Review: The Writer and the Traitor – Graham Greene and Kim Philby
This review of Robert Verkaik's book, 'The Writer and the Traitor,' explores the complex friendship between British novelist Graham Greene and MI6 officer Kim Philby. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the narrative highlights a pivotal 1944 meeting at the Café Royal where Greene resigned from MI6 while his superior, Philby, was secretly working as a Soviet spy. Verkaik portrays both men as figures of divided loyalties: Greene, who flirted with communism and sought risk, and Philby, a Cambridge-educated traitor who helped orchestrate D-Day deception plans while funneling critical intelligence to Moscow. The book examines whether Greene's resignation was triggered by disillusionment with office politics or by suspecting Philby's treachery. It delves into their parallel lives of infidelity, subterfuge, and the shadow of the Cold War falling over their relationship within the British intelligence establishment.
Wire timeline
Review: The Writer and the Traitor – Graham Greene and Kim Philby
This review of Robert Verkaik's book, 'The Writer and the Traitor,' explores the complex friendship between British novelist Graham Greene and MI6 officer Kim Philby. Set against the backdrop of World War II, the narrative highlights a pivotal 1944 meeting at the Café Royal where Greene resigned from MI6 while his superior, Philby, was secretly working as a Soviet spy. Verkaik portrays both men as figures of divided loyalties: Greene, who flirted with communism and sought risk, and Philby, a Cambridge-educated traitor who helped orchestrate D-Day deception plans while funneling critical intelligence to Moscow. The book examines whether Greene's resignation was triggered by disillusionment with office politics or by suspecting Philby's treachery. It delves into their parallel lives of infidelity, subterfuge, and the shadow of the Cold War falling over their relationship within the British intelligence establishment.
The Guardian