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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

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 100 years 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 Carre. MI6 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 World War II and by focusing on the people and the relationships that lie at the heart of espionage, revealing the danger, the drama, the intrigue, the moral ambiguities and the occasional comedy that comes with working for British intelligence. From the defining period of the early Cold War through to the modern day, MI6 has undergone a dramatic transformation from a gung-ho, amateurish organisation to its modern, no less controversial, incarnation. Gordon Corera reveals the triumphs and disasters along the way.

The grand dramas of the Cold War and after - the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the 11 September 2001 attacks and the Iraq war - are the backdrop for the human stories of the individual spies whose stories form the centrepiece of the narrative. But some of the individuals featured here, in turn, helped shape the course of those events. 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. Many of these accounts are based on exclusive interviews and access. 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.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Gordon Corera (P)2021 Orion Publishing Group
20th Century 21st Century Espionage Freedom & Security Great Britain Military England War Thought-Provoking Exciting Cold War Imperialism British Intelligence
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What listeners say about MI6

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Brilliant and well read

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

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Gripping

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

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars

A very quick overview

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.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

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.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Probably my favourite book.

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

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3 people found this helpful

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Good history.

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.

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  • Overall
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Informative and detailed

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

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Last 2 hours are the best!!

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

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Brilliant and thrilling stories

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

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Fascinating and revealing insights

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!

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