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THE FOURTH INTELLIGENCE REVOLUTION: THE FUTURE OF ESPIONAGE AND THE BATTLE TO SAVE AMERICA
BY ANTHONY VINCI OCTOBER 28, 2025 PUBLISHER: HENRY HOLT AND CO.
The Fourth Intelligence Revolution: The Future of Espionage and the Battle to Save America
by Anthony Vinci
A former senior intelligence officer reveals how espionage is being transformed by a new global intelligence race, driven by AI and competition with China, and how this impacts all of our lives. The new global intelligence competition has brought espionage into our workplaces and our living rooms. Adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia have realized that the human element is the weakest link in our industrial and political infrastructure. As a result, they target all of us―stealing our financial data and medical records, eavesdropping on our conversations, and using platforms like TikTok and Hollywood movies to influence our opinions. The Fourth Intelligence Revolution reveals how the undercover adventures of World War II, the spy-versus-spy confrontations of the Cold War, and the “find-fix-and-finish” counterterrorism missions after 9/11 have given way to the most dangerous period of espionage yet. This eye-opening account exposes how intelligence now permeates every corner of society, from economic espionage and genetic data gathering to information operations targeting children through AI chatbots―even extending to reconnaissance on the far side of the moon. Both a warning and a call to action, The Fourth Intelligence Revolution suggests that we are all, in essence, becoming intelligence officers and that citizens have both the power and responsibility to reclaim intelligence to safeguard and strengthen our democracy.
Indigo / Amazon
Reviews
"From spy satellites to social media, technology is transforming spycraft--and empowering our adversaries. The Fourth Intelligence Revolution shows that America's intelligence agencies risk falling behind this wave of technological change. With a career spanning tech companies and the intelligence community, Anthony Vinci knows the peril we face as adversaries use AI to sift and analyze enormous quantities of our data. Our only hope is to be faster and smarter. The Fourth Intelligence Revolution explains how we can compete." ―Chris Miller, author of Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology "In this compelling book, Anthony Vinci explains the evolution of intelligence as a pillar of U.S. national security, describes an increasingly dangerous future, and identifies what we all must do to protect our nation and our way of life. The Fourth Intelligence Revolution should be read, discussed, and, most importantly, heeded." ―H.R. McMaster, author of Dereliction of Duty, Battlegrounds, and At War with Ourselves "Anthony Vinci takes us into the new world of espionage, where satellites and drones and ubiquitous surveillance devices form the eerie background―but where the abiding rule of the spy game remains simply: 'Ye shall know the truth.' Vinci has been on the front lines of this new intelligence war, and he gives readers a rare inside look." ―David Ignatius, columnist for The Washington Post and author of Phantom Orbit
See also:
The Fourth Intelligence Revolution as reviewed by Glenn Gerstell for The Cipher Brief – November 13, 2025
New Frontiers in Intelligence: The Changing Nature of Espionage; a discussion with Anthony Vinci, Robert Cardillo (former Director National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) and Rebecca Weiner (Deputy Commissioner, Intelligence & Counterterrorism, New York Police Department) as reviewed by William Dalrymple for Council on Foreign Relations – November 7, 2025
North Korea has reportedly stolen more than $3 billion in cryptocurrency since 2017 through cyberattacks like phishing and malware to fund its nuclear program.EKATERINA SHTUKINA/SPUTNIK/GOVERNMENT PRESS SERVICE/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock
About the book: The Fourth Intelligence Revolution: The Future of Espionage and the Battle to Save America by Anthony Vinci Henry Holt and Co. – 352 pages $21.99 (Kindle) Publication Date: October 28, 2025
About the Author: Anthony Vinci Dr. Anthony Vinci served as the first Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director for Capabilities at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Earlier in his career he served in Iraq, Africa and Asia. After leaving the world of intelligence, Anthony became an executive at a private equity firm and CEO of a technology company. Dr. Vinci is an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) and received his PhD in International Relations from The London School of Economics.
Book Review / Revue de livres Disclaimer: Articles are chosen for relevance and circulated for information only. Views expressed are those of the respective journalists / authors. Republication does not infer endorsement. Book Review Editor: Ralph Mahar - Suggestions for Book Reviews will be gratefully received at thepillarsociety.bulletins@gmail.com
THE FINEST HOTEL IN KABUL: A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF AFGHANISTAN BY LYSE DOUCET NOVEMBER 4, 2025 PUBLISHER: ALLEN LANE
The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People's History of Afghanistan
by Lyse DoucetA NATIONAL BESTSELLER WINNER OF THE 2026 WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION WINNER OF THE 2026 RAKUTEN KOBO EMERGING WRITER PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE The story of a hotel. The story of a nation. When the Inter-Continental Kabul opened in 1969, Afghanistan’s first luxury hotel symbolised a dream of a modernising country connected to the world. More than fifty years on, the Inter-Continental is still standing. It has endured Soviet occupation, multiple coups, a grievous civil war, a US invasion and the rise, fall and rise of the Taliban. History lives within its scarred windows and walls. Lyse Doucet, the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, has been checking into the Inter-Continental since 1988. And here, she uses its story to craft a richly immersive history of modern Afghanistan. It is the story of Hazrat, the septuagenarian housekeeper who still holds fast to his Inter-Continental training from the hotel’s 1970s glory days—an era of haute cuisine and high fashion, when Afghanistan was a kingdom and Kabul was the ‘Paris of Asia’. It is the story of Abida, who became the first female chef to cook in the Inter-Con’s famous kitchen after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. And it is the story of Malalai and Sadeq, the twenty-something staff who seized every opportunity offered by two decades of fragile democracy—only to witness the Taliban roaring back in 2021. The result is a remarkably vivid history of how Afghans have survived a half century of destruction and disruption. It is the story of a hotel but also the story of a people.
