Last Updated on May 6, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Something went wrong. He travels widely on assignment, usually to jungles, mountains, remote islands, and swamps. The Soul of Viktor Tronko [Quammen, David] on Amazon.com.au. Books. Preparing. Before Kessler can arrive at some extremely unsettling conclusions with far-reaching implications, however, his sources are murdered--and his life is threatened. One of those books that the listener/reader becomes sad that it's finished! This could be the biggest story of his life…if it doesn’t kill him first. *FREE* shipping on eligible orders. Almost two decades later, former CIA officer Mel Pokorny shows up at journalist Michael Kessler’s house and offers to talk about Tronko. Convinced that Tronko was working as a disinformation… Hello, Sign in. Please try again. Inspired by a real-life molehunt at the CIA during the 1960s, David Quammen's The Soul of Viktor Tronko is an overlooked gem of the Cold War spy genre and one now getting the chance to see the light of day once more. When Soviet agent Viktor Tronko defected to the US in 1964, he made two intriguing claims: he insisted that Russia had not placed a mole inside the CIA, and that Lee Harvey Oswald had not been recruited to assassinate the president. Maybe the second-greatest spy novel ever written, Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2020. The Soul of Viktor Tronko: Naramore, Mikael, Quammen, David: Amazon.sg: Books. There, he meets with Claude Sparrow, the disgraced former CIA Director of Counterintelligence, who places Tronko at the heart of a stunning story laced with the poisons of a high-level CIA penetration and a Russian disinformation campaign to protect their mole and wipe out any suspicion about a KGB link with Lee Harvey Oswald. Hello, Sign in. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It’s the scoop of a lifetime for Kessler. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. In this astonishing effort, Quammen looks the great man in the eye. This is a read for initiated spy story junkies (and I found it pretty amazing that such a book comes from an author who's not a specialist of the genre); if you are one, you are likely to enjoy The Soul of Viktor Tronko, despite - and maybe because of - its slow pace and cerebral plot. ©2021 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. We’ve discounted annual subscriptions by 50% for COVID-19 relief—Join Now. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. Not to mention where, in many ways, the genre came into its own in stories about dubious allegiances and 'moles' burrowed deep into agencies. the soul of viktor tronko by David Quammen ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 5, 1987 From the author of The Zolta Configuration (1983), another stylish if slow-paced spy thriller distinguished by its authentic detail. It's a very interesting and complicated book. Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. Kessler’s old friend is murdered and the veteran reporter leaves his budding love interest Nora Walsh and his job for a trip to Washington, D.C. Skip to main content.ca Hello, Sign in. Read this now. But Tronko had one more surprise for them: he refused to break. His latest spy thriller comes complete with such delectable morsels as the latest Russian fashion in spectacles and the layout of the third floor of the KGB’s Lubyanka building. By Mikael Naramore (narrator) and David Quammen. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. The story is about conversations and disinformation (lies, lies, lies). Suspense. Please try your request again later. Therefore it is impossible to decide if Viktor Tronko is a Russian defector or a double agent. Thrillers. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. Therefore it is impossible to decide if Viktor Tronko is a Russian defector or a double agent. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. The Soul of Viktor Tronko Taking a break, … Filled with fascinating characters and darkly delicious humor, The Soul of Viktor Tronko is a rich, suspenseful espionage saga inspired by a true story. Account & Lists Sign in Account & Lists Returns & Orders. The journalist is attracted to the case by the tantalizing promise that there is or might be a link between Tronko and the Kennedy assassination, or between Tronko and a traitor within the CIA. Therefore it is impossible to decide if Viktor Tronko is a Russian defector or a double agent. Crime Thriller. Arrives. Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Convinced that Tronko was working as a disinformation agent, the CIA furiously did everything they could to break him. The Soul of Viktor Tronko: Library Edition. The Soul of Viktor Tronko; By: David Quammen; Narrated by: Mikael Naramore; Length: 17 hrs and 2 mins Categories: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Mystery Amazon.com: The Soul of Viktor Tronko (Audible Audio Edition): David Quammen, Mikael Naramore, Brilliance Audio: Audible Audiobooks The agents talk because they are bitter and unsatisfied, so their reports are tainted. To my knowledge, David Quammen has never written anything espionage-related since. Cart All. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Filled with fascinating characters and darkly delicious humor, The Soul of Viktor Tronko is a rich, Filled with fascinating characters and darkly delicious humor, The Soul of Viktor Tronko is a rich, suspenseful espionage saga inspired by a true story. There's Jimi Hendrix, then there's everybody else; there's John le Carre, then everybody else. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2018. Victor Tronko--Another Gem from Nancy Pearl's Book Lust List, Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2015. ‎When Soviet agent Viktor Tronko defected to the US in 1964, he made two intriguing claims: he insisted that Russia had not placed a mole inside the CIA, and that Lee Harvey Oswald had not been recruited to assassinate the president. THE SOUL OF VIKTOR TRONKO fascinates not just because of its finely woven plot and dash of Athol Fugard and Alexander Pushkin but also because of Quammen’s mastering of his background. Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2016. The story gain plausibility by the interjection of factual events reported by the media and biographical writings. Bravo! After a surprise visit from an old friend and former CIA agent, hero Michael Kessler finds himself investigating the story of Viktor Tronko, a mysterious defector from Russia. A three-time National Magazine Award winner, he is a contributing writer for National Geographic and has written also for Harper’s, Outside, Esquire, The Atlantic, Powder, and Rolling Stone. Pokorny speaks of Viktor Tronko, a KGB Colonel who defected to the CIA in 1964: despite three years of torture, Tronko stuck to a tale implicating the Soviets in the JFK assassination—and denied the penetration of any top Soviet mole into the CIA. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Soul of Viktor Tronko by David Quammen (1987, Hardcover) at the best online prices at eBay! Filled with fascinating characters and darkly delicious humor, The Soul of Viktor Tronko is a rich, suspenseful espionage saga inspired by a true story. The Soul of Viktor Tronko. Already a member? Maybe he knew he'd never top this. It's a book where you have to pay attention. I would give five stars but some of his conversations were very long in one chapter. In fact, the experience of listening was so appealing I carried my Fire with me just about everywhere. When Soviet agent Viktor Tronko defected to the US in 1964, he made two intriguing claims: he insisted that Russia had not placed a mole inside the CIA, and that Lee Harvey Oswald had not been recruited to assassinate the president. Then there are three or four versions of this truth which are lies.It was confusing at times believing one thing then finding out it is a lie. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. All categories. The story is upsetting--and unfinished. Prime Cart. A truly engaging espionage tale of a Russian defector who could have walked right out of the very best novels of Robert Littell and John le Carre. The Soul of Viktor Tronko: Quammen, David, Pearl, Nancy: 9781477826119: Books - Amazon.ca. The Soul of Viktor Tronko: Quammen, David, Naramore, Mikael: 0889290330406: Books - Amazon.ca Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Store. David Quammen is the author of a dozen fiction and nonfiction books, including Blood Line and The Song of the Dodo. The shadowy conflict where spies were the front line, in many ways, stretched across nearly half a century. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Therefore it is impossible to decide if Viktor Tronko is a Russian defector or a double agent. You are reading what you think is true but it is a lie. Good writing and very visual. Publisher: Brilliance Audio Released: Sep 16, 2014 ISBN: 9781491578728 Format: Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2009. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for The Soul of Viktor Tronko at Amazon.com. Hello Select your address Best Sellers Today's Deals Gift Ideas Electronics Customer Service Books New Releases Home Computers Gift Cards Coupons Sell Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Convinced that Tronko was working as a disinformation agent, the CIA furiously did everything they could to break him. Product Details About the Author Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. The Cold War holds a special place in the annals of spy fiction. Buy The Soul of Viktor Tronko by Quammen, David (ISBN: 9780385195966) from Amazon's Book Store. And it offers an alternate and plausible explanation for much that went on in the CIA during the 60's and 70's. It is excellent, but it needs smart and patient readers to keep up with tiny bits of information lost in a lot of disinformation. ‎When Soviet agent Viktor Tronko defected to the US in 1964, he made two intriguing claims: he insisted that Russia had not placed a mole inside the CIA, and that Lee Harvey Oswald had not been recruited to assassinate the president. Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. Free shipping for many products! Store. Word Count: 275. I read it on Kindle. AbeBooks.com: Soul of Viktor Tronko, The (Nancy Pearl's Book Lust Rediscoveries) (9781491578575) by David Quammen and a great selection of similar New, Used … Convinced that Tronko was working as a disinformation… The journalist is attracted to the case by the tantalizing promise that there is or might be a link between Tronko and the Kennedy assassination, or between Tronko and a traitor within the CIA. A beautifully complex intellectual puzzle. Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. Preparing. Please try again. Hello Select your address All Hello, Sign in. The Soul of Viktor Tronko: Quammen, David: Amazon.sg: Books. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. This gem from 1987 - I read a lot of spy novels, and I'd never heard of it until two months ago - can stand as a worthy runner-up. The many cameo appearances by real persons from the global world of intrigue are skillfully handled and help create the book’s flavorful mixture of the real and the imaginative. Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic, Monster of God: The Man-Eating Predator in the Jungles of History and the Mind, The Tangled Tree: A Radical New History of Life, The Chimp and the River: How AIDS Emerged from an African Forest, Ebola: The Natural and Human History of a Deadly Virus, The Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction. Price. The Soul of Viktor Tronko (Nancy Pearl's Book Lust Rediscoveries), Audio CD – Unabridged, September 16, 2014, Brilliance Audio; Unabridged edition (September 16, 2014). I listened to the audio version and thus can commend the power of the narrator as well. Account & Lists Account Returns & Orders. Interesting fictional account of espionage subterfuge adopted by both USA and Russia sides, during the Cold War period. The characters are believably drawn. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Log in here. If you are looking for a more complex spy novel than Le Carre can write, you got to read this. Cart All. Find books like The Soul of Viktor Tronko from the world’s largest community of readers. By David Quammen and Mikael Naramore (narrator) Price. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. John le Carre's name is forever being tossed around in blurbs, the effect being to underscore how towering a figure he is. But the more he investigates, the closer he gets to the truth: a truth so shocking that someone would do anything to keep it under wraps. Read More. Skip to main content.sg. He has to learn a dangerous lesson, vividly painted, about superpower intrigue: In Quammen’s post-Watergate America, no less disturbing than Russian ruthlessness are tortuous CIA methods of interrogation (Tronko is confined for three years in an empty concrete cell) and the dubious ethics of American covert actions. When Soviet agent Viktor Tronko defected to the US in 1964, he made two intriguing claims: he insisted that Russia had not placed a mole inside the CIA, and that Lee Harvey Oswald had not been recruited to assassinate the president. Try A good story though. Try Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2021. GENRE Crime & Thrillers Spillover, his most recent book, was shortlisted for several major awards. If you are a fan of James Bond stories, kiss-kiss bang-bang et similia, you better stay away from this. AbeBooks.com: The Soul of Viktor Tronko (Nancy Pearl's Book Lust Rediscoveries) (9781477826119) by Quammen, David and a great selection of similar New, Used and … After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. The hero is a journalist who tries to get to the truth by interviewing retired CIA agents. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. David Quammen (born February 24, 1948) is an American science, nature, and travel writer and the author of fifteen books. THE SOUL OF VIKTOR TRONKO fascinates not just because of its finely woven plot and dash of Athol Fugard and Alexander Pushkin but also because of Quammen’s mastering of his background. His articles have also appeared in National Geographic, … Spy novelists are like rock guitarists. Arrives. It is not humanly possible to write a better book than "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy." Unable to add item to List. For 15 years he wrote a column called "Natural Acts" for Outside magazine. Try. Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2015. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Skip to main content.sg. 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