Rogue Agent: The Troubled Life and Dangerous Times of Robert Bruce Lockhart by James Crossland

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Taking the reader on a colorful journey from the Russian Revolution through both world wars, this is the story of "the riveting life of maverick spy" Robert Bruce Lockhart. Diplomat, conspirator, intelligence gatherer, propagandist, and charmer, Rogue Agent tells the colorful story of London's key agent in Moscow during the first half of the twentieth century, Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart. Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart (1887-1970) was an impressive figure who played a vital role in both world wars. show more He was a man who charmed his way into the confidences of everyone from Leon Trotsky to Anthony Eden. A man whom the influential press baron Lord Beaverbrook claimed, "could well have been prime minister." And yet Lockhart died almost forgotten and near destitute, a Scottish footnote in the pages of history. Rogue Agent is the first biography of this gifted yet habitually flawed maverick. It chronicles his many exploits, from his time as Britain's agent in Moscow and his role in a plot to bring down the communist regime to his leadership in the Political Warfare Executive-a secret body responsible for disinformation and propaganda during World War II. Exploring Lockhart's unorthodox thinking and contributions to the development of psychological warfare, as well as his hedonistic lifestyle, late nights, and many affairs that left him in a state of perpetual debt and emotional turmoil, Rogue Agent presents the thrilling and dramatic tale of this unconventional war hero. show less

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yooperprof 215 reviews

Fun biographical romp through the life of enigmatic "government agent" Robert Bruce Lockhart, Britain's "man in Moscow" during the Bolshevik Revolutions of 1917-18. Crossland disentangles conflicting accounts of Lockhart's involvement in counter-revolutionary plots which aimed to foment dissatisfaction with the Communists, spur a return to Russian involvement in World War I, and assassinate Soviet leaders - including Lenin! For his involvement, Lockhart was seized by the Soviets and thrown into prison, but managed to survive thanks to the British government's eventual decision to arrange the first of what would be many "prisoner swaps" of the Cold War.

There is also a very interesting extended account of Lockhart's contributions to show more Second World War efforts through his leadership of the propagandistic "Political Warfare Executive."

The book reads like a cross between John Buchan and John le Carré: at times so strange it seems like fiction. Crossland's account is superbly researched and neatly documented, making it as valuable for professional historians as it is entertaining for general readers. show less

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