In a critique of Das Leben der Anderen (The Lives of Others) Slavoj Žižek asserts that "in all known cases of a married couple where a spouse betrayed a partner, it was always a man who became an informant." Famously, Ulrich Mühe, star of Das Leben der Anderen, asserted that his ex-wife spied on him for Stasi, though both the ex-wife and her supposed Stasi superior denied this. Other than that case, are there any examples of East German wifes informing on their husbands for Stasi?
posted by Kattullus on Nov 9, 2009 - 3 answers

Help me put this series of "The Spy Five" books in the appropriate reading order for my niece. [more inside]
posted by JaredSeth on Aug 15, 2009 - 3 answers

Help me entertain my father! I need TV-on-DVD recommendations, preferably built around solving things - crime, mysteries, puzzles, world crises, etc. [more inside]
posted by julen on Jul 16, 2009 - 32 answers

Help me find this essay about a spy... [more inside]
posted by overglow on Jul 10, 2009 - 3 answers

When I was a child there used to be cryptic messages on BBC Radio Four between the news and weather etc. that were weird and cryptic (as in they shouldn't have been on mainstream radio), but dull - stuff like "Mrs. Smith from Doncaster needs to contact her family in Hull". I have been told they were used for spies to communicate - does anyone know any more about this? I think it's something like those code words on the Tube that get announced if there's something going on. And numbers stations of course!
posted by debord on Jun 4, 2009 - 7 answers

I want to read more about financial crimes, real and fictitious. Any recommendations? [more inside]
posted by reenum on Nov 25, 2008 - 12 answers

How can I learn about the history of the CIA? After hearing Bob Baer on Fresh Air, I've been reading Baer's books and became interested in the backstory. I started reading Legacy of Ashes, but even to me, a garden-variety lefty, it seems biased against the CIA. Any suggestions for a more 'fair and balanced' account?
posted by lukemeister on Nov 22, 2008 - 11 answers

In the movie Breach, notorious spy Robert Hanssen obsesses briefly over a specific brand/model of pen. Anyone know the brand/model Hanssen preferred so much? [more inside]
posted by basicchannel on Feb 27, 2007 - 6 answers

How did MI6 and the CIA used to recruit? [more inside]
posted by speranza on Sep 14, 2005 - 7 answers

WTF is happening to the tv show known as MI-5 here in the States and as Spooks in the UK? Spoilers inside if you haven't yet seen season 3, especially episode 10 'The Suffering of Strangers'. [more inside]
posted by matildaben on Mar 14, 2005 - 8 answers