Ben Macintyre Popular Books

Ben Macintyre Biography & Facts

Benedict Richard Pierce Macintyre (born 25 December 1963) is a British author, reviewer and columnist for The Times newspaper. His columns range from current affairs to historical controversies. Early life Macintyre is the elder son of Angus Donald Macintyre (d. 1994), Fellow and Tutor in Modern History at Magdalen College, Oxford (elected Principal of Hertford College, Oxford before his death in a car accident), author of the first scholarly work on the Irish nationalist Daniel O'Connell, general editor of the Oxford Historical Monographs series from 1971 to 1979, editor of The English Historical Review from 1978 to 1986, and Chairman of the Governors of Magdalen College School from 1987 to 1990, and Joanna, daughter of Sir Richard Musgrave Harvey, 2nd Baronet and a descendant of Berkeley Paget. His paternal grandmother was a descendant of James Netterville, 7th Viscount Netterville.Macintyre was educated at Abingdon School and St John's College, Cambridge, graduating with a degree in history in 1985. Writing Macintyre is the author of a book on the gentleman criminal Adam Worth, The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief. He also wrote The Man Who Would Be King: The First American in Afghanistan (about Josiah Harlan). This was also published as Josiah the Great: The True Story of the Man who Would be King. Harlan is one of the candidates presumed to be the basis for Rudyard Kipling's short story The Man Who Would Be King. His book on Eddie Chapman, a double agent of Germany and Britain during the Second World War, was titled Agent Zigzag: The True Wartime Story of Eddie Chapman: Lover, Betrayer, Hero, Spy. In 2008, Macintyre wrote an illustrated account of Ian Fleming, creator of the fictional spy James Bond, to accompany the For Your Eyes Only, Ian Fleming and James Bond exhibition at London's Imperial War Museum, which was part of the Fleming Centenary celebrations.Macintyre's 2020 book Agent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy, a biography of Soviet agent Ursula Kuczynski, was featured on BBC Radio 4 as a Book of the Week.In 2022 his book Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle was released, a history of the German prison and its inhabitants, mostly British POWs. The book received generally favorable reviews. Personal life Macintyre has three children and is divorced from the writer and documentary maker Kate Muir. Documentaries Five of Macintyre's books have been made into documentaries for the BBC: Operation Mincemeat (2010), Double Agent: The Eddie Chapman Story (2011), Double Cross – The True Story of the D Day Spies (2012) Kim Philby – His Most Intimate Betrayal (2014). SAS: Rogue Warriors (2017).Adaptations In 2021, Operation Mincemeat, a cinematic adaptation of Macintyre's 2010's homonymous book, subtitled The True Spy Story that Changed the Course of World War II, premiered at Australia's British Film Festival, and was released to the public in 2022. Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War, was adapted in 2022 under the title SAS: Rogue Heroes and released on 30 October 2022.On 8 December 2022, a six part series titled A Spy Among Friends premiered on the streaming service ITVX. It's the adaptation of Macintyre's book: A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal. Awards and honours 1998 Edgar Award shortlist for The Napoleon of Crime 1998 Macavity Award shortlist for The Napoleon of Crime 2007 Costa Book Awards, biography, shortlist for Agent Zigzag 2008 Galaxy British Book Awards, biography, shortlist for Agent Zigzag 2010 Galaxy British Book Awards, Popular Non-fiction, shortlist for Operation Mincemeat 2011 Duke of Westminster's Medal for Military Literature, shortlist for Operation Mincemeat 2012 Agatha Award, Non-fiction, shortlist for A Spy Among Friends 2013 Edgar Award shortlist for Double Cross 2014 Spear's Book Award, winner for A Spy Among Friends 2018 Baillie Gifford Prize, shortlist for The Spy and the TraitorWorks Forgotten Fatherland: The Search for Elisabeth Nietzsche. New York 1992. ISBN 978-0-374-15759-3 The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1997. ISBN 978-0-374-21899-7. A Foreign Field. HarperCollins, 2001. ISBN 978-0-00-257122-7. (American edition: The Englishman's Daughter: A True Story of Love and Betrayal in World War One. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002. ISBN 978-0-374-12985-9.) The Man Who Would Be King: The First American in Afghanistan (Josiah Harlan). New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004. ISBN 978-0-374-20178-4. Agent Zigzag: The True Wartime Story of Eddie Chapman: Lover, Betrayer, Hero, Spy. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2007. ISBN 978-0-7475-8794-1. For Your Eyes Only: Ian Fleming and James Bond. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2008. . The Last Word: Tales from the Tip of the Mother Tongue. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2009. ISBN 978-1-4088-0333-2. Operation Mincemeat: The True Spy Story that Changed the Course of World War II. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2010. ISBN 978-0-7475-9868-8. Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-1-4088-1990-6. A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014. ISBN 978-1408851722.Gladwell, Malcolm (28 July 2014). "A Critic at Large: Trust No One". The New Yorker. Vol. 90, no. 21. pp. 70–75. Retrieved 30 September 2014. Includes review of A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal. Fitzpatrick, Sheila (September 2014). "'One of us' : the spy who relished deception". Australian Book Review. 364: 27–28. Review of A Spy Among Friends.Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War; McClelland & Stewart; 2017; 400pp; ISBN 978-0771060328 The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War (Oleg Gordievsky); Viking, 2018, 352pp; ISBN 978-0241186657 Agent Sonya: Lover, Mother, Soldier, Spy; Viking, 2020, 384pp; ISBN 978-0241408506 Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle; Viking, 2022, 384pp; ISBN 978-0241408520See also List of Old Abingdonians SAS: Rogue Heroes A Spy Among FriendsReferences External links Official website List of articles by Macintyre "Ben Macintyre, columnist", is Macintyre's op-ed page at The Times. Ben Macintyre on the Muck Rack journalist listing site . Discover the Ben Macintyre popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Ben Macintyre books.

