the best. Best of Enemies: The Last Great Spy Story of the Cold War by Gus Russo and Eric Dezenhall reads like the last one, an approachable and readable book about a complex relationship, geo-political goals, and true friendship.
The authors use extensive interviews of the Mr. Platt and Mr. Vasilenko, as well as unclassified information to tell the stories. The main narrative, besides a long lasting unlikely friendship, is the hunt for an American mole in the intelligence community which has caused untold amount of damage. Mr. Platt was instrumental in finding that mole, Robert Hanssen, unfortunately, Mr. Vasilenko was arrested and wrongfully imprisoned and tortured for years as a result.
Reading about the brutal imprisonment in modern Russia seems like an extension of the old gulag system. Trying to break a person to get unreliable, yet career making, information or a confession, a false one most likely.
The picture the authors paint of the ex-CIA, ex-KGB operators is that of two fun loving, strong and clever men who share much in common (most notably alcohol and shooting). Men who love their respective countries and will do anything out of pure patriotism despite the large personal cost they pay or their ideological disagreements with the current regime. The authors also touch on the difficult price operatives’ families pay, wives and children take second place to country and its needs.
Each person in the book is conveyed with great respect, but does not shy away from revealing some of their flaws which in my opinion makes this book about humans instead of fictional super-spies. Even actor Robert De Niro, who met the two while researching his 2006 movie The Good Shepard, became an admirer and a lifelong friend (he even wanted the charming and charismatic Mr. Vasilenko to star next to him).
The book contains relevant detail to the story the authors are trying to tell. It is not bogged down by details which will slow down the story, even if they might be somewhat relevant – after all, recapping 40 years of two very dangerous lives, lived by two exciting people is not an easy task to accomplish in 336 pages.
June 6, 2021
Russo and Dezenhall's Best of Enemies is an amazing account of the development of Cold War spying and what life was like for those based in the USSR, what life was like for Russian agents based in the U.S., how each nation developed (or in most cases failed to) assets from the other side as well as spectacular failures of U.S. intelligence agencies such as Ames, Hanssen and others. Best of Enemies is also a goldmine of information on the USSR and Russia after the breakup of the USSR up to and including to some extent the Putin regime. It is like having a backstage pass to the greatest show on earth -- U.S. vs. USSR. And, the best thing is that the writing is not dry nor so overly factual.. There is a coherent thread that has a narrative feel that is employed by the best thriller writers to keep the pace up. Although there are a lot of individuals and organizations mentioned, the authors include a list at the beginning of the book and develop the narrative thread around four or five individuals primarily. One caution for more sensitive readers -- there are vivid descriptions of what suspected turncoats faced during interrogation in the USSR.
September 8, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and gave incredible insight into the Cold War. I tend to like books with first person accounts and this book had a lot as the authors spent a lot of time with both Jack Platt and Gennady Vasilenko, but verified all information by double and triple checking against credible third party sources. The way they delved into the investigations and arrests of both Aldrich Ames and Robert Hansen were fascinating and highlighted the way some through investigations can get stalled by by bureaucratic BS as well as agency bias to avoid embarrassment. At its heart, though, the book is a tale of two men who became friends precisely because they were able to look past those same biases.
September 8, 2022
An entertaining tale of the real-life bromance between a U.S. and a Soviet spy, told from both sides of the Iron Curtain (and beyond). Very compelling and readable, though the early parts of the book could have been better organized and more linear. I'd be surprised if they don't make a movie out of this at some point, it's got all the right ingredients. (B+)
August 20, 2024
Ready for another spy novel! I like it but it’s zig zagging all over the place. One second you’re in Russia and then suddenly you’re dealing with the CIA and a family in the US. Nonetheless if you can follow the story I did enjoy it. I’d recommend already being familiar with Robert Hansen and Aldrich Ames. 3.5 stars.
September 27, 2019
Yet another special snowflake with an inability to follow rules. Quick, let me write a book.
January 30, 2022
Mi-a plăcut la nebunie! Mi-a stârnit curiozitatea și mai mult despre viața spionilor. Also, side note, Ghenadie ngl, a very hot man
August 23, 2021
Could have been trimmed a little, but was a compelling read about a real bromance.
June 6, 2019
This book could as easily be titled: A Few Good Men. N.B. Plot differs.
This might be the origin of the word 'frenemies'. The book is well researched and offers the reader good insights to the relatively new history of the Cold War and the period of American history from the '70's to early in the new millennium.
