Author:Harry Ferguson
Operation Kronstadt not only reveals the early days of Britain's intelligence services but uncovers a truly dramatic story from the Russian Revolution involving a daring rescue attempt and a 'mission impossible' against the best defended naval target in Russia.
By May 1919, when the power struggle between former Tsarists and Bolsheviks hangs in the balance, the only British agent in Russia is trapped and in mortal danger. Mansfield Cumming, the first 'C', dreams up an audacious - probably suicidal - plan to rescue him, and a young naval officer is sent with a specially selected team into the jaws of the Soviet fleet. This is the remarkable story of the spy, Paul Dukes, (the only MI6 officer to be knighted for work in the field), and of Gus Agar, whose extraordinary escapade won him the Victoria Cross.
A fascinating, minutely researched and ground breaking new book ... which turns out to be a tale of adventure, honour and raw courage quite as exciting as anything found in fiction or on the silver screen
—— Andrew Roberts , Daily MailFerguson's account of both sets of operations is exciting and his enthusiasm is infectious
—— Alan Judd , Sunday TelegraphThis is an excellent book and thoroughly recommended
—— Journal of the Victoria Cross SocietyExcellent, entertaining and informative ... It is genuinely hard to put down
—— Navy NewsGood, pacy stuff and impressively researched
—— Professor Keith Jeffery, official historian of MI6Delightful
—— Irish TimesSuccinct yet wide-ranging...Kurlansky is adamant that his book is about hope, that over and over again non-violence has had its own small successes, from Gandhi to Martin Luther King
—— Claire Allfree , MetroThe ideal Christmas present for world leaders and jihad warriors everywhere
—— Big IssueKurlansky tells an intriguing story - with some nuggets of fascinating trivia
—— Bill McSweeney , Irish TimesAn entertaining, interesting and sometimes inspiring gallop through parts of the history of non-violent conflict
—— Buce Kent , History TodayHaslam is an intriguing man...[and] can write wonderfully well
—— The Spectator, Susan HillA baroque soufflé of names, faces, bitchy asides and put-downs, sprinkled with funny anecdotes.
—— Camilla Long , Sunday TimesThough full of as much gossip as you might expect from the inveterate socialite, this memoir is also interestingly clever
—— Daily TelegraphThe interior designer, journalist and socialite Nicky Haslam has met almost everyone who's anyone
—— Brandon Robshaw , Independent on SundayIt is...boisterously good company and proof that if Haslam knows one thing, it's that you can only get away with a life like his if you are never, ever boring.
—— Claire Allfree , Metroa terrifically entertaining read
—— Carla McKay , Daily Mailextremely diverting, essentially kind-hearted and well written
—— William Leith , Evening Standard