TRIGGERnometry Hero or Traitor: The Story of George Blake with Simon Kuper
Feb 3, 2021
Simon Kuper, a Financial Times journalist and author of "The Happy Traitor," delves into the life of George Blake, a British spy who became a KGB double agent. The conversation explores Blake's moral complexity, from his transformation under communism to the tragic irony of his legacy. They discuss his controversial sentencing, his audacious prison escape, and the ideology that drew him to defect. Kuper highlights the lessons from Blake's experiences, emphasizing the necessity of pragmatism in politics and the shifting landscape of modern espionage.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Kuper's Interest in Blake
- Simon Kuper's interest in George Blake began 20 years prior to writing the book after reading an article about Blake's escape to Moscow.
- Kuper, also of British-Dutch origin, felt a connection to Blake and eventually interviewed him in Moscow.
Blake's Double Life
- George Blake, despite his mild-mannered exterior, possessed a thrill for secrecy and adventure, evident in his childhood fondness for acting and dressing up.
- This inclination, combined with his idealism, led him to join the Dutch resistance as a courier during WWII.
Conversion to Communism
- While imprisoned in North Korea, Blake's only reading material was communist literature, leading to his conversion.
- A British consul's agreement with Marx's ideas further solidified Blake's communist beliefs.
