The Virgin's Spy

Download The Virgin's Spy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Ballantine Books
ISBN 13 : 0804179395
Total Pages : 368 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (41 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Virgin's Spy by : Laura Andersen

Download or read book The Virgin's Spy written by Laura Andersen and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2015-11-10 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Perfect for fans of Philippa Gregory and Alison Weir, The Virgin’s Spy is award-winning author Laura Andersen’s second novel about the next generation of Tudor royals—a mesmerizing historical novel filled with rich period detail, vividly drawn characters, and all the glamour and seduction of the fabled Tudor court. Queen Elizabeth I remains sovereign of England and Ireland. For the moment, at least. An Irish rebellion is growing and Catholic Spain, led by the Queen’s former husband, King Philip, plans to seize advantage of the turmoil. Stephen Courtenay, eldest son of Dominic and Minuette, Elizabeth’s most trusted confidantes, has accepted a command in Ireland to quell the unrest. But the task will prove dangerous in more ways than one. The Princess of Wales, Elizabeth’s daughter, Anabel, looks to play a greater role in her nation, ever mindful that there is only one Queen of England. But how is Anabel to one day rule a country when she cannot even govern her own heart? Praise for The Virgin’s Spy “Andersen delivers another dramatic thriller complete with spies, battles, ruthless villains and twists on historical events that draw the reader deeply into the lives of her characters. There is magic here, and Andersen’s fantastic storytelling will keep readers coming back for more.”—RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars, Top Pick!) Find your next book club pick, read special features, and more. Join the Random House Reader’s Circle.

The Virgin Spy: Stories

Download The Virgin Spy: Stories PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : D & M Publishers
ISBN 13 : 9781553651628
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (516 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Virgin Spy: Stories by : Krista Bridge

Download or read book The Virgin Spy: Stories written by Krista Bridge and published by D & M Publishers. This book was released on 2012-01-06 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From a young atheist who hopes to catch the goodness of the Christian boy she dates, to a girl who decides to have her first sexual experience with a much older man whom she finds both erotic and repellent, the protagonists in Krista Bridge’s subtle and resonant stories confront the elusiveness of true connection and the inevitability of restlessness and dissatisfaction. These stories have at their centre the unsettling dynamics of family, the tenderness and cruelty of romance and friendship, and the troubling ties by which we are bound to each other. Like the people who populate them, these stories are by turns moody and introspective, sad and funny, and all are steeped in the longing that defines our search for that archetypal home. Most importantly, they reveal a writer with a beguiling sensibility, uncommon insight and a voice of promise.

The Virgin's War

Download The Virgin's War PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Ballantine Books
ISBN 13 : 0804179409
Total Pages : 385 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (41 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Virgin's War by : Laura Andersen

Download or read book The Virgin's War written by Laura Andersen and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2016-07-12 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The gripping conclusion to the Tudor Legacy trilogy that brings to life the drama and intrigue of Queen Elizabeth I; her daughter, Anabel, the Princess of Wales; and two countries locked in a battle for the ages. “If you can’t manage with HBO’s Game of Thrones, [then] this Shakespearean-era fantasy may be your cup of tea.”—New York Post As the Spanish Armada approaches Irish shores, Elizabeth I feels the full burden of her royal office. She must not let England fall to her former husband, King Philip of Spain. And Princess Anabel, their daughter, has yet to declare with whom her allegiance—and her support—lie. Exiled Stephen Courtenay is in France with his brother, Kit, who has his own reasons for avoiding England. But rumblings of war, a sinister plot, and their loyalty to the crown call them home. Yet not even Pippa Courtenay, their sister, gifted with divine sight, can foresee the grave danger that awaits them all. As Queen Elizabeth commits her riches, her honor, and her people to the approaching conflict, she will risk everything—even her life—to preserve England’s freedom. Don’t miss any of Laura Andersen’s captivating Tudor Legacy trilogy: THE VIRGIN’S DAUGHTER • THE VIRGIN’S SPY • THE VIRGIN’S WAR

