Ben Macintyre

Ben Macintyre
Ben Macintyre
	Macintyre at the 2024 Chiswick Book Festival
Born	Benedict Richard Pierce MacIntyre; 25 December 1963(age60); Oxford,Oxfordshire, England
Occupation	Columnist, author
Spouse	Kate Muir(div.)
Children	3

Benedict Richard Pierce Macintyre(born 25 December 1963) is a British author, reviewer^[1]and columnist forThe Timesnewspaper. His columns range from current affairs to historical controversies.

Early life

Macintyre was born on 25 December 1963, inOxford,the elder son^[2]of Angus Donald Macintyre (d. 1994), a fellow and tutor in Modern History atMagdalen College, Oxford,who was elected principal ofHertford College, Oxfordbefore his death in a car accident, author of the first scholarly work on the Irish nationalistDaniel O'Connell,general editor of theOxford Historical Monographsseries from 1971 to 1979, editor ofThe English Historical Reviewfrom 1978 to 1986, and Chairman of the Governors ofMagdalen College Schoolfrom 1987 to 1990, and Joanna, daughter ofSir Richard Musgrave Harvey, 2nd Baronetand a descendant ofBerkeley Paget.^[3]^[4]His paternal grandmother was a descendant of James Netterville, 7thViscount Netterville.^[5]

Macintyre was educated atAbingdon SchoolandSt John's College, Cambridge,where he graduated with a degree in history in 1985.^[6]

Career

Macintyre is the author of a book on thegentleman criminal Adam Worth,The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times of Adam Worth, Master Thief.

He also wroteThe Man Who Would Be King: The First American in Afghanistan(aboutJosiah Harlan). This was also published asJosiah the Great: The True Story of the Man who Would be King.^[7]Harlan is one of the candidates presumed to be the basis forRudyard Kipling's short storyThe Man Who Would Be King.

He is the author of a book onEddie Chapman,adouble agentof Germany and Britain during the World War II,Agent Zigzag: The True Wartime Story of Eddie Chapman: Lover, Betrayer, Hero, Spy.

In 2008, Macintyre wrote an illustrated account ofIan Fleming,creator of the fictional spyJames Bond,to accompany theFor Your Eyes Only, Ian Fleming and James Bondexhibition at London'sImperial War Museum,which was part of the Fleming Centenary celebrations.^[8]^[9]

Macintyre's 2020 bookAgent Sonya: Moscow's Most Daring Wartime Spy,a biography ofSovietagentUrsula Kuczynski,was featured onBBC Radio 4as aBook of the Week.^[10]

In 2022 his bookColditz: Prisoners of the Castlewas released, a history of the German prison and its inhabitants, mostly BritishPOWs.The book received generally favorable reviews.^[11]

In 2024, Viking published Macintyre'sThe Siegeabout theIranian Embassy siegein London in 1980.^[12]^[13]It was also announced that the book will be adapted for television by the show-runner ofSlow Horses.^[14]

Personal life

Macintyre has three children and is divorced from the writer and documentary makerKate Muir.^{[citation needed]}

Documentaries

Five of Macintyre's books have been made into documentaries for theBBC:

Operation Mincemeat(2010),^[15]
Double Agent: TheEddie ChapmanStory(2011),^[16]
Double Cross– The True Story of theD DaySpies(2012)^[17]
Kim Philby– His Most Intimate Betrayal(2014).^[18]
SAS:Rogue Warriors(2017).^[19]

Adaptations

In 2021,Operation Mincemeat,a cinematic adaptation of Macintyre's 2010's homonymous book, subtitledThe True Spy Story that Changed the Course of World War II,premiered at Australia's British Film Festival, and was released to the public in 2022.

Rogue Heroes: The History of the SAS, Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War,was adapted in 2022 under the titleSAS: Rogue Heroesand released on 30 October 2022.^[20]^[21]

On 8 December 2022, a six part series titledA Spy Among Friendspremiered on the streaming serviceITVX.It's the adaptation of Macintyre's book:A Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal.^[22]

In April 2023 it was announced that the team behindA Spy Among Friends(actorDamian Lewisand directorAlexander Cary) is developing further television dramas based on Macintyre books.^[23]

In 2007,Tom Hanksbought the rights to Macintyre'sAgent Zigzag.^[24]The film has been in various stages of development since.^[25]

Awards and honours

1998Edgar Awardshortlist forThe Napoleon of Crime
1998Macavity Awardshortlist forThe Napoleon of Crime
2007Costa Book Awards,biography, shortlist forAgent Zigzag
2008Galaxy British Book Awards,biography, shortlist forAgent Zigzag
2010Galaxy British Book Awards,Popular Non-fiction, shortlist forOperation Mincemeat
2011Duke of Westminster's Medal for Military Literature,shortlist forOperation Mincemeat
2012Agatha Award,Non-fiction, shortlist forA Spy Among Friends
2013Edgar Awardshortlist forDouble Cross
2014Spear's Book Award,winner forA Spy Among Friends
2018Baillie Gifford Prize,shortlist forThe Spy and the Traitor^[26]