Best Seller Ben Macintyre Books of 2024

  • The Runner synopsis, comments

    The Runner

    Stephen Leather

    'Thoughtprovoking, highoctane chase thriller with style' Financial Times'Leather once again delivers highoctane thrillaminute action that reads like a pitch for a Netflix series'...

  • Tales from the Special Forces Club synopsis, comments

    Tales from the Special Forces Club

    Sean Rayment

    Stories of reallife bravery and courageunderfire contribute to a unique and poignant record of a club created for heroes.There are just a handful of men and women alive today who s...

  • Lionheart synopsis, comments

    Lionheart

    Ben Kane

    THE FIRST BOOK IN BEN KANE'S EPIC RICHARD THE LIONHEART SERIES HISTORICAL FICTION WRITING AT ITS FINEST'A riproaring epic, filled with arrows and spattered with blood' Paul Finch1...

  • The Four Symbols synopsis, comments

    The Four Symbols

    Giacometti & Ravenne

    From multimillion copy bestselling authors Giacometti & Ravenne comes a Nazi spy thriller for fans of Dan Brown, Steve Berry and Wilbur Smith"I couldn't put it down ... the aut...

  • Island Reich synopsis, comments

    Island Reich

    Jack Grimwood

    AN UNLIKELY SPY. A FORMER KING. THE FATE OF A NATION IN THEIR HANDS.The gripping WWII thriller from the awardwinning author of Nightfall Berlin, perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow'I...

  • Season of Blood synopsis, comments

    Season of Blood

    Fergal Keane

    When President Habyarimana’s jet was shot down in April 1994, Rwanda erupted into a hundredday orgy of killing – which left up to a million dead. Fergal Keane travelled through the...

  • X Platoon synopsis, comments

    X Platoon

    Steve Heaney MC & Damien Lewis

    For three decades one of the most secretive units in the British military has been a mystery force known as X Platoon.Officially there was no X Platoon. The forty men in its elite ...

  • First Man In synopsis, comments

    First Man In

    Ant Middleton

    No one is born a leader. But through sheer determination and by confronting life’s challenges, Ant Middleton has come to know the meaning of true leadership. In First Man In, he sh...

  • A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre - A 30-minute Instaread Summary synopsis, comments

    A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre - A 30-minute Instaread Summary

    InstaRead Summaries

    PLEASE NOTE: This is a summary of the book and NOT the original book. A Spy Among Friends by Ben Macintyre A 30minute Instaread Summary Inside this Instaread Summary: Overview of ...

  • Spies and Traitors synopsis, comments

    Spies and Traitors

    Michael Holzman

    A brilliant exposé of how Kim Philbythe masterspy and notorious double agentbecame the mentor, and later, mortal enemy, of James Angleton, who would eventually lead the C...