The Virgin's Spy

Download The Virgin's Spy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Ballantine Books
ISBN 13 : 0804179387
Total Pages : 369 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (41 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Virgin's Spy by : Laura Andersen

Download or read book The Virgin's Spy written by Laura Andersen and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2015-11-10 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A mesmerizing historical novel about the next generation of Tudor royals, filled with rich period detail, vividly drawn characters, and all the glamour and seduction of the fabled Tudor court—the second installation of the Tudor Legacy trilogy “Fantastic . . . [A] dramatic thriller complete with spies, battles, ruthless villains, and twists on historical events.”—RT Book Reviews Queen Elizabeth I remains sovereign of England and Ireland. For the moment, at least. An Irish rebellion is growing and Catholic Spain, led by the Queen’s former husband, King Philip, plans to seize advantage of the turmoil. Stephen Courtenay, eldest son of Dominic and Minuette, Elizabeth’s most trusted confidantes, has accepted a command in Ireland to quell the unrest. But the task will prove dangerous in more ways than one. The Princess of Wales, Elizabeth’s daughter, Anabel, looks to play a greater role in her nation, ever mindful that there is only one Queen of England. But how is Anabel to one day rule a country when she cannot even govern her own heart? Don’t miss any of Laura Andersen’s captivating Tudor Legacy trilogy: THE VIRGIN’S DAUGHTER • THE VIRGIN’S SPY • THE VIRGIN’S WAR

The Scarlet Spy

Download The Scarlet Spy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Forever
ISBN 13 : 0446543055
Total Pages : 223 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (465 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Scarlet Spy by : Andrea Pickens

Download or read book The Scarlet Spy written by Andrea Pickens and published by Forever. This book was released on 2008-10-01 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: They were once orphans from London's roughest slums. Now they are stuidents of Mrs. Merlin's Academy for Select Young Ladies, learning the techniques of spying and seduction. Bold, beautiful, and oh-so-dangerous, they are England's ultimate secret weapons... The most ladylike of "Merlin's Maidens," Sofia possesses a natural grace and grandeur to go along with her deadly arsenal of martial skills--which makes her the perfect choice for a dangerous assignment to investigate rumors of government corruption. She must spin through the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair and the sinister back alleys of the city in search of the truth. One misstep on her part could prove fatal as she works to unravel the tangled web of deceit...but keeping the sinfully sexy Deverill Osborne at arm's length is a real test of her mettle. Handsome, witty and charming, Osborne is the darling of the ton. So when he is asked by the Marquess of Lynsley to introduce a lovely young Italian contessa into Society, he is only too happy to oblige...however he soon has suspicions about the contessa. When he catches her stealing valuables from a gentleman's study, should he believe the worst? Or should he trust the tantalizing murmur of her words...and the sultry, sensuous whispers of her body. To unmask the conspirators, Sofia and Osborne will overcome hidden dangers, including their own growing passion...which may be the most dangerous force of all.

The Virgin's Daughter

Download The Virgin's Daughter PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : National Geographic Books
ISBN 13 : 0804179360
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (41 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Virgin's Daughter by : Laura Andersen

