Terminal Spy: A True Story of Espionage, Betrayal and Murder
Author: Alan S Cowell
In a page-turning narrative that reads like a thriller, an award-winning journalist exposes the troubling truth behind the world’s first act of nuclear terrorism.
On November 1, 2006, Alexander Litvinenko sipped tea in London’s Millennium Hotel. Hours later the Russian émigré and former intelligence officer, who was sharply critical of Russian president Vladimir Putin, fell ill and within days was rushed to the hospital. Fatally poisoned by a rare radioactive isotope slipped into his drink, Litvinenko issued a dramatic deathbed statement accusing Putin himself of engineering his murder. Alan S. Cowell, then London Bureau Chief of the New York Times, who covered the story from its inception, has written the definitive story of this assassination and of the profound international implications of this first act of nuclear terrorism.
Who was Alexander Litvinenko? What had happened in Russia since the end of the cold war to make his life there untenable and in severe jeopardy even in England, the country that had granted him asylum? And how did he really die? The life of Alexander Litvinenko provides a riveting narrative in its own right, culminating in an event that rang alarm bells among western governments at the ease with which radioactive materials were deployed in a major Western capital to commit a unique crime. But it also evokes a wide range of other issues: Russia's lurch to authoritarianism, the return of the KGB to the Kremlin, the perils of a new cold war driven by Russia's oil riches and Vladimir Putin's thirst for power.
Cowell provides a remarkable and detailed reconstruction both of how Litvinenkodied and of the issues surrounding his murder. Drawing on exclusive reporting from Britain, Russia, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States, he traces in unprecedented detail the polonium trail leading from Russia's closed nuclear cities through Moscow and Hamburg to the Millenium Hotel in central London. He provides the most detailed step-by-step explanation of how and where polonium was found; how the assassins tried on several occasions to kill Litvinenko; and how they bungled a conspiracy that may have had more targets than Litvinenko himself.
With a colorful cast that includes the tycoons, spies, and killers who surrounded Litvinenko in the roller-coaster Russia of the 1990s, as well as the émigrés who flocked to London in such numbers that the British capital earned the sobriquet “Londongrad,” this book lays out the events that allowed an accused killer to escape prosecution in a delicate diplomatic minuet that helped save face for the authorities in London and Moscow.
A masterful work of investigative reporting, The Terminal Spy offers unprecedented insight into one of the most chilling true stories of our time.
The New York Times - Joseph Weisberg
…an absorbing account of Mr. Litvinenko's life and bizarre murder. Along the way [Cowell] explains how Russia lost and got back its tremendous energy resources after the fall of the Soviet Union, describes how wealthy Russians have turned London into "Moscow-on-the-Thames" and tries to determine if the Litvinenko murder is the harbinger of a new and especially dangerous kind of terrorism…Mr. Cowell follows the British investigation as the police chase the traces of the isotope around London, reconstructing the chronology of events on the day of Mr. Litvinenko's murder. For everyone who's tired of the endless forensic investigations that take up so many hours on television and so many pages in crime novels, this nuclear street work is engrossing in a whole new way.
Living Like Ed: A Guide to the Eco-Friendly Life
Author: Ed Begley
FROM THE PIONEER OF ECO-CONSCIOUS LIVING
A committed environmentalist for more than thirty years, Ed Begley, Jr., has always tried to “live simply so others may simply live.” Now, as more and more of us are looking for ways to reduce our impact on the planet and live a better, greener life, Ed shares his experiences on what works, what doesn't–and what will save you money!
These are tips for environmentally friendly living that anyone–whether you own or rent, live in a private home or a condo–can try to make a positive change for the environment. From quick fixes to bigger commitments and long-term strategies, Ed will help you make changes in every part of your life.
And if you think living green has to mean compromising on aesthetics or comfort, fear not; Ed's wife, Rachelle, insists on style–with a conscience. In Living Like Ed, his environmentalism and her design savvy combine to create a guide to going green that keeps the chic in eco-chic.
From recycling more materials than you ever thought possible to composting without raising a stink to buying an electric car, Living Like Ed is packed with ideas–from obvious to ingenious–that will help you live green, live responsibly, live well. Like Ed.
Jaime Hammond - Library Journal
Actor Begley is best known for his television and movie roles (St. Elsewhere; A Mighty Wind), but if you have seen his cable show, Living with Ed, on HGTV, you know that his true passion is environmentalism. This companion book serves as a cheat sheet to all things green. In six chapters, plus a workbook, Begley covers nearly everything a human could do to lessen one's impact on the environment. His tips are organized by three levels of effort-"Little Changes" (cost: free to $50), "Not-So-Big Changes" ($50-$500), and "Big Changes" (over $500)-which makes them financially realistic to the reader. The author's wife, Rachelle Carson-Begley, comments throughout the text as the voice of the masses, offering less ugly alternatives to "big and orange" rain barrels and joking criticism of Begley's obsessive thermostat programming. Although the book lacks an index, and the organization of the topics is erratic within the chapters, it is a witty and easy-to-use manual to environmentally friendly living. Recommended for all public libraries and for school libraries looking for great Earth Day activities.
Table of Contents:
Foreword 9Introduction 13
Home 19
Transportation 55
Recycling 93
Energy 127
In the Garden and Kitchen 157
Clothing and Hair and Skin Care 193
Workbook 211
Acknowledgments 236
Index 237
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