Espionage & Spying

Nick Harkaway grew up hearing his dad read drafts of his George Smiley novels. He picked up le Carré's beloved spymaster character in the novel Karla's Choice. Originally broadcast Oct. 23, 2024.

In 'The Illegals: Russia's Most Audacious Spies and Their Century-Long Mission to Infiltrate the West', Shaun Walker shares how agents were trained to blend into a target country and pose as citizens.

Russell played a Soviet spy in The Americans. She stars as a foreign service officer who becomes the U.S. ambassador in London in the Netflix series The Diplomat. Originally broadcast April 17, 2023.

Novelist Nick Harkaway. He's written a new novel called "Karla's Choice." It's set in the world of his father John le Carre's spy novels.

The late spy novelist is the subject of a new documentary by Errol Morris, The Pigeon Tunnel. Le Carré worked for MI5 and MI6 early in his career. Originally broadcast in 1989 and 2017.

Journalist James Risen tells the story of Sen. Frank Church, who exposed the dirty laundry of the CIA and the FBI nearly 50 years ago, and inspired congressional oversight of intelligence agencies.

In "The Diplomat," Keri Russell stars as Kate Wyler, a career foreign service officer with an excellent reputation for handling international crises, often behind the scenes.

NY Times reporter Adam Goldman describes an undercover effort, headed up by an avid Trump supporter, that trained conservatives in espionage techniques and sent them to dig up dirt on progressives.

Author Scott Anderson chronicles the formative years of America's spy agency by focusing on four soldiers who became intelligence agents after World War II. Originally broadcast Sept. 1, 2020.

One of this year's surprise hits has been the Netflix series "Lupin," which stars French actor Omar Sy as a likeable and brilliant thief who's out to avenge the railroading of his father. The second season of "Lupin" is streaming now. And our critic-at-large, John Powers, says that it isn't just exciting but clever in its way of taking something old and making it feel new.

Every time the president of the United States travels, he's accompanied by a cadre of Secret Service agents. Sometimes seen wearing crisp suits, sunglasses and ear pieces, the agents charged with protecting the president present a striking visual. But Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post investigative reporter Carol Leonnig says the Secret Service itself is something of a mess.

Le Carré, who died Dec. 12, worked for MI5 and MI6 early in his career and later drew on that experience in thrillers like The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Originally broadcast in 1989 and 2017.

Journalist Stephen Kinzer reveals how the CIA worked in the 1950s and early '60s to develop mind control drugs and deadly toxins that could be used against enemies. Originally broadcast Sept. 9, 2019.

Ali Soufan investigated terrorism cases and opposed the CIA's use of torture following the Sept. 11 terror attacks. After a legal battle, the redacted material in his 2011 memoir, Black Banners, has been restored.

In a new book, author Scott Anderson chronicles the formative years of America's spy agency by focusing on four soldiers who became intelligence agents after World War II.

Author David Rohde refutes Trump's claims about a "deep state" — and argues that the president is the one creating a parallel shadow government filled with like-minded loyalists.

Greg Miller of The Washington Post reveals the hidden history of Crypto AG, a Swiss firm that sold encryption technology to 120 countries — but was secretly owned by the CIA for decades.

Stephen Kinzer's new book 'Poisoner in Chief' is about the CIA's secret experiments with LSD in the 50s and 60s in search of a drug that could be weaponized to control the minds of enemies. It's also about the man who who led it.

We celebrate the life of the legendary obit writer, who died Feb. 22, by listening back to a 1987 interview. Also, Philadelphia Inquirer editor David Gambacorta reflects on Nicholson's work.

NY Times reporter David Sanger says the world's leading producer of telecom equipment will be central to the spread of a global 5G network — which could pose a major threat to U.S. national security.