Download or read book The Virgin's Daughter written by Laura Andersen and published by National Geographic Books. This book was released on 2015-05-26 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A captivating historical novel that poses the thrilling question: What if Elizabeth I, the celebrated Virgin Queen, gave birth a legitimate heir?—the first installation of the Tudor Legacy trilogy “[Laura] Andersen brilliantly blends the history and historical characters we know into her wondrous new world.”—RT Book Reviews Since the death of her brother, William, Elizabeth I has ruled England. She’s made the necessary alliances, married Philip of Spain, and produced a successor: her only daughter, Anne Isabella, Princess of Wales. Elizabeth knows that her beloved Anabel will be a political pawn across Europe unless she can convince Philip to grant her a divorce, freeing him to remarry and give Spain its own heir. But the enemies of England have even greater plans for the princess, a plot that will put Anabel’s very life and the security of the nation in peril. Only those closest to Elizabeth—her longtime confidante Minuette, her advisor and friend Dominic, and the couple’s grown children—can be trusted to carry forth a most delicate and dangerous mission. Yet, all of the queen’s maneuverings may ultimately prove her undoing. Don’t miss any of Laura Andersen’s captivating Tudor Legacy trilogy: THE VIRGIN’S DAUGHTER • THE VIRGIN’S SPY • THE VIRGIN’S WAR

Seducing the Spy

Download Seducing the Spy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN 13 : 1429901896
Total Pages : 352 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (299 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Seducing the Spy by : Celeste Bradley

Download or read book Seducing the Spy written by Celeste Bradley and published by St. Martin's Paperbacks. This book was released on 2007-04-01 with total page 352 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Elite spies, secret defenders of the king, The Royal Four are unsurpassed in courage, honor, and daring. Known to his brothers-in-arms as The Falcon, Lord Wyndham is the most secretive and aloof of the four. But when The Falcon meets the impetuous Lady Alicia, he discovers a soul mate whose hidden fire matches his own... SEDUCING THE SPYLady Alicia Lawrence was cast out of polite society and branded a liar for a youthful mistake. When she overhears details of a conspiracy that could affect her country's fate, she turns to the one person who might believe her—Stanton Horne, Lord Wyndham. Posing as Wyndham's mistress in order to root out the enemy, Alicia is drawn into an uneasy partnership...and a wildly seductive liaison. Lord Wyndham's uncanny ability to detect lies has made him a valuable member of the Royal Four, but in matters of romance it has proven a distinct liability. Alicia is the only woman whose thoughts he cannot read...and the only one whose sensual touch quenches every secret desire. As the mission grows more dangerous and more personal, and each encounter with Alicia more fiery than the last, this daring spy must face his greatest challenge yet—learn to trust the passion in his heart...

Another First Time

Download Another First Time PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Barbarianspy
ISBN 13 : 9781925190816
Total Pages : 134 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (98 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Another First Time by : Habu

Download or read book Another First Time written by Habu and published by Barbarianspy. This book was released on 2016-05-07 with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Young college grad Trent Wilson has passed his vetting into the CIA and gone into basic training in the belief that his deep-seated desire for other men and his brief and tentative experimentation have not been uncovered. What he doesn't know is that the Agency has a use for men who can suborn other men with their physical attributes and perpetual aspect of innocence that the spy agency recruiters have seen in Trent. Blackmailing Trent into working with a unit of spies using man sex to trap and compromise foreign targets into providing information and actions the Agency seeks, his Agency handler, Maurice, covers and masters Trent and then pulls him into the role of convincing targets across the world who seek to deflower virgins-in Bermuda, England, Austria, Turkey, Greek, and, ultimately, Macao-that Trent is what they want and is the virgin they will give up all to initiate. But as Trent becomes very good at this and even to enjoy it and seek it out, Maurice sees that he increasingly is losing control over his protege and makes plans of his own to put an end to Trent's use in these operations."

Rogue Spy

Download Rogue Spy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 1101625600
Total Pages : 338 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (16 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Rogue Spy by : Joanna Bourne

Download or read book Rogue Spy written by Joanna Bourne and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2014-11-04 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ~Chosen as one of Library Journal's Best Romances of 2014~ For years he’d lived a lie. It was time to tell the truth . . . even if it cost him the woman he loved. Ten years ago he was a boy, given the name Thomas Paxton and sent by Revolutionary France to infiltrate the British Intelligence Service. Now his sense of honor brings him back to London, alone and unarmed, to confess. But instead of facing the gallows, he’s given one last impossible assignment to prove his loyalty. Lovely, lying, former French spy Camille Leyland is dragged from her safe rural obscurity by threats and blackmail. Dusting off her spy skills, she sets out to track down a ruthless French fanatic and rescue the innocent victim he’s holding—only to find an old colleague already on the case. Pax. Old friendship turns to new love, and as Pax and Camille’s dark secrets loom up from the past, Pax is left with a choice—go rogue from the Service or lose Camille forever…

