The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War

Compare and contrast the cases of Oleg Gordievsky and Kim Philby, who spied for the KGB while working for MI6. How are they similar? How are they different? What motivated each of them?

Macintyre notes certain aspects of the Soviet Union’s authoritarian system that at times allowed Gordievsky to get away with something or escape surveillance. In what ways does this authoritarian system work in Gordievsky’s favor? How is this evidence of Gordievsky’s belief that the system was corrupt or repressive?

In this story, the West is unquestionably good, while the Soviet Union is bad. Told from the Russian point of view, good and bad would likely be on the opposite sides. Do objective markers of good and bad exist, and if so, what are they? Alternatively, is the idea of good versus evil relative in many instances? Cite examples and evidence to substantiate your views.

The author gives Gordievsky credit for influencing Cold War history and probably helping hasten its end. What other reasons do historians give for the Cold War ending with the dissolution of the Soviet Union? Which do you think are most persuasive and why?

Macintyre presents Gordievsky and Aldrich Ames as polar opposites—the former motivated by ideology, the latter by greed—yet each is considered a traitor by his respective country. Does motivation in committing treason matter, or is it merely rationalization? Did one of these two characters do more good and the other more harm? Use examples and evidence to explain your views.

Identify another theme (besides the three presented in this guide) that the book deals with. What role does it play in Gordievsky’s life? What aspects of the story support it?

Much of the book reads like a good novel—rather than, say, an encyclopedia entry or a biography. How does the author achieve this? What are some features of the author’s writing style that can be said to be “novelistic”? Identify at least three different techniques, explain how they work to emulate a fictional style, and cite specific examples from the book.

The book discusses two women who played key roles in Gordievsky’s story. Veronica Price was the MI6 agent who devised Operation PIMLICO, the escape plan for Gordievsky, and Eliza Manningham-Buller was part of the team who rooted out the would-be spy Michael Bettaney. Identify another woman who made a significant contribution to British intelligence (either MI5 or MI6). Who was she, and what did she do that is noteworthy? Discuss any specific skills she possessed that helped her accomplish her task, any barriers she had to overcome, and why you think she was successful.