Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Ashish Goyal
Following two very different and engaging Book Club evenings — from the geopolitics of Prisoners of Geography, to the leadership, discipline and high-performance mindset of Rafael Nadal — we are delighted to invite you to our next Wharton Club UK Book Club gathering.
This time, we are moving into the world of espionage.
Our October book is The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre — the extraordinary true story of Oleg Gordievsky, a senior KGB officer who secretly worked for British intelligence and became one of MI6’s most important Cold War agents.
At one point, Gordievsky was effectively the KGB’s senior man in London while simultaneously spying for Britain. When Moscow finally suspected him, what followed was an extraordinary attempt to escape the Soviet Union.
It has all the ingredients of a great spy thriller — deception, double lives, Cold War politics, betrayal and an audacious escape — except that it actually happened.
The book should give us plenty to discuss: loyalty and ideology, Russia and the West, the morality of espionage, courage under extraordinary pressure, and the extent to which one individual can influence history.
John le Carré called it “the best true spy story I have ever read.”
As always, the aim is a genuine discussion rather than a lecture or formal review. Come having read the book, and bring your reactions, disagreements and questions.
Whether you see Gordievsky as a hero, a traitor, or something considerably more complicated, we should have plenty to talk about.
Places are limited, so please book early. Please note that this event is exclusively open to Wharton Club UK members. Become a member HERE.
We look forward to another lively evening of books, ideas and conversation with the Wharton community.