War Virgin

Download War Virgin PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780692766934
Total Pages : 428 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (669 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis War Virgin by : Laura Westley

Download or read book War Virgin written by Laura Westley and published by . This book was released on 2016-08-31 with total page 428 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ON MARCH 21, 2003, Army Lieutenant and West Point graduate Laura Westley invaded liberated Iraq (the Army prohibited using the word "invasion") with the full intention of keeping her virginity securely intact. For twenty-four years, she had obeyed the strict teachings of evangelical Christianity and kept her legs closed, vowing to preserve her purity for her future husband. Being at war, however, made her realize that adhering to strict religious principles perhaps wasn't worth it, not when bombs, RPGs and gunfire constantly threaten to cut your life short. WAR VIRGIN is a coming-of-age memoir that chronicles Laura's journey through repression, temptation, and ultimately, liberation. This "war story" describes a woman's battle to discover, protect and own her unique identity. No veteran or West Point graduate has ever offered such a candid, irreverent look at the comically naughty, sexually charged underbelly of the military.

Lord and Lady Spy

Download Lord and Lady Spy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Sourcebooks, Inc.
ISBN 13 : 1402259077
Total Pages : 385 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (22 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Lord and Lady Spy by : Shana Galen

Download or read book Lord and Lady Spy written by Shana Galen and published by Sourcebooks, Inc.. This book was released on 2011 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Now that the Napoleonic wars have ended, daring secret agent Lady Sophia Smythe must return to her tedious husband, Lord Adrian Smythe, who she may find has a few secrets of his own.

A Time to Betray

Download A Time to Betray PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1439189684
Total Pages : 338 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (391 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Time to Betray by : Reza Kahlili

Download or read book A Time to Betray written by Reza Kahlili and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2013-02-12 with total page 338 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A true story as exhilarating as a great spy thriller, as turbulent as today’s headlines from the Middle East, A Time to Betray reveals what no other previous CIA operative’s memoir possibly could: the inner workings of the notorious Revolutionary Guards of Iran, as witnessed by an Iranian man inside their ranks who spied for the American government. It is a human story, a chronicle of family and friendships torn apart by a terror-mongering regime, and how the adult choices of three childhood mates during the Islamic Republic yielded divisive and tragic fates. And it is the stunningly courageous account of one man’s decades-long commitment to lead a shocking double life informing on the beloved country of his birth, a place that once offered the promise of freedom and enlightenment—but instead ruled by murderous violence and spirit-crushing oppression. Reza Kahlili grew up in Tehran surrounded by his close-knit family and two spirited boyhood friends. The Iran of his youth allowed Reza to think and act freely, and even indulge a penchant for rebellious pranks in the face of the local mullahs. His political and personal freedoms flourished while he studied computer science at the University of Southern California in the 1970s. But his carefree time in America was cut short with the sudden death of his father, and Reza returned home to find a country on the cusp of change. The revolution of 1979 plunged Iran into a dark age of religious fundamentalism under the Ayatollah Khomeini, and Reza, clinging to the hope of a Persian Renaissance, joined the Revolutionary Guards, an elite force at the beck and call of the Ayatollah. But as Khomeini’s tyrannies unfolded, as his fellow countrymen turned on each other, and after the horror he witnessed inside Evin Prison, a shattered and disillusioned Reza returned to America to dangerously become “Wally,” a spy for the CIA. In the wake of an Iranian election that sparked global outrage, at a time when Iran’s nuclear program holds the world’s anxious attention, the revelations inside A Time to Betray could not be more powerful or timely. Now resigned from his secretive life to reclaim precious time with his loved ones, Reza Kahlili documents scenes from history with heart-wrenching clarity, as he supplies vital information from the Iran-Iraq War, the Marine barracks bombings in Beirut, the catastrophes of Pan Am Flight 103, the scandal of the Iran-Contra affair, and more . . . a chain of incredible events that culminates in a nation’s fight for freedom that continues to this very day.

