The Most Important Cold War Spy You've Never Heard Of

Ben Macintyre, author of international bestseller Operation Mincemeat, joins us for a conversation with former Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Graydon Carter about Macintyre’s new Cold War history, Redwood: The Untold Story of the Cold War’s Most Extraordinary Spy — the untold story of a Russian double agent with a desperate secret, and the key to stopping a nuclear apocalypse. In 1981, KGB Major Vladimir Kuzichkin, codenamed “Redwood,” was the best Soviet officer in Iran, running spies in the wake of the Islamic revolution and working with a hidden network of Iranian communists to undermine the new regime. But Kuzichkin had a secret that, if revealed, would send him into exile. Desperate for a solution, he reached out to the only place he believed could help: Britain’s MI6. So begins Macintyre’s fascinating true spy story of the Cold War, set against the terrifying prospect of nuclear armageddon. Drawing on newly uncovered archival material and firsthand interviews, Redwood transports us to revolutionary Iran, where Soviet intelligence, the new Islamic regime, and Western spy agencies collided in a dangerous struggle with global consequences. Macintyre, author of the book behind the hit Broadway musical Operation Mincemeat, has long been celebrated for transforming meticulously researched history into gripping page-turners. Together, he and Carter — founder of Spy magazine and Air Mail — discuss the remarkable true events behind Redwood. Don’t miss two celebrated chroniclers of power, politics, and history for a riveting account of the moral ambiguities of spycraft, the enduring legacy of Cold War intelligence operations, and the hidden decisions that have shaped the modern world. “Ben Macintyre has a rare ability to turn history and espionage upside down and give us true, colorful stories that astound us as they draw us in. Redwood might be his best.” — John Grisham Your support helps us continue creating online content for our community. Donate now: http://www.92NY.org/Donate Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/92ndStreetY Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/92ndStreetY TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@92ndstreety Archives: https://www.92ny.org/archives