

How do you steal an archive? One file at a time.
This is the story of a quiet, introverted archivist who had access to the most heavily guarded files in the world. Vasili Mitrokhin had started out as a communist party believer until he was transferred into the archives of the KGB. What he read there angered him to such an extent that he decided to copy the files, one by one, in his own shorthand code to be rewritten in his own time at home.
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A fascinating & informative look at the post-Stalin Soviet Union & the rule of the Chekists - we even get an introduction to a young Putin. Although it sometimes veered into academically dry territory, the author always managed to re-engage my interest, 3w
My thanks to #NetGalley & publishers, 4th Estate/Williams Collins, for the opportunity to read an ARC.
Full Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7617428178
Read 1st-6th Jun 2025
#ReadAway2025 @Andrew65 @DieAReader @GHABI4ROSES 3w