A Covert Affair

Download A Covert Affair PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 9781439168509
Total Pages : 416 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (685 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis A Covert Affair by : Jennet Conant

Download or read book A Covert Affair written by Jennet Conant and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-04-05 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bestselling author Jennet Conant brings us a stunning account of Julia and Paul Child’s experiences as members of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in the Far East during World War II and the tumultuous years when they were caught up in the McCarthy Red spy hunt in the 1950s and behaved with bravery and honor. It is the fascinating portrait of a group of idealistic men and women who were recruited by the citizen spy service, slapped into uniform, and dispatched to wage political warfare in remote outposts in Ceylon, India, and China. The eager, inexperienced 6 foot 2 inch Julia springs to life in these pages, a gangly golf-playing California girl who had never been farther abroad than Tijuana. Single and thirty years old when she joined the staff of Colonel William Donovan, Julia volunteered to be part of the OSS’s ambitious mission to develop a secret intelligence network across Southeast Asia. Her first post took her to the mountaintop idyll of Kandy, the headquarters of Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, the supreme commander of combined operations. Julia reveled in the glamour and intrigue of her overseas assignment and lifealtering romance with the much older and more sophisticated Paul Child, who took her on trips into the jungle, introduced her to the joys of curry, and insisted on educating both her mind and palate. A painter drafted to build war rooms, Paul was a colorful, complex personality. Conant uses extracts from his letters in which his sharp eye and droll wit capture the day-to-day confusion, excitement, and improbability of being part of a cloak- and-dagger operation. When Julia and Paul were transferred to Kunming, a rugged outpost at the foot of the Burma Road, they witnessed the chaotic end of the war in China and the beginnings of the Communist revolution that would shake the world. A Covert Affair chronicles their friendship with a brilliant and eccentric array of OSS agents, including Jane Foster, a wealthy, free-spirited artist, and Elizabeth MacDonald, an adventurous young reporter. In Paris after the war, Julia and Paul remained close to their intelligence colleagues as they struggled to start new lives, only to find themselves drawn into a far more terrifying spy drama. Relying on recently unclassified OSS and FBI documents, as well as previously unpublished letters and diaries, Conant vividly depicts a dangerous time in American history, when those who served their country suddenly found themselves called to account for their unpopular opinions and personal relationships.

The Cover Wife

Download The Cover Wife PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
ISBN 13 : 1984899155
Total Pages : 337 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (848 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Cover Wife by : Dan Fesperman

Download or read book The Cover Wife written by Dan Fesperman and published by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard. This book was released on 2022-07-26 with total page 337 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the award-winning author of Safe Houses—an "intelligent, tense and sharply written espionage thriller” (Wall Street Journal) about a CIA agent and a young expat who find themselves caught up in a dangerous world, whose secrets, if revealed, could have disastrous repercussions for them both. When CIA agent Claire Saylor is told that she’ll be going undercover in Hamburg to pose as the wife of an academic who has published a controversial interpretation of the Quran’s promise to martyrs, she assumes the job is a punishment for past unorthodox behavior. But when she discovers her team leader is Paul Bridger, another Agency maverick, she realizes there may be more to this mission than meets the eye—and not just for professional reasons. Meanwhile, across town in Hamburg, Mahmoud, a recent Moroccan émigré, begins to fall under the sway of a group of radicals at his local mosque. The deeper he’s drawn into the group, the greater the danger he faces, and he is soon torn between his obligations to them and his feelings toward a beautiful Westernized Muslim woman. As Claire learns the truth about her mission, and Mahmoud grows closer to the radicals, the danger between them builds and spells disaster far beyond the CIA.