It deals, in part with the treason of several American spies (now languishing in prison) and several Russian spies. Those who betrayed Russia (or the USSR) as it was known then were paid well and are living on their ill gotten gains somewhere. Those who got caught by the Russians are now dead.
The Best Of Enemies certainly left me with a few points to ponder:
- Today drones, satellites and computers do the spying, these objects either get the Intel or they don't, it is a largely unemotional, un-human exercise. It cannot be compared to human spying, I cannot imagine going up to someone and trying to convince them to betray their country. I cannot imagine betraying my country.
- Traitor. It depends on which window you look through. Those who betray their country for you or yours are traitors to their country but assets to you. I imagine this works visa versa globally, our traitors are assets to other countries.
- There is a world which we largely ignore, a world where people kill and are killed and we do need men (and women) with guns standing on the wall between us and that world. We need them. We need them to do dirty work we don't want to talk about but we also want them to be transparent and accountable. I think we want our bread buttered on both sides if that is the case. This is not a go ahead to do whatever they want, this is me appreciating the freedom I have. Freedom I would not have if good men did not do the dirty work.
- Patriot, how we throw that word around... It is possible to be a patriot to your country and oppose the ruling party in it. We love to celebrate the 4th of July but how many of us will pick up a gun and defend a position that the government instructs us to, domestic or foreign? Regardless of our own opinion of whether the position or the fight is just or not. We call ourselves patriots but we also want to draw the line as fits our own morality or ideology - not the government's.
As mentioned earlier, the book gives an insight to the Cold War as an event in the background, the story is about the American Cowboys and the Russian Cowboy, and it is a great human interest interest story.
How they ever managed to keep their friendship going in such trying times is a wonder and a tribute to the human spirit, underneath all the layers we seek out our sister and brother souls and we do actually want to be friends, not enemies. This must be our greatest human flaw or our greatest human virtue. I'm going with virtue.
Last but not least, the world at large has chastised the CIA for its incompetence at the end of the war. To quote from the movie, The Siege, the notorious, infamous General William Devereux says: The CIA didn't know the Berlin Wall was coming down until bricks started hitting them in the head.
Apparently those bricks hit the big four at the same time. MI6 had no idea and the authors kindly included chapters relating how the Stasi and the KGB were also wounded in the same fall. The Stasi trying ineffectively to burn files before being overrun by East German citizens and the KGB huddled in the Lubyanka building watching in terror as 'Iron Felix' was garrotted and torn down.
I rate this book 4 stars and advise readers to know your classics, from Kafka to McCarthy, comparisons and quotes are thrown in enriching the pages greatly.
This might be the origin of the word 'frenemies'. The book is well researched and offers the reader good insights to the relatively new history of the Cold War and the period of American history from the '70's to early in the new millennium.
It deals, in part with the treason of several American spies (now languishing in prison) and several Russian spies. Those who betrayed Russia (or the USSR) as it was known then were paid well and are living on their ill gotten gains somewhere. Those who got caught by the Russians are now dead.
The Best Of Enemies certainly left me with a few points to ponder:
- Today drones, satellites and computers do the spying, these objects either get the Intel or they don't, it is a largely unemotional, un-human exercise. It cannot be compared to human spying, I cannot imagine going up to someone and trying to convince them to betray their country. I cannot imagine betraying my country.
- Traitor. It depends on which window you look through. Those who betray their country for you or yours are traitors to their country but assets to you. I imagine this works visa versa globally, our traitors are assets to other countries.
- There is a world which we largely ignore, a world where people kill and are killed and we do need men (and women) with guns standing on the wall between us and that world. We need them. We need them to do dirty work we don't want to talk about but we also want them to be transparent and accountable. I think we want our bread buttered on both sides if that is the case. This is not a go ahead to do whatever they want, this is me appreciating the freedom I have. Freedom I would not have if good men did not do the dirty work.
- Patriot, how we throw that word around... It is possible to be a patriot to your country and oppose the ruling party in it. We love to celebrate the 4th of July but how many of us will pick up a gun and defend a position that the government instructs us to, domestic or foreign? Regardless of our own opinion of whether the position or the fight is just or not. We call ourselves patriots but we also want to draw the line as fits our own morality or ideology - not the government's.
As mentioned earlier, the book gives an insight to the Cold War as an event in the background, the story is about the American Cowboys and the Russian Cowboy, and it is a great human interest interest story.
