Person
Every book Jack Barsky recommended on podcasts
Jack Barsky appears on the Lex Fridman Podcast as a former KGB spy, offering unique historical insights into Cold War espionage, Soviet political indoctrination, and his personal life journey. Throughout the interview, Barsky discussed several foundational and influential books from his past. He shared that his early love for Honoré de Balzac's novels inspired his childhood dream of visiting Paris. Transitioning into his espionage training, Barsky recalled that the very first book assigned to him by the KGB was the History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He also discussed Mikhail Gorbachev's book on perestroika and glasnost, noting how orthodox East German authorities reacted by purchasing the entire print run to keep it out of circulation, storing the unsold copies in Stasi hallways. Finally, Barsky mentioned receiving a copy of A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh from a French-Canadian woman during a practice trip in Canada, showcasing a reading history intertwined with both strict state ideology and personal milestones.
Books recommended by Jack Barsky
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La père Goriot
Discussed“You know, I wanted to see Paris because I had fallen in love with Honore Balzac, who wrote- Balzac, yeah. A phenomenal set of novels that I just ate up.”
Where to get it
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Perestroika
Discussed“When Gorbachev wrote his book about perestroika and glasnost the East German rulers did not like it. They were much more orthodox. So they had to print the books in translation. Guess where they wound up? They were piled up in the hallways of the Stasi. They bought the entire print run.”
Where to get it
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Stalin's Master Narrative
Discussed“Interestingly enough, the first book I was given to read was the history of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Oh, so understand, yeah, that's interesting.”
Where to get it
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Winnie the Pooh (Winnie-the-Pooh)
Winnie the Pooh by A.
Discussed“And she gave me a book, "Winnie the Pooh," because we went to see the movie. And then she wrote the dedication, she says, "To the nicest German I've ever met."”
Where to get it
Books Jack Barsky wrote
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| #301 – Jack Barsky: KGB Spy | Lex Fridman Podcast | 2022-07-09 | 4 |
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“And she gave me a book, 'Winnie the Pooh,' because we went to see the movie. And then she wrote the dedication, she says, 'To the nicest German I've ever met.'”