Tag: NonFiction

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Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army

Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary ArmyBlackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army by Jeremy Scahill

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

 

This is Jeremy Schahill’s probe in Blackwater and organisation that is it seems an army for hire. I’m sure that those that support this kind of endeavour will think this is a biased account of their activities. Apparently, Blackwater declined to put their side of the story. The author has relied of official documents and former employees some of whom are disgruntled.  

That aside the book has an impressive list of references for each chapter so I can only assume that Scahill has done his research  Continue reading “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army”

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Russian Roulette: A Deadly Game: How British Spies Thwarted Lenin’s Global Plot

Russian Roulette: A Deadly Game: How British Spies Thwarted Lenin's Global PlotRussian Roulette: A Deadly Game: How British Spies Thwarted Lenin’s Global Plot by Giles Milton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This slim easy to read volume is all about the foundations of formalised overseas spying by the British. I heard the author being interviewed on radio and this piqued my interest. It’s an intriguing story about resourceful individuals who in some cases gave their lives. Some of it reads like the old Boys Own adventures. Much of the detail is still classified but through a quirk of history some of the files are now under Indian jurisdiction and accessible.
This is certainly a testament to the old adage that truth is stranger than fiction. Livings undercover for months, keeping one step ahead of the Russian secret police are just some of the exploits of these remarkable individuals. The complicated and tenuous courier links to get information back to Britain are astounding.
A great way to learn something about the early days of the Soviet union and how permeable the Iron curtain was in those early days.

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