Best of Enemies: The Last Great Spy Story of the Cold War (4/5)

In a harrowing tale of espionage by Gus Russo & Eric Dezenhall, two opposites of the intelligence community become friends through some of the most peculiar circumstances. Jack Platt, aka “Cowboy” was an American CIA officer who worked in the SE division - Soviet/Eastern Europe division - of the organization. His job was to mainly convert Soviet Agents to corroborate with western intelligence agencies during the cold war. Platt befriended one agent, in particular, Gennadiy Vasilenko. Dubbed the "Russian Cowboy", Vasilenko was a Soviet KGB agent undercover as a diplomat in the Soviet Embassy in 1977. Although their friendship developed quickly, Vasilenko never fully converted to helping the Americans in their endless pursuit of information. The two men often spent time together, shooting and drinking their way through life. However, the KGB soon became wary and pulled Vasilenko in 1981. A multitude of events occurred before they finally reunited in the 1990s, as the novel takes you on a journey of multiple arrests of Vasilenko to the exposure of a KGB plant in the CIA. The writing of this novel encapsulates the thrilling nature of the story it strives to tell, even if it drags a bit at the beginning. Mitigating the complexity of the story, Russo & Denzenhall use the information stated at the beginning of the book to help the reader connect the dots throughout the novel. The authors' style is consistent with other books in the genre, with the characterization of people coming from the almost fictionalization of them. Accounts of ongoings within the CIA and KGB are often played out like scenes, with details written with a bit of improvisation. Even if the style of writing calls the legitimacy into question, it does provide for a more entertaining and fulfilling experience as a reader. Ultimately, Best of Enemies: The Last Great Spy Story of the Cold War presents an enthralling tale of two men and their friendship that went against the odds. This novel can reach an even wider audience since it includes espionage and history, meaning it can convey its message to a broader spectrum of readers. Power through the slow beginning and readers will be glad they picked up this book.