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Death of a Dissident (Abridged): The Poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko and the Return of the KGB Audiobook
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(3.07) - 160 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The assassination of former Russian intelligence officer Alexander "Sasha" Litvinenko in November 2006 -- poisoned by the rare radioactive element polonium -- caused an international sensation. Within a few short weeks, the fit forty-three-year-old lay gaunt, bald, and dying in a hospital, the victim of a "tiny nuclear bomb." Suspicions swirled around Russia's FSB, the successor to the KGB, and the Putin regime. Traces of polonium radiation were found in Germany and on certain airplanes, suggesting a travel route from Russia for the carriers of the fatal poison. But what really happened? What did Litvinenko know? And why was he killed?
The full story of Sasha Litvinenko's life and death is one that the Kremlin does not want told. His closest friend, Alex Goldfarb, and his widow, Marina, are the only two people who can tell it all, from firsthand knowledge, with dramatic scenes from Moscow to London to Washington. Death of a Dissident reads like a political thriller, yet its story is more fantastic and frightening than any novel.
Ever since 1998, when Litvinenko denounced the FSB for ordering him to assassinate tycoon Boris Berezovsky, he had devoted his life to exposing the FSB's darkest secrets. After a dramatic escape to London with Goldfarb's assistance, he spent six years, often working with Goldfarb, investigating a widening series of scandals. Oligarchs and journalists have been assassinated. Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yuschenko was poisoned on the campaign trail. The war in Chechnya became unspeakably harsh on both sides. Sasha Litvinenko investigated all of it, and he denounced his former employers in no uncertain terms for their dirty deeds.
Death of a Dissident opens a window into the dark heart of the Putin Kremlin. With its strong-arm tactics, tight control over the media, and penetration of all levels of government, the old KGB is back with a vengeance. Sasha Litvinenko dedicated his life to exposing this truth. It took his diabolical murder for the world to listen.
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"This is the story of Alexander “Sasha” Litvinenko, the ex Russian FSB officer who was killed in London with radioactive polonium. The story paints a bleak picture of Russia and Putin. Fast read, some confusion with all the Russian names and nicknames they develop for each other. "
— R.Joseph (4 out of 5 stars)
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“This chronicle by friend Alex Goldfarb and Litvinenko’s wife, Marina, reads like the best le Carré or Clancy, and Dennis Boutsikaris is a wise choice for narrator. ”
— Audiofile
Death of a Dissident Listener Reviews
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" I found this audiobook a little hard to follow, especially keeping the Russian names straight, and thought it wandered off topic more than I liked. Plus the final police investigation files haven't been released yet, so there's still some speculation as to who / how the agent was poisoned. "
— Ray, 12/30/2013 -
" Wanna know how dirty the kgb n the mi6 can get? Read this book.. "
— Ahmad, 12/17/2013 -
" One of many books that will show you how evil Putin is. "
— Kevin, 12/15/2013 -
" Extraordinary book; particularly interesting given that the recent Boston marathon bombings suspects are Chechen and Russia's involvement in the investigation. Sasha Litvinenko is a modern day hero and Putin is one scary SOB. "
— Samantha, 11/30/2013 -
" If you're tempted to think the US had embarked on a new era of amity with the kinder, gentler rump of the old Soviet Union this is a must-read. Eye-opening. Chilling. "
— Randy, 10/6/2013 -
" A fascinating story of the life of the world's first known victim of polonium poisoning. Looking into this book, and you will see Putin's soul and more. "
— Tom, 9/24/2013 -
" Reading this book was a sobering experience. Unfortunately, there is an "Old Guard" in Russia still behaving like the bad old days of the Soviet Union. "
— B., 9/15/2013 -
" Much more about the Russian political scene than they ghastly but fascinating murder. AL himself is painted as a good guy but it doesn't work for me! Good book if you want to understand how Yeltsin and Putin did it. "