  • The Golden Age of Piracy synopsis, comments

    The Golden Age of Piracy

    Benerson Little

    For thousands of years, pirates have terrorized the ocean voyager and the coastal inhabitant, plundered ship and shore, and wrought havoc on the lives and livelihoods of rich and p...

  • Rogue Heroes synopsis, comments

    Rogue Heroes

    Ben Macintyre

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The incredible untold story of World War II’s greatest secret fighting force, as told by the modern master of wartime intriguenow a limited series on Epi...

  • Last Man Standing synopsis, comments

    Last Man Standing

    Stephen Leather

    Friendships forged in the heat of combat can be stronger than anything.So when SAS trooper Matt Standing is told that the former Navy SEAL who saved his life is in trouble, he does...

  • Rumours Of War synopsis, comments

    Rumours Of War

    Allan Mallinson

    Perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, another engrossing Matthew Hervey adventure from the pen of THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallins...

  • Hot Blood synopsis, comments

    Hot Blood

    Stephen Leather

    The fourth book in the bestselling Dan 'Spider' Shepherd series.Dan 'Spider' Shepherd is used to putting his life on the line. It goes with the turf when you're an undercover cop. ...

  • Nightfall Berlin synopsis, comments

    Nightfall Berlin

    Jack Grimwood

    'Noteperfect, multilayered, rugged as a T34 tank. Grimwood is about to become your new favourite thriller writer' IndependentA tense, atmospheric and breathtaking thriller that dro...

  • A Spy Among Friends synopsis, comments

    A Spy Among Friends

    Ben Macintyre & John le Carré

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER  The epic true story of Kim Philby, the Cold War’s most infamous spy, from the “master storyteller” (San Francisco Chronicle) and author of Prisoners...

  • False Friends synopsis, comments

    False Friends

    Stephen Leather

    The ninth allaction thriller in the bestselling Dan 'Spider' Shepherd series. The most wanted man in the world is dead. Now those loyal to him seek revenge. When Navy Seals track ...

  • We Need to Talk About Putin synopsis, comments

    We Need to Talk About Putin

    Mark Galeotti

    'Galeotti sketches a bleak, but convincing picture of the man in the Kremlin and the political system that he dominates' The TimesMeet the world's most dangerous man. Who is the r...

  • An Act Of Courage synopsis, comments

    An Act Of Courage

    Allan Mallinson

    THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallinson brings us another compelling and deeply atmospheric adventure featuring Matthew Hervey. If you like Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cor...

  • Short Range synopsis, comments

    Short Range

    Stephen Leather

    An explosive thriller in the Spider Shepherd seriesDan 'Spider' Shepherd's career path soldier, cop, MI5 officer has always put a strain on his family. So he is far from happy ...

  • The Princess Spy synopsis, comments

    The Princess Spy

    Larry Loftis

    INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER“As exciting as any spy novel” (Daily News, New York), The Princess Spy follows the hidden history of an ordina...

  • True Believer synopsis, comments

    True Believer

    Kati Marton

    “Kati Marton’s True Believer is a true story of intrigue, treachery, murder, torture, fascism, and an unshakable faith in the ideals of Communism….A fresh take on espionage activit...

  • Man Of War synopsis, comments

    Man Of War

    Allan Mallinson

    Perfect for fans of Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester, another engrossing Matthew Hervey adventure from the pen of THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallins...

  • Company Of Spears synopsis, comments

    Company Of Spears

    Allan Mallinson

    THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Allan Mallinson brings us another adrenalinfuelled, absorbing adventure featuring Matthew Hervey. If you like Patrick O'Brian, Bernard Cornwell ...

  • Agent 110 synopsis, comments

    Agent 110

    Scott Jeffrey Miller

    The “lively and engrossing” (The Wall Street Journal) story of how OSS spymaster Allen Dulles built an underground network determined to take down Hitler and destroy the Third Reic...

  • The Shroud synopsis, comments

    The Shroud

    Ian Wilson

    Two decades after radiocarbon dating declared the Turin Shroud a mediaeval fake, brandnew historical discoveries strongly suggest that this famous cloth, with its extraordinary pho...

  • Operation Mayhem synopsis, comments

    Operation Mayhem

    Steve Heaney MC & Damien Lewis

    'Captures the confusion, black humour, raw courage and sheer exhilaration of combat brilliantly' THE TIMES'Read this account of his stint with the 26man strong X Platoon in the swe...

