海角直播

KGBook

The amazing true tale of a Newcastle-born KGB spy and his secret life is to be revealed in a new book by a University of 海角直播 lecturer.

Vin Arthey, Programme Leader in Media Production, has spent six years researching and writing Like Father, Like Son: A Dynasty of Spies which recounts the story of KGB Spy Rudolf Abel and his arrest in the late 1950s for spying in New York. Abel was subsequently tried and convicted of spying, and later returned to the USSR in exchange for a captured American military airman, all without his real identity being revealed 鈥� William Fisher, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Vin, a former television producer, first came across the incredible story while carrying out research for the Stranger Than Fiction television programme. Initially intending to bring the story to life as a television documentary, Vin was advised to write a book instead by one of his research contacts.

Vin said: 鈥淚 was fascinated by the story 鈥� I just couldn鈥檛 find out enough about it. I can remember the newspaper accounts of Abel鈥檚 arrest in the 1950s and the swap for American airman Francis Gary Powers in 1962, but I was amazed when I found out that Abel was really William Fisher from Newcastle!

鈥淔isher鈥檚 father, Heinrich, was a German, born in Russia, but was a revolutionary and came into exile in England in 1901. Heinrich was involved in a notorious gun running scandal to Russia in 1907. In 1921, the whole family went to the USSR, where William quickly became involved in the KGB. And that鈥檚 where the story really begins.鈥�

Book Signing

Vin Arthey will be signing copies of Like Father, Like Son: A Dynasty of Spies at the University of 海角直播鈥檚 branch of Waterstone鈥檚 bookshop, Southfield Road, Middlesbrough, on Tuesday 22 February, from 12pm 鈥� 2pm.

Members of the public and media are welcome to attend.

Vin鈥檚 position at the University of 海角直播 is in the Media Production department, teaching students the skills and knowledge needed to work in today鈥檚 media industries. Part of the School of Arts & Media at 海角直播, Vin sees one of the school鈥檚 main strengths as the opportunity to work alongside historians and experts in other humanities academic disciplines.

Like Father, Like Son: A Dynasty of Spies is published by St Ermin鈥檚 Press, a division of the Time Warner Book Group, and is available from Thursday 3 February from bookshops and from online retailers, priced 拢25.

Vin Arthey is available for interview about his book 鈥� please contact him direct on 01642 384056 or email: v.arthey@tees.ac.uk.

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