— Roger, 4/25/2013 -
" VEry interesting book- fictionalized but real story of russian spy poisoned in London in 2007 "
— Irina, 12/20/2012 -
" I definitely need to learn more about Russian politics and the KGB before attempting this book again. I think it will be interesting when I have a little background knowledge. "
— Stephanie, 11/1/2012 -
" A must read for Russia watchers. "
— Grant, 5/5/2012 -
" Conspiracy theory at its finest--i.e. it is conceivable, even believable that Putin did order this murder. "
— G--, 3/5/2012 -
" Pretty compelling book, although it is doubtful anyone will ever be brought to justice for Litvinenko's murder. I remember reading the story and especially seeing the picture of him after he was poisoned. Pretty unforgettable. "
— Greg, 2/13/2012 -
" Given that journalists in Russia are being killed for reporting the truth, it's interesting how much this book reveals. Chilling. Nowhere on the planet is safe from Putin if he wants to find you. "
— Staggerlee337, 12/21/2011 -
" It wasn't very well written, and I got the feeling that the author was pretty excited about himself. But it was ok. "
— Motorcycle, 8/15/2010 -
" If you can get past the minor confusion of some similarly named principals (e.g. two men named Boris), you will learn just how evil Vladimir Putin is. "
— Russ, 8/11/2010 -
" If you can get past the minor confusion of some similarly named principals (e.g. two men named Boris), you will learn just how evil Vladimir Putin is. "
— Russ, 5/8/2010 -
" VEry interesting book- fictionalized but real story of russian spy poisoned in London in 2007 "
— Irina, 12/24/2009 -
" Reading this book was a sobering experience. Unfortunately, there is an "Old Guard" in Russia still behaving like the bad old days of the Soviet Union. "
— B., 5/12/2009 -
" It wasn't very well written, and I got the feeling that the author was pretty excited about himself. But it was ok. "
— Motorcycle, 4/7/2009 -
" Conspiracy theory at its finest--i.e. it is conceivable, even believable that Putin did order this murder. "
— G--, 10/2/2008 -
" Given that journalists in Russia are being killed for reporting the truth, it's interesting how much this book reveals. Chilling. Nowhere on the planet is safe from Putin if he wants to find you. "
— Staggerlee337, 6/26/2008 -
" I found this audiobook a little hard to follow, especially keeping the Russian names straight, and thought it wandered off topic more than I liked. Plus the final police investigation files haven't been released yet, so there's still some speculation as to who / how the agent was poisoned. "
— Ray, 2/13/2008 -
" A must read for Russia watchers. "
— Grant, 2/7/2008 -
" I definitely need to learn more about Russian politics and the KGB before attempting this book again. I think it will be interesting when I have a little background knowledge. "
— Stephanie, 10/3/2007
About the Authors
Alex Goldfarb, Ph.D. was a dissident Russian scientist before leaving to join the faculty of Columbia University. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, he returned to direct charitable initiatives throughout Russia. He befriended Alexander Litvinenko, former KGB officer working to expose government abuses and assisted him with his memoirs. He also coauthored a book with Litvinenko’s widow about his controversial death. Goldfarb now works with the International Foundation for Civil Liberties.
Dennis Boutsikaris is a two-time OBIE award winner. He has received five Audie Awards and seven Golden Earphone Awards for his work in over 100 audiobooks and was voted one of the Best Voices of the Year by AudioFile magazine. He has appeared in numerous Broadway, television, and film roles. He played Mozart on Broadway in Amadeus and has appeared on television shows including Shameless, The Good Wife, House M.D., Grey’s Anatomy, ER, and Law & Order.
About Dennis Boutsikaris
Dennis Boutsikaris is a two-time OBIE award winner. He has received five Audie Awards and seven Golden Earphone Awards for his work in over 100 audiobooks and was voted one of the Best Voices of the Year by AudioFile magazine. He has appeared in numerous Broadway, television, and film roles. He played Mozart on Broadway in Amadeus and has appeared on television shows including Shameless, The Good Wife, House M.D., Grey’s Anatomy, ER, and Law & Order.