Reviews for Emil Draitser’s "Stalin's Romeo Spy"
“The life story of the inventor of the modern 'honey trap.'... The bastard son of the aristocratic Tolstoy family (or so he claimed)... [who ] embarked on a career seducing secretaries, countesses, and diplomat's wives. At one point he married his own wife off to a French intelligence officer in the hopes of obtaining even more information.” The New York Review of Books
“It is not entirely fair to call Dmitri Bystrolyotov a Russian James Bond. Unlike Bond, Bystrolyotov actually existed, was a devoted communist and spent 15 years as a prisoner in the gulag archipelago. But had they both been real people, they would have had enough in common to swap cynical stories in a neutral language over vodka martinis in some lamplit border crossing.” The Scotsman (UK)
“Captivating and … worthwhile. ‘Stalin's Romeo Spy.‘ deserves the attention of anyone interested in the history of the Soviet intelligence services or the history of intelligence in general. Draitser’s account reminds us of the feats of espionage the Soviet services were able to accomplish when they set aside all scruples. Given that human nature is changeless and that ruthless regimes still remain in the world—not to mention that we now know conclusively that Moscow continues to use illegals against us—the book is a reminder of what we need to watch for.” CIA - Studies in Intelligence
“Dmitri Bystrolyotov, a spy for Stalin's foreign intelligence service in the 1920s and 30s, was, by all accounts, a larger-than-life figure. Extraordinarily handsome, sophisticated and highly resourceful, he was well suited to the job of being a secret agent in Europe between the World Wars.… An ideal "poster boy" to inspire coming generations of Russian spies…. The story of the group of spies who were sent back to Russia from the United States in June is still unfolding, but one thing seems clear: the old habits of Russia's security and intelligence services die hard.” The Times Literary Supplement (London)
“There is no doubt ... that Bystrolyotov was a remarkable spy even by the standards of an era when much of the world was crawling with intelligence agents.... It is impossible to read ‘Stalin's Romeo Spy’ without reflecting on the cruel and capricious nature of totalitarian regimes and without noting that, however good a spy may be, espionage is only as effective as the ability of political leaders to sort through the information they are handed.‘” The Wall Street Journal
“This book, undertaken after much international research, is [the author's] effort to show a daring professional at work and to counter Russian efforts to whitewash their history. The details of espionage work and of Soviet life are fascinating. This amazing story should be read by those interested in espionage, Soviet affairs, and European history. Recommended for general readers and academics.” The Library Journal
“A major contribution to intelligence history... [A] critical biography of the spy, a difficult but ultimately successful effort, adding depth to previous accounts... Draitser is able to expose the myth of the Soviet hero-agent... The biography is valuable for readers interested in intelligence affairs and accounts of life in the gulag.” Slavic Review
“A rare, humanized image of both the Soviet intelligence services and the purges. By itself, Draitser’s account of life in the gulag is worth the price of this book, although the general reader will be equally intrigued by Bystrolyotov’s spy adventures. Overall, this is a highly readable story that also contributes to our understanding of the often inefficient Stalinist state.” Russian Review
“Riveting .... Not Jewish himself, Bystrolyotov’s life dovetails with Jewish experiences and personalities, thus making this book a worthwhile read for those who have interest in the causes of Soviet Jewry as well as general Jewish history.” The Jewish Star
“A fascinating biography…. Draitser artfully captures his subject's spy career simply by removing the romance found in fictional spy tales….‘Stalin's Romeo Spy.‘, like its protagonist, is filled with charm [and] danger. .. It is worth reading about a real-life James Bond trapped in his own web of seduction and deceit.” Curled Up With A Good Book
“This extraordinary biography of one of Soviet Russia’s most flamboyant and successful illegals ... is gripping, entertaining and immensely informative. An invaluable memoir for understanding the workings of Soviet intelligence and Soviet foreign policy.” Russian Life Magazine
“Bystrolyotov, as Draitser tells it, is one of the most sensational in the pantheon of desperate lives lived by Stalin’s illegals. By turns routine, thrilling, conventional, extraordinary, disquieting, disgusting, pathetic, and inspiring, [the spy’s life story] stirs emotions of both revulsion and respect, even as it adds a new and instructive chapter to a bleak and terrifying period of history. In this case, the hero chose his biographer well: no one but Draitser could have written this book.” Gary Kern, author of A Death in Washington: Walter G. Krivitsky and the Stalin Terror and The Kravchenko Case: One Man’s War on Stalin, from the Forward
“An amazing true-life saga . . . Books on intelligence rarely allow the reader the breadth and depth that this biography has, and even more rarely do we get a look into the motivation and thinking behind the acts as we do here. Bystrolyotov’s life is extraordinary, literally another world from the one we inhabit and a fascinating read.”Suzi Weissman, author of Victor Serge: The Course Is Set On Hope
“Fascinating . . . Illuminates the inner workings of the Soviet spy network in Europe and the United States in the 1930s. Adventurers who lived for the thrill and excitement of spying, they believed that they worked for the glorious future of the whole of mankind, while in fact serving a criminal country with a Mafia-like oligarchy that included Stalin and his close associates. No wonder that eventually they were betrayed by the very regime they worked for . . . The book is extremely timely now when in Russia, ruled by a small group of former security service officers, Bystrolyotov is proclaimed one of the greatest heroes of the country’s foreign intelligence.” Vadim J. Birstein, author of The Perversion of Knowledge: The True Story of Soviet Science