"Agent Sniper", by Tim Tate

The Cold War Superagent and the Ruthless Head of the CIA

This is the story of one of the Cold War’s most effective counter-agents Michal Goleniewski, cover name Sniper. Citing from declassified sources and British and American materials the author details the amazing career of a lieutenant colonel in Poland’s intelligence service and KGB spy who defected to the US in 1961.

This is well-researched but tedious Cold War espionage saga that exposed more than 1600 Soviet bloc spies operating undercover in the West after WW11. From April 1958 to December 1960 Gloleniewski risked his life to smuggle thousands of top-secret Soviet bloc intelligence and military documents and in 1961 with the Polish agents hard on his heels he made a dramatic defection across divide Berlin. To the CIA, he was one of the West’s most valuable counterintelligence sources and the best defector the CIA ever had. But CIA chief James Angleton believed that the Soviet spy was passing bogus leads and distrusted him. By the end of 1963 Goleniewski was abandoned by the US Government and the CIA reneged on its agreement to pay and protect him and secretly briefed journalists that he had lost his mind. But what is the truth...In the final 100 pages; Mr. Tate chronicles 30 years of bizarre behavior until the sniper’s death in 1993 and alternates his narrative with the dysfunctional CIA behavior thus revealing fascinating dirt from the early years of the Agency.

Although filled with riveting facts the account is told with a dry tone and without cinematic punch or thrilling scenes. It is overflowing with minutia details and extensive use of quotes. The pace slows down in the later years after the Sniper’s defection and I found what came next less interesting but in all, this is an account that will arouse our curiosity...

In exchange for an honest and unbiased review I received a copy of this book from St-Martin Press and Netgalley

"The Grapes of Wrath", by John Steinbeck

Set during the great Depression the novel focuses on the Joads, a poor family of farmers driven from their Oklahoma home by drought, hardship, agricultural changes and bank closure forcing them out of work. The Joads set out for California seeking jobs and a future. They represent 1000s of people suffering the same fate. The book orbits around two points: land and family.
The writing style takes us on a front seat ride through the Dust Bowl, Great Depression and the struggles of people during the time. The prose has a tone of passion, anger, sadness and desperation. Its themes: ecological catastrophe, financial collapse, poverty and discrimination.

I found “The grapes of Wrath” to be an immensely frustrating read even with all the high praise this novel has received through the years I just couldn’t get into it and labored through its 464 pages. I fast lost interest has it became more and more difficult to read with each passing chapter. The pacing is so slow it seemed that I was stuck in a Dust Bowl suffocating....The mid-Western State 1930s raw dialectical jargon I am not familiar with was a strong factor. The lyrical chapters, the journalistic language and the lengthy narrative going nowhere and saying little simply were a turn off. The cacophony of imagery and voices the same. But again all these attributes are what most loved about this story.

Having said this:

Mr. Steinbeck does illustrate skillfully the widening gulf between the haves and have-nots, his sympathies towards the desperate are obvious. He gave us an important lesson on perspective and a starting point for discussion on social issues still relevant today. Whether you like it or not this story will resonate and stay in your mind long after the closing page.

Although this novel wasn’t for me, I have no doubt “The Grapes of Wrath” deserves all the honors it received.

Originally published in 1939, this classic novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1940 and in 1962 Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for his achievements.

"The Churchill Sisters", by Rachel Trethewey

The Extraordinary Lives of Winston and Clementine’s Daughters

Diana, Sarah, Marigold and Mary could never forget they were Churchills. They were surrounded by a clan of larger than life characters: their father Winston “the greatest Englishman”, their mother Clementine,” the socialite, their brother Randolph “, the Golden Boy and their eccentric cousins, the Mitford Girls where ever present one way or the other in their lives. This is their story from the time they were born till the day the lights went out.

Drawing on family letters and the copious archived deposits in the Churchill Archives Centre, the author brings to live the remarkable although tragic story of three women: Diana, Sarah and Mary (Marigold died at age 2) each had different characters but all three were imbued with a sense of responsibility toward their father, each other and their country. In alternate chapters we breeze through their intimate saga and their complex family dynamics. It is inevitable that facets of Churchill’s achievements are explored along with his devotion to his daughters and theirs toward him.

Although thousands of books have been written about Winston Churchill but this is the first account focussing on his daughters. The book brings colour into the Churchill saga and gives cinematic glimpses into the privileged. It is well-said, well-researched and interesting.

A lot is said in this book I could go on and on but I will stop here not wanting to remove the enjoyment by giving too much.

I received an advance copy of this book from St-Martin Press and Netgalley for an honest and unbiased review: this is the way I see it.