Books Update: Spies Like Us

New books about espionage, including Ben Macintyre's "Agent Sonya"

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story October 2, 2020 Patrick Leger Dear Reader, On this week’s podcast, I ask Ben Macintyre what he thinks lies behind our fascination with spies. “There is a sort of essential human fantasy about living a double life,” he says, “about appearing to be one person on the outside and being someone completely different on the inside. In a way, it’s a universal human trait to imagine ourselves as somebody else.” Speaking for myself as a reader, at least, I think he’s right, which is why putting together a cover around books on spycraft was so appealing. Macintyre has written memorably about World War II and Cold War spies in books such as “A Spy Among Friends” and “Double Cross.” His latest, “Agent Sonya,” looks at the life of a Soviet spy. Scott Anderson’s new book, “The Quiet Americans,” is about a quartet of spies and the dawn of the C.I.A.; Chris Whipple’s “The Spymasters” homes in on the directors of the C.I.A. Spies make for great stories, but if you want pure fiction, you’ll have to turn to Edmund White, Yishai Sarid, Hari Kunzru or Héctor Tobar this week. We’ve also got a roundup of global literature and the latest in crime. Please stay in touch and let us know what you think — whether it’s about this newsletter, our reviews, our podcast, our literary calendar, our Instagram or what you’re reading. We read and ponder all of it. I even write back, albeit belatedly. You can email me at books@nytimes.com. Pamela Paul Editor of The New York Times Book Review @PamelaPaulNYT Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Like this email? Sign-up here or forward it to your friends. Have a suggestion or two on how we can improve it? Let us know at newsletters@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. THE BOOK REVIEW PODCAST Hari Kunzru on Writing ‘Red Pill’ Kunzru talks about his new novel, and Ben Macintyre discusses “Agent Sonya,” his latest real-life tale of espionage. FICTION & POETRY fiction ‘Sisters’ Builds a Gothic Plot to an Artful and Shocking Climax The new novel, by Daisy Johnson, features a pair of troubled siblings, an isolated house in the country and a mysterious, dark deed. By Harriet Lane fiction This Year Is Complicated. Three New Novels Remind Us the Past Was No Picnic Either. From Detroit to Tuscany to an island off the coast of Germany, these books dip into other lives and heartbreaks. By Alida Becker fiction Paul Theroux on a Globetrotting Novel Inspired by a Real Adventurer Héctor Tobar’s “The Last Great Road Bum” follows the restless Joe Sanderson, who dashed from country to country in pursuit of adventure. 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Revisiting George Smiley and the British Secret Service In 1974, Richard Locke reviewed “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy,” John le Carré’s novel following a spymaster’s pursuit to uncover a Soviet mole in the British secret service, for the Book Review. editors’ choice 10 New Books We Recommend This Week Suggested reading from critics and editors at The New York Times. inside the list Shout Out to the Bodega Boys, From the Bronx to the Best-Seller List In “God-Level Knowledge Darts,” Desus Nice & the Kid Mero deliver a “fat sack of truth nuggets.” By Lauren Christensen New in Paperback: ‘Running Home’ and ‘The Shadow King’ Six new paperbacks to check out this week. By Jennifer Krauss Best Sellers Combined Print & E-Book Fiction Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction Hardcover Fiction Hardcover Nonfiction Paperback Trade Fiction Paperback Nonfiction All Lists New International Books Illustration by Thoka Maer Your sneak preview of books coming out in 2020 from around the world. 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