How they ever managed to keep their friendship going in such trying times is a wonder and a tribute to the human spirit, underneath all the layers we seek out our sister and brother souls and we do actually want to be friends, not enemies. This must be our greatest human flaw or our greatest human virtue. I'm going with virtue.
Last but not least, the world at large has chastised the CIA for its incompetence at the end of the war. To quote from the movie, The Siege, the notorious, infamous General William Devereux says: The CIA didn't know the Berlin Wall was coming down until bricks started hitting them in the head.
Apparently those bricks hit the big four at the same time. MI6 had no idea and the authors kindly included chapters relating how the Stasi and the KGB were also wounded in the same fall. The Stasi trying ineffectively to burn files before being overrun by East German citizens and the KGB huddled in the Lubyanka building watching in terror as 'Iron Felix' was garrotted and torn down.
I rate this book 4 stars and advise readers to know your classics, from Kafka to McCarthy, comparisons and quotes are thrown in enriching the pages greatly.
June 23, 2018
AMAZON VINE ARC review (free copy)
Review:
I am not really sure how to review this book. The story of Jack and Gennadiy's unlikely friendship, fascinating spying career during the Cold war gets an A for sure and I think the writers did their job in making sure that larger than life personalities of the people they wrote about shine through, so I will leave it at that.
I won't deny that as much as I enjoy spy thrillers ( or used to enjoy anyway) the reason why I grabbed the book at Amazon vine was the unlikely friendship which developed between Jack and Gennadiy over the years while they had been spying on the different sides of the barricades during the cold war and for a bit of time after it ended. A lot of the events in this book I was learning about for the first time as I was reading about it. Both Jack and Gennadiy loved their countries and loved their jobs, but they did not like the bureaucracies in their jobs and vastly preferred the field work, this was one of the reason why they bonded so well, while unsuccessfully trying to recruit one another to spy for KGB/CIA.
Recruitment did not happen, friendship developed instead and before I started the book I honestly could not imagine how the Russian and American managed to stay close friends, real friends while so often being put in the adversarial positions, but they did without abandoning ideological disagreements about their countries' regimes.
I was also pleasantly surprised how both authors managed to convey great sympathy and respect towards Gennadiy and Jack and still did not shy
away from portraying the flaws in both men.
The second part of the book felt more suspenseful than the first one for me , which was understandable since the unmasking of American traitors and what lead to it happens in the second part and also campaign to free Gennadiy from Russian prisons was taking place closer to an end. I knew they would save him, but I was still worried, so I think the writers did good.
4.5 stars
Review:
I am not really sure how to review this book. The story of Jack and Gennadiy's unlikely friendship, fascinating spying career during the Cold war gets an A for sure and I think the writers did their job in making sure that larger than life personalities of the people they wrote about shine through, so I will leave it at that.
I won't deny that as much as I enjoy spy thrillers ( or used to enjoy anyway) the reason why I grabbed the book at Amazon vine was the unlikely friendship which developed between Jack and Gennadiy over the years while they had been spying on the different sides of the barricades during the cold war and for a bit of time after it ended. A lot of the events in this book I was learning about for the first time as I was reading about it. Both Jack and Gennadiy loved their countries and loved their jobs, but they did not like the bureaucracies in their jobs and vastly preferred the field work, this was one of the reason why they bonded so well, while unsuccessfully trying to recruit one another to spy for KGB/CIA.
Recruitment did not happen, friendship developed instead and before I started the book I honestly could not imagine how the Russian and American managed to stay close friends, real friends while so often being put in the adversarial positions, but they did without abandoning ideological disagreements about their countries' regimes.
I was also pleasantly surprised how both authors managed to convey great sympathy and respect towards Gennadiy and Jack and still did not shy
away from portraying the flaws in both men.
The second part of the book felt more suspenseful than the first one for me , which was understandable since the unmasking of American traitors and what lead to it happens in the second part and also campaign to free Gennadiy from Russian prisons was taking place closer to an end. I knew they would save him, but I was still worried, so I think the writers did good.