  • Most Secret War synopsis, comments

    Most Secret War

    R.V. Jones

    Reginald Jones was nothing less than a genius. And his appointment to the Intelligence Section of Britain's Air Ministry in 1939 led to some of the most astonishing scientific and ...

  • Disciples synopsis, comments

    Disciples

    Douglas Waller

    “A fantastic book, one of the very finest accounts of wartime spookery” (The Wall Street Journal)a spellbinding adventure story of four secret OSS agents who would all later lead t...

  • Military Blunders synopsis, comments

    Military Blunders

    Saul David

    Retelling the most spectacular cockups in military history, this graphic account has a great deal to say about the psychology of military incompetence and the reasons even the most...

  • The Napoleon of Crime synopsis, comments

    The Napoleon of Crime

    Ben Macintyre

    From the New York Times bestselling author of Prisoners in the Castle, a dramatic portrait of the master thief of the nineteenth century: Adam Worth “Fascinating . . . a brisk, liv...

  • Light Touch synopsis, comments

    Light Touch

    Stephen Leather

    Working undercover is all about trust getting the target to trust you and then betraying them in order to bring them to justice.But what do you do when you believe an undercover c...

  • Slow Burn synopsis, comments

    Slow Burn

    Stephen Leather

    'Leather's latest fullthrottle thriller could hardly be more topical . . . it hurtles off the page, grabbing the reader by the throat' Daily Mail'This cracking Spider Shepherd thri...

  • Fast Track synopsis, comments

    Fast Track

    Stephen Leather

    'Stephen Leather writes really exciting action thrillers. It's like being there yourself' CHRIS RYAN, AUTHOR OF Zero 22'The fastpaced action scenes are expertly choreographed; the ...

  • Agent Sonya synopsis, comments

    Agent Sonya

    Ben Macintyre

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER The “master storyteller” (San Francisco Chronicle) behind the New York Times bestseller The Spy and the Traitor uncovers the true story behind one o...

  • Operation Mincemeat synopsis, comments

    Operation Mincemeat

    Ben Macintyre

    NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER NOW A NETFLIX FILM STARRING COLIN FIRTH The “brilliant and almost absurdly entertaining” (Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker) true story of the most succe...

  • White Lies synopsis, comments

    White Lies

    Stephen Leather

    Dan 'Spider' Shepherd is used to putting his life on the line for his friends and for his job with MI5. So when one of his former apprentices is kidnapped in the badlands of Pakis...

  • Three Ordinary Girls synopsis, comments

    Three Ordinary Girls

    Tim Brady

    “The book's teenage protagonists and their bravery will enthrall young adults, who may find themselves inspired to take up their own causes.” Washington Post An astonishing Wo...

  • Hidden History synopsis, comments

    Hidden History

    Gerry Docherty & James MacGregor

    Think you know about British history and the causes of the First World War? Think again. This fascinating and gripping study of events at the turn of the Twentieth Century is a rem...

  • True Colours synopsis, comments

    True Colours

    Stephen Leather

    The Russian oligarchs are the world's new elite. They treat the world as their plaything, travelling without borders and living lives of unimaginable luxury without fear or restrai...

  • Trust No One synopsis, comments

    Trust No One

    Anthony Mosawi

    My name is Sara Eden, and this is all I can remember . . . There are government agents pursuing me. They think I know something they want. They will never stop. I could be a dange...

  • Dark Forces synopsis, comments

    Dark Forces

    Stephen Leather

    When you're caught between two evils, only the most decisive will survive . . .A violent South London gang will be destroyed if Dan 'Spider' Shepherd can gather enough evidence ag...

  • Tall Order synopsis, comments

    Tall Order

    Stephen Leather

    He is one of the world's most ruthless terrorists, codenamed Saladin. He plans and executes devastating attacks and then, ghostlike, he disappears.Ten years ago he blew a plane out...

  • Rough Justice synopsis, comments

    Rough Justice

    Stephen Leather

    The seventh book in the bestselling Dan 'Spider' Shepherd series. Villains across London are being beaten, crippled and killed by vigilante cops. Crime rates are falling, but the p...

  • Soft Target synopsis, comments

    Soft Target

    Stephen Leather

    The second book in the bestselling Dan 'Spider' Shepherd series. There's only one thing more dangerous than a corrupt cop . . . and that's a corrupt cop with a gun.When a group of ...