Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal

Excellent read

Enjoyed the book from cover to cover. Very well written and researched. Recommend to anyone who loves to read about war and espionage.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Once a con-man, always a con-man

Engagingly written to capture the charismatic, roguish charm of WWII British double-agent Eddie Chapman, Macintyre's sweeping history exposes many over looked parts of the WWII saga. For those who are not WWII buffs, the various characters, dynamic relationships and outlandish escapades that emerged in wartime Britain and Germany seem to be straight from the pages of Ian Fleming or an action-adventure magazine. While Chapman remains the central figure, the supporting cast is treated respectfully and is given closure in the Epilogue. At times the plot seems to drag a bit, but otherwise a fast-moving, enjoyable read.

2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Fair

Agent Zigzag was nothing spectacular to me. Yeah, the man was a great double agent no doubt playing Germany to a tee. But for me it wasn't great but definatly a good weekend read. If your interested in spies it's a good book for you.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Disappointed

I was a really disappointed with this book. It did not come close to living up to its hype. While I understand the author's premise of showing how an unregenerate criminal can be patriotic and extremely useful as a spy, this could have been accomplished in about three chapters. Eddie Chapman had two episodes, both in England, where he acted very effectively as a double agent. These two episodes and preceding chapters, were separated by his time in German hands with endless reporting on his drinking, womanizing and training. Yeah, we got it! I would have liked to have known how the British handlers set him up for transmissions to Germany. How were his messages concocted, what was sent, more details on how the Germans received the information and much more. I was most disappointed about the description of Chapman's "exposure" and demise. It was such an anti-climax. One of their most successful double agents is exposed and expelled by a vindictive handler on the most flimsy evidence with essentially no investigation by the hierarchy of MI5. It seems hard to believe.

Great Story, Terrific Read

This is a great true story that reads like a terrific spy novel. You can't stop reading it once you start!

Deliciously Fun Read

Who said non-fiction can't be fun? I read a lot of non-fiction and actually enjoy the minutiae of political philosophy, histoirical context, etc. But, everyone once in a while it is refreshing to read the personal tales of those who lived the moment. Macintyre's account of Eddie Chapman: English crook turned German spy-turned British Intel agent does just that, and it is deliciously fun to read!

"Fiction has not, and probably never will, produce an espionage story to rival in fascination and improbability the true story of Edward Chapman, whom only war could invest with virtue,and that only for its duration." Tin Eye Stephens, British interrogator (pg 287)

Eddie Chapman started as a petty thief and his criminal career escalated to crack lock aficionado landing him in a prison that eventually came under German control. Chapman, looking for a way off the island, offered his services to the German army reasoning that his British citizenship, knowledge of explosives, and criminal history made him the ideal candidate to spy on his home country. The Germans took him up on his offer and trained him as a spy. Parachuted back into England Chapman immediately contacts MI5 and offers to spy on the Germans.

There are so many things to love about this book. First, Chapman is a fascinating psychological study. He is a crook and can't be trusted. Everything that comes out of his mouth is suspect. Yet while the Germans fed his ego and offered the financial gain Chapman seemed to constantly pursue, he did remain loyal to the British cause and was the source of many successes. Secondly, I learned a lot. I have read a great deal about the success of MI5 and the SOE. They are fascinating agencies to read about. Macintyre does a very good job of showing how the Germans Intel shortcomings actually elevated their British counterparts. Thirdly, key players in other arenas make appearances like Jasper Maskelyne, the magician who is well known for his illusions in the North Africa campaing and Terrence Young who went on to create James Bond. Finally, there are the heroic actions of many individuals that make WWII a favorite among historical readers.

Highly recommend it. It is an easy read, entertaining, and informative all at the the same time.

Agent Zigzag will keep up late turning pages!

Agent Zigzag will be impossible to put down for other long time fans of World War 2 historical nonfiction like myself. I found this totally absorbing, funny in places, totally engrossing, mysterious, chilling, and educational. The reader is introduced to new facets of the British resistance and the German determination to conquer England. Windows were opened to the secrets of the British and how they survived, including introducing me to the Mosquito military aircraft. The fighter bomber was a remarkable war bird that I was totally unfamiliar with, and its story emphasizes the resolve and ingenuity of the British to withstand the overwhelming military superiority of the Germanys. It's design and construction and involvement in the war gives even more meaning to the "never have so many owed so much too so few" Churchill statement. And of course the totally unexpected inevitable twists that occur as the protagonist fights his way through the adventure will totally irritate and frustrate the most patriotic reader.

When Non Fiction is Better Than Fiction-ZigZag Delivers !

About half-way through reading this book, I commented to a friend that they should make a movie out of it. I did a quick search on Google and found out that one was on track for 2010. Agent Zigzag, the true story of a British double agent that infiltrated Nazi Germany and greatly helped the Allied cause during the Second World War, is that good. Ben Macintyre, takes us through the life of Eddie Chapman, a career criminal who used his good looks and and smooth talking to woe women, criminals, cops, spies and everyone in between. Always one step ahead of the police, he enjoyed the good life as a successful criminal, involved in safe cracking and many burglaries. Then in 1940, things changed. On the Isle of Jersey, he was finally caught. While in prison, the war broke out and the island was under Nazis rule. After his release, he offered his services to the Germans as a spy, mostly out of boredom. Nothing happened. Later under accusations of sabotage, he and a friend were falsely charged and were later transferred to a prison in Nazi Occupied France. A few months later the Germans took him up on his offer and his life of intrigue, double-crossing, love and betrayal as a spy had begun.
The book takes us through Chapman's training in France, his missions to Great Britain, Portugal, Germany and Norway. The cast of characters are real as are the daily dangers this hero faced. I say hero because he was one. He changed sides immediately on his drop into Great Britain, and became probably the best spy in the Allies efforts during the war. Along the way he loved and betrayed many women, but in the end we see the passion and honesty of this man. A complicated character, sometime hot, sometimes cold, one is unsure of his true motives-but in the end his actions saved thousands of lives. Hunted and admired by many on both sides, Eddie Chapman was always one step ahead of danger and always kept the most important thing in focus-'the mission'. Agent Zigzag, is a fun read. I could not put this book down. Having a basic knowledge of dates and events of the war will be helpful to put things in perspective, but it is not necessary since the author recaps them quite well. Of note is that many of the British intelligence Service agents in M15, were directly and indirectly involved in the creation of the characters and ideas in many of the James Bond 007 movies. As Tin Eye Stephens, Agent Zigzag's superior at M15 said, " Fiction has not, and probably never will, produce an espionage story to rival in fascination and improbability the true story of Edward Chapman, who in only in war could invest with virtue and that only for its duration". Equal or better to most great spy stories, this one is a cut above-because it is true.
Robert Glasker

I had expected more

Having read extensively about this subject I was excited to find this book. However, I was somewhat disappointed as it failed to live up to its billing as an "exciting" tale. It was really rather mundane.

A waste of time

Contains too much trivia.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Thrilling True Story

Wow! What an amazing story! Great research and writing that never stands still. It's the story of a double agent in World War II, and how he was "handled" on both sides. It's a good, solid story and I am happy to recommend it!

vital components of the Double Cross in WWII

This book was an excellent read for me after having read John Masterman's book about the double cross system over 30 years ago. I am glad that Ben Macintyre was able to get accesss to the archives of MI-5 to write about Zigzag. It is a shame that we have to wait for Governments to release classified information that happened in WWII ! Slowly but surely, we are finding out who the double agents were, their true identities and some of the operations that they were involved in. This is a very good read for anyone, who is a WWII buff !

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