“The Finest Hotel in Kabul plays to all Lyse Doucet’s strengths. Clarity, empathy, depth of knowledge and innate grasp of fine detail. Her subject is not just a hotel, but a hotel that tells the story of four decades of Afghanistan's proud and sometimes unbelievably painful history. This is a most readable account of joy, despair and resilience in one of the world’s most fascinating countries.” —Michael Palin, actor, comedian, and bestselling author of Erebus
“Lyse Doucet has turned bricks and mortar into flesh and blood and in so doing lifted this biography of a glittering hotel into a lyrical, devastating, powerful homage to the powerless. In The Finest Hotel in Kabul we follow the fortunes and misfortunes not of those making decisions, but of the cooks, the receptionists, the wedding guests, the servers. It is intimate, aching, tragic and inspiring. When I began this book I had Afghanistan in my head. By the time I finished it was in my heart. Doucet’s descriptions are glorious, her use of language evocative. Her people are fully formed, alive and breathing. This is a thrilling achievement, a beautiful book. I’m off to re-read it. To revisit the finest hotel in Kabul!” —Louise Penny, bestselling author of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series “An incredible book—vivid and beautifully written, it captures the soul of Afghanistan through an age of hopes and heartbreak, as well as one of constant change. A tender, wise and quietly devastating book.” —Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads “A book brimming with deep insight, courage and conscience. Everyone should read this. Astonishingly beautiful, subtle and simply unforgettable.” —Elif Shafak, author of There Are Rivers in the Sky
“A story of a country and a people, told with knowledge, insight and tenderness. I’ve been waiting for a Lyse Doucet book for a long time and what she has produced here is testament to her humanity as well as her journalistic eye.” —Mishal Hussein, Sunday Times bestselling author of Broken Threads
“Doucet is a must-watch, always alive to the personal stories and tribulations of the people she encounters. But is she a must-read? On the evidence of The Finest Hotel in Kabul . . . the answer must be a resounding yes . . . Doucet is a consummate storyteller who can recognise a great yarn when she sees one and the real strength of this book is her ability to get under the skin of a country through its people. . . . Haunting, hopeful and occasionally harrowing, The Finest Hotel in Kabul is much more than a history. It is a love letter to Afghanistan and its people.” —The Sunday Times “Full of warmth, wit, and a lovely eye for the human stories that make the hotel not just a monument to tragedy, but also love and resilience. . . . What Doucet achieves is both powerful and charming at the same time. The Finest Hotel in Kabul is a meditation on memory, resilience, and the strange intimacy of public spaces. In an age when most hotels blur into the anonymous comfort of global chains, the Inter-Con reminds us that some buildings are so much more.” —The Financial Times
The Finest Hotel in Kabul as reviewed by Amy Waldman for The New York Times – November 26,2025
The Finest Hotel in Kabul as reviewed by William Dalrymple for The Guardian – October 2, 2025
The Finest Hotel in Kabul as reviewed by William Dalrymple for The Guardian – October 2, 2025f
A manager and a Taliban government official in the dining room of the Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul. Photo by Elise Blanchard for NZZ.
Intercontinental Hotel, Kabul, Afghanistan.
Interview of Lyse Doucet on her book, “The Finest Hotel in Kabul” by author Eric Wiener at the Poetry and Prose Bookstore, in Washington, D.C., on November 21, 2025.
About the book: The Finest Hotel in Kabul: A People's History of Afghanistan by Lyse Doucet Allen Lane – 436 pages $16.99 (Kindle) Publication Date: November 4, 2025
About the Author: Lyse Doucet LYSE DOUCET is a Canadian journalist and the BBC's Chief International Correspondent. In the course of a career spanning four decades, she has reported from countries around the world and was based as a correspondent in Jerusalem, Amman, Islamabad, Kabul, and Abidjan. She has played a leading role in the BBC's coverage of major events including the recent Iran-Israel war, the Gaza war, the Arab Spring, and the US-led invasion of Afghanistan.
She received an OBE in the Queen's Honours list in 2014, and was admitted to the Order of Canada in 2019. She has received many awards, including most recently the 2024 Zenger Award for Press Freedom from the University of Arizona and the 2019 Trailblazer Award from Georgetown University. She was a recipient of the Colombia School of Journalism Award in 2016, an Emmy in 2014 for her team’s reporting from Syria, Peabody and David Bloom Awards for her work from Syria and Afghanistan, and an Edward R. Murrow award for her team’s reporting from Tunisia. In 2021, she was nominated for a Peabody for her work as a writer and reporter on the BBC podcast Afghanistan: Documenting A Crucial Year.
Doucet has eighteen honorary doctorates from leading British and Canadian Universities. She has a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Toronto, and a BA Hons. from Queen’s University in Kingston. She is also a senior fellow of Massey College of the University of Toronto. Doucet has been reporting on Afghanistan since 1988. She visits the Inter-Continental whenever she is in Kabul.
THE FENIANS: BROTHERHOOD OF FOOLS OR CANADA'S FIRST TERRORIST THREAT?
BY PHIL GURSKI PUBLISHED MARCH 6, 2026 DOUBLE DAGGER BOOKS
REVIEWED BY PHIL GRATTON
When Phil Gurski told me he was writing a book about the Fenians, I was intrigued. Phil is best known for his books on terrorism and national security, yet I had never thought of the Fenians in those terms. I probably hadn’t given them any serious thought since high school, to be honest. A shadowy group known for a few skirmishes. Somehow linked to Louis Riel, and to the assassination of D’Arcy McGee. A vague threat to the young Dominion of Canada. But nothing more.
Growing up in a Franco-Ontarian community, the major historical dramas that shaped my worldview were the French versus English language disputes, our love-hate relationship with Americans, and our participation in the World Wars. The Irish nationalist struggle that gave rise to the Fenian movement barely figured in these stories.
Gurski’s book definitely changed this for me as I found myself going down a rabbit hole of angsty Fenian malaise. But what makes this book particularly engaging is the author’s decision not to write a comprehensive history of the Fenians—as Phil noted, others have already done that—and instead to narrow his focus to Eastern Ontario and the St. Lawrence frontier, examining how local communities experienced and responded to what they perceived as a genuine threat.
