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MI6

Life and Death in the British Secret Service

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MI6

By: Gordon Corera
Narrated by: Gordon Corera
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About this listen

 From the host of The Rest is Classified podcast, this is the secret history of MI6 - from the Cold War to the present day.

The British Secret Service has been cloaked in secrecy and shrouded in myth since it was created over a century ago. Our understanding of what it is to be a spy has been largely defined by the fictional worlds of James Bond and John le Carré. In MI6, security expert Gordon Corera provides a unique and unprecedented insight into this secret world and the reality that lies behind the fiction.

It tells the story of how the secret service has changed since the end of the Second World War, revealing the danger, the drama, the intrigue, the moral ambiguities and the occasional comedy that comes with working for British intelligence.

The grand dramas of the Cold War and its aftershocks - the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the 9/11 and the Iraq war - are the backdrop for the human stories of the individual spies at the centre of the narrative. Corera draws on the first-hand accounts of those who have spied, lied and in some cases nearly died in service of the state. They range from the spymasters to the agents they ran to their sworn enemies. From Afghanistan to the Congo, from Moscow to the back streets of London, these are the voices of those who have worked on the front line of Britain's secret wars. And the truth is often more remarkable than the fiction.©2021 Gordon Corera (P)2021 Orion Publishing Group 20th Century 21st Century Espionage Europe Freedom & Security Great Britain Military Modern Politics & Government True Crime England War Thought-Provoking Exciting Cold War Imperialism British Intelligence

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All stars
Most relevant  
This is a great overview of MI6 from its conception to the 2010s. Full of interesting insights and interviews with key individuals.

Brilliant and well read

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History told in such an enjoyable way. Factual and could relate to current affairs also. Highly recommend

Gripping

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This audiobook is a very general summary and doesn’t provides much new information that hasn’t been written about many, many times. However, his delivery and writing are good- sound improved when paired with a speaker.

A very quick overview

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Mostly rehashed well known stories. Sounds like it’s recorded in a wardrobe - probably a Covid era recording, but would benefit from using egg boxes on the walls and ceiling.

Disappointing

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This was such an interesting, insightful ride. I'm sure I'll listen to this multiple times.

Probably my favourite book.

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I found the most interesting part was about the Iraq war. But the whole book is very good covering the most interesting parts of the history. Well narrated.

Good history.

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It provides an interesting insight into the what drives both traitors and patriots. We’ll Narrated

Informative and detailed

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Only take this on if you have a lot of spare time or a historian.

Last 2 hours are the best!!

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Great book but performance ruined somewhat by terrible sound quality.
Fascinating stories though which makes up for it.

Brilliant and thrilling stories

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Anyone interested in the history of the last 100 years will find Corera’s reading of his own book fascinating and revealing.

He succeeds in engaging us in the sometimes incredibly fast pace where every minute is crucial, balanced with the tedium of decades spent manipulating and deceiving.

It also reveals a level of ingenuity and bravery beyond the fictional representations but helps to piece together where the fiction mirrors truth. The revealing elements are where the truth is more outrageous than the fiction!

Fascinating and revealing insights

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