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Agent Sonya

Lover, Mother, Soldier, Spy

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Agent Sonya

By: Ben Macintyre
Narrated by: Ben Macintyre
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About this listen

The incredible story of the greatest female spy in history, from one of Britain's most acclaimed historians.

In the quiet Cotswolds village of Great Rollright in 1944, a thin and unusually elegant housewife emerged from her cottage to go on her usual bike ride. A devoted mother of three, attentive wife and friendly neighbour, Sonya Burton seemed to epitomise rural British domesticity.

However, rather than pedalling towards the shops with her ration book, Sonya was heading for the Oxfordshire countryside to gather scientific secrets from a nuclear physicist. Secrets that would enable the Soviet Union to build the atomic bomb.

Far from an obedient homemaker, Sonya Burton was a dedicated communist, a decorated colonel and a veteran spy who risked her life to keep the Soviet Union in the nuclear arms race. Her husband was also a Soviet agent, and her children had three different fathers from lovers she'd encountered throughout her incredible career.

In Agent Sonya, Ben Macintyre reveals the astonishing story behind the most important woman spy in history and the huge emotional cost that came with being a mother, a wife and a secret agent at once.

©2020 Ben MacIntyre (P)2020 Penguin Audio
20th Century Freedom & Security Military Espionage Marriage War Funny Thought-Provoking Imperialism Village Solider
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What listeners say about Agent Sonya

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  • Overall
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Convincingly authentic and great read

Accurately gets under the skin of a real anti-fascist intelligence drama, danger, commitment and family over 20 years.

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Interesting story

An interesting story and will be liked by all spy fans, however not his best.

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incredible........ what an amazing tale!

this is an amazing journey into the life and world of agent Sonya aka Ursula Burton...... for the first time I have been able to understand how the cold war espionage war began out of the ashes of ww2s intense spy games.........well written, and well narrated by the author......enjoy able and fascinating up till the very end.....

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Highly recommended

Excellent book well read by the author - it provides a rich insight into geopolitics in the 1930s and 1940s as well an introduction to the Cold War

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Excellent

Macintyre brings forth another well researched and well told history of espionage and the world that not only tells a new story but intertwined with his previous works such as his account of Kim Philby.

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A compelling listen

An extraordinary true story of bravery, humanity and an unbending loyalty to a cause. Thoroughly researched and very well told.

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Fantastic Read

This book has been on my TBR list for a while, the wait was definitely worth it
Highly recommend

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Incredible

I’m working my way through Ben MacIntyre books & nearly missed this one. Very pleased I didn’t. It’s one of the most amazing.

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Female spy!

I listened to an interview the author had done and was intrigued that all things in the book were true and verifiable. What a brilliant story/memoir/telling of events. Thoroughly enjoyed and recommend.

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Great Spy Story I’d read/ listen again

I really enjoyed this book well written and read perfectly….what an eye opener on its era

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