Play Book Tag discussion

Bridge of Spies by Giles Whittell - 5* - My Review

Bridge of Spies tells a true story of espionage about the 1960 U-2 incident and subsequent prisoner exchange between the United States and Soviet Union. It focuses on three men: Francis Gary Powers, the American pilot shot down over Soviet territory; William Fisher (then known only by his alias Rudolf Abel), the Soviet spy arrested in New York; and Frederic Pryor, an American student detained in East Germany. Whittell braids together their separate stories in chronological segments, from pre-arrest activities through their February 1962 exchange on the Glienicke Bridge in Berlin. The book explains Powers's survival and interrogation in a Soviet prison, Fisher's subdued defiance in American custody, and Pryor's accidental stumble into Cold War politics. Whittell’s sources include declassified documents, trial transcripts, and interviews. He skillfully reconstructs events that have remained obscure for decades.

The book is history that reads like an espionage thriller. It presents the mechanics of Cold War intelligence work, details of the CIA's U-2 program, mundane realities of spy craft, and bureaucratic negotiations that led to the exchange. The author pays particular attention to how each government used its prisoners for propaganda during their detainment, and the genuine fears of the time about nuclear war. I enjoyed this book immensely. It clarifies what really happened during a time when much misinformation had been circulated, and myths created out of whole cloth. It helps the reader sort through the complex geopolitics of the Cold War. It’s worth reading just for the story of how Francis Gary Powers avoided death when being shot down at an altitude over 70,000 feet (21,332 meters)!

My TBR. My poor TBR. 😭

Thank you for your review. I watched the movie when it came out. I'm sure the book is much better.

I have not seen the movie, so I can't compare.

Adding this to my “ recommendations of PBT members” and “ under 500 ratings” tags.

Joy D wrote: "I have not seen the movie, so I can't compare."

It was a good and interesting movie with Tom Hanks, but I am sure this book goes into much more depth and a larger perspective.

Cold War espionage is one of my favorite subjects. I'm definitely adding this to my TBR. Thanks Joy!

I've had this book on my tbr for a decade and you have pushed it forward.

I'm been interested in the U2 affair because it was the first time I was aware of international (or national for that matter) politics as I heard adults talking and concerned and worried about "Russia".

Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!