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Into the Lion's Mouth
The True Story of Dusko Popov: World War II Spy, Patriot, and the Real-Life Inspiration for James Bond
by Larry Loftis
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
James Bond has nothing on Dusko Popov. a double agent for the Abwehr, MI5 and MI6, and the FBI during World War II, Popov seduced numerous women, spoke five languages, and was a crack shot, all while maintaining his cover as a Yugoslavian diplomat…
On a cool August evening in 1941, a Serbian playboy created a stir at Casino Estoril in Portugal by throwing down an outrageously large baccarat bet to humiliate his opponent. The Serbian was a British double agent, and the money―which he had just stolen from the Germans―belonged to the British. From the sideline, watching with intent interest was none other than Ian Fleming…
The Serbian was Dusko Popov. As a youngster, he was expelled from his London prep school. Years later he would be arrested and banished from Germany for making derogatory statements about the Third Reich. When World War II ensued, the playboy became a spy, eventually serving three dangerous masters: the Abwehr, MI5 and MI6, and the FBI.
On August 10, 1941, the Germans sent Popov to the United States to construct a spy network and gather information on Pearl Harbor. The FBI ignored his German questionnaire, but J. Edgar Hoover succeeded in blowing his cover. While MI5 desperately needed Popov to deceive the Abwehr about the D-Day invasion, they assured him that a return to the German Secret Service Headquarters in Lisbon would result in torture and execution. He went anyway...
Into the Lion’s Mouth is a globe-trotting account of a man’s entanglement with espionage, murder, assassins, and lovers―including enemy spies and a Hollywood starlet. It is a story of subterfuge and seduction, patriotism, and cold-blooded courage. It is the story of Dusko Popov―the inspiration for James Bond.
INCLUDES PHOTOGRAPHS
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Creators
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Publisher
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Release date
June 14, 2016 -
Formats
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Kindle Book
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OverDrive Read
- ISBN: 9780698197664
- File size: 25342 KB
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EPUB ebook
- ISBN: 9780698197664
- File size: 25342 KB
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Languages
- English
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Reviews
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June 1, 2016
Dusko Popov (1912-81) was an unlikely candidate to become one of the most successful spies of World War II. The son of a wealthy industrialist, Popov earned law degrees from the universities of Belgrade and Freiburg. Popov lived like a playboy: he gambled, lived well, and spent extravagantly on his numerous girlfriends. By 1940, he entered into German employ as a spy. Before beginning work for the Germans, Popov took this information to the British, and unofficially began working for them. Soon he was a double agent, in the employ of both the British and Germans. Author Loftis recounts the exploits of the model for Ian Fleming's James Bond character with great skill. He captures the stress, danger, and uncertainty Popov faced while trying to misdirect the Germans without making them suspicious and passing important information on to the British. A "Dramatis Personae" list at the start of the book helps readers keep the major players straight. VERDICT Loftis's account will have readers on the edge of their seats and immersed in this sometimes unbelievable tale. Recommended for World War II enthusiasts and those interested in real-life spy stories.--Chad E. Statler, Lakeland Comm. Coll., Kirtland, OH
Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
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