Ben Macintyre

Author

Ben Macintyre is a British author and journalist whose meticulously researched, brilliantly told works of narrative non-fiction have made him one of the finest writers about espionage, war, and secret history working today. His books read like thrillers, but every detail is true — and that combination of rigorous scholarship and... irresistible storytelling has earned him millions of readers worldwide. Macintyre was born in 1963 and educated at Cambridge. He has spent much of his career as a journalist at The Times, where he has served as foreign correspondent, columnist, and associate editor. His postings in New York, Paris, and Washington gave him the international perspective and investigative instincts that inform his books. His non-fiction works are portraits of real-life spies, soldiers, and secret agents, told with the pace and narrative drive of a novel. Agent Zigzag (2007) tells the extraordinary true story of Eddie Chapman, a charming criminal who became a double agent during the Second World War. Operation Mincemeat (2010), about a deception plan involving a dead body and fake documents that helped turn the tide of the war, became a bestseller and was adapted into a major film starring Colin Firth. A Spy Among Friends (2014), about the Cambridge spy Kim Philby, was adapted into a television series starring Guy Pearce and Damian Lewis. His other books include SAS: Rogue Heroes (adapted into a hit BBC drama), The Spy and the Traitor (about the KGB defector Oleg Gordievsky, widely considered one of the greatest espionage books ever written), Agent Sonya, and Colditz. Each one demonstrates Macintyre's gift for finding the human story at the heart of momentous historical events. The audiobook editions of Macintyre's books are outstanding, with narrators delivering performances that match the dramatic tension and vivid characterisation of his writing. His books translate brilliantly to audio — the stories are so inherently gripping that listeners regularly describe being unable to stop pressing play. Ben Macintyre lives in London. His books and audiobooks are essential for anyone who loves true stories of espionage, courage, and deception — history told with the skill and excitement of the finest fiction. Read more Show less