Deep Undercover

My Secret Life and Tangled Allegiances as a KGB Spy in America

By: Jack Barsky, Cindy Coloma

Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby

Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's Summary

One decision can end everything...or lead to unlikely redemption.

Millions watched the CBS 60 Minutes special on Jack Barsky in 2015. Now, in this fascinating memoir, the Soviet KGB agent tells his story of gut-wrenching choices, appalling betrayals, his turbulent inner world, and the secret life he lived for years without getting caught.

On October 8, 1978, a Canadian national by the name of William Dyson stepped off a plane at O'Hare International Airport and proceeded toward customs and immigration.

Two days later, William Dyson ceased to exist.

The identity was a KGB forgery, used to get one of their own - a young, ambitious East German agent - into the United States.

The plan succeeded, and the spy's new identity was born: Jack Barsky. He would work undercover for the next decade, carrying out secret operations during the Cold War years - until a surprising shift in his allegiance challenged everything he thought he believed.

Deep Undercover reveals the secret life of this man without a country and tells the story no one ever expected him to tell.

©2017 Jack Barsky (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Amazing

Loved it. The ending is so good. Definitely listen at 1.5x or 2x speed. Reader is way too slow.

interesting life story

The narrator was very good, and kept my attention throughout the book as he read.

The story itself, was intriguing. A man born in East Germany who became a KGB spy. He describes himself as self-sufficient, a fairly harsh and cold upbringing, and a casual way of looking at people throughout his lifetime.

The author, would like you to believe that he is now fully American. He even became a born-again Christian. Which is wonderful, if this is true. Like with all stories, especially Memoirs of this ilk I am more of a trust but verify type of person. I hope he is a Christian. I hope he has come to love America. But who knows truly but himself and even our government.

He tells of him coming over here in establishing his credentials. He went to school here even as he tried to keep a family and East Germany. The wall fell and he decided to stay here with his new family.

This is a good read, and I am sure there are many truth elements in there, but it makes me uneasy that if there is one there must be many more.

I do recommend this book.

Outstanding

Loved this true story. I couldn't stop listening. I definitely recommend you give this book a chance

Very interesting story, well read.

Fascinating story of a life lived in parallel time to my own, but completely different. Raised in East Germany after the War, this brilliant young boy finds a pathway to success in a most unusual way: by agreeing to be a spy. Lots of twists and turns. And a surprising ending.

Not as much detail as expected

I was hoping for a lot more adventure and descriptions of the KGB and his story of operations. This book was heavily focused on his personal life. Although interesting. I was really hoping for operations and adventure.
Still good.

I listened to this crap so you don't have to

Please save yourself hours of your life instead of wasting it on this. If you're looking for something thrilling (think The Americans, Homeland or The Bureau), this is absolutely not it. You won't even find any significant spy tradecraft. Long story short, nothing interesting happens. For all intents and purposes, it's the story of a KGB agent who infiltrates the USA (kinda) but achieves nothing. You've been warned.

good until end

i loved this book untill it came to the religious part. it felt like he was preaching the word of god instead of finishing a spy story.

Loved it!

A very fascinating inspiring story and well done audio book. Couldn't stop listening. Loved it!

setup to be prostilitized

beginning and middle of the book are good. the end is very unrelated and preechy.

Interesting story of an unusual man.

This book is worth checking out! Fair warning, it gets a little preachy towards the end, but this man led a very interesting life.

Factual and human

This honest retelling of a man's journey out of the GDR and into the American dream is fascinating. There is little to no political bias and if opinion is given, it is well labelled as such. I felt the book hit a low point in the last few chapters after the author received his religious revelation and then went on to lecture the reader on how loving Jesus is the only way. Could have done without that.

Amazing real-life Spy Story

It was an amazing real-life Spy story. I was amazed that there was nothing common with James Bond and other Hollywood Spy productions.

Fascinating story, mediocre narration

I decided to buy the audiobook after watching several interviews with the author. The book did not disappoint, it’s a fascinating and very detailed story of an extraordinary life and does not have a single dull moment in it, although I personally could have done without the author‘s explanations of why he turned to Christianity in the end.
The only let-down is the narrator. In a biography that is 30% set in Germany, the incorrect and often unintelligible pronunication of German places, names (incl. the author‘s own) and expressions is very annoying and distracting. It‘s a shame the book isn’t narrated by the author himself.

👍 great book and in depth perspective of Jack

great book and in depth perspective of Jack Barsky life and relational. The hjman element exposed honestly and without policitical bias

Brilliant book

I loved how it showed the perspective of a innocent criminal who wanted a loving life

Highly recommend

Enjoyed it very much.

Well written, understandable language. Interesting story that sucks you in very quickly. I'd recommend even to people who aren't necessarily interested in this topic, because it was a pleasure to listen.