After years spent thinking about national and international issues, I find myself increasingly drawn to local history and to understanding the people, communities, and events that unfolded much closer to home. Gurski transforms what had always seemed a distant historical episode into a relatable story. Well done, Phil Gurski. Well done.
I grew up near Russell, Ontario, formerly known as Duncanville, a community featured in the book as an example of local participation in the armed response to the Fenian threat. It helped me appreciate that the threat was experienced directly by ordinary people living in communities not far from where I grew up. It wasn’t just something to be debated in capitals like Ottawa or Toronto.
The death hand of Thomas D'Arcy McGee, taken after he was assassinated on April 7, 1868. It was created because his face was too disfigured from the gunshot to make a traditional Victorian death mask. On display at the Bytown Museum in Ottawa. Photograph by Phil Gratton.
I’m also a product of both French-Catholic and Canadian constitutional traditions, and, frankly, the Fenians fit neatly into neither. While my sympathies naturally rested with the builders of Confederation, Gurski’s book encouraged me to look beyond the familiar heroes and villains of the history I’d been taught and to better understand the nationalist grievances that animated the movement.
Understanding those grievances—however Quixotic they may seem today—gives us a fuller appreciation of the competing loyalties and tensions that shaped British North America in the years following Confederation. And then there is the question of terrorism.
It’s a term that’s been stretched, politicized, and redefined so often that it often becomes meaningless (though not nearly as meaningless as the dreadful “IMVE”—but I digress). Definitions and frameworks change. Whether a group is considered terrorist often depends as much on where one sits as on what the group actually did.
I have long taken the view that terrorism is best understood as a methodology, but this is still debated by others smarter than me. The academic study of terrorism often suffers from reductionism—a tendency to reduce a complex human phenomenon to ever-smaller analytical components in the hope that categorization will yield understanding. Good luck with that.
Terrorism, whatever it may be, resists easy categorization and has always been more than the sum of its parts.
So, were the Fenians Canada’s first terrorist threat? Gurski provides a thoughtful and well-reasoned “it depends” answer. To find out where he lands, you’ll have to buy the book*, available at these fine locations:
• Amazon.ca – The Fenians: Brotherhood of Fools or Canada’s First Terrorist Threat?
• While you’re at Amazon, you can also pre-order Phil’s next book: 9/11 The Unfinished Battle: Why Jihadi Terrorism Is Stronger, Wider, and Far From Over.
*Seriously, the answer is on pages 94–95. Go buy a copy.
About the Author: Phil Gurski
Phil Gurski is the President and CEO of Borealis Threat and Risk Consulting Ltd. (www.borealisthreatandrisk.com). He worked as a senior strategic analyst at CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) from 2001-2015, specializing in violent Islamist-inspired homegrown terrorism and radicalisation. From 1983 to 2001 he was employed as a senior multilingual analyst at Communications Security Establishment (CSE – Canada’s signals intelligence agency), specialising in the Middle East. He also served as senior special advisor in the National Security Directorate at Public Safety Canada from 2013, focusing on community outreach and training on radicalisation to violence, until his retirement from the civil service in May 2015, and as consultant for the Ontario Provincial Police’s Anti-Terrorism Section (PATS) from May to October 2015. He was the Director of Security and Intelligence at the SecDev Group from June 2018 to July 2019. Mr. Gurski has presented on violent Islamist-inspired and other forms of terrorism and radicalisation across Canada and around the world. He is the author of “The Threat from Within: Recognizing Al Qaeda-inspired Radicalization and Terrorism in the West” (Rowman and Littlefield 2015) “Western Foreign Fighters: the threat to homeland and international security” (Rowman and Littlefield 2017), The Lesser Jihads: taking the Islamist fight to the world (Rowman and Littlefield 2017), An end to the ‘war on terrorism ’ (Rowman and Littlefield 2018), When religion kills: how extremist justify violence through faith (Lynne Rienner 2019), The Peaceable Kingdom: A history of terrorism in Canada from Confederation to the present (Double Dagger Books: 2022), and From village to Vimy to victory: Russell soldiers in the Great War (self-published: 2023) He regularly blogs, podcasts (Canadian Intelligence Eh! – available on his Web site), and tweets (@borealissaves) on terrorism. He is a digital fellow at the Montreal Institute for Genocide Studies at Concordia University. Mr. Gurski is a regular commentator on terrorism and radicalisation for a wide variety of Canadian and international media. He is fluently trilingual in English, French and Spanish.
THE NORD STREAM CONSPIRACY: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE EXPLOSIONS THAT SHOOK THE WORLD
The Nord Stream Conspiracy: The Inside Story of the Explosions That Shook the World
by Bojan Pancevski
A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' CHOICE A riveting exposé of the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines, the largest act of sabotage in modern history, told through unprecedented access and deep investigative reporting—part geopolitical thriller, part true-crime detective story, part gritty war chronicle In September 2022, Scandinavian seismologists detected what seemed to be an undersea earthquake near the Danish island of Bornholm. Instead, several powerful explosions had destroyed Nord Stream, the $20 billion pipeline system that transported cheap Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The mysterious blasts shifted global geopolitics, disrupted European economies, and triggered a manhunt that strained relations within the NATO alliance. Drawing on years of firsthand reporting, award-winning Wall Street Journal correspondent Bojan Pancevski presents the definitive, behind-the-scenes account of this audacious operation. Authorized at the highest levels of Ukraine’s leadership, the mission was ostensibly unofficial and conducted with the utmost secrecy. Pancevski secured exclusive access to the German investigators and their political overseers as well as the Ukrainian agents who executed the attack—a team of intelligence officers, military personnel, and civilian divers. The saboteurs operated on a shoestring budget, using a small rented yacht with a seven-member crew to conduct the strike at great risk in extremely turbulent waters. The Nord Stream Conspiracy addresses the two leading theories about who was responsible, Russia or the US, and explains how these narratives developed, including the popular US theory involving the CIA, which knew about the plot. This gripping account exposes the human stories and moral complexities behind one of the most remarkable geopolitical mysteries of our time, one that redefined modern warfare.
"A remarkable book... Bojan Pancevski tells a high-stakes international war story in blockbuster prose... a spectacular feat of investigative journalism, built on his intimate access to the senior Ukrainian intelligence chiefs who say they hatched the idea and to the German police officials who eventually tracked them down." —The New York Times "A truly riveting account of the most notorious act of sabotage in modern history. Bojan Pancevski combines investigative flair with geopolitical insight to illuminate not only how the Nord Stream pipelines were destroyed, but why they matter so profoundly to Europe’s energy, security and political future. A real-life page turner." —Peter Frankopan, author of The Silk Roads "An absolutely extraordinary book… Combining the skills of a detective with those of a novelist, Pancevski has not only uncovered the truth about one of the most daring acts of sabotage in modern history but done so with the page-turning propulsion of a first-rate fiction thriller. One of those rare books that informs even as it wholly entertains." —Scott Anderson, author of Lawrence in Arabia "Bojan Pancevski has written a powerful detective story that finally and definitively answers the question of who blew up Nord Stream 2. Not only is it brilliant journalism, but it reads like a bestselling thriller." —Admiral James Stavridis, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander and co-author of 2034 “The Nord Stream Conspiracy is a riveting exposé of the audacious sabotage that destroyed the Nord Stream pipelines—the largest German-Russian energy project in history. With extraordinary access to the key players across nations, Bojan Pancevski delivers a gripping account and the closest look yet at an event whose geopolitical repercussions continue to reverberate." —Walter Russell Mead, author of Special Providence "A cinematic and compelling account of one of history's greatest acts of sabotage, Bojan Pancevski’s The Nord Stream Conspiracy—unlike so much of what's been said by politicians and commentators on the attack—has the added benefit of being true." —Ben Smith, founder of Semafor and author of Traffic “Bojan Pancevski’s investigation into the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines is as daring and mind-blowing as the sabotage itself. In its details the book is as precise as a brain surgery.” —Ivan Krastev, author of The Light that Failed: A Reckoning "Bojan Pancevski delivers one of the most significant and riveting journalistic scoops of the twenty-first century. Through exclusive interviews, he reveals the definitive account of a daring mission brimming with secrets, saboteurs, and spies. This is investigative storytelling at its finest—relentlessly fast-paced, meticulously reported, and an absolute page-turner." —Richard Kerbaj, author of The Secret History of the Five Eyes
The Nord Stream Conspiracy as reviewed by Jean-Thomas Nicole for The Cipher Brief – July 3, 2026
The Nord Stream Conspiracy as reviewed by Kirkus Reviews – May 18, 2026
The Swedish investigation has been conducted in close cooperation with the German investigation, and the German investigation would not be affected by the conclusion of the Swedish investigation. [Shutterstock/Frame Stock Footage]
Solving the Nord Stream attack mystery – front burner
About the book: The Nord Stream Conspiracy: The Inside Story of the Explosions That Shook the World by Bojan Pancevski Henry Holt and Co. – 324 pages $21.99 (Kindle) Publication Date: June 16, 2026
About the Author: Bojan Pancevski Bojan Pancevski, Bojan Pancevski is The Wall Street Journal’s chief European political correspondent, covering European and global affairs. He produces major investigations, agenda-setting scoops, analyses of politics and diplomacy, and deeply reported features about extraordinary people and events.
His recent writing has focused on the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the Kremlin’s clandestine operations in Europe and the escalating shadow war of espionage and sabotage between Russia and the West.
He was previously the Journal’s Germany correspondent, covering many of the same issues while also writing about the politics, society and influence of Europe’s largest economy on the world.
In almost two decades of dispatches and reporting from across Europe and beyond, Bojan has covered every major story on the continent: the financial crisis that engulfed the Eurozone, the wars in Ukraine, multiple migration crises, Britain’s departure from the European Union, Russia’s use of assassination against the regime’s opponents, the rise of Islamist terror and the political upheaval across Europe.
He co-authored a bestselling book about the crimes of Josef Fritzl, an investigation into one of the most extraordinary criminal cases in contemporary European history.
His work has been nominated for a number of prestigious awards. He was part of the teams that won the William Worthy Award of the Overseas Press Club, the British Journalism Award for Breaking News, and the New York Press Club Award for Special Event Reporting. Bojan is the only foreign recipient of the Werner Holzer Award, an accolade honoring the body of work of German foreign correspondents. He was part of the WSJ team of Pulitzer Prize finalists for International Reporting in 2025.
He is fluent in several European languages, including German and Russian.
STALIN'S APOSTLES: THE CAMBRIDGE FIVE AND THE MAKING OF THE SOVIET EMPIRE
BY ANTONIA SENIOR MAY 26, 2026 PUBLISHER: PUBLIC AFFAIRS
The riveting story of the ring of spies known as the Cambridge Five, who infiltrated the highest levels of the British establishment and helped Stalin cement a half century of Soviet domination over Eastern Europe. The Cambridge Five was the most infamous spy ring in history. Its members—Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, Donald Maclean, Guy Burgess, and John Cairncross—met at university, amid the left-wing ferment overtaking British campuses between the World Wars. The Five were soon recruited by Soviet agents and pledged allegiance to Stalin, and each quickly took up a place in the British government. From the 1930s, they funneled top-secret intelligence to the USSR, some so sensitive that their Soviet handlers feared a double cross. Their unmasking in 1951 rocked Britain, helping to end a chummy, boys’ club stranglehold on the country’s institutions of power. But, as Antonia Senior shows, the Five’s treachery had much graver and more devastating consequences across the world. Their work invaluably aided Stalin as he sought to build a Red Empire, condemning millions across Eastern Europe to decades of repression, violence, and death. Rife with code names, smuggled documents, clandestine rendezvous, and copious amounts of gin, Stalin’s Apostles wields impeccable research and storytelling and all the thrilling details and high tragedy of a classic spy thriller.
“A definitive and important account of the most infamous spy ring ever, the Cambridge Five, who betrayed their country with devastating consequences, told with the propulsive force of a spy novel.”―Joseph Finder, New York Times-bestselling author of The Oligarch’s Daughter “A brilliant book. Deep research and dazzling writing make Stalin’s Apostles an appallingly entertaining read. A definitive work on one of the 20th century’s most treacherous conspiracies.”―Tim Weiner, author of The Mission: The CIA in the 21st Century “A tour de force. As elegantly written as it is perspicacious and impeccably researched, Stalin’s Apostles provides a penetrating and timely reassessment of one of the 20th century’s greatest spying scandals, revealing the dark reality behind the Cambridge Five.”―Roger Moorhouse, author of Poland 1939 “Antonia Senior delivers a gripping, beautifully written account of the Cambridge Five, whose betrayal reshaped twentieth-century geopolitics and the course of the Cold War. Equal parts spy novel and sober history, Stalin’s Apostles is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how espionage and ideological zeal can alter the fate of nations.” ―David McCloskey, author of Damascus Station “Extraordinary. Beautifully written, it draws you in from the very first moment. A wonderfully forensic re-examination of the infamous Cambridge Spies and the extent of their betrayal.”―Michael Smith, author of Killer Elite “Antonia Senior has done that rare thing: written an account of the Cambridge Five with a historian’s fidelity to fact and a novelist’s eye for character. Her meticulous research and elegant writing bring to life the story of class-conscious Englishmen whose youthful embrace of Communism led to the twentieth century’s most audacious spy network. It’s a spellbinding tale of espionage, friendship, and betrayal. Brilliant.”―Paul Vidich, author of Beirut Station “Shocking. Gripping. Unputdownable. You thought you knew the Cambridge Five? Think again! Their level of treachery beggars belief, yet the British establishment’s incompetence and cover-up is equally unbelievable.”―Damien Lewis, author of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare “Beautifully written and utterly compelling, Stalin’s Apostles is a brilliant reassessment of the Cambridge Five whose naive faith in communism is tellingly juxtaposed with the brutal reality of Stalin’s rule. Their betrayals had serious consequences for the West, as Senior makes clear, yet they lived out their days in Soviet exile with few regrets. A cautionary tale by a rising star of nonfiction.”―Saul David, author of Operation Thunderbolt “Understanding why the Cambridge spies really betrayed their country has eluded historians for decades. Senior’s new book is impressive in its scope of ground-breaking research and depth of historical context to unpack the motivations of these enigmatic men. A powerful narrative.”―Helen Fry, author of The White Lady “Meticulously researched, this is a fascinating analysis.”―Nigel West, author of A Matter of Trust “This brilliantly told story of treachery at the heart of the British establishment during World War Two and its aftermath reveals for the first time the tragic cost for millions of people and its impact on reshaping the world. Harrowing yet compulsively relevant today, it’s a page-turner.”―Adam Zamoyski, author of Poland
See also: Stalin’s Apostles as reviewed by John Ikenberry for Kirkus Reviews – March 1, 2026
Interview of Antonia Senior by Spy TV – Spybrary host xxxxxx xxxxxx on the Spybrary Podcast on April 23, 2026.
About the book: Stalin's Apostles: The Cambridge Five and the Making of the Soviet Empire
by Antonia Senior PublicAffairs – 480 pages $25.99 (Kindle) Publication Date: May 26, 2026
About the Author: Antonia Senior
Antonia Senior is a writer, columnist and journalist. She spent thirteen years working at The Times, in a variety of roles including Acting Business Editor. Now freelance, she writes columns, features and book reviews for the national press, including The Times, the Guardian and the Financial Times. Antonia studied history at Cambridge, and has always wanted to write fiction with historical themes.
Biography Credit: Atlantic Books
SEND IT: CANADA'S SNIPERS AT WAR IN AFGHANISTAN
BY GORDON CULLEN & BARRY NISBET WITH MIR BAHMANYAR JULY 15, 2025 PUBLISHER: DOUBLE DAGGER BOOKS
Send It: Canada's Snipers at War in Afghanistan
by Gordon Cullen, Barry Nisbet, Mir Bahmanyar See Through the Scope of Canadian Snipers
Send It is a raw, unfiltered account that takes readers deep into the shadowy world of the Canadian sniper—among the most revered and deadly warriors on the modern battlefield. Through the eyes and voices of a handful of elite soldiers, this book delivers an unparalleled look at what it takes to earn the coveted sniper badge, survive the crucible of combat, and walk the razor’s edge between life and death. From brutal training grounds to the unforgiving terrain of Afghanistan, Send It follows these silent professionals through multiple tours of duty alongside Canadian and U.S. Special Forces. Their missions—precise, lethal, and often shrouded in secrecy—place them at the tip of the spear in the war on terror. But beyond the confirmed kills and enemy engagements lies a more personal story: the fear, adrenaline, purpose, and quiet cost of modern warfare. Told in their own words, Send It is an emotional journey from the first trigger squeeze to the last. It is not just about the making of snipers, but how war remakes the men behind the scope.
“The gear, training, excruciating patience, and mental toughness typical of the profession are amply explored, then displayed in adrenaline-pumping scenes of actual combat.” - Jim DeFelice, co-author NY Times #1 best-seller, American Sniper. “A rare look inside the secretive and little understood world of Canada’s military sniper community.” - Jack Murphy, Former Army Ranger and Special Forces, Host of The Team House.
A Canadian sniper team scan the landscape during an Afghan-led operation to arrest suspected Taliban operating in southern Kandahar. (John D. McHugh/AFP/Getty Images)
Send It - Interview with Send It authors Barry Nisbet and Mir Bahmanyar
About the book: Send It: Canada's Snipers at War in Afghanistan by Gordon Cullen, Barry Nisbet and Mir Bahmanyar Double Dagger Books – 271 pages $9.59 (Kindle) Publication Date: July 15, 2025
About the Author: Gordon Cullen Gordon Cullen, a 28-year veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces began his career as a soldier with the 1st Battalion the Royal Canadian Regiment with postings to the Lake Superior Scottish Regiment, 3rd Battalion the Royal Canadian Regiment and CANSOFCOM. His deployments include two tours to Bosnia, a tour in Kosovo, three tours in Afghanistan and a short deployment to Poland. Gord’s employment with Snipers started as a part of the Sniper Group deployed with 1 RCR in Kosovo but culminated as the Battle Group Master Sniper for Task Force 3-06 and Task Force 1-10 in Afghanistan.
Gord has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for action during combat in Kandahar the Commander CEFCOM Commendation for action during combat in Kandahar and the CIC Commendation as part of the 1 RCR Battle Group during Operation MEDUSA.
Following his retirement from the Canadian Forces, Gord continues to serve the Canadian Armed Forces from the private sector. Gord remains passionate about Canadian Snipers and supporting their continued success as a board member with the Canadian Sniper Association. He continues to reside in the Ottawa Valley with his family.
About the Author: Barry Nisbet Barry C. Nisbet, spent 15 years in the Canadian Army, serving on five overseas tours, three of them in Afghanistan. He held many qualifications within the military including, US Army Ranger, Reconnaissance Patrolmen, Parachutist, and Advanced Sniper. He draws on his training and operational experience to share an authentic perspective of combat.
About the Author: Mir Bahmanyar Mir Bahmanyar served in the Second Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment as a machine gunner and Training NCO. He holds a BA in History from University of California at Berkeley and an MA in War Studies from King's College London.
His jobs have included that of a library clerk, janitor, retail merchant, military technical advisor, German language coach, producer and writer in Hollywood. He has written numerous books and articles from ancient history to modern war and his work has been translated into Spanish, Japanese, Polish and Arabic. His special interests are the Punic Wars, WWII Darby's Rangers and Future War. He grew up on three continents and four countries.
https://www.mirbahmanyar.com
THE DEFECTOR: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE KGB AGENT WHO EXPOSED THE CIA AND SAVED MI5
BY RICHARD KERBAJ APRIL 28, 2026 PUBLISHER: HARPER COLLINS
The Defector is the untold story of how the defection of KGB agent Oleg Lyalin led to the expulsion of more than a hundred Soviet spies from Britain.
At the heart of Lyalin’s story is a narrative entwined with lies, disinformation, Kremlin deception campaigns, paranoia, intelligence failures by the CIA and MI5, and a tangled love life.
Unravelling amidst a Soviet mission to plant fake Kremlin ‘defectors’ within British and American intelligence agencies, this story reveals how the secrets Lyalin divulged, resulted in one of the most dramatic and pivotal moments in the Cold War.
Lyalin led MI5 to rethink its relationship with the CIA and, ultimately, helped destroy the reputation of the US agency’s head of counterintelligence, James Jesus Angleton.
Drawing on newly declassified intelligence files, dozens of interviews with spymasters, and told in full here for the first time by one of Britain’s leading commentators on national security, this story reveals how during the darkest moments of the Cold War one of the West’s greatest achievements transpired as a result of MI5’s break with the CIA.
The disclosure of the inside story of this historic event also comes at a time when there is a renewed tension in the relationship between transatlantic spy services – from the intelligence they share or hold back, to the way they respond to their political masters and stand up to threats from Russia.
Reviews:
"An absolutely thrilling read, based on deep research, which brings this MI5 asset’s importance to life" - Gordon Corera, co-host of The Rest is Classified
“One of the most sensational episodes of the Cold War.” - Sunday Times (London)
“Dynamic and vivid…. Kerbaj skillfully makes major figures of the Cold War cloak-and-dagger operations come to life.” - Dr. Filip Kovacevic, author of KGB Literati: Spy Fiction and State Security in the Soviet Union
“The Defector reads like le Carré but uncovers important truths that are being played out in Putin’s Russia today.” - –Robert Verkaik, bestselling author of The Traitor of Colditz
The Defector as reviewed by Tim Willasey-Wilsey for The Cipher Brief – January 6, 2026
KGB spy Oleg Lyalin, pictured partying in London in 1969, was regularly seen at late-night bashes and had multiple girlfriends on the go. Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
About the book: The Defector: The Untold Story of the KGB Agent who Exposed the CIA and Saved MI5 by Richard Kerbaj
Harper Collins - 356 pages $17.99 (Kindle)
Publication Date: April 28, 2026
About the Author: Richard Kerbaj Richard Kerbaj is a BAFTA-winning and two-time Emmy-nominated filmmaker and writer who has specialised in investigating crime and national security-related stories for 15 years.
His first film, My Son the Jihadi, won four awards, including the 2016 BAFTA for best single documentary, and was nominated for an International Emmy and a Prix Italia.
His second film, Hunting the KGB Killers, was a critically acclaimed documentary for Channel 4 on Scotland Yard’s investigation into the murder of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko.
HBO commissioned Richard to write and produce Unmasking Jihadi John: Anatomy of a Terrorist - a feature documentary which was released on its platform in July 2019. It was recognised for multiple awards, including BAFTA and Emmy nominations for best current affairs.
Richard is also a multi-award winning print journalist who who began his career in Australia, working on a range of broadsheets, including The Australian newspaper. During his time on the paper, he won Young Journalist of The Year and Journalist of The Year in 2007. He then migrated to Britain in 2008 to work as an investigative reporter and foreign correspondent for The Times of London. In 2010, Richard moved to The Sunday Times and became the newspaper's security correspondent. He jointly won the Scoop of the Year at the British National Press Awards in 2018.
In October 2020, Richard left full time newspaper journalism to focus on filmmaking and writing. Biography Credit: C&W (Conville & Walsh)
FALLOUT; EXPOSING AN ATOMIC SPY
BY DAVID TREMAIN APRIL 9, 2026 PUBLISHER: PEN AND SWORD
Book Review: Fallout; Exposing an Atomic Spy
by David Tremain A study of the Gouzenko Affair, revealing early Cold War espionage, nuclear secrets, and political consequences.
