Best of Enemies

The Last Great Spy Story of the Cold War

De: Gus Russo, Eric Dezenhall

Narrado por: Robert Petkoff

The thrilling story of two Cold War spies, CIA case officer Jack Platt and KGB agent Gennady Vasilenko -- improbable friends at a time when they should have been anything but.

In 1978, CIA maverick Jack Platt and KGB agent Gennady Vasilenko were new arrivals on the Washington, DC intelligence scene, with Jack working out of the CIA's counterintelligence office and Gennady out of the Soviet Embassy. Both men, already notorious iconoclasts within their respective agencies, were assigned to seduce the other into betraying his country in the urgent final days of the Cold War, but instead the men ended up becoming the best of friends-blood brothers. Theirs is a friendship that never should have happened, and their story is chock full of treachery, darkly comic misunderstandings, bureaucratic inanity, the Russian Mafia, and landmark intelligence breakthroughs of the past half century.

In Best of Enemies, two espionage cowboys reveal how they became key behind-the-scenes players in solving some of the most celebrated spy stories of the twentieth century, including the crucial discovery of the Soviet mole Robert Hanssen, the 2010 Spy Swap which freed Gennady from Soviet imprisonment, and how Robert De Niro played a real-life role in helping Gennady stay alive during his incarceration in Russia after being falsely accused of spying for the Americans. Through their eyes, we see the distinctions between the Russian and American methods of conducting espionage and the painful birth of the new Russia, whose leader, Vladimir Putin, dreams he can roll back to the ideals of the old USSR.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Fast paced and lively."—The New York Times

"This strange, exciting and intriguing tale, laced with international derring-do and extreme personal sacrifice, is destined to become a Cold War classic."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; text-align: center; font: 12.0px Arial}John Douglas and Mark Olshaker, #1 New York Times bestselling authors of Mindhunter and Law & Disorder

"This book is crucial for anyone who wants to understand espionage or the Cold War."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial}James Grady, New York Times bestselling author of Six Days of the Condor

"If John le Carré wrote nonfiction and was a great reporter, BEST OF ENEMIES would be the result."—Laurence Leamer, New York Times bestselling author of The Kennedy Women

"It's not often you come across a book that's engrossing, topical and instructive; BEST OF ENEMIES is all of those things, and then some. Empathy is never easy -- as this book makes abundantly clear -- but if there were more of it in the world today, we'd all be better off. A must read."—Ian Bremmer, bestselling author of Us vs. Them, Superpower, and The J Curve

"BEST OF ENEMIES is a knockout thriller about one of the great yarns in international espionage: how an American CIA agent and a Russian KGB agent wound up on the same side. You have to read it to believe it."—Tom Brokaw

"BEST OF ENEMIES is a riveting spy thriller and love story -- and best of all, it is a true one! The incredible tale of the deep and enduring friendship of CIA legend 'Cowboy' Jack Platt and charismatic KGB spy Gennady Vasilenko frames a mesmerizing journey thorugh the Cold War that did more than entertain me -- it also gave me more insight into the intelligence world in the US and Russia than anything else I have read."—Norman Ornstein, resident scholar, American Enterprise Institute

"Cowboys and commies -- sworn adversaries Jack (CIA) and Gennady (KGB) save each other's lives and become the best of friends. Guns, girls, and gulags -- and the iconic Robert De Niro in a real-life role -- delivered by two of Washington's most savvy insiders -- Eric Dezenhall and Gus Russo."—p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; line-height: 17.0px; font: 14.7px Helvetica; color: #212121; -webkit-text-stroke: #212121; background-color: #ffffff}span.s1 {font-kerning: none}Richard Ben-Veniste, Watergate Special Prosecutor, Member 9/11 Commission

thank you both for your service and humanity.

One of best telling of tje cold war and what can happen when real people with integrity believe in each in each other.
"
slowly slowly catchy monkey

Friendship against all odds

What a gripping historical narrative, but very much more so, a story of friendship against all odds. This spy caper is unique among all; its message is about the highest of humanity despite the omnipresence of the lowest, too.

Great spy book, I loved it

I could not stop listening to this audio book. It is the most factual and believable history of the CIA and KGB I have ever seen.

Awesome read

What a great story! Very riveting, and the narrator really brings life to this interesting yet dark time in Russia/US history. Thank you for writing it. Bravo!

Really moving and powerful story

Liked - great story and a good performance.
Disliked - bit more foul (unnecessary) language than I’d like

great story

awesome friendship story and true great times. mind blowing and interesting to hear it all unfold.

An Expertly Performed Song of the Unsung Heroes

For the unsung heroes acknowledged solemnly by the stars on the wall at Langley, Best of Enemies is a Russo and Dezenhall composition of gritty and glamorous spycraft playing as background to a concert that calmed the Cold War from going nuclear. Few reviews will adequately capture the fascinating lives of this intimate recounting of patriots improvising against personal risks to save the lives of millions.

Compelling , interesting, and well-performed

I thoroughly enjoyed this look into the espionage world. It's detailed, engaging, well-researched, and balanced in it's presentation of differing theories where facts are not fully available. Ultimately, it's a story about how two people can have a deep and abiding friendship despite the fact that they not only disagree politically, but are spies for enemy countries. Content warning: Contains descriptions of torture, profanity, and allusions to sexual activity. It's not appropriate for kids, but is well worth the listen for adults.

Truth is stranger than fiction

This is a most extraordinary story of a friendship that survived horrific torture and two barely functional spy agencies.

Great story from the author who learned what Oswald was up to in Mexico City

This true story about the jaw dropping "you must be kidding" friendship of two no nonsense intel operatives-Jack Pratt-a flamboyant, former US Marine CIA officer and Yenaddy Vasilenko-a Siberian bear wrestling, vodka drinker who both like disrupting the stuffy status quo is set against the backdrop of US vs Soviet espionage in the 70's, 80's and 90's. It's great listening content as good as 5 slices of classic New York Pizza with the works on an empty stomach with cold beer. This is an unusual but great friendship chronicle from the same author-Gus Russo- who learned what Oswald was up to in Mexico City seven weeks before the JFK Assassination. It spans from Washington DC, Guyana and the Soviet's Lefortovo prison as it covers villains, vindictive bureaucrats and super traitors Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen and the trail of bodies they left behind.