4.5 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2019
If you ever listen at all to conservative talk radio (guilty), you'll hear advertisements for books like Best of Enemies all the time. It's an old-fashioned spy yarn, too unbelievable to be anything but true, about the good old days when men were men, commies were the enemy, you could buy any kind of gun you wanted so long as you had a government job, and murder, torture, and betrayal were all just another day at the office. Just because hundreds of these books roll off the presses to be given as Grandfathers' Day presents and sit on study bookshelves unread each year doesn't mean some of them aren't really good. Best of Enemies is a great story, and it's extremely well-written, scrupulously fact-based and entirely free of distracting rhetorical flourishes. Russo and Dezenhall have two incredible subjects in CIA man "Cowboy" Jack Platt and his KGB opposite number Gennady Vasilenko, who tried for a few years in the late seventies to turn one another and then gave up and became best friends instead. The story takes several wild twists and turns over the ensuing decades, encompassing the fall of Soviet Union, the arrest of American moles Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen, the "spy swap" that occurred between Russia and America during Obama's brief "reset" period, and amusingly, a couple of lesser Robert De Niro movies. The authors are both filled with admiration for these men and honest about their faults. The few fanciful elements in the closely reported narrative are in the characters' voices and not the authors'. Vasilenko is a true Russian original, a patriot who nonetheless loved America, a volleyball star from deepest Siberia who had a secret second family, a guy who stubbornly wore an FBI sweatshirt while he was being tortured in prison and survived to claim a walk-on part in Silver Linings Playbook. If the authors have right-wing sympathies they're not trying to drive them home. Rather they're making the bipartisan point that no matter what your job is, lasting relationships matter the most, and doing so rather touchingly.
January 21, 2021
This is the remarkable story CIA agent “Cowboy” Jack Platt and his KGB friend and associate Gennady Vasilenko. Jack spent much of his cold war career trying to recruit “Genya” to spy against his country without success. The two, along with several FBI agent friends, developed a life long friendship that persisted even after Vasilenko was imprisoned by the KGB who assumed (falsely) that he had betrayed his country. Genya, who played an unwitting role in revealing the US traitor spy Robert Hanssen, was finally released from life in prison as a part of the 2010 Spy Swap which resulted in a new life in America (and a cameo role in a Robert De Niro movie) with his old friends. One of the interesting take-aways of this fascinating true story is shattering the (John LeCarre) myth of the spy as the quiet unmemorable gray man who never attracts attention. Jack and Genya were rowdy hard drinking extroverts who partied with Robert De Niro and raised hell as they defied their respective CIA and KGB management and were only tolerated for their efficiency.
January 10, 2023
Best Cold War Book
I have read quite a few books on the Cold War, CIA, and KGB. This is by far the best of the lot. In this book, you will read a tale that sounds more like a movie than a true story. The friendship between Marine/CIA man Jack "Cowboy" Platt and his KGB counterpart, Gennady Vasilenko, form a friendship that we wish we could have with someone, much less someone who is on the other side of the Cold War. Toss in an unlikely friendship with an amazing American actor and a cast of real people from the FBI, CIA, and KGB and this is a can't put down book. On another note, this book reminds you that there are real people involved in protecting our country and traitors to our country, such as Hassen, Ames, and Snowden are truly the worse of the worse.
One note: this book touches on the true stories written in other books I've read, such as "The Main Enemy" by Milt Bearden & James Risen. The bibliography at the end lists books that, if you haven't read, you should.
I have read quite a few books on the Cold War, CIA, and KGB. This is by far the best of the lot. In this book, you will read a tale that sounds more like a movie than a true story. The friendship between Marine/CIA man Jack "Cowboy" Platt and his KGB counterpart, Gennady Vasilenko, form a friendship that we wish we could have with someone, much less someone who is on the other side of the Cold War. Toss in an unlikely friendship with an amazing American actor and a cast of real people from the FBI, CIA, and KGB and this is a can't put down book. On another note, this book reminds you that there are real people involved in protecting our country and traitors to our country, such as Hassen, Ames, and Snowden are truly the worse of the worse.
One note: this book touches on the true stories written in other books I've read, such as "The Main Enemy" by Milt Bearden & James Risen. The bibliography at the end lists books that, if you haven't read, you should.
October 11, 2019
If you enjoy the television show The Americans, the Jason Bourne movies or grew up reading John LeCarre or Robert Ludlum, you’ll likely enjoy Best of Enemies. The same goes for those interested in Cold War history in general.
The book is well-paced and intriguing. There is plenty of detail regarding people, places, and tradecraft. It’s interesting to see what was going on behind the scenes over those many years.
My only recommendation to readers is to bookmark the character bios at the front of the book for reference. It’s easy to get lost and you may find yourself flipping back and forth.
The book is well-paced and intriguing. There is plenty of detail regarding people, places, and tradecraft. It’s interesting to see what was going on behind the scenes over those many years.