The Faithful Spy

Download The Faithful Spy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 0515144347
Total Pages : 497 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (151 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Faithful Spy by : Alex Berenson

Download or read book The Faithful Spy written by Alex Berenson and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2008-01-29 with total page 497 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: #1 New York Times Bestseller Winner of the Edgar® Award Drawing from his experience as a correspondent in Iraq, Alex Berenson exploded onto the thriller scene with this perfectly crafted, highly-acclaimed debut novel—“a timely reminder of the extremely precarious way we live now” (The Washington Post). Years ago, John Wells was an all-American boy from Montana. Now, he is roaming the mountains of Pakistan as a member of al Qaeda. After a decade away from home, he despises the United States for its decadence. He hates America’s shallow, mindless culture of vice and violence. He is a devout Muslim. He is a brave warrior for Allah. He is a CIA operative. And he is coming home…

Leper Spy

Download Leper Spy PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Chicago Review Press
ISBN 13 : 1613734336
Total Pages : 288 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (137 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Leper Spy by : Ben Montgomery

Download or read book Leper Spy written by Ben Montgomery and published by Chicago Review Press. This book was released on 2016-10-01 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The GIs called her Joey. Hundreds owed their lives to the tiny Filipina who stashed explosives in spare tires, tracked Japanese troop movements, and smuggled maps of fortifications across enemy lines. As the Battle of Manila raged, Josefina Guerrero walked through gunfire to bandage wounds and close the eyes of the dead. Her valor earned her the Medal of Freedom, but what made her a good spy was also destroying her: leprosy, which so horrified the Japanese they refused to search her. After the war, army chaplains found her in a nightmarish leper colony and fought for the US government to do something it had never done: welcome a foreigner with leprosy. This brought her celebrity, which she used to publicly speak for other sufferers. However, the notoriety haunted her and she sought a way to disappear. Ben Montgomery now brings Guerrero's heroic accomplishments to light.

Spies and Scholars

Download Spies and Scholars PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 0674246578
Total Pages : 385 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (742 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Spies and Scholars by : Gregory Afinogenov

Download or read book Spies and Scholars written by Gregory Afinogenov and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2020-04-14 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Financial Times Best Book of the Year The untold story of how Russian espionage in imperial China shaped the emergence of the Russian Empire as a global power. From the seventeenth to the nineteenth century, the Russian Empire made concerted efforts to collect information about China. It bribed Chinese porcelain-makers to give up trade secrets, sent Buddhist monks to Mongolia on intelligence-gathering missions, and trained students at its Orthodox mission in Beijing to spy on their hosts. From diplomatic offices to guard posts on the Chinese frontier, Russians were producing knowledge everywhere, not only at elite institutions like the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg. But that information was secret, not destined for wide circulation. Gregory Afinogenov distinguishes between the kinds of knowledge Russia sought over the years and argues that they changed with the shifting aims of the state and its perceived place in the world. In the seventeenth century, Russian bureaucrats were focused on China and the forbidding Siberian frontier. They relied more on spies, including Jesuit scholars stationed in China. In the early nineteenth century, the geopolitical challenge shifted to Europe: rivalry with Britain drove the Russians to stake their prestige on public-facing intellectual work, and knowledge of the East was embedded in the academy. None of these institutional configurations was especially effective in delivering strategic or commercial advantages. But various knowledge regimes did have their consequences. Knowledge filtered through Russian espionage and publication found its way to Europe, informing the encounter between China and Western empires. Based on extensive archival research in Russia and beyond, Spies and Scholars breaks down long-accepted assumptions about the connection between knowledge regimes and imperial power and excavates an intellectual legacy largely neglected by historians.