Works

Forgotten Fatherland: The Search forElisabeth Nietzsche.New York 1992.ISBN 978-0-374-15759-3^[27]
The Napoleon of Crime: The Life and Times ofAdam Worth,Master Thief.New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1997.ISBN 978-0-374-21899-7.
A Foreign Field: A True Story of Love and Betrayal in the Great War.HarperCollins,2001.ISBN 978-0-00-257122-7.(American edition:The Englishman's Daughter: A True Story of Love and Betrayal in World War One.New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2002.ISBN 978-0-374-12985-9.)
The Man Who Would Be King: The First American in Afghanistan (Josiah Harlan).New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004.ISBN 978-0-374-20178-4.^[28]
Agent Zigzag: The True Wartime Story ofEddie Chapman:Lover, Traitor, Hero, Spy.London:Bloomsbury Publishing,2007.ISBN 978-0-7475-8794-1.
For Your Eyes Only:Ian FlemingandJames Bond.London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2008.
The Last Word: Tales from the Tip of the Mother Tongue.London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2009.ISBN 978-1-4088-0333-2.
Operation Mincemeat:The True Spy Story that Changed the Course of World War II.London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2010.ISBN 978-0-7475-9868-8.
Double Cross: The True Story of the D-Day Spies.London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2012.ISBN 978-1-4088-1990-6.
A Spy Among Friends:Kim Philbyand the Great Betrayal.London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014.ISBN 978-1408851722.

Gladwell, Malcolm(28 July 2014)."A Critic at Large: Trust No One".The New Yorker.Vol. 90, no. 21. pp. 70–75.Retrieved30 September2014.Includes review ofA Spy Among Friends: Kim Philby and the Great Betrayal.
Fitzpatrick, Sheila(September 2014). "'One of us': the spy who relished deception ".Australian Book Review.364:27–28.Review ofA Spy Among Friends.

Rogue Heroes: The History of theSAS,Britain's Secret Special Forces Unit That Sabotaged the Nazis and Changed the Nature of War;McClelland & Stewart; 2017; 400pp;ISBN 978-0771060328
The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War (Oleg Gordievsky);Viking, 2018, 352pp;ISBN 978-0241186657^[29]
Agent Sonya: Lover, Mother, Soldier, Spy;Viking, 2020, 384pp;ISBN 978-0241408506^[30]
Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle;Viking, 2022, 384pp;ISBN 978-0241408520
The Siege: The Remarkable Story of the Greatest SAS Hostage Drama;Viking, 2024, 384pp;ISBN 978-0241675670

References

^Macintyre, Ben (12 October 1997)."Gaslight".The New York Times.
^He has an elder sister, born 1962, and a younger brother, born 1971, per Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 2, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 1812
^Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 2, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 1812
^"OBITUARIES: Angus Macintyre".Independent.co.uk.22 October 2011.
^Burke's Irish Family Records, ed. Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 1976, p. 358
^'Cambridge University Tripos Results',The Guardian,5 July 1985.
^Macintyre, Ben;Josiah the Great: The True Story of the Man who Would be King;HarperCollins; 2004, 350pp;ISBN 9780007151066
^Macintyre, Ben, Imperial War Museum;For Your Eyes Only, Ian Fleming and James Bond;Bloomsbury Publishing; London; 2008; 224pp;ISBN 978-1-5969-1544-2
^Imperial War Museum catalogue number LBY 08 / 802
^"Agent Sonya by Ben Macintyre".BBC RADIO 4.BBC.Retrieved30 September2021.
^"Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle".Retrieved7 March2023.
^"Viking announces the 'definitive' history of the London Iranian embassy siege from Ben Macintyre".The Bookseller.Retrieved26 July2024.
^"The Siege: A Six-Day Hostage Crisis and the Daring Special-Forces Operation That Shocked the World By Ben Macintyre".Penguin Random House.
^"Ben Macintyre's The Siege to be adapted for TV by" Slow Horses "show runner".The Bookseller.Retrieved8 October2024.
^Walker George Films:Operation Mincemeat
^Walker George Films:DOUBLE AGENT: The Eddie Chapman Story
^Walker George Films:Double Cross – The True Story of the D Day Spies
^"Kim Philby - His Most Intimate Betrayal".BBC TWO.BBC.Retrieved30 September2021.
^"SAS: Rogue Warriors".BBC TWO.BBC.Retrieved30 September2021.
^Beevor, Antony(22 September 2022)."'This is rock-star history!' – Antony Beevor on the gung-ho brilliance of SAS Rogue Heroes ".The Guardian.London.Retrieved22 September2022.
^Macintyre, Ben(2017).SAS: Rogue Heroes(Paperback ed.). London: Penguin.ISBN 978-0-241-18686-2.
^"A Spy Among Friends review – don't take your eyes off this star-packed espionage thriller".BBC TWO.The Guardian.Retrieved11 December2022.
^White, Peter (16 April 2023)."Damian Lewis & Alexander Cary Adapting More Ben Macintryre Books For TV After 'A Spy Among Friends'".Deadline.Retrieved9 July2024.
^Kit, Borys (20 September 2007)."Tom Hanks, studio double up on spy saga".Reuters.Retrieved9 July2024.
^"Bomback writing 'Agent Zigzag' for Hanks".Digital Spy.20 March 2009.Retrieved9 July2024.
^"The Baillie Gifford Prize 2018 announces shortlist".Baillie Gifford Prize. 2 October 2018.Retrieved3 October2018.
^SeeNueva GermaniaandElisabeth Förster-Nietzsche.
^"THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING: The First American in Afghanistan by Ben Macintyre".publishersweekly.Retrieved10 December2022.
^Harding, Luke (19 September 2018)."Review ofThe Spy and the Traitorby Ben Macintyre ".The Guardian.
^Feigel, Lara (30 September 2020)."Review ofAgent Sonyaby Ben Macintyre ".The Guardian.

External links

Official website
List of articles by Macintyre
"Ben Macintyre, columnist",is Macintyre's op-ed page atThe Times.
Ben Macintyreon theMuck Rackjournalist listing site

[NYT-1] Macintyre, Ben (12 October 1997)."Gaslight".The New York Times.

[2] He has an elder sister, born 1962, and a younger brother, born 1971, per Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 2, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 1812

[3] Burke's Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage, 107th edition, vol. 2, ed. Charles Mosley, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 2003, p. 1812

[4] "OBITUARIES: Angus Macintyre".Independent.co.uk.22 October 2011.

[5] Burke's Irish Family Records, ed. Hugh Montgomery-Massingberd, Burke's Peerage Ltd, 1976, p. 358

[6] 'Cambridge University Tripos Results',The Guardian,5 July 1985.

[7] Macintyre, Ben;Josiah the Great: The True Story of the Man who Would be King;HarperCollins; 2004, 350pp;ISBN 9780007151066

[8] Macintyre, Ben, Imperial War Museum;For Your Eyes Only, Ian Fleming and James Bond;Bloomsbury Publishing; London; 2008; 224pp;ISBN 978-1-5969-1544-2

[9] Imperial War Museum catalogue number LBY 08 / 802

[BBCr4-10] "Agent Sonya by Ben Macintyre".BBC RADIO 4.BBC.Retrieved30 September2021.

[11] "Colditz: Prisoners of the Castle".Retrieved7 March2023.

[12] "Viking announces the 'definitive' history of the London Iranian embassy siege from Ben Macintyre".The Bookseller.Retrieved26 July2024.

[13] "The Siege: A Six-Day Hostage Crisis and the Daring Special-Forces Operation That Shocked the World By Ben Macintyre".Penguin Random House.

[14] "Ben Macintyre's The Siege to be adapted for TV by" Slow Horses "show runner".The Bookseller.Retrieved8 October2024.

[15] Walker George Films:Operation Mincemeat

[16] Walker George Films:DOUBLE AGENT: The Eddie Chapman Story

[17] Walker George Films:Double Cross – The True Story of the D Day Spies

[BB2-2-18] "Kim Philby - His Most Intimate Betrayal".BBC TWO.BBC.Retrieved30 September2021.

[BBC2-19] "SAS: Rogue Warriors".BBC TWO.BBC.Retrieved30 September2021.

[Beevor-20] Beevor, Antony(22 September 2022)."'This is rock-star history!' – Antony Beevor on the gung-ho brilliance of SAS Rogue Heroes ".The Guardian.London.Retrieved22 September2022.

[Macintyre-21] Macintyre, Ben(2017).SAS: Rogue Heroes(Paperback ed.). London: Penguin.ISBN 978-0-241-18686-2.

[22] "A Spy Among Friends review – don't take your eyes off this star-packed espionage thriller".BBC TWO.The Guardian.Retrieved11 December2022.

[23] White, Peter (16 April 2023)."Damian Lewis & Alexander Cary Adapting More Ben Macintryre Books For TV After 'A Spy Among Friends'".Deadline.Retrieved9 July2024.

[24] Kit, Borys (20 September 2007)."Tom Hanks, studio double up on spy saga".Reuters.Retrieved9 July2024.

[25] "Bomback writing 'Agent Zigzag' for Hanks".Digital Spy.20 March 2009.Retrieved9 July2024.

[26] "The Baillie Gifford Prize 2018 announces shortlist".Baillie Gifford Prize. 2 October 2018.Retrieved3 October2018.

[27] SeeNueva GermaniaandElisabeth Förster-Nietzsche.

[28] "THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING: The First American in Afghanistan by Ben Macintyre".publishersweekly.Retrieved10 December2022.

[29] Harding, Luke (19 September 2018)."Review ofThe Spy and the Traitorby Ben Macintyre ".The Guardian.

[30] Feigel, Lara (30 September 2020)."Review ofAgent Sonyaby Ben Macintyre ".The Guardian.

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