My only recommendation to readers is to bookmark the character bios at the front of the book for reference. It’s easy to get lost and you may find yourself flipping back and forth.
November 28, 2022
Best of Enemies follows a long story that started out in the middle of the Cold War and ended far after it. A truly touching and at times riveting story, it was great to read about two very similar people born in two vastly different systems. I’m a big fan of Cold War non-fiction and this is another great example of it. Although I share the sentiments of several reviewers that the relationship was fairly one-sided, I believe that the feelings and experiences certainly seem genuine. The book also dives deep into CIA/FBI vs. KGB storylines and operating differences. Fully recommend to anyone interested in learning more about clandestine operations during the Cold War.
October 21, 2018
A fascinating and topical book. "Cowboy" Jack Platt and Gennady Vasilenko were assigned by their respective espionage agencies, the CIA and the KGB, to "turn" one another, ie turn traitor. But they never did. Both remained loyal citizens and spies of their respective nations. Yet both became fast friends.
The events of this book are to incredible to be fictionalized. However, I can envision a television mini-series.
The events of this book are to incredible to be fictionalized. However, I can envision a television mini-series.
January 4, 2019
Fun. A story of two spies sent to recruit each other that mostly seem to make friends and have the CIA pay for them to party and shoot guns in the woods. The friendship and spycraft never gets boring, the characters are great, and frankly, I wish the book were longer. Highly recommend this for anyone who likes spy books. I think that Cowboy sold out his buddy and tricked him and deserves full blame for what happened here.
February 8, 2022
What happens when a spin doctor and a J.F.K. assassination researcher write a book about espionage? They do a good job of course. The story of two misfits within their own organizations, one Jack Platt of the C.I.A. and Gennady Vasilenko of the K.G.B. both stationed in Washington D.C. in 1978 make an unlikely friendship based very much on being iconoclasts in a drab world. Read this improbable tale spanning decades of what can only be termed friendship.
January 3, 2019
Very well researched and put together. Interesting read and informative also. I feel like I have much more context for even current political issues and US / Russian relations, as much as I gained about Cold War era details. I appreciate that the authors have cleaner language than the two protagonists, but just be forewarned that there are several f-words in it.
February 10, 2020
This is a well written, fascinating story. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of the liberal use of the F word which I found distracting and unnecessary. The story of two intelligence officers from opposing agencies who develop a strong friendship is compelling and poignant. This was a page turner.
February 4, 2020
I found this to be a fascinating look at cold war spies, and how respect and friendship could span even the Soviet/American divide. Peppered with details of the discovery of double agents, Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen, as well as Robert De Niro's friendship of both men, it read quickly. A good read for anyone interested in spies or the cold war.
November 30, 2020
The unlikely friendship of CIA operative Jack Piatt & KGB’s Genady Vasilenko who became friends during Vasilenko’s first assignment to the US and eventually saved each other’s lives. They first met in the 1970s and remained close through the breakup of the Soviet Union and through Vasilenko's being imprisoned twice by the KGB (and post-Soviet FSB) until Piatt's death in 2017.
December 24, 2021
I love stories about male friendship. The fact that this one was a true story and about a friendship between an American and a Russian (both spies for rival agencies too) made it even sweeter. The technicality of the book and the Fact the Russian spy was a very unfaithful husband cost it a star, but it was still an interesting read.
July 20, 2022
Very well written. One can tell the authors did thorough research.
It was initially a slow read - LOTS of names (thank you for the "cast of characters" in the front of the book!) and I had expected the book to be more of a novel than a "documentary." Informative, sad, and scary to know what governments do behind the scenes and under cover.
It was initially a slow read - LOTS of names (thank you for the "cast of characters" in the front of the book!) and I had expected the book to be more of a novel than a "documentary." Informative, sad, and scary to know what governments do behind the scenes and under cover.
March 5, 2021
In an unlikely true story of friendship between spies and the human cost to one of those spies when accused of treason. I have a certain nostalgia about the cold war and spy stories and this particular story does not fail to capture your interest from page one to the end. A great read!
November 19, 2020
An extremely powerful novel about spy’s during the Cold War. The story was riveting and I did not want to put it down. A very inspirational story about an unlikely friendship that endured all troubles. A must read book.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 22, 2021
A true spy story rivaling even one of my favorite stories about the Cold War, this book is great. 5 stars for a tale spanning decades of some CIA personal and a KGB officer who became friends. My rating is not affected by getting this for free as an ARC.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews