Buy a cheap copy of an officer and a spy book by robert harris. Yet again robert harris takes a truelife historical sensation and twists it into a gripping novel. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. An officer and a spy by robert harris brecon library. The infamous dreyfus affair divided turnofthecentury france. A novel and millions of other books are available for instant access. The giveandtake between these different aspirations to convey different sorts of truths is what made harriss book a frustrating read. The gripping richard and judy book club favourite 01 by harris, robert isbn. Whsmith richard and judy book club podcast summer 2014 duration. The dreyfus affair has all the ingredients of a great novel. Georges picquart, is ushered into a room full of atypical characters. Winner of the 2014 walter scott prize for historical fiction paris, 1895. On january 1898, the front page of laurore, a french newspaper, was taken up by an open letter from the author emile zola to the president of france, felix faure.
The case of a jewish army captain, alfred dreyfus, who had been wrongly convicted of espionage in a rigged trial, consumed french political and intellectual life in the late 1890s. His military and political writings have appeared in numerous magazines. Robert harris returns to the thrilling historical fiction he has so brilliantly made his own. Alfred dreyfus, a young jewish officer, has just been convicted of. An officer and a spy by robert harris, 9780091944551, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. An officer and a spy by robert harris fantastic fiction. Goodreads members who liked an officer and a spy also liked. Until december 2015 lambert was a lecturer in terrorism studies at the university of st andrews and a senior lecturer at. An officer and a spyis one of robert harris most expansive thrillers. Robert harris, david rintoul, random house audiobooks. Caleb carr is the critically acclaimed author of the alienist, the angel of darkness, the lessons of terror, killing time, the devil soldier, the italian secretary, the legend of broken, and surrender, new york. May 7, 2014 books an officer and a spy books fiction historical fiction.
Robert lambert mbe is a british former academic and former undercover police officer. Two elderly men in black uniforms, the most senior officers in the ministry of war, stand. As historical fiction goes, it doesnt get much better than this. A jewish army officer, alfred dreyfus, has been convicted of treason and is imprisoned on devils island. An officer and a spy, by robert harris the new york times. He has taught military history at bard college, and worked extensively in film, television, and the theater.
Robert harriss novel an officer and a spy has a point of high drama when the main character, col. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. An officer and a spy by robert harris, paperback barnes. An officer and a spy robert harriss novel about the dreyfus affair of the 1890s is a perfect story for the age of wikileaks and edward snowden. An officer and a spy brings vividly to life the many people caught up in this complex struggle.
If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel. Dreyfuss was a jewish senior french army officer with. Several of his books have been filmed, including the ghost, which. An officer and a spy, by robert harris financial times. An officer and a spy is a tale about how an establishment bent on defending itself will, gradually and without any strong desire to perpetrate evil, trample over every human value in sight. An officer and a spy by robert harris penguin books new zealand. And according to the author, all the characters, even the minor ones, are real. Spanning over a decade, the novel follows what happens after the unjust conviction of captain alfred dreyfus in paris in 1895. An officer and a spy by robert harris penguin books. This is the story of the infamous dreyfus affair told as a chillingly dark, hardedged novel of conspiracy and espionage. Book club questions for an officer and a spy by robert.
An officer and a spy is robert harriss latest novel. In my opinion, the book is not as good a work as fatherland, a counterfactual historical novel, in part because most readers already know the ending of the real story. Cds preparation books material 2019 pdf free download. An officer and a spy is much more the kind of book that an intelligent, politically astute writer like harris should be producing more consistently. An officer and a spy by robert harris like me many readers probably have only the haziest idea about the dreyfus affair of the 1890s.
Youll find modern classics such as game of thrones or the harry potter books and books that are the basis for movies such as a wrinkle in time. An officer and a spy is his take on the infamous dreyfuss affair. The candidates need to get themselves prepared for the examination and for that they need to be aware with the syllabus and pattern of the exam. An officer and a spy is a 20 historical fiction thriller by the english writer and journalist robert harris. Then again, if you dont know the story, this is an. Horrible, because its based on a real event and horrible because it shows the deep hatred against jews in france during the end of the 19century and the beginning of the 20century. This is a good place to start your search for your next book. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required. Robert harris, in his fine novel an officer and a spy, lucidly retells the famous, bizarrely complicated and chilling storydrawing on the vast trove of books about the dreyfus affair and some newly available materials, harris tells a gripping tale. An officer and a spy held my interest throughout, though i must admit that the book took its time building to the climax. Robert harris is the author of twelve bestselling novels. A spy thriller and psychological examination, robert harriss an officer and a spy looks at the infamous dreyfus affair through the personage of a functionaryturnedwhistleblower. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. Spanning over a decade, the novel follows what happens after the.
But this tension also makes an officer and a spy a useful way to think about the ways in which historical writing and fiction can overlap, compete, and complement one another. An officer and a spy audio cd audiobook, unabridged, international edition. Richard bernstein is a former foreign correspondent for the new york times. An officer and a spy by robert harris overdrive rakuten. It tells the true story of french officer georges picquart from 18961906, as he struggles to expose the truth about the doctored evidence that sent alfred dreyfus to devils island. He served in the controversial special demonstration squad and posed as a leftwing animal rights activist from 1983 to 1988, fathering a child with an activist during his deployment. It is, perhaps, even better than his debut work fatherland. Compelling, too, are the echoes for our modern world. The official spys handbook at usborne childrens books. This book has all the ingredients of a top notch spy thriller intelligence services, secret agents, betrayals, intrigue, life and death, coverups, sex a little, anyway, murder, suspense except its all true. An officer and a spy is about the dreyfus affair 18941906 which roiled french society, encouraged antisemitism, and fostered radicalism. An officer and a spy is carried throughout by the peerless characterisation of picquart.
Robert harris has written a great book thats a bit horrible to read. The affair began when a military court convicted captain alfred dreyfus, who was jewish, of spying for the germans and sentenced him to solitary life imprisonment on devils island. Book club questions for an officer and a spy by robert harris. An officer and a spy by robert harris librarything. The end result, an officer and a spy, is a thrilling read from start to finish. After the dross of the ghost and the fear index, robert harris has written a book worthy of his talents, and worthy of our time as readers. Alfred dreyfus, a young jewish officer, has just been convicted of treason, sentenced to life imprisonment at devils.
Best book for cds 2019 preparationupsc cds preparation material the upsc cds exam has to be applied with the aim to get into the army, navy and military services of india. I would say that an officer and a spy is an important book to read from a historical. This reallife turnofthecentury french scandal was, when finally laid bare, seen as the archetypal example of injustice and cruelty inflicted by the state. An officer and a spy, by robert harris robert harris new an officer and a spy is a fictionalized account of the dreyfus affair which, as critic alan cheuse notes, is tailor. Find books like an officer and a spy from the worlds largest community of readers.
An officer and a spy, a thrilling novelization of the. In each book, harris has found a way of marrying history with intelligent fiction to produce. It deals with historic events in such a suspenseful way that you will forget you are reading about an actual situation that impacted the balance of power in europe at the turn of the last century. Narrated by picquart, an officer and a spy is a compelling recreation of a scandal that became the most famous miscarriage of justice in history. Complex and demanding, he is stiff, awkward, scornful and yet deeply sympathetic, a. Robert harris author, david rintoul narrator, random house audio publisher try audible free. The alienist tnt tiein edition by caleb carr, paperback. I read an officer and a spy with white knuckles, even though i already knew the story and where it was heading.
A spy thriller and psychological examination, robert harriss an officer and a spy looks at the infamous dreyfus. We felt it could have done with a bit more editing as a fictionalised account of the affair it doesnt need to recap all the minutia. Take a look at the walmart books best sellers section. Its the new book by novelist robert harris about the dreyfus affair that made headlines in the late 1890s and shook the french military to its core.
A novel audio cd january 28, 2014 by robert harris author. An officer and a spy is an extremely riveting account of the dreyfus affair, as it came to be known, the people involved including those that will cover their tracks at all costs and those that will seek justice no matter the price, and the eventual reveal of the entire truth as discovered by picquart. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. I love a book that encourages kids to be creative and the usborne official spys handbook is just that. Picquart pursues the truth, loves classical music, cares for his dying mother and is deftly. National book awards popular fiction book of the year 20. An officer and a spy by robert harris book cover, description, publication history.