Shortly after the end of the Second World War, on 5 September 1945, an event occurred which would allegedly mark the beginning of the Cold War. A young cipher clerk working for the GRU, Soviet military intelligence, defected to the West, bringing with him a raft of documents and exposing a large spy network on both sides of the Atlantic. At first, the Canadian Prime Minister, Mackenzie King, was loathe to react, fearing that any action taken by his government might spark a Third World War with the Soviets. Igor Gouzenko revealed that a British nuclear physicist, Alan Nunn May, who had worked on the Tube Alloys/Manhattan Project, was part of that spy network and had passed on secrets about the atomic bomb to the Russians.
It would cause a rift in US-British relations and lead to the so-called 'McMahon Act' whereby Britain, and therefore Canada, were excluded from further collaboration in developing atomic research. It also led to a Canadian Royal Commission to investigate the extent to which spies had penetrated the Canadian government and what information they had passed on. Gouzenko and his family lived under witness protection in fear of assassination from the KGB, while Alan Nunn May, on his return to the UK, was tried and convicted of espionage. When he was released from prison in 1952, he had problems finding employment. When he died, he still firmly believed that what he had done had been justified.
This book examines the 'Gouzenko Affair' and corrects some of the myths surrounding his story. It also considers the case against Nunn May, his associates, and his life as a convicted but unapologetic spy..
About the book: Fallout; Exposing An Atomic Spy by David Tremain Pen and Sword – 288 pages 51.50 (Hardcover) Publication Date: April 9, 2026
About the Author: David Tremain David Tremain was born in the UK and studied art at Medway College of Design, Rochester, Kent and paper conservation at Camberwell School of Arts & Crafts. This was followed by work at a London art gallery and in Reading. He later emigrated to Ottawa, Canada, and retired from public service in 2010. He has written book reviews for the Canadian Association for Security & Intelligence Studies (CASIS) and is an expert on Second World War spy cases. He has published five books on the subject: Rough Justice (2016), Double Agent Victoire (2018), The Beautiful Spy (2019), Agent Provocateur for Hitler or Churchill? (2021) and Double Agent Balloon (2023).
WHY NATIONS STILL FIGHT
BY RICHARD NED LEBOW JANUARY 6, 2026 PUBLISHER: CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
Drawing on an original data set of interventions and wars from 1945 to the current day, as well as numerous short case studies, Richard Ned Lebow offers a novel account of their origins and outcomes – one that emphasises miscalculation, failure to conduct meaningful risk assessments, and cultural and political arrogance.
In a successive work to Why Nations Fight (2010), he explains why initiators routinely lose militarily and politically when they resort to force, as well as accounting for why the great powers, in particular, have not learned from their failures. Lebow offers both type- and region-specific forecasts for the future likelihood of interventions and wars. His account reveals the inapplicability of theories nested in the realist and rationalist paradigms to the study of war. He argues what is needed instead is an “irrationalist” theory, and he takes the initial steps in this direction.
'In everything he writes, Richard Ned Lebow combines a deep commitment to a better, more peaceful world, with meticulous research, great erudition and careful argument. 'Why Nations Still Fight' explains both why wars so often fail to achieve their aims, yet governments still resort to them.' Lawrence Freedman, Emeritus professor of War Studies, King's College London 'Richard Ned Lebow has studied war and peace for over half a century. 'Why Nations Still Fight' builds on that remarkable scholarly edifice to present a global rethinking of the causes of war. Studying all wars since 1945, Lebow develops a new and unique typology and offers distinct findings and arguments about each kind. The true tragedy of most wars, he argues, is their fundamental irrationality. Still, Lebow offers reasons to hope that humans can rise to the challenge of overcoming the biases, miscalculation and hubris that push leaders toward tragically counterproductive bellicosity.' William C. Wohlforth, Daniel Webster Professor, Dartmouth College 'Direct warfare between states seems to have declined, particularly in the developed world. However, Lebow finds in this thoughtful, engaging, provocative, and well-researched book that states around the world are still willing to use armed force in wars and especially in interventions. He details 88 instances since World War II - about one a year - all but 7 in what used to be called the Third World. What is particularly impressive is that this happens even though the efforts mostly fail to achieve their military, and especially their political, goals. In the process he details case after case of chronic self-delusion and miscalculation by initiators.' John Mueller, Ohio State University, Cato Institute and author of The Stupidity of War: American Foreign Policy and the Case for Complacency.
See also: Why Nations Still Fight as reviewed by John Ikenberry for Foreign Affairs – May June 2026
About the book: Why Nations Still Fight
by Richard Ned Lebow Cambridge University Press – 480 pages $51.95 (Kindle) Publication Date: January 6, 2026
About the Author: Richard Ned Lebow
Dr Richard Ned Lebow is an Emeritus Professor of International Political Theory in the Department of War Studies, King's College London and James O. Freedman Presidential Emeritus Professor at Dartmouth College. He is also a Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College, University of Cambridge. He has taught strategy and the National and Naval War Colleges and served as a scholar-in-residence in the Central Intelligence Agency during the Carter administration.
Dr Lebow has held visiting appointments at the University of Lund, Sciences Po, University of Cambridge, Austrian Diplomatic Academy, Vienna, London School of Economics and Political Science, Australian National University, University of California at Irvine, University of Milano, University of Munich and the Frankfurt Peace Research Institute. He has authored and edited 40 books and nearly 300 peer reviewed articles and book chapters. He is a Fellow of the British Academy.
