Cold War book recs, please

Mickey O'neil · Post by **Mickey O'neil** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:46 am

Looking for some good books set in Russia/Europe during the Cold War. Any recommendations appreciated.

Thanks!
Mickey

dead man walking · Post by **dead man walking** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:10 am

are you looking for non-fiction? or fiction?

if the latter, le carre is great. the smiley books are brilliant.

http://www.johnlecarre.com/books.php

Fat Cat · Post by **Fat Cat** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:46 am

Mickey, you're asking a pretty broad question. There are many books written on both sides of the Atlantic in this era, both fiction and nonfiction. What in particular is your interest?

vern · Post by **vern** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:40 am

Check out Stanislav Levchenko's book "On the Wrong Side". It's mostly about his time in Japan but I haven't read a better book about the KGB.

Plus you can get it for a penny on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Wrong-Side-My-Lif ... 607&sr=1-3

Turdacious · Post by **Turdacious** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 4:34 am

A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Gulag Archipelago, From Under the Rubble (actually anything by him)-- Solzhenitsyn
Heart of a Dog-- Bulgakov
Doctor Zhivago- Pasternak
Omon Ra- Pelevin
Darkness at Noon- Koestler

hideouse · Post by **hideouse** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:22 am

"The Aquarium" by Victor Suvarov, pen name for Vladimir Rezun. He's got others, his "Spetznaz" was a fun read and "the Liberators" is a fantastic inside look at the invasion of Czekoslovakia.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 6:43 am

Mickey O'neil wrote:Looking for some good books set in Russia/Europe during the Cold War.

Nostalgia?

BTW "Omon Ra- Pelevin" not form times of cold war.
"Heart of a Dog-- Bulgakov" i read more than 1 time (but it also from other times).

Mickey O'neil · Post by **Mickey O'neil** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:54 am

Fat Cat wrote:Mickey, you're asking a pretty broad question. There are many books written on both sides of the Atlantic in this era, both fiction and nonfiction. What in particular is your interest?

I guess I have a broad interest. I would like some fiction books like the ones mentioned as well as some real life accounts. As far as the fiction goes something along the lines of adventure/spy/thriller. I have a good bit to start with here.

Thanks!

Mickey

Shafpocalypse Now · Post by **Shafpocalypse Now** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:04 pm

Martin Cruz Smith's "Gorky Park" is a great place to start.

Mickey O'neil · Post by **Mickey O'neil** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:19 pm

Shaf wrote:Martin Cruz Smith's "Gorky Park" is a great place to start.

Of course! I was thinking about this book a few weeks ago but forgot about it. Thanks, Shaf.

Turdacious · Post by **Turdacious** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 6:38 pm

Wild Bill wrote:
Mickey O'neil wrote:Looking for some good books set in Russia/Europe during the Cold War.
Nostalgia?

BTW "Omon Ra- Pelevin" not form times of cold war.
"Heart of a Dog-- Bulgakov" i read more than 1 time (but it also from other times).

Bill, Oman Ra seemed to me like a good satire of the space race from the Soviet perspective, but I've never talked to any Russians about the book. What was your impression of it?

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:41 pm

I don't like Pelevin's books. And don't like Omon Ra. For me Pelevin's books just glitches of druggy (i have low taste, i like westerns, sf, etc).
But many considered him as great author.

Shaun B. O'Murnecan · Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:46 pm

http://www.amazon.com/America-Six-Ruble ... 0394755235

Hank Scorpio · Post by **Hank Scorpio** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:59 am

The definitive work on Stalin's purges, Robert Conquest's The Great Terror.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... A966958260

Turdacious · Post by **Turdacious** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:49 am

Wild Bill wrote:I don't like Pelevin's books. And don't like Omon Ra. For me Pelevin's books just glitches of druggy (i have low taste, i like westerns, sf, etc).
But many considered him as great author.

Cool, thanks.

Wild Bill · Post by **Wild Bill** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:58 am

I kow 3 men who likes Pelevin, but they don't likes "Omon Ra", they says it one of his worst.

stosh · Post by **stosh** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:52 pm

DEATHTURD wrote:A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

I strongly second this vote. With very few exceptions, I rarely re-read books. This is one of those exceptions.

Mickey O'neil · Post by **Mickey O'neil** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 2:03 pm

steamboatwillie! wrote:The definitive work on Stalin's purges, Robert Conquest's The Great Terror.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.h ... A966958260

This is interesting, I'm reading the article about it now.

stosh wrote:
DEATHTURD wrote:A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
I strongly second this vote. With very few exceptions, I rarely re-read books. This is one of those exceptions.

I'm going to pick up Gorky Park this week and this looks good as well. Thanks.

IGX

Cold War book recs, please

Cold War book recs, please

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Re: Cold War book recs, please