True Spies Debriefs: Tim Tate on the Spycatcher Scandal

In 'Spycatcher', Peter Wright provides a candid account of his career in MI5, including his work on counterintelligence and his efforts to unmask Soviet moles within the British intelligence community. The book alleges significant wrongdoing and unethical practices within MI5 and MI6, such as plots against Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson and the attempted assassination of President Nasser during the Suez Crisis. Wright also discusses the history of MI5, its principal officers, and various intelligence techniques. The book gained notoriety due to the British government's attempts to suppress its publication, leading to a significant legal battle and public interest in the book's revelations.

Published in 1911, 'Under Western Eyes' is a literary historical fiction novel that delves into the complexities of Russian politics and the moral struggles of its protagonist, Kyrilo Sidorovitch Razumov. The story begins in St. Petersburg where Razumov, a quiet and conscientious student, is forced to hide Victor Haldin, a revolutionary who has just assassinated a government official. Razumov's decision to betray Haldin leads him into a web of espionage and moral conflict. The novel explores themes of betrayal, revolution, and the impact of autocracy on ordinary people, all through the eyes of an English narrator who reflects on the events from Geneva. Conrad's work is often seen as a thematic response to Dostoevsky's 'Crime and Punishment' and is praised for its deep exploration of human psychology and political turmoil.