Biography Credit: King’s College London
THE ELEMENTS OF POWER: A STORY OF WAR, TECHNOLOGY, AND THE DIRTIEST SUPPLY CHAIN ON EARTH
BY NICHOLAS NIARCHOS JANUARY 20, 2026 PUBLISHER: PENGUIN PRESS
Epic, shocking, and deeply reported, The Elements of Power tells the story of the war for the global supply of battery metals—essential for the decarbonization of our economies—and the terrible, bloody human cost of this badly misunderstood industry Congo is rich. Swaths of the war-torn African country lack basic infrastructure, and, after many decades of colonial occupation, its people are officially among the poorest in the world. But hidden beneath the soil are vast quantities of cobalt, lithium, copper, tin, tantalum, tungsten, and other treasures. Recently, this veritable periodic table of resources has become extremely valuable because these metals are essential for the global “energy transition”—the plan for wealthy nations to wean themselves off fossil fuels by shifting to sustainable forms of energy, such as solar and wind. The race to electrify the world’s economy has begun, and China has a considerable head start. From Indonesia to South America to Central Africa, Beijing has invested in mines and infrastructure for decades. But the U.S. has begun fighting back with massive investments of its own, as well as sanctions and disruptive tariffs.
In this rush for green energy, the world has become utterly reliant on resources unearthed far away and willfully blind to the terrible political, environmental, and social consequences of their extraction. If the Democratic Republic of the Congo possesses such riches, why are its children routinely descending deep into treacherous mines to dig with the most rudimentary of tools, or in some cases their bare hands? Why are Indonesia’s seas and skies being polluted in a rush for battery metals? Why is the Western Sahara, a source for phosphates, still being treated like a colony? Who must pay the price for progress?
With unparalleled, original reporting, Nicolas Niarchos reveals how the scramble to control these metals and their production is overturning the world order, just as the global race to drill for oil shaped the twentieth century. Exploring the advent of the lithium-ion battery and tracing the supply chain for its production, Niarchos tells the story both of the people driving these tectonic changes and those whose lives are being upended. He reveals the true, devastating consequences of our best intentions and helps us prepare for an uncertain future. If you have ever used a smartphone or driven an electric vehicle, you are implicated.
“In another era, when oil was the undisputed lubricant of global capitalism, the economic historian Daniel Yergin charted the intersection of business and geopolitics in his 1992 Pulitzer-winning classic The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power. In 2026, Nicolas Niarchos, a journalist specializing in energy and mining, attempts something similar for the age of batteries. Mostly he succeeds. The Elements of Power cuts like a fast-paced action film from battery labs in California, Tokyo, and the backstreets of Shenzhen . . . to mines in Africa and elsewhere where a combination of powerful companies, hucksters and mostly downtrodden miners scrabble for the minerals needed to power the energy transition.” —David Pilling, Financial Times “Nicolas Niarchos exposes how the metal cobalt gets from the mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo to the battery factories of China and into the electric vehicles that purr along our streets—and who profits . . . The book is a serious exposé . . . Niarchos traces the webs of multibillion-dollar international deals that enmesh Congo’s cobalt mines and juxtaposes this material, painfully, with boots-on-the-ground descriptions of Congolese lives.” —The Times (UK) “This is a bold and original book, a deep exploration of the way in which the batteries powering our most antiseptic seeming technologies—smartphones and electric cars—are connected to a world of conflict and predation. Drawing on his own dauntless reporting in over a dozen countries, Nicolas Niarchos distills this complex subject, finding its dramatic essence—a tale of rapacious colonialism, Cold War spy games, dazzling technical innovation, big business rivalry, big power geopolitics, and incalculable (and ongoing) human cost. By connecting Congo's present to its past and future, and tracing the links in the supply chain to demonstrate the way in which this story morally implicates us all, Niarchos has produced an unflinching, landmark work on the nature of extractive capitalism.” —Patrick Radden Keefe, New York Times best-selling author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing “With forensic research and vivid reporting, Niarchos unpacks the dirty paradox of clean energy: a technology celebrated as the key to a sustainable future, yet one that exacts a devastating human and environmental cost in Congo. Expansive and eye-opening, it is essential reading for our age.” —Clarissa Ward, author of On All Fronts “In this fascinating book, The Elements of Power, Nicolas Niarchos tells how the convulsed history of the Congo and its strategic minerals have played a vital role in fueling today’s Big Tech revolution. In a cruel paradox, Congo’s role as a key provider of the minerals that are helping drive the world’s energy transition—the lithium-ion battery—has also condemned it to inequality, social instability and seemingly endless cycles of armed conflict. This disturbing reality is one of the epic stories of our time, and Niarchos tells it skillfully, with narrative verve, keen insights, and an admirable attention to factual detail. That he has done so after years of firsthand research that included dangerous field forays in the Congo is an accomplishment that deserves high praise. The Elements of Power is, quite simply, a firecracker of a book, a must-read for anyone seeking clarity in the murk of today’s world.” —Jon Lee Anderson, author of To Lose a War: The Fall and Rise of the Taliban “What begins as a book about batteries becomes a riveting journey through lithium-ion technology and its global consequences. From colonial Congo to Cold War rivalries to China’s rise, it reveals how genius, ambition, and exploitation built the supply chains powering our devices, cars, and life-saving medical tools. Fair, compelling, and meticulously researched, it captures both the promise and the human cost of the battery revolution. Essential reading for anyone interested in technology, politics, and the forces shaping our future.“ —Mohamedsalem Werad, editor and cofounder, Sahrawi Voice
See also: The Elements of Power as reviewed by Zachariah Mampilly for Foreign Affairs – March April 2026
A Congolese artisanal miner digs in an open-pit mine, in Mangaredjipa near Beni, North Kivu province in the DRC August 31, 2025 [Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/Reuters]
About the book: The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology, and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth
by Nicholas Niarchos Penguin Press – 480 pages $18.99 (Kindle) Publication Date: January 20, 2026
About the Author: Nicholas Niarchos
Nicolas Niarchos is a journalist whose work focuses on energy, war, and migration. His work has been published in The New Yorker, The Nation, and The New York Times. He has testified on the effects of Congolese battery metal mining on Capitol Hill. His work on mining in Indonesia was shortlisted for a 2024 Livingston Award. In 2023, he won an Edward R. Murrow Award for a radio report from Ukraine for The New Yorker and WNYC.
Biography Credit: Penguin Press
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